Shortcovers.com now offering Adobe ePub downloads

BookLoverToo · 09-12-2009, 01:01 PM

Shortcovers.com is now offering Adobe ePub downloads for books. I haven't had a chance to check on their selection yet, but the few bestsellers I did check were offered in ePub for $11.99 CAD (I think 9.99 USD, but I'm not sure how the site determines what currency it displays - perhaps by IP location?). I'm also not sure about geographic restrictions. At least it's another site I can use for my Sony!

passero · 09-13-2009, 06:51 AM

Thanks for this!! Their prices look great, good selection, and they have 1st chapter previews too.

It looks like they are trying to be internationally-friendly, but I wasn't able to enter my APO (US Armed Forces) billing address. I sent them an email. Hopefully they'll fix the problem, and then I can see myself buying from them frequently too.

superstitious · 09-13-2009, 01:19 PM

Hey thanks for the link. I found some books I like for much cheaper here.

AnemicOak · 09-13-2009, 01:36 PM

The also have some of the Suvudu freebies as epubs too.

EowynCarter · 09-13-2009, 03:36 PM

Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

Bilbo1967 · 09-13-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

If you're in the UK, you can't even order one book, so think yourself lucky!

Journier · 09-13-2009, 06:25 PM

Thanks so much for the heads up. I was looking up a book which they didn't have, but found another one which I will be getting. It was cheaper there than the Sony book store. This is a good site. I definitely added it to my favorites.

lunged · 09-13-2009, 06:36 PM

Wow, just that fast Shortcovers became my favorite eBook store. Good prices all around (as far as I have seen so far), good selection and you can read it online, too.

Filark · 09-13-2009, 07:47 PM

Nifty, thanks!

I have discovered that some of the best independent booksellers are selling ebooks, too. Maybe everyone already knows this, but check Powell's (Portland, OR) and Tattered Cover (Denver, CO). I love bookstores and will be delighted if the best brick and mortars support my newest passion and stay in business!!

Fi

JSWolf · 09-14-2009, 09:01 AM

Tattered Covers should get out of the eBook market. They are charging list price.

Dave Berk · 09-14-2009, 10:08 AM

I also like their site design much more than the horror that is BoB or Fictionwise.

Hellmark · 09-14-2009, 02:00 PM

Sweet. It is good to see they listen to the community.

JCKobo · 09-15-2009, 11:02 AM

Let us know if you have any questions or comments about our new ePub offering. We've been listening to the Mobile Read community for months now, and we'll continue to keep our ear to the ground.

Jordan Christensen
Product Manager
Shortcovers

=X= · 09-15-2009, 01:17 PM

Hi Jordan,
Welcome to mobile read.

Well since you have asked for user input and solicited questions I do have a few questions and comments.

Do you have any plans to support ADE (ePUB) or just ePUB on your reading device?

Also what is not clear from your web site is if one buys ePUB does the user still have the ability to read from the shortcovers app.

I think the app is very stylistic and integrates very nicely to your store. However the app is lacking in the most important feature, reading a book. It's extremely painful to read a book from the app.
So far mobipocket provides the best user experience to reading on small devices, with eReader.com right behind them for many reasons--I'll list only the main reasons to save time.
- Load up time. Mobipocket one time load. SC every chapter (huge) every page minor.
- Annotations/Highlighting Mobipocket has them SC does not have any
- Bookmarks MP easy to navigate SC must navigate through all bookmarks
- Search IN books MP / SC search for books
- Remember last page read MP / SC does not, must use bookmarks
- Local storage MP has online and offline bookshelf. /SC online

Personally I think your on the right track you got a nice store and a good pricing model. Still not as attractive as Amazon but competitive to other eBook stores.

But the reading experience is absolutely terrible. I cannot see myself reading even a short story in this reader. If you resolve that aspect of your app you will have a very competitive product.

=X=

Hellmark · 09-15-2009, 02:28 PM

=X=, ADE does not necessarily mean ePub, and anything that supports ADEPT encoded ePubs can use regular nonDRM'ed ePubs, not to mention that ADEPT isnt the only DRM scheme applicable to ePub, so it is odd how you choose to have that distinction (I'd have asked along the lines of "Do you use ADE or no DRM at all on your ePub files").

And for the record, they do use ADE.

