Barnes & Noble partners with Plastic Logic, becomes "exclusive eBookstore provider" for its e-reader

It's not exactly an e-book reader of its own as previously rumored, but Barnes & Noble's announced an alliance with Plastic Logic in which it'll serve as the "exclusive eBookstore provider" to the long-in-development e-reader, which unless we're playing with semantics here means any and all digital literature you're wanting to purchase on-device will have to come from BN. According to the press release, downloads from Google's public domain archives will also be made available gratis, and as for the enigmatic 8.5 x 11-inch slate, it's still reportedly on track for an early 2010 launch. Much in the vein of Amazon's more recent maneuvers, the ole' brick-and-mortar retailer is taking what it's calling a device-agnostic approach, with apps already available for iPhone and iPod touch, Blackberry, Windows, and OS X. Practice your reading skills with the presser after the break.

Update: A few added details from Barnes & Noble's conference call. The company says it'll be announcing support for other products in the future (not Kindle or Sony e-reader) and that it has no announcements at this point as to whether it'll be selling Plastic Logic e-readers in store, exclusive or otherwise.

BARNES & NOBLE LAUNCHES WORLD'S LARGEST eBOOKSTORE

Introduces "Every Device" Strategy

Upgrades eReader Application

Free Downloads

Announces eBookstore Partnership with Plastic Logic

New York, New York – July 20, 2009 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, announced today the launch of the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, the world's largest eBookstore, on Barnes & Noble.com, enabling customers to buy eBooks and read them on a wide range of platforms, including the iPhone and iPod touch, BlackBerry® smartphones, as well as most Windows® and Mac® laptops or full-sized desktop computers. In addition, Barnes & Noble announced that it will be the exclusive eBookstore provider on the forthcoming and much anticipated Plastic Logic eReader device.

Barnes & Noble's launch encompasses:

· Barnes & Noble's eBookstore offering its customers seamless access to more than 700,000 titles, including hundreds of new releases and bestsellers at only $9.99, making it the world's largest selection of eBooks available in one place. The company expects that its selection will increase to well over one million titles within the next year, inclusive of every available eBook from every book publisher and every available eBook original, which is a fast growing marketplace.


· More than a half-million public domain books from Google, which can be downloaded for free. Readers can discover and explore this rich treasure trove, including everything from classic works by well-known writers to long-forgotten and obscure titles that are historically much harder to access.


· An upgraded version of its eReader application, which was part of the company's Fictionwise acquisition earlier this year. This device-agnostic eBook application supports both wireless and wired access to the new Barnes & Noble eBookstore. Millions of internet-enabled devices are currently supported by eReader, including the nation's two leading smartphone device families from Apple and BlackBerry®, as well as most Windows® and Mac® laptops or full-sized computers.


· First-time users of the eReader will have the opportunity to download free eBooks, including titles such as Merriam-Webster's Pocket Dictionary, Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, Last of the Mohicans, Pride and Prejudice, and Dracula. See site for further details.


· A strategic commerce and content partnership with Plastic Logic, whose eReader device is especially designed for business professionals. Barnes & Noble will power the eBookstore for the Plastic Logic eReader device. The ultra thin 8.5 x 11 inch wireless eReader is slated to debut in early 2010.


· The free, full-featured B&N Bookstore app for iPhone and iPod touch users, which is now the #1 downloaded book app in Apple's App Store. In addition to enabling customers to easily place orders for books, movies, and CDs, the app also lets users search millions of products simply by snapping a photo. Using the iPhone's camera, customers can snap a photo of the front cover and within seconds get product details, editorial reviews, and customer ratings – even find and reserve a copy in the nearest store. The app also includes a store locator, bestseller lists, book recommendations, and a store events calendar.

"Today marks the first phase of our digital strategy, which is rooted in the belief that readers should have access to the books in their digital library from any device, from anywhere, at any time," said William J. Lynch, President of BN.com. "As America's #1 bookstore and newsstand, our goal at Barnes & Noble is to build a service that revolves around the customer, enabling them to have access to hundreds of thousands of titles and read on their smartphone, PC, and many other existing and future devices. We want to make eBooks simple, accessible, affordable and convenient for everyone."

More About the eReader Application

Designed with the reader in mind, Barnes & Noble eReader client software provides an easy-to- use interface to access the Barnes & Noble eBookstore and to manage their personal eBook libraries. It features powerful tools to optimize the reading experience, including the ability to modify type size and font and annotate and bookmark text, as well as an innovative auto-scroll feature enabling users hands free reading. In addition, users will have the added convenience afforded by true eBook portability, allowing them to access their eBooks from any of their eBook software-equipped devices, so that, for example, they can shift from reading their eBook from a smartphone while commuting to a notebook PC or eReader device at bedtime.

