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iBook Lessons: Picking vendors, price, and exclusivity
iBook Lessons is a continuing series about ebook writing and publishing. There's a dilemma faced by many new ebook authors: how to sell a book for "not much at all" and still earn a decent living. Apple and Amazon policies complicate this decision. Amazon offers a multi-choice royalty system (all prices are USD). You can charge up to $2.98 for your ebook and earn 35% of the list price. That equates to just over 34 cents for a $0.99 ebook. charge between $2.99 and $9.99 for your ebook and earn 70% of the list price less delivery costs, which are $0.15 per megabyte. For big illustration-filled books, this can be a deal breaker. TUAW reader Rosie McG's color photo book ships at over 40MB in size. She writes, "With my book priced at $9.99, my net would have been less than zero." charge between $2.99 and $9.99 for your ebook and earn a straight 35% of the list price with no delivery fees. That equates to between $1.05 to $3.49 of earnings. With Apple, you earn a straight 70% royalty on all sales, regardless of price and you can add up to 2GB of content. So long as you deliver in straight EPUB, without using iBooks Author, you can also sell in any other outlet. So there's no question, right? Sell in both places, and just try to make the most of the Amazon situation as best you can, yes? It turns out the situation isn't so simple, especially for new ebook authors. That's because the $0.99-book, which earns you 34 cents at Amazon and 69 cents at Apple, is the workhorse of the new author. It, like its App Store-based compatriot, represents many authors' first step into self-publishing. And Amazon, with its Kindle Direct Publishing arm, has thrown a big monkey wrench into this decision. That's because Amazon has two weapons on its side. First, it's monster presence in the ebook arena. Kindle titles can be read on nearly any platform you throw at it, from iOS to Android, OS X to Windows. That alone gives Kindle books a cachet not found with iBooks. Authors report that the majority of their sales, by quite a margin, come from Amazon. It's not unusual for the Amazon-iBooks split to be closer to 75%-25% than 50%-50%. It's a big incentive to pick Amazon. The second incentive is KDP Select, Amazon's exclusive borrowing program. In exchange for committing your book exclusively to Amazon, your title can be borrowed for free by any Amazon Prime member. Each member may borrow one title per month. If they choose yours, the reward is vast. A $0.99 book that normally earns 34 cents will bring in over $2. This May, the earnings were $2.26 per borrow: over 6 times your normal earnings. (Amazon has not yet announced June earnings. April earnings were $2.48, March $2.18, February $2.01.) To get in on this, you must drop your book from iBooks and any other vendor, and agree to an exclusivity period of 90-days at a time. KDP Select is transformative. It changes your list price from "Do I really want to waste a buck on this book" to "Oh, that book was good, let me pay a little extra to keep it." Psychologically and emotionally, you get to keep that $0.99 list price to entice a value-reward tradeoff from potential buyers, but the real money comes from getting people to give it a try. Both Steve Sande and I have participated in KDP Select since it launched this past winter. And it's been a surprising source of income for a couple of our books (on using the Kindle Fire with 3rd party content and for setting up the device's email). Neither topic was Apple-related and both books outperformed our hopes in terms of earnings for borrows. The $2.99 books, which would earn us under $2 per sale after delivery charges, consistently earn more than $2 per borrow due to the well-funded KDP library pool. And that brings me back to the fundamental question. How would you, yourself, advise a new author to choose given this situation, especially for the $0.99 or $1.99 first title? Would you recommend going for KDP Select exclusivity and borrowing earnings or would you suggest marketing to iBookstore and the other outlets? And, given our TUAW audience and their likely book topics, would writing a book specifically about an Apple-related subject-matter affect that advice, and if so, how? You tell us. Add your comment below and sound off about iBookstore, the KDP Select program, and markets.
UK hotel ditching paper bibles for Kindles, Rocky Raccoon to get acquainted with the benefits of e-ink
Maybe papercuts aren't a part of the creator's master plan, after all -- not at the Hotel Indigo's Newcastle location, at least, which is ditching the standard hardcover bible in favor of a Kindle edition. The hotel's GM says the move, which brings Amazon's e-reader to its 148 rooms, is keeping with the city's rich publishing history. The device will come pre-loaded with the bible, with other religious texts available for the download. Customers can also download non-religious texts, which will be added to their bill. The move is currently being assessed under a trial basis, which will be revisited on July 16th. No word on whether the promotion will be expanded to other hotels in the chain.