09-12-2009, 01:01 PM	#1
BookLoverToo Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 104 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Shortcovers.com now offering Adobe ePub downloads Shortcovers.com is now offering Adobe ePub downloads for books. I haven't had a chance to check on their selection yet, but the few bestsellers I did check were offered in ePub for $11.99 CAD (I think 9.99 USD, but I'm not sure how the site determines what currency it displays - perhaps by IP location?). I'm also not sure about geographic restrictions. At least it's another site I can use for my Sony!

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09-13-2009, 06:51 AM	#2
passero Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: sony prs-505	Thanks for this!! Their prices look great, good selection, and they have 1st chapter previews too. It looks like they are trying to be internationally-friendly, but I wasn't able to enter my APO (US Armed Forces) billing address. I sent them an email. Hopefully they'll fix the problem, and then I can see myself buying from them frequently too.

09-13-2009, 01:19 PM	#3
superstitious Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 7270 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: K3 wifi	Hey thanks for the link. I found some books I like for much cheaper here.

09-13-2009, 01:36 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	The also have some of the Suvudu freebies as epubs too.

09-13-2009, 03:36 PM	#5
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	Isn't there a way to order more that one book at a time ?

09-13-2009, 06:25 PM	#7
Journier Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 415 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern CA Device: Kindle Oasis	Thanks so much for the heads up. I was looking up a book which they didn't have, but found another one which I will be getting. It was cheaper there than the Sony book store. This is a good site. I definitely added it to my favorites.

09-13-2009, 06:36 PM	#8
lunged Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 122 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Device: iPad	Wow, just that fast Shortcovers became my favorite eBook store. Good prices all around (as far as I have seen so far), good selection and you can read it online, too.

09-13-2009, 07:47 PM	#9
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 1,421 Karma: 2463560 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: enTourage eDGe & Pocket eDGe, Samsung Galaxy Note II	Nifty, thanks! I have discovered that some of the best independent booksellers are selling ebooks, too. Maybe everyone already knows this, but check Powell's (Portland, OR) and Tattered Cover (Denver, CO). I love bookstores and will be delighted if the best brick and mortars support my newest passion and stay in business!! Fi

09-14-2009, 09:01 AM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,720 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Tattered Covers should get out of the eBook market. They are charging list price.

09-14-2009, 10:08 AM	#11
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	I also like their site design much more than the horror that is BoB or Fictionwise.

09-14-2009, 02:00 PM	#12
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Sweet. It is good to see they listen to the community.

Advert

Advert

09-15-2009, 11:02 AM	#13
JCKobo Kobo Product Guy Posts: 244 Karma: 36848 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Vox	Let us know if you have any questions or comments about our new ePub offering. We've been listening to the Mobile Read community for months now, and we'll continue to keep our ear to the ground. Jordan Christensen Product Manager Shortcovers

09-15-2009, 01:17 PM	#14
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	Hi Jordan, Welcome to mobile read. Well since you have asked for user input and solicited questions I do have a few questions and comments. Do you have any plans to support ADE (ePUB) or just ePUB on your reading device? Also what is not clear from your web site is if one buys ePUB does the user still have the ability to read from the shortcovers app. I think the app is very stylistic and integrates very nicely to your store. However the app is lacking in the most important feature, reading a book. It's extremely painful to read a book from the app. So far mobipocket provides the best user experience to reading on small devices, with eReader.com right behind them for many reasons--I'll list only the main reasons to save time. - Load up time. Mobipocket one time load. SC every chapter (huge) every page minor. - Annotations/Highlighting Mobipocket has them SC does not have any - Bookmarks MP easy to navigate SC must navigate through all bookmarks - Search IN books MP / SC search for books - Remember last page read MP / SC does not, must use bookmarks - Local storage MP has online and offline bookshelf. /SC online Personally I think your on the right track you got a nice store and a good pricing model. Still not as attractive as Amazon but competitive to other eBook stores. But the reading experience is absolutely terrible. I cannot see myself reading even a short story in this reader. If you resolve that aspect of your app you will have a very competitive product. =X=

09-15-2009, 02:28 PM	#15
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	=X=, ADE does not necessarily mean ePub, and anything that supports ADEPT encoded ePubs can use regular nonDRM'ed ePubs, not to mention that ADEPT isnt the only DRM scheme applicable to ePub, so it is odd how you choose to have that distinction (I'd have asked along the lines of "Do you use ADE or no DRM at all on your ePub files"). And for the record, they do use ADE.