For information on free downloads go to www.bn.com/ebooks

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 777 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble is the nation's top bookseller brand for the sixth year in a row, as determined by a combination of the brand's performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent; the top bookseller in quality for the second year in a row and the number two retailer in trust, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Social Media Links:

Follow B&N on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eBooksBN and http://twitter.com/BNBuzz
Become a fan of our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble
Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BNStudio


SAFE HARBOR

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Barnes & Noble is including this statement for the express purpose of availing itself of the protections of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to all such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and represent the beliefs of the management of the company. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks include, but are not limited to, general economic and market conditions, decreased consumer demand for the company's products, possible disruptions in the company's computer or telephone systems, possible risks associated with data privacy and information security, possible work stoppages or increases in labor costs, possible increases in shipping rates or interruptions in shipping service, effects of competition, possible disruptions or delays in the opening of new stores or the inability to obtain suitable sites for new stores, higher than anticipated store closing or relocation costs, higher interest rates, the performance of the company's online and other initiatives, the performance and successful integration of acquired businesses, the success of the company's strategic investments, unanticipated increases in merchandise or occupancy costs, unanticipated adverse litigation results or effects, the results or effects of any governmental review of the company's stock option practices, product shortages, and other factors which may be outside of the company's control. Please refer to the company's annual, quarterly and periodic reports on file with the SEC for a more detailed discussion of these and other risks that could cause results to differ materially.

[Grammar Delinquent @ Jul 20th 2009 5:04PM]

FIRST

[Magallanes @ Jul 20th 2009 5:17PM]

A young man walked up and sat down at the bar. "What can I get you?" the bartender inquired.

-"I want 6 shots of Jagermeister," responded the young man.
-"6 shots?!? Are you celebrating something?"
-"Yeah, my FIRST blowjob," the man answered.
-"Well, in that case, let me give you a 7th on the house."
-"No offense, sir. But if 6 shots won't get rid of the taste, nothing will."

--
So is it your first?.

[dcnoren @ Jul 20th 2009 5:04PM]

Second?

[dcnoren @ Jul 20th 2009 5:05PM]

Good. I have a non-fail second.

[Mark @ Jul 20th 2009 5:07PM]

No, you still fail.

[dcnoren @ Jul 20th 2009 5:10PM]

kthxbye

[Mark @ Jul 20th 2009 5:05PM]

Wow, no love for the 5th most popular smartphone in the US?

[Stanley @ Jul 20th 2009 5:08PM]

Attractive industrial design for the Plastic Logic device, but at this point it's still phantom vaporware.

[Andrew T @ Jul 20th 2009 5:20PM]

Maybe I dont quite fully understand the definition of "phantom vaporware", but from what ive seen over the year(s) on engadget, this thing seems pretty legit. Search on youtube or whatnot and you can watch fully working prototypes of this thing.

[Stanley @ Jul 20th 2009 6:16PM]

You're right, the pejorative sense of the term may not be fair. But empty, vaguely-worded press promotions tend to amount to little when compared to a legitimate shipping product.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vaporware
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaporware
http://daringfireball.net/2006/12/omnivapor

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 20th 2009 10:53PM]

This isn't vaporware.. there is a physical device, not just a render.

[Cybertrash @ Jul 20th 2009 5:10PM]

Something tells me that B&N has a lot more up their sleeve for the fall.

[Toy Yoda @ Jul 20th 2009 7:29PM]

yeah like a whole slew of textbooks for incoming freshmen!!

[DanielT @ Jul 20th 2009 5:12PM]

Please Barnes and Noble, don't be as stupid as Amazon and delete downloaded content for ANY reason.

die kindle die.

[something clever @ Jul 20th 2009 5:25PM]

Odd how engadget failed to cover that story. They've been pimping the kindle at every possible turn like they're getting a cut of the proceeds, and when a very important development happens, they're nowhere to be found. Instead they post stuff like a $2500 car available for sale only in india, which has no 'gadget' angle at all.

[Ross Miller @ Jul 20th 2009 5:31PM]

You mean stories like this one? http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/17/amazon-remotely-deletes-orwell-e-books-from-kindles-unpersons-r/

[Chris Are @ Jul 20th 2009 6:39PM]

Clearly neither of you guys know what the hell you're talking about. As Ross pointed out, they absolutely DID cover it (in fact, their story was so prominent in spreading the controversy that Amazon contacted them directly to explain).

