04-17-2012, 11:13 PM | #1 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 12,167
Karma: 73448616
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto
Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS
|
Kobo reveals big plans
From The Bookseller:
Quote:
|
|
04-18-2012, 01:57 AM | #2 |
Living in the past
Posts: 432
Karma: 6011289
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Toronto
Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc
|
Competition is always good, and now that Kobo is being backed by a big player (Indigo sold the company just in time!) they'll actually be able to play on the same field as Amazon.
I know there are a lot of people who are frustrated by how long it takes to distribute books to Kobo through Smashwords and how long it takes for updates to trickle out to the stores. It will be good to be able to go direct. |
Advert | |
|
04-18-2012, 02:42 AM | #3 |
Banned
Posts: 1,687
Karma: 4368191
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Oregon
Device: Kindle3
|
Probably just more of the same, but we can always hope for something different. Why do we need two computers to serve the same file?
|
04-18-2012, 05:42 AM | #4 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,475
Karma: 14328611
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Device: Aura, Aura H2O, Kindle PW3
|
I love me some Kobo so I hope they get better and better.
|
04-18-2012, 06:09 AM | #5 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,332
Karma: 4000000
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Paris
Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1
|
Quote:
As to why to we need someone else than amazon, do you think they would use low prices if not for competition ? |
|
Advert | |
|
04-18-2012, 10:12 AM | #6 |
Banned
Posts: 1,687
Karma: 4368191
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Oregon
Device: Kindle3
|
|
04-18-2012, 11:11 AM | #7 |
Tea Enthusiast
Posts: 8,554
Karma: 75384937
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Somewhere in the USA
Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2
|
Glad to see that Kobo is expanding. With Sony becoming more marginalized, BN not able to get out into the international market, it is nice to see an E-Pub reader that is finally making an effort to challenge Amazon.
|
04-18-2012, 11:24 AM | #8 |
Guru
Posts: 915
Karma: 3537194
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite
|
I appreciate the attempt at competition!
My first ereader was a Kobo so I have fond emotional associations with the company. Personally I credit them with causing the ereader price war that resulted in Nook and Kindle lowering their prices dramatically. They were both in the $250 range before the $150 Kobo reader came along. |
04-18-2012, 12:07 PM | #9 |
Loves Ellipsis...
Posts: 1,554
Karma: 7899232
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Device: Kobo Wifi (broken), nook STR (returned), Kobo Touch, Sony T1
|
I love Kobo and hope that they get larger. The DRM is easy to remove and the readers are pretty nice. The only think I don't like is that their search in their store is horrible and they have horrible CS. Lucky I rarely need CS.
|
04-18-2012, 12:53 PM | #10 |
Guru
Posts: 992
Karma: 12000001
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Seattle Wahington U.S.
Device: kindle
|
Where did you get that idea? Authors don't set any prices unless they self publish. The publisher or retailer has always set the prices. Actually once the creator/author sells the rights they have little or no say about anything icluding price, book cover, front page blurb, when it is printed, or anything else.
|
04-18-2012, 02:18 PM | #11 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,099
Karma: 11315768
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: UK
Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch
|
I think kobo have been pretty smart about breaking into new markets. Hooking up with WHS here in the UK was a great move. Neither the hardware (or maybe the firmware) nor the website are quite up there with amazon, though, based on my own experience.
|
04-18-2012, 02:23 PM | #12 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Quote:
It is not unheard for a publisher to just bury a box of the book in a warehouse and neither promote it nor release the rights. All a typical writer gets to choose is whether to accept the traditionalist 12% royalty or not. Of late, many are choosing "not". Kobo is looking to help those authors. |
|
04-18-2012, 02:30 PM | #13 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 27,549
Karma: 193191846
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
|
I find it extremely refreshing to see [anybody not named Amazon] coming out with statements that don't include pissing and moaning about the imminent demise of competition. Go Kobo Go!
|
04-18-2012, 02:45 PM | #14 |
Tea Enthusiast
Posts: 8,554
Karma: 75384937
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Somewhere in the USA
Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2
|
Yup. Go Kobo Go. They have created a device that people enjoy. They are working on improving their bookstore. They offer coupons for non-Agency based books. They have been working hard at expanding internationally. They are showing people that you can challenge Amazon if you want to work at it.
There is no reason BN could not have offered coupons and bundles for non-agency books. There is no reason why BN has not figured out how to deal with the international markets issue. Kobo was bought by a large organization but much of what is happening now is based on the path that they chose long before they were bought out. I am thrilled to see someone who is simply focused on competing and not whining. |
04-18-2012, 02:52 PM | #15 |
Martin Kristiansen
Posts: 1,546
Karma: 8480958
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Johannesburg
Device: Kindle International Ipad 2
|
Really do hope Kobo does well. I find myself a fan of Amazon by default. In that I mean I am a fan of reading and for me Amazon is about the only show in town. Competition would be great.
They have a tough act to follow though. Amazon service for me has been impeccable. |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Kobo e-reader reveals it has 2.7 million users | PeterT | News | 18 | 03-12-2011 12:18 AM |
Any Kobo plans to make 9.7inch eReader? | jimmyonishi | Kobo Reader | 4 | 01-26-2011 11:35 PM |
Article: Kobo Has Grand Plans | anurag | News | 2 | 02-16-2010 02:25 AM |
Big Plans for Kindle Apps? | purl4peace | News | 5 | 07-06-2009 12:55 AM |
Big plans for e-ink displays - it's now in billboards! | Bob Russell | News | 1 | 05-19-2006 02:32 PM |