UK bookseller Waterstones to start selling Kindles
The UK's biggest bookstore chain has announced that it will start selling Kindles alongside other digital services from Amazon. Waterstones stores will let Kindle owners digitally browse books in-store and link up with special offers, tying into the chain's plans for substantial renovations that would also include dedicated digital book areas and free WiFi. The move follows on flies in the opposite direction of Target, who has started phasing out its Kindle sales in the US. We assume any plans for the bookseller's very own e-reader will remain the back-burner for now.
Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition
As spring reaches full blossom, it's not just the flowers that are beginning to show -- so are the new slates heavy hitters teased back at CES. So, what does that mean? It means it's high-time that we cast a fresh glance over the tablet landscape, took in a deep breath of slate-infused air and exhaled a hearty Engadget tablet buyer's guide. We've been running the smartphone equivalent for a little while now, so we thought it only fair to give the now-mature tablet category one of its own. We're going to look at the main categories of fondleslabbery and carve out what we think are the finest offerings on the market right now. It doesn't matter if you're looking for something big, small, just good enough or so powerful that it could replace your laptop: we've collected our favorites and shepherded them safely into this one humble guide. Of course, if you want to cast your net a little wider, you can always check out our tablet review hub, but if you struggle with indecision, head on past the break to see what's hot right now in Tablet Land.
Amazon tablet update brings parental controls, lets kids play with Fire
So you've got yourself Kindle Fire and a house full of young, impressionable children. What to do? Have no fear, update 6.3.1 is on its way, bringing with it parental controls like password protection for purchases, content disabling in the library and the ability to block access to the device's Silk browser. The world will be a safer place once the update starts rolling out over the air in the next few days.
Target pulls Kindle from virtual shelves, physical ones may follow
Since 2010, Target has happily hawked Amazon's e-reading wares. The retailer even carved out a branded corner of its online shop just for the Kindle. Now though, that store within a store is empty and conspicuously missing from Target's virtual shelves is Amazon's entire Kindle line. Sure, a few accessories remain, but the readers themselves are gone. What's more, according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge, the products will be cease to be restocked at the company's brick and mortar locations starting May 13th. The communique states that, after evaluation, Target "has made the decision to no longer carry Amazon hardware." The reasoning behind the banishment isn't clear, but the potential causes are practically endless. Amazon's vast online repository of goods, including some grocery items, makes it a direct competitor of the big box outlet. Target continues to carry the Nook and Kobo e-readers, but those company's don't challenge the retailer. It's also possible that, with mini Apple Stores opening up on its premises, Cupertino put some pressure on Target to clear out its competitors. It could also be as simple as collapsed contract negotiations, with Target failing to get as big a cut of sales as it wanted or, and this is a bit of a stretch, the Minneapolis company could be preparing to launch its own e-reading hardware. Neither Amazon nor Target has responded to our requests for comment at this time. Update: Target has affirmed the move to Reuters, with the following statement: "Target is phasing out Amazon- and Kindle-branded products in the spring of 2012."
Sun stops shining on E Ink Holdings: company reports first loss in two years
E Ink Holdings made a loss of over $25 million last quarter, despite supplying its backlight-free panels to popular e-readers like the Kindle and the Nook. Why the poor showing after ten quarters of solid money-making? The company's accountants blame "off-season effects" and "inventory adjustments" by customers, which may simply be corporatese for "the screens aren't selling so well." Overall revenue tumbled 63 percent compared to the same period in 2011 and the outlook remains "conservative" -- although it's hard to believe that everyone suddenly wants to stay indoors and stare at pixels.
Send to Kindle arrives on Macs
Sure, it may be Barnes & Noble's big day, but Amazon couldn't help but offer up some news of its own. The mega-retailer announced today that its Send to Kindle service is hitting the Mac, letting Apple users send documents and compatible apps from their desktop to their Kindle with a drag and a drop. The app's available now for free. For more info, send your browser to the source link below.
