"Barnes & Noble holiday sales drop on Nook slump"

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DBDigital

One reason I decided to go with Nook long ago instead of anything else is because they can be side loaded and used without B&N. If they go down, I can still use my devices without any issues (other than wireless downloading of books but I can sideload them). They can read epub which kindle does not.

This is wrong. Just... wrong.

Why does it make a difference what format you use? Any epub that can be sideloaded onto a Nook can be converted into an azw3 and read on the Kindle. In fact, many stores (but obviously not B&N or Kobo) will actually sell you a zip containing both an epub and a mobi.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Fbone

The Fifth Ave location was a college book store only. It's located a couple of blocks from their Union Square flagship store. With a lease in the low seven figures it was a financial black hole. Makes sense to close it down. Fifth Ave was the original store opened in 1930s and probably kept open for sentimental reasons.

Most current leases expire in 2016. That should be an interesting year for them.

The Pasadena store was also a sinkhole, according to reports. Though they claimed it is closing because they couldn't come to terms on the lease.

2016 should be interesting for the storefronts but for Nook it looks like '14 is the make or break--they really don't have much further to fall.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by VictoriaP

3. Durability--this one is based on a small sample size, but everyone I personally know who has owned a Nook of any model has seen that device fail after what I'd consider a pretty short lifespan. One friend in particular went through three in three years, while I was still reading on my original Kindle 2. I upgraded out of choice, she did it because she had to. (She's since given up & reads on an iPad; as such, she no longer buys books from BN either.)

The Nook ST is very durable and never crashes (mine anyway). But I wouldn't touch the old Glolights.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

This is wrong. Just... wrong.

Why does it make a difference what format you use? Any epub that can be sideloaded onto a Nook can be converted into an azw3 and read on the Kindle. In fact, many stores (but obviously not B&N or Kobo) will actually sell you a zip containing both an epub and a mobi.

First, conversion isn't always seamless and it isn't always complete.

Second, some may not want to support/endorse proprietary formats.

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

First, conversion isn't always seamless and it isn't always complete.

Second, some may not want to support/endorse proprietary formats.

I'm sure those users never buy any EPUB with DRM, because it deviates from the standard and it's once again proprietary.

Those users also never endorse or support MP3 files and refuse to listen to audio on any device that doesn't support Vorbis, FLAC or OPUS. Well actually only FLAC, because conversion between formats might not be perfect.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

I'm sure those users never buy any EPUB with DRM, because it deviates from the standard and it's once again proprietary.

Those users also never endorse or support MP3 files and refuse to listen to audio on any device that doesn't support Vorbis, FLAC or OPUS. Well actually only FLAC, because conversion between formats might not be perfect.

Nor will they buy a Nook or a Kindle to begin with, since those are proprietary. In fact, we are probably talking about Richard Stallman.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

First, conversion isn't always seamless and it isn't always complete.

Just so I understand you... You're saying that Kindlegen is broken? As it's the recommended tool to create mobi/azw3 files to be sold on Amazon, I'm kind of surprised.

Second, some may not want to support/endorse proprietary formats.

And this statement is so laughable, it's not worth commenting on.

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Just so I understand you... You're saying that Kindlegen is broken? As it's the recommended tool to create mobi/azw3 files to be sold on Amazon, I'm kind of surprised.

Just so I understand, are you saying that to convert an Adept-encrypted EPUB file I purchased at one of the hundreds EPUB vendors into mobi/azw3 format, all I need to do is run it through the Kindlegen? Or do I at least need to remove the DRM first? Which, BTW, may be illegal in some parts of the world.

And this statement is so laughable, it's not worth commenting on.

Not sure why it's "laughable" to make a statement that the open format such as EPUB, in which the majority of ebook vendors supply their product, may be preferable to the format, proprietary to Amazon's highly efficient walled garden? I understand that for most people it doesn't matter where they buy their ebooks, so long as they only own one type of devices, and a single purchase covers all of their family's reading needs. But for some of us it really does matter.

I absolutely understand that Amazon's more efficient business model is eventually going to drive the brick-and-mortar book store out of business. It already killed Borders, and at this time it is killing B&N, who was a bit quicker to adapt to the "new" conditions. It may continue killing many more retail businesses, in other areas, until only the most efficient and the cheapest are left standing. Everything will be made in China and direct-shipped from their by Amazon - that's the final destination, isn't it? May take another 10-20 years to get there, but we will. Then Amazon can set whatever prices they like. Well some people prefer to take their business to the places they value in their community, while these places are still around. And that's OK too.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

Second, some may not want to support/endorse proprietary formats.

Originally Posted by porkupan

Not sure why it's "laughable" to make a statement that the open format such as EPUB, in which the majority of ebook vendors supply their product, may be preferable to the format, proprietary to Amazon's highly efficient walled garden?

