Shortcovers.com now offering Adobe ePub downloads

BookLoverToo · 09-12-2009, 02:01 PM

Shortcovers.com is now offering Adobe ePub downloads for books. I haven't had a chance to check on their selection yet, but the few bestsellers I did check were offered in ePub for $11.99 CAD (I think 9.99 USD, but I'm not sure how the site determines what currency it displays - perhaps by IP location?). I'm also not sure about geographic restrictions. At least it's another site I can use for my Sony!

passero · 09-13-2009, 07:51 AM

Thanks for this!! Their prices look great, good selection, and they have 1st chapter previews too.

It looks like they are trying to be internationally-friendly, but I wasn't able to enter my APO (US Armed Forces) billing address. I sent them an email. Hopefully they'll fix the problem, and then I can see myself buying from them frequently too.

superstitious · 09-13-2009, 02:19 PM

Hey thanks for the link. I found some books I like for much cheaper here.

AnemicOak · 09-13-2009, 02:36 PM

The also have some of the Suvudu freebies as epubs too.

EowynCarter · 09-13-2009, 04:36 PM

Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

Bilbo1967 · 09-13-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

If you're in the UK, you can't even order one book, so think yourself lucky!

Journier · 09-13-2009, 07:25 PM

Thanks so much for the heads up. I was looking up a book which they didn't have, but found another one which I will be getting. It was cheaper there than the Sony book store. This is a good site. I definitely added it to my favorites.

lunged · 09-13-2009, 07:36 PM

Wow, just that fast Shortcovers became my favorite eBook store. Good prices all around (as far as I have seen so far), good selection and you can read it online, too.

Filark · 09-13-2009, 08:47 PM

Nifty, thanks!

I have discovered that some of the best independent booksellers are selling ebooks, too. Maybe everyone already knows this, but check Powell's (Portland, OR) and Tattered Cover (Denver, CO). I love bookstores and will be delighted if the best brick and mortars support my newest passion and stay in business!!

Fi

JSWolf · 09-14-2009, 10:01 AM

Tattered Covers should get out of the eBook market. They are charging list price.

Dave Berk · 09-14-2009, 11:08 AM

I also like their site design much more than the horror that is BoB or Fictionwise.

Hellmark · 09-14-2009, 03:00 PM

Sweet. It is good to see they listen to the community.

JCKobo · 09-15-2009, 12:02 PM

Let us know if you have any questions or comments about our new ePub offering. We've been listening to the Mobile Read community for months now, and we'll continue to keep our ear to the ground.

Jordan Christensen
Product Manager
Shortcovers

=X= · 09-15-2009, 02:17 PM

Hi Jordan,
Welcome to mobile read.

Well since you have asked for user input and solicited questions I do have a few questions and comments.

Do you have any plans to support ADE (ePUB) or just ePUB on your reading device?

Also what is not clear from your web site is if one buys ePUB does the user still have the ability to read from the shortcovers app.

I think the app is very stylistic and integrates very nicely to your store. However the app is lacking in the most important feature, reading a book. It's extremely painful to read a book from the app.
So far mobipocket provides the best user experience to reading on small devices, with eReader.com right behind them for many reasons--I'll list only the main reasons to save time.
- Load up time. Mobipocket one time load. SC every chapter (huge) every page minor.
- Annotations/Highlighting Mobipocket has them SC does not have any
- Bookmarks MP easy to navigate SC must navigate through all bookmarks
- Search IN books MP / SC search for books
- Remember last page read MP / SC does not, must use bookmarks
- Local storage MP has online and offline bookshelf. /SC online

Personally I think your on the right track you got a nice store and a good pricing model. Still not as attractive as Amazon but competitive to other eBook stores.

But the reading experience is absolutely terrible. I cannot see myself reading even a short story in this reader. If you resolve that aspect of your app you will have a very competitive product.

=X=

Hellmark · 09-15-2009, 03:28 PM

=X=, ADE does not necessarily mean ePub, and anything that supports ADEPT encoded ePubs can use regular nonDRM'ed ePubs, not to mention that ADEPT isnt the only DRM scheme applicable to ePub, so it is odd how you choose to have that distinction (I'd have asked along the lines of "Do you use ADE or no DRM at all on your ePub files").

And for the record, they do use ADE.

09-12-2009, 02:01 PM	#1
BookLoverToo Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 104 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Shortcovers.com now offering Adobe ePub downloads Shortcovers.com is now offering Adobe ePub downloads for books. I haven't had a chance to check on their selection yet, but the few bestsellers I did check were offered in ePub for $11.99 CAD (I think 9.99 USD, but I'm not sure how the site determines what currency it displays - perhaps by IP location?). I'm also not sure about geographic restrictions. At least it's another site I can use for my Sony!