Ex-WSJ publisher: Apple's 30% profit sharing ebook agency model is not a conspiracy
As Apple prepares to go to trial to fight the US Department of Justice's claims that the Cupertino company conspired to fix ebook prices with publishers, former publisher of the Wall Street Journal L. Gordon Crovitz has an interesting oped in today's paper which he says that Apple's 30% profit sharing "agency model" with ebook publishers does not amount to the price fixing conspiracy that the DOJ accuses the company of. It is Crovitz's contention (as I assume Apple will also argue the same in court) that the government's assertion that the agency model is "inherently wrong" is false. The agency model means publishers, rather than resellers, set the prices of ebooks. Matter of fact, Crovitz says that Apple's agency model is not only good for Apple, but good for consumers and publishers as well, insisting that instead of conspiring to fix prices, they conspired to fix a broken ebook system in which Amazon controlled almost everything: Publishers conspired to repair an anticompetitive business model. They thought it made no sense for Amazon's Kindle to have a 90% market share and a single loss-leader price of $9.95 for consumers. They were right. Over the past couple of years, thanks to the agency model, the Kindle's market share has fallen to 60% thanks to competition from iPads and Barnes & Noble Nooks, and there is more variation in consumer prices, typically ranging from $5.95 to $14.95. Of noted interested is when Crovitz relates how he met with Apple's Eddy Cue to discuss the terms of revenue sharing for published works. Expecting a better deal than the 30% take Apple generates from apps Crovitz was a bit surprised when Cue told him, "'I don't think you understand. We can't treat newspapers or magazines any differently than we treat FarmVille." As Crovitz states: "It was a sobering reminder that traditional media brands have no preferred place in the new digital world."
Kindle Touch gets early release in UK and Germany (update)
Amazon is now shipping preorders for its Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G in both the UK and Germany, a week ahead of schedule. While eager e-reader... readers in the likes of France, Italy and Spain have to wait a little longer, Germans and Brits can expect their orders to arrive starting tomorrow, with stock also available in bricks-and-mortar options including John Lewis, Dixons, Argos, Carphone Warehouse, Currys, PC World and Tesco. Alas, there's still no news of a Eurozone arrival date for the Kindle Fire. We assume our European readers are still willing to wait, right? Update: Amazon has contacted us stating that the devices have actually "started shipping to customers in France, Italy and Spain from the respective sites (Amazon.fr, .it and .es), as well as the UK and DE."
Illuminated Kindle e-readers could arrive this year, also, might not
Rumors relating to a new Kindle, or three, land in our inbox with surprising frequency, but when they come from our brethren at TechCrunch, we'll definitely give it a listen. Devin Coldewey reports how he was lucky enough to snatch a glance at an in-development Kindle, which sports an illuminated screen. Amazon's purchase of Finnish firm Oy Modilis, which has a quiver of patents pertaining to lighting technology, adds credence to the idea that an e-reader with some form of lighting could be in the works, and Coldewey thinks he's seen it. He says tapping the screen reveals a slider that, when dragged to the right, "lit up evenly with a rather cool light." Importantly -- for eyes and batteries alike -- the light is said to be softer, and of a gentler blue-white color, compared to the harsh white common in LCDs. The loose-lipped wielder of this device claims that the industrial design isn't finished yet, but did hint at a 2012 release. We're not holding our breath, but the chance to do away with additional light accessories, is definitely enough to have us keep our fingers crossed.
Grace Digital's FireDock is a speaker dock for your Kindle Fire
Own a Kindle Fire? Can't find an audio dock made specifically for your gizmo, and not an iThing or Android device? Say hello to Grace Digital's FireDock, the $130 solution to your quandary. While we've seen Kindle-compatible docks before, this stereo system is actually made to seamlessly connect with the Fire's bottom ports and power button, allowing it to charge while docked. What's more, there's a turn-and-tilt feature that'll let you switch between landscape and portrait orientations -- perfect for going from books to movies. If that wasn't enough, an optional rechargeable battery can also be attached to the mini-rig for listening sans cords while you're out and about (though, this route disables the ability to charge the Kindle itself). If you're burning with desire for the FireDock, the bad news is that it won't be available for purchase until July. In the meantime, you'll find more info in the press release after the break to help you cool down.
