Google eBookStore Online Now - Page 3

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 01:42 PM

Ooops... I stand corrected... The Android app works now (outside US)... Still finding a way to add public domain books to my Google account through...

abookreader · 12-06-2010, 01:46 PM

But that is exactly my point - convenient. Putting restrictions on the buyer is about as far from convenient as it gets.

How is it more convenient to let Google keep the only viewable copy of the book.

If I buy that Stieg Larsson book from Google I pay nearly $10 and I can read it when I can fire up a browser (not on airplanes, not at the lake beach I go to, not sitting in my Mom Mobile outside the school waiting for my kid's practice, not on my commute into work...)

Or I can go to Amazon, Barnes etc etc etc and pay the same $10 (actually I believe much less but let's pretend) and download a copy to my reading device. Then I can read it EVERYWHERE, whether I have internet or not.

That's why this thing isn't working for me. It would be one thing if Google had a dramatically lower price for the book, but they don't.

OrcaBlue · 12-06-2010, 01:48 PM

Here is the link to list of free ebooks on Google's ebookstore.

http://books.google.com/ebooks?hl=en..._webstore_home

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrcaBlue

Here is the link to list of free ebooks on Google's ebookstore.

http://books.google.com/ebooks?hl=en..._webstore_home

Thanks, just figured that out... Still kind of quirky through... Not all public domain books are listed there... For once I have to click Charles Dickens' name to search for some books he's written.

Catlady · 12-06-2010, 01:51 PM

I'm completely confused. I found a book I want that is not available elsewhere [Phantom Lady by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich)] as an e-book. There's a notation that it's "Better for larger screens." There's a sample. There's a "Buy Now" button. If I click it, I go to the Google checkout.

But ... what am I buying?

When I looked at the free book section, it seemed to be straightforward enough, with a choice to download epub or pdf. But here, am I just buying online access?

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

That's why this thing isn't working for me. It would be one thing if Google had a dramatically lower price for the book, but they don't.

I agree, but only some books are "non-downloadable", not all.

I don't think the chance is rare that I'll buy an ebook that I can't download and keep a copy myself on my PC or whatever storage medium of my choice either.

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I'm completely confused. I found a book I want that is not available elsewhere [Phantom Lady by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich)] as an e-book. There's a notation that it's "Better for larger screens." There's a sample. There's a "Buy Now" button. If I click it, I go to the Google checkout.

But ... what am I buying?

When I looked at the free book section, it seemed to be straightforward enough, with a choice to download epub or pdf. But here, am I just buying online access?

See this post

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...91&postcount=9

Trini · 12-06-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebookrights

I wish so as well, but I read that non-US access is at least into (early-)2011.

I don't mind if only US residents are able to actually purchase books. I can accept that given the silly restrictions placed on sellers by publishers. But I can't even browse the paid section. I can only access the new books by clicking on the pictures of the 5 books under the NY times bestselling link. Other than that nothing. All I'm seeing when I try browsing are the free books.

I can't understand why they would restrict browsing. If that is what is what I'm actually experiencing. Wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Maybe it some teething problems I'm getting at work here..........

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trini

I don't mind if only US residents are able to actually purchase books. I can accept that given the silly restrictions placed on sellers by publishers. But I can't even browse the paid section. I can only access the new books by clicking on the pictures of the 5 books under the NY times bestselling link. Other than that nothing. All I'm seeing when I try browsing are the free books.

I can't understand why they would restrict browsing. If that is what is what I'm actually experiencing. Wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Maybe it some teething problems I'm getting at work here..........

I got the same experience as you. Hopefully Google will change that.

Elfwreck · 12-06-2010, 02:01 PM

I'm fascinated by their total bypass of the HUGE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT hanging over their heads... we've settled that lawsuit ... It will take some time for this agreement to be approved and finalized by the Court. No mention that the US Department of Justice said the court lacks the authority to approve it.

"Hey guys! We don't know if it's legal to sell these books yet, but BUY SOMETHING NOW! If we sell enough books first, they'll *have* to approve the settlement, right?"

ebookrights · 12-06-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

When this agreement is approved, every out-of-print book that we digitize will become available online for preview and purchase, unless its author or publisher chooses to "turn off" that title.

AFAIK the agreement isn't approved, yet. So if you find any books that should not appear yet appearing on the store NOW, please report back.

OrcaBlue · 12-06-2010, 02:28 PM

It's hard to make a living these days. For a moment, Amazon thoughts its business strategy was set, then PAM!!! Here's Google coming to its core business.

Elfwreck · 12-06-2010, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebookrights

AFAIK the agreement isn't approved, yet. So if you find any books that should not appear yet appearing on the store, please report back.

The agreement's been approved by the ASA; the court hasn't signed off, and some fairly substantial papers have been filed against it, including one from the US DoJ. Google's attempt to convert "everything we scanned for search purposes" into saleable ebooks, minus whatever tiny handful get specific opt-outs from the copyright owners, may not work at all.