Once you add one of the three or more flavors of DRM to an ePub it becomes proprietary as well. If DRM is taken out of the equation there are places that sell both formats, neither is locked to a certain vendor.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by porkupan

Just so I understand, are you saying that to convert an Adept-encrypted EPUB file I purchased at one of the hundreds EPUB vendors into mobi/azw3 format, all I need to do is run it through the Kindlegen? Or do I at least need to remove the DRM first? Which, BTW, may be illegal in some parts of the world.

Of course we're talking about DRM free. The statement was about conversion. No mention was made about removal of DRM. You can build your strawman, but the fact is that conversion works just fine.

Not sure why it's "laughable" to make a statement that the open format such as EPUB, in which the majority of ebook vendors supply their product, may be preferable to the format, proprietary to Amazon's highly efficient walled garden? I understand that for most people it doesn't matter where they buy their ebooks, so long as they only own one type of devices, and a single purchase covers all of their family's reading needs. But for some of us it really does matter.

I absolutely understand that Amazon's more efficient business model is eventually going to drive the brick-and-mortar book store out of business. It already killed Borders, and at this time it is killing B&N, who was a bit quicker to adapt to the "new" conditions.

Borders killed Borders and B&N is doing a great job of killing itself. The *fact* that all the major players offer DRM *make* them proprietary. B&N is just as much of walled garden to the majority of their users. And *some* of us how to deal with problem.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by porkupan

Just so I understand, are you saying that to convert an Adept-encrypted EPUB file I purchased at one of the hundreds EPUB vendors into mobi/azw3 format, all I need to do is run it through the Kindlegen? Or do I at least need to remove the DRM first? Which, BTW, may be illegal in some parts of the world.

Not sure why it's "laughable" to make a statement that the open format such as EPUB, in which the majority of ebook vendors supply their product, may be preferable to the format, proprietary to Amazon's highly efficient walled garden? I understand that for most people it doesn't matter where they buy their ebooks, so long as they only own one type of devices, and a single purchase covers all of their family's reading needs. But for some of us it really does matter.

Since this thread is about B&N/Nook, please explain exactly how you load a DRM protected ePub bought from B&N onto a non-Nook eReader without stripping the DRM.

For bonus points, explain how to load a DRM protected ePub bought from Apple onto a Nook.

Thanks for playing.

------

Regarding this thread topic, a year over year decline on top of a previous year over year decline isn't a slump, it's a nosedive. With B&N's dominant position in the US market I'm amazed at how badly they've screwed this up.

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by Synamon

For bonus points, explain how to load a DRM protected ePub bought from Apple onto a Nook.

Apple ePubs are DRMed, but it is easy enough to start at page one and select the entire text in the book, save to a plain text editor, format it from there, and then convert.

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by Synamon

Since this thread is about B&N/Nook, please explain exactly how you load a DRM protected ePub bought from B&N onto a non-Nook eReader without stripping the DRM.

For bonus points, explain how to load a DRM protected ePub bought from Apple onto a Nook.

IIRC, B&N flavor of Adept is supported by all devices running the current version of Adobe ADE (2.0?). So, that's not the issue. Apple's DRM scheme seems to be proprietary, which is why one should think twice before buying any ebooks from them, unless they will only be read in iBooks. I am not sure what's going on with Kobo, they used to sell ebooks with standard Adobe Adept DRM, but they may or may not still be doing it.

The big hardware vendors are obviously trying to make their customers purchase content from them. Amazon is making it very difficult for its customers to purchase content from anyone else. Not impossible, given certain knowledge, but for 99% of their customers - near impossible. Sony on the other hand made buying books from online stores a totally open process. B&N is trying to emulate Amazon, of course.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by porkupan

IIRC, B&N flavor of Adept is supported by all devices running the current version of Adobe ADE (2.0?).

ADE 2.0 is a Windows/Mac program, devices (eInk readers, tablets, phones) don't run it. I think you mean the RMSDK and yes the current version supports B&N's version of Adobe DRM, but no device makers I can think of have enabled support on their devices. Some (all?) Android app devs that use it have enabled support.

[charmian]

B&N reported their digital content sales are 27% down, which they attribute entirely to tablets. That makes me wonder how the new Nook Glowlight did. They seem to mostly ignore it. Did the new Glowlight sell as well as expected? Is it driving as many ebook sales as the previous gen?

Also, I wonder if B&N's digital content sales on Nook tablets were affected by adding Google Play.

I am not sure if I believe B&N's claims they haven't decided how they're going to do the tablets. If they plan to have a tablet out in 2014, they will probably want to get it out by October for the Christmas season. Even if they don't make the tablet themselves, they still need to prepare marketing and merchandising efforts, which doesn't happen overnight. I suppose they can just have the Nook App preloaded on the tablets and keep the rest stock Android, so that might simplify matters as far as programming goes.