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Sony, Panasonic, others to launch cross-platform e-book service, later this year
Don't look now, but there's some major synergy going on in Japan's e-book market, now that Sony, Panasonic, Rakuten and Kinokuniya have all joined forces on a new digital quest. Today, the quartet of companies announced they're working on a system that would allow users to purchase and read content across their respective e-readers, injecting the e-cosmos with a heavy dose of free love and good vibes. Under the new service, customers would be able to manage their downloads and browse bestsellers within a centralized web-based marketplace, regardless of the device they go to bed with every night. Because within this new universe, there would be no "mine," "yours," or "theirs" -- all will be one and one will be all. The chieftains have already held powows with a handful of digital publishers, though they expect to have more friends around the campfire by the time the project launches later this year.
Google's deal for book digitization rejected by judge, Books plans sent back to drawing board
It's taken a long, long time to fully consider Google's proposed $125 million settlement with publishers and authors of out-of-print works, but now the ruling has been handed down and it's not the one the Mountain View team wanted. Circuit Judge Chin, who had preliminarily approved the deal back in November 2009, has returned with the new conclusion that actually it goes "too far" in Google's favor. The origins of this settlement stem from a class action lawsuit filed against El Goog for a book digitization project it began back in 2004, and it's important to note that terms were agreed way back in 2008, before a bunch of external objections made them revise the document to its current state and refile it with the court in '09. Since then, the Department of Justice has had a look at antitrust concerns relating to Google potentially having a monopoly on orphan works (those whose author cannot be identified) and Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo have all piped up to say it's a bunk deal. Now, the one man standing between us and a whole ton of web-accessible reading materials has agreed with them. He does leave a pretty large door open for reconciliation, however, should Google be willing to accede to less favorable terms. Let's just hope whatever else transpires doesn't take another year and a half to do so.
Google Editions launching in US before the end of the year, going international in Q1 2011
Admit it, Google Editions wasn't exactly your highest priority item among the things promised for a 2010 launch, but, according to Mountain View's Scott Dougall, the e-bookstore from the world's favorite search company will indeed make its debut before December's through. It's premised as a web-centric, buy-anywhere, read-anywhere platform, one that eschews the proprietary hardware and software model currently championed by the likes of Amazon for a more ubiquitous and accessible one (a humble web browser is all you'll need, which should make Tim Berners-Lee beam with pride). Small websites of all creeds, whether they be independent bookstores or book reviewers, will be encouraged to participate by linking their users to Google Editions of whatever scriptures they're discussing -- with an unannounced revenue sharing model keeping them interested. Retail pricing won't differ, we're told, from what Amazon and Barnes & Noble currently charge, which raises the question, what's the downside to Editions?
Guess what Barnes & Noble Chairman Leonard Riggio doesn't use to read? A Nook
That's right, folks. Barnes & Noble, a company which -- according to its recent earnings -- is making pretty nice inroads into the digital book market, is headed up by a self-proclaimed Luddite. In a recent short profile in New York Magazine, Riggio admitted quite openly that he'd rather turn actual pages, and carry around actual books than use his Nook. While he believes that the convenience of the e-reader will trump most readers' attachment to the physical book, Riggio (in direct opposition to, say, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos) holds firm in the belief that brick and mortar stores will always exist for books, and says he's too busy, and too old, to adjust to the new format. In fact, he's reading a hardcover copy of Mustaine right now. Oh wait, that's... us.
Nook for iPhone, iPad and PC see updates, slew of new features in tow
Barnes & Noble told us this update was in the pipeline when it introduced Nook for Android, and sure enough, said update is hitting the intertubes this fine morning. The iPhone and iPod touch version of the Nook app is said to be completely overhauled, while the iPad edition is the company's first to offer an in-app "rating" feature. In case you couldn't guess, the former also adds support for the iPhone 4's Retina Display, while also tossing in a slew of new customization options (themes, day / night content options, line spacing, font styles, preferred justification, previews, etc.). Finally, today also marks the reintroduction of the Nook for PC client, though it seems that most of the fanciful new features are reserved for the more portable versions. Hop on past the break for the full skinny, and tap that source link to get to downloadin'.
The OverAchiever: The 25 most entertaining achievements, part 3
Every so often, I get tired of the self-seriousness that infests some of (OK, most of) the other work I do here and get the urge to write something purely for fun. After our series on evil achievements and the relentless misery of School of Hard Knocks, I'd like to spend some time on achievements that are nothing but an absolute joy from beginning to end. This week we continue our series on World of Warcraft's most entertaining achievements. This is the full series to date, if you're just catching up with us: OverAchiever: Pure Win The 25 most entertaining achievements, #25-21 The 25 most entertaining achievements, #20-16 The 25 most entertaining achievements, #15-11 (today's post)
TUAW's Daily App: Barnes & Noble eReader
"But Mike," I can hear you say,"I've already got iBooks on my iPad -- why would I want to download another eReader?" Try free books for an answer. Barnes and Noble is holding a promotion this month: every week, you can show up in their retail stores, and if you show someone on staff that you've got their B&N eReader app on your mobile device, they'll give you a code for a free eBook. This week, they're giving away Lee Child's One Shot, and next week it's Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg. Sure, neither of those are probably your favorite novel, but if you're just looking for something to read, they definitely seem like something you can bring to the beach this summer. If you've already paid for a few reads in iBooks, that's fine -- read away. But if, like me, you're still not quite sure how to jump into the eBook thing (I kind of still like turning paper pages), a few free eBooks to read might help you get a handle on the experience. Since the Barnes & Noble app is free, the only cost is a quick stop by a bookstore. Read on!