And Amazon did it because an illegal copy of the book was uploaded without their knowing. Perhaps not the best way to go about doing it, but to avoid legal trouble they did what they had to do, and said they won't be deleting books off peoples' Kindles again.

[Kevin @ Jul 20th 2009 6:42PM]

Yes, I think that was the story that something clever failed to read.

[DanielT @ Jul 20th 2009 6:58PM]

@ Chris Are

I think the majority of people who are pretty peeved at this are aware why Amazon decided to do it. Their promises to keep their paws out of Kindles wont change the opinion of many who would no longer consider the reader as an option.

Take a look at the last 4 days of reviews for the Kindle at Amazon to see the fallout.

[Chris Are @ Jul 20th 2009 11:12PM]

@Daniel

Perhaps you're right, but to be fair it's not as if Amazon reviews mean much. Remember when that bitch tried to claim Mass Effect as porn, though she'd never played the game or seen any scenes from it, and everyone bombed her book? That's just a bunch of opinionated internet nerds who are pissed off right now, but are in no way considering Amazon's side. It was a bad move on their part, and they've apologized for it and promised to not do it again. And I don't think they ever will, considering those reviews. But to make them out to be some Monster cables style of company who should be avoided and despised? I think that's a bit much.

[jollyllama @ Jul 21st 2009 3:12AM]

Hey guys, chill out, DanielT is just speaking german. All he said was "the kindle the." Not such a big deal.

[Barry @ Jul 20th 2009 5:24PM]

"More than a half-million public domain books from Google, which can be downloaded for free. Readers can discover and explore this rich treasure trove, including everything from classic works by well-known writers to long-forgotten and obscure titles that are historically much harder to access."

I'm not impressed with ebook readers much, but this is a very good thing. Amazon are idiots for not putting a giant FREE BOOKS section up for their reader. So much of the public domain is ignored, or worse, republished with non-free sticker prices. The purpose of copyright is to make the public domain richer for everyone, not to be a welfare program for corporations.

[DanielT @ Jul 20th 2009 5:26PM]

Yes, it is VERY good. Maybe this will get Jeff Bezos to stop laughing like a fool.

[giuliop @ Jul 20th 2009 5:25PM]

Yes, running a spell check is definitely necessary *even* in a 6-line post.

[Maeztro @ Jul 20th 2009 5:46PM]

Dozens of customers rejoice!

Only reason Kindle is a success is because it has the muscle of Amazon behind it 100%.

[rita hainsworth @ Jul 20th 2009 5:55PM]

Perfectly happy with BandN backing up Plastic Logic....I have been waiting for PL to release and now i am even more excited.
Count me in as a first in line.

[roveit @ Jul 20th 2009 6:21PM]

Jump on line to Barnes and Noble looking to browse a great range of Computer related e-books and find very little.
I've purchased a number of OReily Computer books via Stanza on my iPod Touch but Barnes and Noble Computer Books - talk about underwhelming!

[charlie @ Jul 20th 2009 6:36PM]

If B&N does support ePub then that means you will be able to read those Oreilly books on the Plastic Logic device since you can get the ePub version from Oreilly's site :)

[charlie @ Jul 20th 2009 6:21PM]

Why is B&N choosing only to sell in this DRM format? They are forcing a host of potential customers with ereaders to go buy from their competitor Borders who sells in ePub format. The folks who already have a Sony or Cybook OR Iliad etc are locked out from buying from B&N.

I hope (and have emails into their people) that Platic Logic will still support epub drm and many other book formats and not lock you into purchasing only from B&N

[Hadoualex @ Jul 20th 2009 6:33PM]

Wow finally the perfect ebook reader: thin, light, based on new "plastic" technology, and with a real screen. Add that to the ereader format that I been buying for the last 6 years and top that off with google collection of books. Nothing but perfection, would finally be able to read all those mangas the way they were meant to be read.

[charlie @ Jul 20th 2009 6:33PM]

wait! Ross Miller you wrote "The company says it'll be announcing support for other products in the future (not Kindle or Sony e-reader)" but over here http://paidcontent.org/article/419-bns-e-book-store-notes-from-conference-call/ in the notes from the conference call they write "The book format: the industry standard is ePub, and that’s what they will support."

Well the Sony readers supports ePub. So which is it- yes for ePub or no?

I messaged B&N myself but if you can find out sooner....