Kindle Fire update brings sharing, 'print replica' textbooks, more to tablet
Amazon has started pushing out an over-the-air update that'll bring a slew of new features to its budget Kindle Fire tablet. Topping the list of upgrades is new sharing functionality that makes it possible for readers to send passages and notes from within the comfort of a book via social networks like Facebook and Twitter by highlighting and clicking "Share." Also on the slate is supplemental material powered by Shelfari, letting users find character descriptions, glossaries of of common terms, locations and author information from inside a text. Version 6.3 also brings "print replicas" of textbooks, which include linked tables of contents and Whipsersyncing of notes and highlights. For a full rundown of the new features, check out the source link below.
Kindle Touch gets April 27th release date in Europe
Good news for our friends on the other side of the pond waiting to get their fingers on the Kindle Touch's e-ink display: nearly half a year after hitting the States, the e-reader is getting ready for its official European debut. The reading device will be hitting the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy on April 27th, though you can plunk down your cash for one right now. The UK version of the reader will run you £109 for WiFi-only and £169 when you tack on 3G functionality.
Kindle app for Android updated with Send-to-Kindle functionality, lets you sling documents to green little robots everywhere
Fan of reading, you maverick you? Well if you're rocking an Android device, head on over to the Market Google Play and hit update on that Kindle app, as the online retailer from the Northwest has some fresh bits waiting for you. New today is access to a bevy of illustrated content -- like children and comic books in addition to graphic novels -- coupled with the debut of Send-to-Kindle support on Android. We're most excited about the latter as it enables plebes to send documents to their "Send-to-Kindle" email address, only to find said files magically pushed to their device for later perusal. And as an added bonus, a copy's conveniently safeguarded for additional downloads at a later date within Amazon's cloud. Made it this far? Clearly you love reading, so go do some more by clicking in the source below.
Amazon Kindle app updated for Retina display
Several of the reviews of the new iPad were critical of apps that hadn't yet been updated for the ultra-sharp Retina display. For example, New York Times tech pundit David Pogue wrote that "After enjoying the freakishly sharp text in Mail and Safari, you'll be disappointed in the relatively crude type in, for example, the non-updated Amazon Kindle app. (Amazon says that a Retina-ready update is in the works)". Well, the Amazon Kindle app (free) has been updated, which should make Pogue and the rest of those who were grumbling quite happy. That's not the only change to the app. According to the update note, there's also a new library design (images below) where you can choose to view your library in a grid view. Any library view can be quickly toggled between cloud view -- which shows all of your book purchases -- and device view, which is used to display only those books that have been downloaded to your iPad or iPhone. While we won't be able to show you images of the high-resolution text in a Kindle ebook until tomorrow, it's good to know that Amazon updated the app prior to the mass release of the new iPad.
Grandma wants an iPad: the multigenerational buyer's guide
Are you getting an earful from parents or grandparents about which iPad they should buy? Read on for our guide to buying the right iPad for Mom, Dad, Grandma or Grandpa. Two bits of anecdotal evidence that there's a digital revolution in progress: In the past year, both my mother and my mother-in-law have purchased iPads. My mother uses a Windows PC at work, and has had a Windows-based laptop for the past few years. It was starting to get old and slow, however, and the battery doesn't hold a charge anymore. She was thinking about getting a new laptop or an e-reader, and asked me for guidance. My mother-in-law has had a Windows PC in her house, but never really felt comfortable using it. She had a Nook which she enjoyed, and saw my iPad and liked the fact that it was a "one thing at a time" device. Recently, my mother-in-law was visiting her father and stepmother, my wife's grandparents. She showed the iPad to them, and her stepmother became very interested in it. One stumbling block: she didn't know anything about which one to get, or how much it would cost. My mother-in-law (who, by the way, never sent an SMS text message in her life) immediately sent me an iMessage from her iPad, asking me to help figure out which iPad her stepmother should get. Given the publicity thunderclap of last week's iPad announcements, I know there are thousands of similar conversations playing out this week across the generations (Mike Rose tells me he had the exact same chat with his father-in-law this weekend). For those of you in the digital natives cadre -- the ones on the receiving end of these inquiries from friends and family -- if you've got questions of your own, I'd like