The settlement turns copyright law on its head, changing it from "grant permission to copy/sell to whomever you like" to "you must let a company know if you don't want them to sell your works." If it's accepted the legal precedent would be tremendous... would potentially allow any company to start selling ebooks, with a nice disclaimer of "we'll remove any that the authors ask us not to carry."

How would we know if there are "books that should not appear?" (FWIW, I don't see any books that I know aren't available elsewhere as ebooks, like Harry Potter or Farenheit 541.)

The listings are just baffling. I see covers from one year & publisher, with a later publication date and different publisher, and prices are all over the place.

IDIC Epidemic, a Star Trek novel by Jean Lorrah... cover is from the 1988 Pocket Books edition (so I suspect is not included in purchase); Googlebook listing says published by Simon & Schuster 2000; copyright page inside says © 1990 Paramount Pictures.

(What, exactly, did S&S copyright in 2000? Their layout--which isn't used in the digital version, which has line breaks between paragraphs? A new cover that we don't see here?)

I'd be more sympathetic to claims of "theft" for filesharing if publishers and retailers weren't collaborating in "fraud" by giving conflicting & inaccurate info to customers.

I'm unwilling to click "buy now;" I have no idea what I'd be purchasing, and can't find any info about that.

abookreader · 12-06-2010, 02:34 PM

Oh, Amazon has known for years that Google has been lurking around with this idea. Its not news. Well I at least assume they knew it since I knew it with no research other than reading Yahoo news every morning.

Where does the warning about a book being not downloadable come into play because I would like to test a book but I don't want one that I can't download.

Also, does the email that I used to set-up Adobe Digital Editions have to be the same as my Google account, because it isn't.

ManosHandsOfFate · 12-06-2010, 02:40 PM

I'm a fan of Google but they're not offering anything particularly compelling for my Nook and Kindle.

Prices don't seem much better. . .

I'll stick to buying books for my Kindle through Amazon and books for my Nook through B&N. I'll remove the DRM from each so that I can convert to the other format.

Perhaps Google is a good source for public domain books?

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12-06-2010, 01:42 PM	#31
ebookrights Banned Posts: 63 Karma: 12 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: none	Ooops... I stand corrected... The Android app works now (outside US)... Still finding a way to add public domain books to my Google account through...

12-06-2010, 01:46 PM	#32
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	But that is exactly my point - convenient. Putting restrictions on the buyer is about as far from convenient as it gets. How is it more convenient to let Google keep the only viewable copy of the book. If I buy that Stieg Larsson book from Google I pay nearly $10 and I can read it when I can fire up a browser (not on airplanes, not at the lake beach I go to, not sitting in my Mom Mobile outside the school waiting for my kid's practice, not on my commute into work...) Or I can go to Amazon, Barnes etc etc etc and pay the same $10 (actually I believe much less but let's pretend) and download a copy to my reading device. Then I can read it EVERYWHERE, whether I have internet or not. That's why this thing isn't working for me. It would be one thing if Google had a dramatically lower price for the book, but they don't.

12-06-2010, 01:48 PM	#33
OrcaBlue Groupie Posts: 189 Karma: 2190 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	Here is the link to list of free ebooks on Google's ebookstore. http://books.google.com/ebooks?hl=en..._webstore_home

12-06-2010, 01:51 PM	#35
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I'm completely confused. I found a book I want that is not available elsewhere [Phantom Lady by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich)] as an e-book. There's a notation that it's "Better for larger screens." There's a sample. There's a "Buy Now" button. If I click it, I go to the Google checkout. But ... what am I buying? When I looked at the free book section, it seemed to be straightforward enough, with a choice to download epub or pdf. But here, am I just buying online access?

12-06-2010, 02:01 PM	#40
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I'm fascinated by their total bypass of the HUGE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT hanging over their heads... we've settled that lawsuit ... It will take some time for this agreement to be approved and finalized by the Court. No mention that the US Department of Justice said the court lacks the authority to approve it. "Hey guys! We don't know if it's legal to sell these books yet, but BUY SOMETHING NOW! If we sell enough books first, they'll have to approve the settlement, right?"

12-06-2010, 02:28 PM	#42
OrcaBlue Groupie Posts: 189 Karma: 2190 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	It's hard to make a living these days. For a moment, Amazon thoughts its business strategy was set, then PAM!!! Here's Google coming to its core business.

12-06-2010, 02:34 PM	#44
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	Oh, Amazon has known for years that Google has been lurking around with this idea. Its not news. Well I at least assume they knew it since I knew it with no research other than reading Yahoo news every morning. Where does the warning about a book being not downloadable come into play because I would like to test a book but I don't want one that I can't download. Also, does the email that I used to set-up Adobe Digital Editions have to be the same as my Google account, because it isn't.

12-06-2010, 02:40 PM	#45
ManosHandsOfFate Addict Posts: 298 Karma: 1537324 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago Device: Nook, K3, Fire, Nexus 7	I'm a fan of Google but they're not offering anything particularly compelling for my Nook and Kindle. Prices don't seem much better. . . I'll stick to buying books for my Kindle through Amazon and books for my Nook through B&N. I'll remove the DRM from each so that I can convert to the other format. Perhaps Google is a good source for public domain books?