09-13-2009, 02:36 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 2,597 Karma: 8713 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: Opus / Kindle 2 / Sony 505 / HTC Hero (Android Phone)	The also have some of the Suvudu freebies as epubs too. __________________ ~Brian "The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The trouble with most fiction is that you want them all to land in hell, together, as quickly as possible." - Mark Twain

09-14-2009, 10:01 AM	#10
JSWolf Mobile Reader Geek Posts: 17,388 Karma: 21146 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	Tattered Covers should get out of the eBook market. They are charging list price. __________________ Jon If you want to listen to really good music while you surf Mobileread, here.

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09-13-2009, 07:51 AM	#2
passero Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: sony prs-505	Thanks for this!! Their prices look great, good selection, and they have 1st chapter previews too. It looks like they are trying to be internationally-friendly, but I wasn't able to enter my APO (US Armed Forces) billing address. I sent them an email. Hopefully they'll fix the problem, and then I can see myself buying from them frequently too.

09-13-2009, 02:19 PM	#3
superstitious Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Hey thanks for the link. I found some books I like for much cheaper here.

09-13-2009, 04:36 PM	#5
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 1679 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: cybooks	Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

09-13-2009, 07:25 PM	#7
Journier Groupie Posts: 167 Karma: 415 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern CA Device: Sony prs 505, 700, 600, jetbook	Thanks so much for the heads up. I was looking up a book which they didn't have, but found another one which I will be getting. It was cheaper there than the Sony book store. This is a good site. I definitely added it to my favorites.

09-13-2009, 07:36 PM	#8
lunged Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 122 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Device: iPhone, kind of. I'm waiting to get an eInk reader	Wow, just that fast Shortcovers became my favorite eBook store. Good prices all around (as far as I have seen so far), good selection and you can read it online, too.

09-13-2009, 08:47 PM	#9
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 63 Karma: 1322 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: Sony PRS-600, ipaq	Nifty, thanks! I have discovered that some of the best independent booksellers are selling ebooks, too. Maybe everyone already knows this, but check Powell's (Portland, OR) and Tattered Cover (Denver, CO). I love bookstores and will be delighted if the best brick and mortars support my newest passion and stay in business!! Fi

09-14-2009, 11:08 AM	#11
Dave Berk Evangelist Posts: 486 Karma: 1058 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	I also like their site design much more than the horror that is BoB or Fictionwise.

09-14-2009, 03:00 PM	#12
Hellmark Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2188 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Winfield, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505	Sweet. It is good to see they listen to the community.

09-15-2009, 12:02 PM	#13
JCKobo Kobo Product Guy Posts: 38 Karma: 60 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Shortcovers	Let us know if you have any questions or comments about our new ePub offering. We've been listening to the Mobile Read community for months now, and we'll continue to keep our ear to the ground. Jordan Christensen Product Manager Shortcovers

09-15-2009, 02:17 PM	#14
=X= Wizard Posts: 1,612 Karma: 6447 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: PRS 505, BB Storm, eBW1150	Hi Jordan, Welcome to mobile read. Well since you have asked for user input and solicited questions I do have a few questions and comments. Do you have any plans to support ADE (ePUB) or just ePUB on your reading device? Also what is not clear from your web site is if one buys ePUB does the user still have the ability to read from the shortcovers app. I think the app is very stylistic and integrates very nicely to your store. However the app is lacking in the most important feature, reading a book. It's extremely painful to read a book from the app. So far mobipocket provides the best user experience to reading on small devices, with eReader.com right behind them for many reasons--I'll list only the main reasons to save time. - Load up time. Mobipocket one time load. SC every chapter (huge) every page minor. - Annotations/Highlighting Mobipocket has them SC does not have any - Bookmarks MP easy to navigate SC must navigate through all bookmarks - Search IN books MP / SC search for books - Remember last page read MP / SC does not, must use bookmarks - Local storage MP has online and offline bookshelf. /SC online Personally I think your on the right track you got a nice store and a good pricing model. Still not as attractive as Amazon but competitive to other eBook stores. But the reading experience is absolutely terrible. I cannot see myself reading even a short story in this reader. If you resolve that aspect of your app you will have a very competitive product. =X=

09-15-2009, 03:28 PM	#15
Hellmark Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2188 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Winfield, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505	=X=, ADE does not necessarily mean ePub, and anything that supports ADEPT encoded ePubs can use regular nonDRM'ed ePubs, not to mention that ADEPT isnt the only DRM scheme applicable to ePub, so it is odd how you choose to have that distinction (I'd have asked along the lines of "Do you use ADE or no DRM at all on your ePub files"). And for the record, they do use ADE.