08-12-2009, 11:48 PM | #1 |
Member
Posts: 22
Karma: 196
Join Date: Jun 2009
Device: Sony PRS-505
|
Breaking news!!!!! Sony to sell Epub only
OMG, this is fantastic news, ladies and gents.
http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/12/m...ts-own-format/ More details at Teleread courtersy of NYTimes On Thursday, Sony Electronics, which sells e-book devices under the Reader brand, plans to announce that by the end of the year it will sell digital books only in the ePub format, an open standard created by a group including publishers like Random House and HarperCollins. Sony will also scrap its proprietary anticopying software in favor of technology from the software maker Adobe that restricts how often e-books can be shared or copied. After the change, books bought from Sony’s online store will be readable not just on its own device but on the growing constellation of other readers that support ePub. Those include the Plastic Logic eReader, a thin device that has been in development for nearly a decade and is expected to go on sale early next year. “There is going to be a proliferation of different reading devices, with different features and capabilities and prices for a different set of consumer requirements,” said Steve Haber, president of Sony’s digital reading unit. “If people are going to this e-book shopping mall, they are going to want to shop at all the stores, and not just be required to shop at one store.” |
08-12-2009, 11:51 PM | #2 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,552
Karma: 3799999
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA
Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2
|
I see this as a good thing, fewer formats means easier to keep your content.
|
Advert | |
|
08-12-2009, 11:53 PM | #3 |
Member
Posts: 22
Karma: 196
Join Date: Jun 2009
Device: Sony PRS-505
|
Absolutely. This only means good things for the industry as a whole.
|
08-13-2009, 12:05 AM | #4 |
Evangelist
Posts: 405
Karma: 692
Join Date: Sep 2006
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | Kindle Paperwhite | iPad Mini
|
This is great, great news. If everyone but Amazon goes ePub, it will create a burden on Amazon to create a more open device.
|
08-13-2009, 12:12 AM | #5 |
Storm Surge'n
Posts: 5,779
Karma: 8213195
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lobster Capital
Device: S0ny PRS-300/350/505/700/T1
|
|
Advert | |
|
08-13-2009, 12:13 AM | #6 |
Evangelist
Posts: 411
Karma: 1034889
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: none
|
I wonder if they will allow people who've bought from their store to re-download them in ePUB for free once the format becomes available.
I think Sony is making another smart move. It's a way to grow their bookstore and make money since perhaps the number of people who are buying from their bookstore are few since it's only limited to those who own Sony devices. If this is true, someone at Sony is thinking outside the box. Now if only they could offer better price matching on books that are not on the best sellers list. I'm seriously surprised that Amazon and B&N haven't done this to begin with since they are #1 a book selling company. Well Amazon sells other things as well but you get the idea. |
08-13-2009, 12:17 AM | #7 |
Groupie
Posts: 185
Karma: 1096228
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Colorado
Device: Kindle Oasis
|
Wow I'm impressed and very pleased to read this. Great move on Sony's part. Who would have thought Sony of all companies would be going with something non-proprietary?
|
08-13-2009, 12:25 AM | #8 |
Evangelist
Posts: 411
Karma: 1034889
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: none
|
From the NY Times article
"The result was what is known as “lock-in.” Apple built up extraordinary market power and leverage to dictate terms to the major music labels on matters like the price of digital songs. Then, as now, second-tier players banded together to promote the increased flexibility and choice that open standards gave to consumers. “If the business terms and conditions end up being dictated to publishers by one bookseller who has a chokehold over the value chain, publishers are going to have a hard time staying profitable,” said Bill McCoy, general manager for Adobe’s digital publishing business." So is this really good news for the consumer? I hope prices for ebooks don't stay high and reflect the fact that they are digital media, assuming that there is a cost savings of going from paper to digital. Itunes did bring about the 99 cent per song as Amazon has brought about $9.99 for new releases of best sellers. |
08-13-2009, 12:27 AM | #9 |
Illiterate
Posts: 10,279
Karma: 37848716
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: The Sandwich Isles
Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro
|
I wonder if they will follow Amazon's tracks and only sell books to people with Sony Readers.
I could never quite fathom what Amazon's thinking was there. If they thought it would sell more Kindles; well, lets just say I know of one they didn't sell mostly because of those draconian policies. |
08-13-2009, 12:29 AM | #10 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,305
Karma: 1958
Join Date: Jan 2009
Device: iPod Touch
|
Very cool! Another reason to get the sony.. I think I'll be moving either to Apple tablet or a new Sony reader. Both choices looking good, if the Apple tablet does come out though, you know the DRM will be v tight.
|
08-13-2009, 12:30 AM | #11 | |
Evangelist
Posts: 411
Karma: 1034889
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: none
|
Quote:
"After the change, books bought from Sony’s online store will be readable not just on its own device but on the growing constellation of other readers that support ePub. Those include the Plastic Logic eReader, a thin device that has been in development for nearly a decade and is expected to go on sale early next year." So, no, it doesn't seem like they are following Amazon's track. Sony already has a ebook store that contains a proprietery format that can only be read on Sony devices. They are now opening up their bookstore to everyone else who owns a reading device that can read ePUb it seems. |
|
08-13-2009, 12:32 AM | #12 |
Banned
Posts: 5,100
Karma: 72193
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: South of the Border
Device: Coffin
|
|
08-13-2009, 12:36 AM | #13 |
Evangelist
Posts: 407
Karma: 18772
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Device: Onyx Boox RIP, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Libra
|
Sony is looking better and better.
|
08-13-2009, 12:44 AM | #14 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,552
Karma: 3799999
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA
Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2
|
Why do you say that? The old iTunes DRM was easily broken, and was several times over, and after Apple got more barganing power, they negotiated with the music industry for DRM free songs. The copy protection for their other software is fairly laughable. Apple, if left to their own devices, is not really interested in DRM.
|
08-13-2009, 12:49 AM | #15 |
Liseur de Bonne Aventure
Posts: 374
Karma: 2176666
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Paris, France
Device: PRS T1
|
Sony:
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
pdf to epub/breaking up images? | dhume01 | Calibre | 1 | 07-06-2010 08:51 PM |
Breaking news! iPad officially renamed the arcticPad! | ardeegee | Lounge | 4 | 04-06-2010 11:26 AM |
PRS500 and ePub -- a tidbit of news from Sony | NatCh | Sony Reader | 26 | 11-03-2009 01:07 AM |
Unutterably Silly Breaking news ! Queen Z has a PRS-700 | Gaurnim | Lounge | 92 | 08-14-2009 08:41 AM |