iBooks app meets App Store, produces US-only iBookstore offspring
Get ready to welcome some amazing wood grain effects into your lives, future iPad owners, for the iBooks app has just landed at the App Store. Proudly proclaimed as being "designed exclusively for the iPad," this app gives you direct access to the iBookstore, which will offer free samples of books ahead of purchase and a brand new way for you to channel money into Cupertino pockets. Built-in search, highlighting and bookmarking features are augmented by text-to-speech functionality and ePub format support. Funnily enough, iBooks will only support DRM-free ePub files sourced from outside the iBookstore, but no mention is made as to whether its own wares will be similarly unimpeded. Speaking of restrictions, the whole operation is still limited to the United States, leaving the Stephen Frys of this world sighing wistfully from across the pond. [Thanks, Brian]
Google clarifies plans for Google Editions ebook store launching next year
Despite the fact that nobody reads anything anymore, the ebook market sure is hot lately, with Barnes & Noble about to make some sort of big splash and now Google getting in on the action in a new way. After shaking up the industry quite a bit with its Google Books initiative, Google is going to offer paid ebook purchases in its new "Google Editions" store in the first half of next year, which has been bumped back from the 2009 launch originally planned. The store will offer somewhere in the range of 400,000 and 600,000 books (compared to the 100,000ish offered by Sony and the 330,000+ on Kindle), and prices will be set by publishers, with Google collecting 55 percent of the profits and supposedly sharing much of that with "retail partners." The books will be available to any device with a web browser, but will be available offline after they've been accessed the first time -- that sounds like Google Gears to us, but since phones and other devices are mentioned for compatibility, hopefully there's more to it than just a browser-based reader.
Borders pulls a B&N, offers free WiFi to all patrons
In the gory, never-ending war for book store supremacy, Borders has just tapped Verizon in order to match Barnes & Noble's summer efforts to bring gratis WiFi to all who enter. Details of the arrangement are scant, but the takeaway is this: in "virtually all" of its more than 500 stores nationwide, Borders is hooking up with Verizon to bring free internet to anyone who sashays in (note: you literally have to dance upon entering) with a WiFi-enabled device. The service is expected to be fully rolled out by mid-October, giving you plenty of time to select the scarf and skinny jeans you'd like to be seen in by your fellow hipsters.
Apple iPAD outed in Borders bookstore survey?
Now, we don't really know what to think about this one, considering how many rumors are swirling about upcoming Apple devices at the moment, but make of it what you will. An online survey currently being conducted by Borders bookstore lists the "Apple iPAD (large screen reading device)" in one of its questions about e-readers. There along with the Amazon Kindle, the Kindle DX, the Sony Reader and the Plastic Logic Reader is the option to check "I plan to buy an Apple IPAD this year." It's safe to say that there are two options here: either Borders has access to some privileged Apple tablet / Kindle killer info that we, the wondering masses, do not (and yet is still making blunders like "Blackberry" and "Apple iTouch") -- or they're just assuming that there must be some truth to all the fuss. And hey, who could blame them? Like we said, we're not going to put too much stock in it, but go ahead and hit the read link to take the survey for yourself -- but be forewarned: you're going to have to dish on your opinion of Dan Brown before you get to the good stuff. [Via MacLife, thanks AC]
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.
Video of Christie Golden's Long Island reading
I wasn't anywhere near Huntington, NY on Saturday, but our friend Medievaldragon from BlizzPlanet was, and he did stop by the Christie Golden reading at the Book Revue bookstore. He even brought videos back with him, and so if you're a Golden fan (she is a New York Times-bestselling author, after all) and want to see her reading from Arthas, there you go.Apparently the reading was a pretty full house, too, and you can see from the video that there were all kinds of people there. Golden also says early in the video that Arthas is Blizzard's first big bestseller, and she repeats what we've heard before: that Blizzard loves having her write for them and she loves coming up with stories from their settings. The only big bit of news for fans from the reading is that while Blizzard is producing three different Warcraft books (of which Arthas is the first), they won't be a trilogy at all, just stand-alone stories. Big thanks to Medievaldragon once again for stopping by the event and grabbing video for those of us who couldn't go.
Christie Golden signing Saturday in Long Island
Warcraft book author Christie Golden (who, you'll probably remember, wrote Arthas, the book our guys loved so much) will be signing copies of that book at a bookstore called the Book Revue in Huntington, NY this Saturday at 7pm. In a quick interview with Newsday there, she also talks about both her background in fantasy and sci-fi (she remembers the days when sci-fi and fantasy were seen as silly diversions rather than premises for multi-million dollar movies and videogames, as do most of us older nerds, probably) and her experience with WoW. She says that having the chance to jump in and virtually visit the actual setting of her books is a real plus when doing research -- if she has a question about the layout of Stormwind, she can go over to that city and check it out herself.If you're in or near Long Island and are a Christie Golden fan or are looking for something Warcraft-y and fun to do on Saturday, there you go. She's got more information on her blog about the signing (looks like she'll be reading as well). If you do go, let us know how it went.