[Sizer @ Jul 20th 2009 6:54PM]

I will be interested if

a) I OWN the books I buy
b) The eBooks I buy do not cost MORE than paper books
c) It is sans awkward keyboard.
d) I can load my own stuff onto it without jumping through hoops.

These are all reasons I don't own a Kindle. Do this for me, B&N, and you will have made me an offer I can't refuse.

[gybognarjr @ Jul 20th 2009 7:04PM]

My patience is short to read three pages for explanations, which there should be none. What? Why? Where? How?
Excuse me, but don't we have PDF files, anyone can open and read. Do these other entities want to reinvent and sell the wheel?
I am sick of the stupidity and greed and all the fuss and fees and whatnot.
Allow me, books have been around, if they are electronic format or paper, that is still the same thing. Sell the piece, but don't give me stupid excuses, why I have to buy a reader for them. Some of us went to school and did learn to read, and for that, we should not be penalized.
Just a note from an old one. Books are nice to have, it is a form of art and reducing them to be electronic files is just convenience and a destruction of art and artists. The penalty should be for those who convert books to electronic files, that they should be allowed only to eat canned food for the rest of their lives, as well as the writer of this article I am sending my comment on.

[Tagbert @ Jul 20th 2009 10:30PM]

Part of the problem is that PDF is a pretty crappy format for books. It's really a static capture of a specific hardcopy output. It has no internal semantic organizatio to its data and each books assumes a specific output size (usually 8.5x11). It does a poor job when you want to read it on something smaller and more portable than a sheet of letter-size paper. You have to zoom and pan to read it. Better to use a more flexible format like html/epub.

[Victor @ Jul 20th 2009 7:33PM]

If Barnes and Noble is somehow able to sell this sucks for $100-150 they will OWN the ereader market, terrible service or not. I honestly don't need 3g and a cellular network to download books. I can gladly just do it from my computer with a usb sync.

[Victor @ Jul 20th 2009 7:33PM]

and by sucks. I definitely mean sucker.

[JARSInc @ Jul 20th 2009 7:35PM]

Ignore this comment, please.

[JARSInc @ Jul 20th 2009 7:35PM]

Ignore this, as well, if you would.

[MS&GoogleFan @ Jul 20th 2009 8:18PM]

I ignore nothing.

[Matt @ Jul 20th 2009 9:50PM]

Ah, I was minutes away from ordering a Kindle 2, what do you all think, wait for this to come out in early 2010 or just get a Kindle 2 !?!

[Tagbert @ Jul 20th 2009 10:32PM]

Yeah, cause this will definitely be cheaper. ;)

[charlie @ Jul 20th 2009 9:51PM]

wait for the PL

[rick @ Jul 20th 2009 10:51PM]

Well...goodbye Kindle. If this e-reader lives up to expectations; especially after Amazon deleted content from its subscribers...I'll be the first on line for it. Hopefully, We'll be able to place content onto the device that will not be able to be deleted at the bookstores whim. Great news though. Competition is always good for us.

[dr d @ Jul 21st 2009 12:04AM]

If I only dont develop age related macular degeneration waiting for the plastic logic. What has it been, 10 years since first prototyped?

[Fred Dinage @ Jul 21st 2009 8:25AM]

I think this could be the start of a revolutionary change in the print media industry. As said however it's nothing untill there's uptake with the device and it's adopted by publishers. Any device that can transend the geekzone and become truely accessable to everyday people who don't give a crap about spec wars and just want to read a newspaper is going to be a winner.

Roll on 2012 and model i can roll up and hit the dog with :D

[johnathan.olesen @ Jul 21st 2009 10:40AM]

this looks pretty cool. not gonna lie

[Eric @ Jul 21st 2009 12:46PM]

So, misusing the term exclusive, they pretend you have to buy their product to read this stuff. The exclusive is on their part, not BN's part. Kind of an intentional deception that makes me not want their product.

[charlie @ Jul 21st 2009 2:06PM]

the exclusivity mean that you will be able to access the BN e-store from the PL device. IF you want to purchase an ebook from say Borders or Oreillly or eBooks.com etc you'd have to do that from some other connected terminal.

The problem here is the formats coming from the book stores instead of the publishers. the Publishers should decide what format they're books are sold in then the stores should sell them in that format. The readers should be able to read ANY format DRM or not so you can buy any book from any retailer just as you do with the paper version.

[charlie @ Jul 22nd 2009 2:36PM]

from BN

"At this time, Barnes & Noble is only offering eBook titles in the .PDB
eBook format and can only offer support for compatible devices. In the
near future, titles and support for the ePUB eBook format will be
available. "