to help. I hope this guide will be useful to you and to your family members, regardless of age. There may also be other technologically-inclined daughters and sons (or granddaughters and grandsons) who are being asked similar questions, so feel free to pass the guide along. "Which iPad should I get?" (Long Answer) This is a straightforward question, and fortunately Apple's straightforward product lineup makes it relatively easy to answer (as several guides, including Marco Arment's excellent rundown, have done over the past few days). I'll go into the details behind each iPad feature, so that when you're discussing it with your friends and family you have all the background you need -- but if you just want to know what I think you should buy without all the how and why, skip on down to the end. There are three core choices to make when purchasing an iPad: 1) "Which color: white or black?" For iPads, the color choice refers to the border (also called the bezel) around the front of the iPad. You can see both models illustrated in the image above. Unlike the white and black iPhone models, this color effects only the front of the iPad; the back is always brushed aluminium. In my experience, people have an almost immediate preference when they see both the white and black models. Having used them both, I prefer the black border; I find that it is less noticeable, especially when using the iPad at night. What's important to know: This is only a cosmetic difference/personal preference; the models are technically identical. Choose whichever color you like. 2) "What size (capacity)?" The iPad currently ships with three different levels of storage: 16, 32, or 64 gigabytes (GB). The number of gigabytes tells you how much storage space is available for apps (programs that you can download), pictures, movies, and music. Video takes up the most storage space, followed by music; some applications such as games can also chew up quite a bit of storage, and the new iPad's Retina Display means that graphically intensive apps will take up more room. Very large collections of pictures can also take up a lot of space. How much space you need depends on how you plan to use your iPad. Unfortunately, you can't change this after the fact, so you have to decide before you buy. The 16 GB version starts at $499, the 32 GB is $599, and the 64 GB version is $699. Generally I think the 32 GB is the best balance of price versus space, but both my mother and mother-in-law chose the 16 GB version and have not run into any problems. Unless you plan to do a lot with video, music, or games, the 16 GB version will probably be enough. One exception to the storage equation: the iPad's camera, now vastly improved from the iPad 2's hardware, will shoot really lovely video at 1080p (the highest resolution for HD television and consumer video cameras). This really lovely video will really take up a lot of room, and if the iPad owner intends to edit or play with captured video on the device... well, take whatever storage level sounds reasonable and go up one notch. If you can live with the 16 GB size, you now also have a choice of buying the iPad 2 starting at $399. That is the cheapest iPad ever, and is a great deal. We'll tackle "iPad 2 vs. new iPad" in section 4, below. What's important to know: Unlike some other tablet computers, the iPad has no memory card slot and cannot be upgraded with additional storage (at least, not in the conventional sense). Get what you think you will need, not the bare minimum you can live with. 3) "Do I want Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi + 4G/3G?" For data connectivity, every iPad can use Wi-Fi, the wireless networking technology that laptop and other computers have used for years. There are also a lot of places which now offer free or inexpensive Wi-Fi connections: restaurants, libraries, offices, coffee shops, etc. Free or cheap Wi-Fi isn't guaranteed everywhere, however. If you want to be able to get online (almost) anywhere, you will need an iPad which is capable of using either 3G or 4G (also called "4G LTE") networking. That is the technology which allows digital cellphones to get online (almost) anywhere there is cell phone service. (If you live somewhere where there is no cell phone service, you will not be able to use 3G or 4G service either.) 4G LTE service is relatively new and only covers some big cities in the USA; it is the faster replacement for the much more common 3G service. If you have a new iPad capable of 4G it will fall back to 3G if 4G is not available. The iPad 2 only uses 3G for cellular networking; it cannot take advantage of the faster 4G service. Both devices will prefer Wi-Fi coverage over cellular 3G or 4G since it's presumptively faster and more stable; that may not always be the case, though, if you do get 4G coverage, as it can be faster than conventional DSL or cable modem connections. Unless you live in a big city or next to an airport, you are probably not in an area where you can get 4G yet, but (hopefully) both Verizon and AT&T will continue to improve their coverage. Verizon's 3G coverage is much more thorough in the USA, although there are some places where AT&T's coverage works better. Maps are available