Google Launches eBook Store

Kitabi · 12-06-2010, 02:49 PM

Announcement:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...on-google.html

Bookstore:

http://books.google.com/ebooks

While this is exciting, I don't think it is palatable to me at the moment. Google is not even giving buyers (are they buyers or borrowers?) possession of the eBook file(s). That's worse than DRM in my book.

Logseman · 12-06-2010, 03:01 PM

Actually, the Android and iPhone app sites say explicitely "Offline reading" is a possibility. I'd say they will let us have our books.

Kitabi · 12-06-2010, 03:03 PM

Offline reading (courtesy Google Gears?) is different from having actual control of the book.

Logseman · 12-06-2010, 03:15 PM

Point taken.

jgaiser · 12-06-2010, 03:47 PM

No interest to me at all. I'm not buying books that exist only in the cloud.

DuncanWatson · 12-06-2010, 04:40 PM

I have no interest in books that are solely in the cloud but I believe that google ebooks are downloadable in epub format. In any case I am happy to support the booksellers that have been good to me in the past. Google will have to bring something new for me to want to use their store. I don't see the draw at this time.

-Duncan

K-Thom · 12-06-2010, 06:59 PM

With the Agency model around you'd really have to ask yourself if Google maybe missed the boat by a year or two.

Right now Google doesn't seem to have the largest stock, and with agency priced eBooks they won't even be able to offer a bargain. All major shops are also offering apps for different reading platforms, even synchronising won't bite.

Conclusion for the moment?
"Google launches eBook store!" "So what?"

wallcraft · 12-06-2010, 07:22 PM

In the case of Agency ebooks everyone has the same price, so the competition is for features and intangibles. The advantages of Google eBooks are: a) can get an Adobe ePub, b) can read in the cloud from a browser or an app, and c) can buy from an independent book store. If you are getting an Adobe ePub anyway, (b) and (c) might steer you to Google. Kobo and Nook kind of have bits of (b), and you can argue about which of the three has the best "read everywhere" experience.

I don't see much competition for Amazon, although I assume you can read a Google ebook from the cloud via the Kindle web browser. So this is a way for a Kindle-only customer (who does not want to mess with DRM) to buy an ebook that isn't available on the Kindle.

Dulin's Books · 12-06-2010, 07:40 PM

you can download the books- or at least most of them. there are some that do not have a download available .

Quote:

We support offline reading in our mobile apps, where you can select books to be downloaded to your app for reading on the go. Please see the specific device articles for further details on how to download and use them:

* Reading on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
* Reading on your Android device

If you using a supported eReader device, you can also read most books available as Google eBooks offline by downloading and transferring a PDF or ePub file to your device. Please see this list of instructions for different supported devices.

At this time, Google eBooks does not support offline reading when using our Web Reader on your computer. Our engineers are working on enabling this and other new features in the near future.

If a dowloadable version is not available then it says so

Quote:

No download files included.

kennyc · 12-06-2010, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitabi

Announcement:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...on-google.html

Bookstore:

http://books.google.com/ebooks

While this is exciting, I don't think it is palatable to me at the moment. Google is not even giving buyers (are they buyers or borrowers?) possession of the eBook file(s). That's worse than DRM in my book.

Not true. I just checked and you can certainly download the (free) books in epub for "other readers"

Kitabi · 12-06-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

you can download the books- or at least most of them. there are some that do not have a download available .

If a dowloadable version is not available then it says so

This sounds better. I was going by the information they published and that appeared to not support downloads.

Did you confirm if the downloaded books are DRM'd and if so which flavor are they using?

Dulin's Books · 12-06-2010, 09:42 PM

Adobe if they are. One I downloaded is drm'd while one downloaded by a person in the other thread was not

Kitabi · 12-06-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

Adobe if they are. One I downloaded is drm'd while one downloaded by a person in the other thread was not

Well, ADEPT or B&N Social was what I was trying to figure out.

BTW, I still cannot figure out how to check if a book is downloadable BEFORE buying. All I see are the Buy Now and Download Sample buttons.

MV64 · 12-06-2010, 10:04 PM

Meh, nothing new there. I could already download e-books from them (lesser known public domain books). Otherwise, newer stuff is all the same price across the board so there's no need for more ebook stores.

Dulin's Books · 12-06-2010, 10:24 PM

Adept.

http://books.google.com/help/ebooks/ereader.html

and it has "No download files included. " between the price and "buy now" if it cannot be downloaded. 2 of Stieg Larsens books are listed this way

http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Uv...6kM5XaNpr94a4N

while the third is not

http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=AZ...6kM5XaNpr94a4N

12-06-2010, 02:49 PM	#1
Kitabi Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 66 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook	Google Launches eBook Store Announcement: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...on-google.html Bookstore: http://books.google.com/ebooks While this is exciting, I don't think it is palatable to me at the moment. Google is not even giving buyers (are they buyers or borrowers?) possession of the eBook file(s). That's worse than DRM in my book.

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12-06-2010, 03:01 PM	#2
Logseman Orisa Posts: 2,000 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	Actually, the Android and iPhone app sites say explicitely "Offline reading" is a possibility. I'd say they will let us have our books.

12-06-2010, 03:03 PM	#3
Kitabi Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 66 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook	Offline reading (courtesy Google Gears?) is different from having actual control of the book.

12-06-2010, 03:15 PM	#4
Logseman Orisa Posts: 2,000 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	Point taken.

12-06-2010, 03:47 PM	#5
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	No interest to me at all. I'm not buying books that exist only in the cloud.

12-06-2010, 04:40 PM	#6
DuncanWatson Kindle Convert Posts: 190 Karma: 62704 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Woodinville, WA, USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook (all)	I have no interest in books that are solely in the cloud but I believe that google ebooks are downloadable in epub format. In any case I am happy to support the booksellers that have been good to me in the past. Google will have to bring something new for me to want to use their store. I don't see the draw at this time. -Duncan

12-06-2010, 06:59 PM	#7
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	With the Agency model around you'd really have to ask yourself if Google maybe missed the boat by a year or two. Right now Google doesn't seem to have the largest stock, and with agency priced eBooks they won't even be able to offer a bargain. All major shops are also offering apps for different reading platforms, even synchronising won't bite. Conclusion for the moment? "Google launches eBook store!" "So what?"

12-06-2010, 07:22 PM	#8
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	In the case of Agency ebooks everyone has the same price, so the competition is for features and intangibles. The advantages of Google eBooks are: a) can get an Adobe ePub, b) can read in the cloud from a browser or an app, and c) can buy from an independent book store. If you are getting an Adobe ePub anyway, (b) and (c) might steer you to Google. Kobo and Nook kind of have bits of (b), and you can argue about which of the three has the best "read everywhere" experience. I don't see much competition for Amazon, although I assume you can read a Google ebook from the cloud via the Kindle web browser. So this is a way for a Kindle-only customer (who does not want to mess with DRM) to buy an ebook that isn't available on the Kindle.

12-06-2010, 09:42 PM	#12
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	Adobe if they are. One I downloaded is drm'd while one downloaded by a person in the other thread was not

12-06-2010, 10:04 PM	#14
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Meh, nothing new there. I could already download e-books from them (lesser known public domain books). Otherwise, newer stuff is all the same price across the board so there's no need for more ebook stores.

12-06-2010, 10:24 PM	#15
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	Adept. http://books.google.com/help/ebooks/ereader.html and it has "No download files included. " between the price and "buy now" if it cannot be downloaded. 2 of Stieg Larsens books are listed this way http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Uv...6kM5XaNpr94a4N while the third is not http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=AZ...6kM5XaNpr94a4N