|
Although I like the idea, I think the drubbing taken by Blackmask.com will set the precedent in the U.S. E-books are more similar to MP3s than manga and anime, and the publishers don't seem to be able to see e-books in any other way than that (nor figure out another way to deal with it).
I do agree that a major advantage publishers could take advantage of, would be the packaging of "extras" in e-books to attract customers. Extra content, excerpts, ads, discounts, etc, would be a great way to convince people to try e-books. It would work for readers, too. Tie the two together... extra content or ease of use, optimized for a particular reader... and you've got a great marketing package.
I don't think we can rely on the publishers to go out of their way for us... they've demonstrated a total lack of willingness to do so. I think it will end up being up to the reader-makers (iRex, Sony, etc) to work out such packages, then make deals with publishers to supply the content (the iTunes formula at work). Sort of a bass-ackwards way of doing it, but a more likely way it'll happen.
Or...
Given the number of online news experiments going on, it may be more likely that a periodical/reader cooperative will create the market, and book publishers will sign themselves onto the bandwagon after it's built and rolling.
|