showing AT&T coverage and Verizon coverage, so you can compare the density in your area. If you know others who use AT&T or Verizon in your neighborhood, talk to them about their experience. You have to decide when you buy if you want an iPad with 4G/3G, and if you want service from AT&T or Verizon. You can't switch after the fact. Getting a 4G-capable new iPad will add about $130 to the price (so the 16 GB version with 4G will cost $629, the 32 GB version is $729 and the 64GB is $829). You have a to pay a fee to use the 3G/4G service. There's good news and bad news here. The bad news is that after you pay $129 to get 3G/4G on to your iPad, you have to pay a fee to use it. The good news is that there is no contract, unlike traditional cellphone service. iPad data is a month-to-month arrangement, similar to a pay-as-you-go cellphone plan. Having no contract means that (for example) if you need wireless data in April you can pay for it in April, but if you don't need it in May, you don't have to pay for it in May. This is a great arrangement for people who don't have consistent or predictable travel schedules, but who sometimes find themselves on the road for a chunk of time (or in the RV, or at the lake, or visiting the grandkids). Even better, you can start your month of service or cancel it right from your iPad. You don't have to call anyone and have them try to talk you out of canceling the plan. AT&T and Verizon each have different rate plans for their 3G/4G data. These rate plans are based on how much data you're allowed to download during each month, before additional charges kick in. AT&T Download Quota Cost Per Month 250 MB $15 3 GB $30 5 GB $50 Verizon Download Quota Cost Per Month 1 GB $20 2 GB $30 5 GB $50 At first glance, AT&T seems to "win" for having the cheapest price; however, 250 MB is only going to get you a limited amount of traffic -- low volumes of email, some web browsing, but not all that much more; certainly not enough to support playing music over iCloud, for instance. AT&T also gives you 3 GB of data for $30 whereas Verizon only gives you 2 GB for the same price, but I suspect that most people who use more than 1 GB will use less than 2 GB. What you need to know: You should probably get an iPad with 3G/4G, and you should probably choose Verizon. Individual circumstances will vary, but I believe that most people will find that Verizon's network works better, and they are more likely to live in an area where Verizon has data coverage. Unless you are certain that you (or your parent/grandparent) are only going to use the iPad where you know Wi-Fi is available, having the option for 3G/4G is worth the extra cost. The price difference between $15 for 250 MB on AT&T and $20 for 1GB on Verizon is fairly minimal, but the practical difference between 250 MB and 1 GB is significant. Note: You can use the iPad without a network connection for reading books, playing games, and more. However you cannot use the Internet, email, etc. without a network connection (either Wi-Fi or 3G/4G). That takes care of the three most important concerns when you're figuring out what you want. Now, let's discuss some of the additional options. 4) "Do I want an iPad 2 or the new iPad?" The 3rd generation iPad (referred to by Apple as "the iPad" or "the new iPad") will be available starting on March 16; if you haven't ordered one already, and you're not interested in waiting on a long line on Friday, you probably will be waiting a few weeks before you can get one. Budget shoppers who aren't hung up on having the newest, shiniest and fastest device now have a great option: the 2nd generation iPad (more commonly referred to as the "iPad 2") will still be available, but only in the 16 GB capacity. You can get the iPad 2 with 3G from either AT&T or Verizon. It does not support 4G but as I mentioned above, for many people, 4G may not even be available. What's "new" about the new iPad versus the iPad 2? The new iPad has a faster processor, a much better camera, 4G support, voice dictation and the heavily touted Retina display (which means that words and images on the screen will look much sharper and clearer). The iPad 2 is still an excellent choice, but the price difference between the 16GB iPad 2 and the 16 GB new iPad is "only" $100. I say only because if you take the price of the iPad and average it out over the next 2–3 years, that extra $100 comes out to only a few dollars per month. What you need to know: For day to day use, the iPad 2 is still a great device with a lot of life left in it. Most parents or grandparents would be perfectly happy with the iPad 2, and it will be readily available during the rest of March when the new iPad is likely to be very scarce. If the iPad's camera is going to be used to any degree, however, don't bother with the iPad 2; just get the new iPad -- the improvement is pretty dramatic. Also, if the $100 price difference doesn't cause any hardship, get the new one. 5) "How do I get the lowest price on an iPad? Should I wait for it to go on sale?" The iPad does not go on sale. If you want to save money, I suggest looking at the iPad 2, or consider a refurbished iPad. These are used iPads which have been returned to Apple for repair, then