Questions for Kobo CEO for interview wanted

[ficbot]

Got an email today that Michael Serbinis is offering interviews again---since I got the invite on behalf of Teleread and know I am eligible, and since I am both local and off work this week, I will probably get in to see him. he will be answering questions about the coming price war, the iPad, what Kobo is up to these days etc. If you have any questions you particularly want answered, post them here and I will take them with me. Thanks!

[BVLarson]

Please do it and get back to us, I really want to know what Kobo/Borders is up to.

Right now as an author, I'm wondering if they will be building any easier self-pub route for authors, like Amazon's DTP dashboard and BN's announced Pubit. At this point, all you get in that direction is a vague faq and an email address.

[6charlong]

Kobo polled Mobleread recently to test interest in their adding Adobe Adept ePub books to the Kobo app on the iPad. The response was positive but we haven't heard anything back on the subject. What's the story, is a version of the Kobo app coming with support for Adept?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Kobo polled Mobleread recently to test interest in their adding Adobe Adept ePub books to the Kobo app on the iPad. The response was positive but we haven't heard anything back on the subject. What's the story, is a version of the Kobo app coming with support for Adept?

And I'd like it to also be able to load your own DRM free content as well.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ficbot

Got an email today that Michael Serbinis is offering interviews again---since I got the invite on behalf of Teleread and know I am eligible, and since I am both local and off work this week, I will probably get in to see him. he will be answering questions about the coming price war, the iPad, what Kobo is up to these days etc. If you have any questions you particularly want answered, post them here and I will take them with me. Thanks!

I do have one question... Why did you allow the Kobo reader to be released with such serious firmware bugs?

[corona]

I'm curious as to why Chapters seems optimistic enough about the e-reader/e-book market to bring out the Kobo. What does he think about the iPad -- is it a threat to the dedicated e-reader? And if not, why not? What about technological advances -- does he see better displays coming? Will they be introducing new models w/ more features? Does he see the hardware side of the business expanding?

Oh, and BTW ficbot thanks for asking!

[afa]

What will be Kobo's approach to competing with the market big-wigs like Amazon, B&N and Sony, particularly when it comes to e-readers?

It seems that the Kobo Reader's initial buzz came about largely because it was a well-designed, 6" e-Ink reader for under the $150 mark, which was significantly under-cutting the prices of the above companies' 6" devices. Now that all of them have dropped their prices, Kobo has lost that advantage. So what's their next move? What are they going to do to convince consumers to buy their device and use their content, as opposed to B&N and Amazon?

Also, what are their plans regarding making the Kobo store available internationally? Is that on the cards? If so, when and -- more importantly -- where? And if not, why not?

[abookreader]

I would like to know if they will ever get the Sales Tax issue for Agency Priced novels worked out to be US State Specific.

Right now many of their books are listed 50 to 60 cents higher than they should be for me since I live in a State where sales tax shouldn't be collected. Agency pricing annoys me to begin with. Having to then pay additional to cover sales tax I really don't owe is enough to make me say forget it.

[TallMomof2]

I'd like to know when the firmware will be released!

Also would like an option to search new releases by genre not the cutesy categories.

When will the Border's ebookstore be up and running and will I be able to register my Kobo bought from Chapters with Border's?

[AnemicOak]

I'd like to know if they plan to address the issues with their website. Mainly the not so great search engine folks have been complaining about forever and the fact that they're always days to weeks behind other stores in updating pricing.

[dpayment]

I've got several questions:

1) are there any plans to incorporate txt and html capabilities into the Kobo. They are open formats, and there are literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of documents in these formats;
2) are we ever going to see dictionary support;
3) what about options for better organizing our books, by series, by genre, etc.;
4) what about quick navigation within books, I'd like to be able to either go to a specific page, or at least go forward or backward XX number of pages;
6) are we ever going to see an update to a truly functional Kobo desktop app;
7) how about an option to change functionality of the buttons on the left side of the Kobo; and
8) more font options.

[mike_bike_kite]

Price was their main selling point - so what's their plan now that a Nook can be bought for the same money? and seeing that the market is moving so quickly at the moment - how sure are they that this plan will still be competitive by the time they implement it?

[karenr_nz]

Thanks for asking ... I have a question that's a little out of left field, and I'm not sure if he can answer or not ...

Kobo has partnered with RedGroup to bring the Kobo reader and ebooks to NZ/Australia, but currently the ebooks available in these countries (on the Whitcoulls/Borders websites) are extremely limited. Is there an intention to expand the selection of books available in these countries?

[SensualPoet]

I'd be interested to know if Kobo will be "championing" Canadian books in Canada that are trapped in e-book rights hell.

Louise Penny (http://www.louisepenny.com/) is a three time winner of the Agatha Christie Award for best mystery novel (the first for any author); she's won the British Daggar, Canadian Arthur Ellis and American Dilys Award; winner of both the Anthony and Barry First Novel Awards; she's a New York Times Bestselling Author; she's currently nominated for the best Mystery / Crime Novel of the Decade; she lived in Toronto for many years (a CBC alumni) and currently is based in Montreal.

Her series based on the goings on of Inspector Armand Gamache has now reached six novels: Still Life; A Fatal Grace (Dead Cold); The Cruelest Month; A Rule Against Murder (The Murder Stone); The Brutal Telling; Bury Your Dead. I can buy all of these titles in paperback, hardcover and audiobook format from Chapters, from Amazon, from Waterstones, from Barnes and Noble ... and the e-book is available in all those markets ... EXCEPT Canada.

It would be cool to see Kobo take the stand starting here.

[ficbot]

Great questions, guys. Te interview will likely be by phone on the 30th. I'll keep everyone posted.