Google eBooks or Kindle?

[androm]

What do you think? Who will be more successful on the market?

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by androm

What do you think? Who will be more successful on the market?

Well Amazon are more successful at the moment.
I don't see Google gaining any significant market share without some compelling advantage over other ebook stores.
If the ever finalise their all-of-your-scanned-books-are-belong-to-us legal issues, and can sell a huge back catalog that noone else has, that would certainly be it.

[Dr. Drib]

This thread's question has absolutely nothing to do with News.

Do not post personal questions in the News Forum.

Your thread has been moved.


Don
(Moderator)

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by androm

What do you think? Who will be more successful on the market?

Google won't be able to compete with Amazon until they get a better over all eco-system. Yes, they have a reasonably decent app where you can purchase and read books... but that is about it. The one dedicated reader they support is essentially exiting the market because of lack of support and because it didn't follow the trends in ebook readers (i.e., no touch screen, no real browser, etc.).

Essentially, right now, Google is an also ran to Barnes and Noble, they are not even in the game with Amazon (at least in the US).

--
Bill

[Hellmark]

It will be a while before Amazon, or anyone else, needs to worry or even think about Google. Google is entirely too late to the game. They've been selling ebooks for what, a year? And they've only stepped up their game enough to be viable in the past few weeks, with the Google Play change. For the most part, their book selection has been crap, and the quality of what they did have was even worse. So, until I see more, I'd not really expect a lot from Google.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Essentially, right now, Google is an also ran to Barnes and Noble, they are not even in the game with Amazon (at least in the US).

Except I think BN is in a better position compared to Google when it comes to ebooks (both only sell in the US currently, anyway). The Nook and presence of BN brick and mortar stores have brought ereaders to folks who don't like buying stuff over the internet. Much like most people who purchase the Kindle buy ebooks from Amazon, I reckon most folks who got the Nook buy ebooks from Barnes and Noble despite BN supporting other stores for DRM'ed content.

Yeah, Google has their free library which is probably very popular (in the US at least) but I doubt a lot of people purchase ebooks from Google Play (nee Google Books).

[AndrewH]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

And they've only stepped up their game enough to be viable in the past few weeks, with the Google Play change.

Wasn't the only change in the name? That doesn't affect viability much. Granted, linking it to the renamed Android Market will give it more visibility...

For the most part, their book selection has been crap, and the quality of what they did have was even worse.

I've only purchased one title from Google Books, the only other retailer that had it was Amazon and I try to buy epub when I can. The quality was as good as any other ebook I've bought, certainly no worse.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Except I think BN is in a better position compared to Google when it comes to ebooks (both only sell in the US currently, anyway).

Stop spreading misinformation. I already responded to you in another thread that Google sells ebooks in the UK, Canada, Australia.

[RainingLemur]

Right now? Kindle. In the future? Kindle.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Synamon

Stop spreading misinformation. I already responded to you in another thread that Google sells ebooks in the UK, Canada, Australia.

I believe the wording in the quote you posted is "will" meaning not yet. I'm pretty sure I saw a complaint regarding lack of Google Books in Australia in a thread/review of the iRiver Story HD. Of course, if you're in Canada and you already have Google Books, then I stand corrected.

[JoHunt]

oops figured it out

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I believe the wording in the quote you posted is "will" meaning not yet. I'm pretty sure I saw a complaint regarding lack of Google Books in Australia in a thread/review of the iRiver Story HD. Of course, if you're in Canada and you already have Google Books, then I stand corrected.

You can certainly buy books from Google Play here in the UK right now.

I've had a look and spotted a couple that are cheaper on Google Play than on Amazon, and while I've not looked too closely, I'm happy with the possibility of there being a competitively priced alternative to Amazon (I don't think WH Smith or Waterstones provide that, at least not on a regular enough basis to make it worth the extra hassle of searching there and converting the books compared to just buying from Amazon).

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I believe the wording in the quote you posted is "will" meaning not yet. I'm pretty sure I saw a complaint regarding lack of Google Books in Australia in a thread/review of the iRiver Story HD. Of course, if you're in Canada and you already have Google Books, then I stand corrected.

Yes, I have access to Google Books here in Canada (movies as well), and the wording of the Google press release I cited had the future tense in it because it was sent out in advance of the new Google Play website being rolled out.

With all the whining about Amazon and monopolies I'd have thought people here would embrace Google Play, especially those who use eReaders which support epub. Google is even planning to compete directly with the Amazon Fire.

[tomsem]

Some things I like about Google (as opposed to other ePub vendors):
1-they have a web reader with tight integration with the storefront, which is much improved
2-many books are available in both ePub and PDF. PDF is much maligned as a mobile reading format, but given how inferior formatting often is for ePub, it is nice to have the option, particularly on tablets that are large enough to display full book pages (which can often display at 100% on 9-10" tablets_. Google Play Books is actually a decent reading app (it seems to be more like a web app like Kindle Cloud Reader), and switches seamlessly between PDF and ePub without losing your place. Too bad I can't get it to run on Fire (again probably because it is a web app)...

I guess that in theory, you can support an independent bookseller with your purchase, but that's not a factor for me since the only bookseller in my region that I patronize does not participate.

[JonathanH]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I believe the wording in the quote you posted is "will" meaning not yet. I'm pretty sure I saw a complaint regarding lack of Google Books in Australia in a thread/review of the iRiver Story HD. Of course, if you're in Canada and you already have Google Books, then I stand corrected.

Google Books are sold in USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France. At least, that's what shows up on the "Manage Google eBooks" tab on my partner program dashboard...