Shortcovers launches tomorrow!

[Spectrum]

...
While Shortcovers will allow you to read the first chapter of a book free of charge, subsequent chapters will cost 99 cents each, for those who opt to read on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Alternatively, you'll be able to purchase an entire e-book for about $10 to $20, or to order delivery of the same book in traditional, non-electronic form.

On a related note, Indigo runs brick-and-mortar retail stores under the Indigo as well as the Chapters and Coles names. But in this case, "Chapters" has a different meaning. Indigo acquired the once-competing Chapters chain -- along with the Coles stores owned by Chapters -- via a hostile takeover in 2001.

Indigo also operates an existing online store called Chapters.Indigo.ca. On a visit to that site today, Betanews found that you can already read chapters of some e-books for free using a standard Web browser. From there, you can choose to write a review, send the chapter to a friend, share the chapter on Facebook, or order delivery of the traditional book.
...

from;
http://www.betanews.com/article/Shor...nes/1234393614

Originally Posted by jrial

Well, it's a novel concept, but I don't think it will really fly. See, what they're trying to do is offer bite-sized pieces of content that can be sampled and consumed in short bursts. The problem might be their target audience: we're readers... We read... We have enough time and patience to read a *whole* book. The hyperactive kids who need their entertainment in short bursts lest it distracts them from the next piece of entertainment usually don't hang around those "boring old bookstores" anyway.

That's why its perfect for iPhone users:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/24/a...span-of-gnats/

[MickeyC]

Nothing exciting except, as epiphany says, you get to sample the chapters.