Google Opens the Digital Reader Industry To All Independents

[jackinca]

See front page of the NYTimes today-12/6/2010-Google will permit independents like Powell's Books to sell a vast catalogue of new books, presumably without DRM restrictions in addition to continuing to offer its free books. This is great news for all digital readers and Amazon is going to have to follow.

[antistar]

hmm....I noticed sony was not mentioned even once in the article. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Apple were listed as the major players in the market. There seems to be something wrong in Sony's marketing.

[grooks]

Google's web site for their ebook store list the Sony as a dedicated reading device.

Originally Posted by antistar

hmm....I noticed sony was not mentioned even once in the article. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Apple were listed as the major players in the market. There seems to be something wrong in Sony's marketing.

I think the entire Sony corporate handling of ebooks and readers is rather strange. In the USA, a company that marketed a product in the manner that Sony markets its readers and books would be thought of as trying to purposely lose money in order to take a huge tax write-off. Or they would just be considered stupid. I think stupid best describes Sony marketing as far as the ebook readers go.

[gardenstate]

more info on books for Sony reader...

"Google's e-books will work on the Nook, Sony Corp.'s Reader devices and practically every other e-reading device except the Kindle. Google achieves this with the help of Adobe Inc.'s copy-protection system for e-books. That system is already used by public libraries and smaller online bookstores, but hasn't seen much interest from the major players. Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Apple all have their own copy-protection systems."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101206/...dsZW9wZW5zZQ--

[elemenoP]

Yes but some books are not downloadable. Seems like this is better suited to people who read on their cellphone.

eP

[jackinca]

Originally Posted by jackinca

See front page of the NYTimes today-12/6/2010-Google will permit independents like Powell's Books to sell a vast catalogue of new books, presumably without DRM restrictions in addition to continuing to offer its free books. This is great news for all digital readers and Amazon is going to have to follow.

The DRM restrictions I referred to were principally the DRMs placed on B&N sales(and Amazon-Kindle) so that only their Nook and other devices they sell can download "their" books. It appears that many other publishers, MacMillan and Simon and Schuster, to name some major ones, are joining in on the Google site. This could be a major move forward for the ebook industry, perhaps the best move forward since Sony started the whole process with their ereaders-something that should not be overlooked amid all the criticism directed at Sony, who at times seems "Too Big To Fail". Accolades for Google.