they're fixed and put up for resale. Each comes with a a 1-year warranty, a brand new battery and outer shell. For all practical purposes, they are "as good as new." Refurbished iPads also can be had for a significant savings. For example, a refurbished 16 GB iPad 2 with Verizon 3G can be purchased for $480 instead of $530 new. If you are looking for the lowest price on an iPad, this is definitely the way to go. What you need to know: Offers for discounted iPads that sound too good to be true almost certainly are exactly that. Beware of online scams or dirt-cheap sales that require you to participate in a panel of offers or invite you to meet the seller in a dark deserted alley -- just get your iPad from a reputable reseller like Target, Radio Shack or Best Buy. Also, mentioning the iPad on Twitter or other social services may invoke a wave of spam replies with "get cheap iPad here" links that are usually virus-infected; don't click them, and report the Twitterers for abusive behavior. 6) "What happens if I drop my iPad or it stops working?" All iPads come with 90 days of telephone support and a 1-year warranty, but it does not cover accidental damage (drops, liquid spills, pet attacks). Apple does offer AppleCare+ for iPad which costs $100 and extends the warranty an additional year (for a total of 2 years of coverage). During those two years you will also get telephone support for your iPad from Apple. Most importantly, AppleCare+ does cover accidental damage, so if your iPad gets wet or dropped and stops working, they will repair/replace it for $49. Apple will cover up to two incidents of accidental damage, for $49 each. In the "learn from my experience" department: I dropped my iPad 2 and found out that Apple charges over $300 to repair a broken iPad screen. I highly recommend getting AppleCare+. What you need to know: You can purchase AppleCare+ anytime within 30 days of purchasing your iPad, but I recommend buying it at the same time as your iPad so you don't forget. 7) "I saw a tablet in an ad in the Sunday paper that was cheaper, should I buy that instead?" No. No! No, no no no. Really, no. There are plenty of other companies which are making tablet computers, but the iPad has many more applications available, and is much better than the other options that are out there. Even the Kindle Fire from Amazon is nowhere near as good as an iPad. (I bought one and sent it back.) What you need to know: If you ignore everything else I say here, please trust me on this. if you are going to spend money on a tablet, get an iPad. 8) "Should I buy a Kindle or a Nook or some other 'ereader'?" If all you want to do is read ebooks, then a Kindle or a Nook is just fine. The models with e-ink screens are easier to read in direct sunlight, but how often are you going to sit in direct sunlight and read? The e-ink based devices also don't have a "backlight," which means that when you are inside, you will need another light to read by, just like a regular book. The Kindle Fire and the color/tablet Nook models do have backlights, but their screens have the same characteristics as the iPad screen in terms of bright-light readability. Many people do find that e-ink screens are easier to read for a long period of time, but you have to weigh that against the fact that the classic Kindle and Nook are really only suited for reading books or magazines/blogs, whereas the iPad can do many, many more things. In fact, if you already own a Kindle or Nook, you can read your ebook collection on your iPad using apps from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. What you need to know: The Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook tablet both can run Android-based apps from their own app stores, but the selection of apps is a tiny fraction of what's available for the iPad. You might consider them "tablets with training wheels," but now that the iPad 2 is at the $399 price point there's little reason to consider them as general-use tablets. 9) "Do I need to worry about spyware or anti-virus software on the iPad?" No. While the iPad isn't absolutely, completely, 100% immune to any security problems for all time, in practical, real-world terms, you don't need to worry about anything like that. In fact, one of the best parts of the iPad is that when you install new apps/software, each program is segregated into its own part of the iPad so that one program cannot interfere with another program. You may have learned to be very cautious about installing software on your Windows computer for fear that it might cause some sort of problem. With the iPad you can install any software you want from the App Store and not worry about "Program A" causing problems for "Program B." And if you decide you don't want to use some program, you can remove it simply: hold down your finger on the app's icon until it wiggles, then tap the "X" and it will be completely uninstalled. What you need to know: Your iPad may be largely resistant to malicious software, but that doesn't make you 100% safe. Use common sense regarding emails asking for personal/financial information (ignore them, or check with the business directly); don't share your passwords; set a device passcode to protect your data; turn on Find my iPad so you can track your device if it's lost or stolen. 10) "Can I read or edit Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint files on my iPad?" Yes! The iPad should be able to read any Microsoft Office file; if you get one in email, just tap the icon to preview it. If you need to edit or create Office files on the iPad, you can do that too using three applications from Apple: Pages for editing Microsoft Word documents Numbers for editing Microsoft Excel documents Keynote for editing Microsoft PowerPoint documents Those applications only cost $10 each. And, remember, you only need to buy those if you need to edit those documents. If you just need to read them, you can do that for free. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote may not be 100% identical to the applications from Microsoft, but they should work for most people in most circumstances. You may even find that you like them more than Microsoft Office! Many people consider them easier to use. There are other options for editing Office files, including QuickOffice, Documents To Go and Office2HD. If your new iPad buyer works with a company or volunteer organization that's expecting them to edit files, check with their IT folks to see if there's a recommended/supported solution. What you need to know: As capable as it is, the iPad isn't necessarily the right computing environment for dealing with long/structured documents or desktop publishing files. Be sure to manage expectations about what will and won't work smoothly by finding out a bit about your new iPad owner's work habits and regular tasks. "Which iPad should I get?" (Short Answer) Was that confusing and/or overwhelming? Want me to tell you which iPad to buy, leaving out all the extraneous details? Here are my suggestions: iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G LTE for Verizon 32GB - Black (3rd generation) for $729 plus AppleCare+ for $99. You can save $100 by going to 16 GB instead of 32. [This is a good alternative if you want to save $100.] You can save $129 by getting a Wi-Fi only iPad, if you plan to use use the iPad largely where Wi-Fi is available. [Not recommended] If you want the cheapest alternative, see if Apple has the Refurbished iPad 2 with Wi-Fi+3G 16GB - Black - Verizon (second generation) available for $479.00. [A very good alternative at a great price.] You can still choose whatever color you like, as long as it's white or black. Michael Rose contributed to this buyer's guide.
Amazon sells over 2 million Kindle Singles in 14 months
Amazon's individually-wrapped slices of literary goodness have managed to pull in a few fans since launching in January last year. The company has offered a rare glimpse at its retail figures, trumpeting two million individual sales for its Kindle Singles selection. While authors grab 70 percent of revenue from their middleweight literary missives, Amazon helps itself to the remaining 30 percent -- paidContent pegs Amazon's revenue from the Singles catalogue at around $1.12 million. Those wanting a gentle literary hit can now pick from around 165 existing titles, with some penned by big name writers like Stephen King and Dean Koontz. While their accountants probably aren't massively concerned with the royalty checks associated with these one-shots, you can still take a look at some income estimates at the source below.
Amazon prepares Kindle Touch for April launch in Japan?
According to one of Japan's big dailies, The Nikkei, Amazon will attempt to brave the tricky e-reader waters of Japan, aiming to launch its Kindle Touch as the flagship device in April. The newspaper reports that the device will land for less than 20,000 yen ($260), teaming up with Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo for 3G access to the Kindle's online store, gratis. Amazon hopes that the device's very competitive pricing, at least in comparison to existing 3G-friendly e-readers, will make in-roads to the notoriously frosty Japanese e-reader market. It will also bring Amazon's e-readers to the home turf of one of its biggest rivals; Rakuten.
Windows Phone exec Brandon Watson leaves Microsoft, headed to Amazon
There's some more corporate reshuffling going on in the Windows Phone universe this week, now that Brandon Watson has confirmed his departure from Microsoft. Watson, who served as head of the WP Developer Experience, announced the news on his Twitter page Friday, and later told ZDNet that he's heading to Amazon, where he'll be Director of the Kindle Cross Platform team. In an e-mail to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, Watson acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, but ultimately decided that "the opportunity placed in front of me that was too big to pass up." At Amazon, the exec will be charged with laying out a roadmap for Kindle app development across first- and third-party platforms, including, of course, Windows Phone and Windows 8. Microsoft has yet to announce a replacement, issuing the following statement: "We can confirm February 6th is Brandon Watson's last day at Microsoft. Brandon did a great job helping us build a vibrant developer community and we wish him well with his next adventure."
