Posts tagged ‘ebook’
New York Times Reports Sony Plans to Adopt Common Format for E-Books
This is an excerpt from the New York Times article by Brad Stone-originally published 8/12/2009 Read the full article>>
“Paper books may be low tech, but no one will tell you how and where you can read them.
For many people, the problem with electronic books is that they come loaded with just those kinds of restrictions. Digital books bought today from Amazon.com, for example, can be read only on Amazon’s Kindle device or its iPhone software.
Some restrictions on the use of e-books are likely to remain a fact of life. But some publishers and consumer electronics makers are aiming to give e-book buyers more flexibility by rallying around a single technology standard for the books. That would also help them counter Amazon, which has taken an early lead in the nascent market.
On Thursday, Sony Electronics, which sells e-book devices under the Reader brand, plans to announce that by the end of the year it will sell digital books only in the ePub format, an open standard created by a group including publishers like Random House and HarperCollins.
Sony will also scrap its proprietary anticopying software in favor of technology from the software maker Adobe that restricts how often e-books can be shared or copied.
After the change, books bought from Sony’s online store will be readable not just on its own device but on the growing constellation of other readers that support ePub. Those include the Plastic Logic eReader, a thin device that has been in development for nearly a decade and is expected to go on sale early next year.”
This is an excerpt from the New York Times article by Brad Stone-originally published 8/12/2009
See full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/technology/internet/13reader.html
Barnes & Noble Launches e-Book Store: Rumors Circulate of Plastic Logic Partnership
This week, Barnes & Noble opened their e-Book Store online. They have hit the ground running with plans to grow aggressively. The word on the Web is that they are going to be partnering with Plastic Logic to distribute content via a device scheduled for release early next year. The device is said to be a big step in the right direction, hopefully minimizing the annoying parts of the Kindle2, Kindle DX and Sony Reader.
It would be logical to assume that Barnes & Noble will be able to establish themselves in a market that they have dominated for so long. They understand books and consumers, which is quite clear when you visit their site. The eBook Store interface is extremely user-friendly. People can download the apps they need in order to interact with the new eBook Store, including options for your computer, iPhone and Blackberry.
Overall, I think that this is a healthy development. While I don’t see any indication yet that there will be an interface such as the Digital Text Platform available to upload content to the Kindle Store, I would be surprised if this is not in the works. The strength that Amazon has brought to the e-book market is a good starting ground and I believe that strong players getting into the game will drive Amazon and any other serious participants to adapt and improve.
Barnes & Noble’s new eBook Store has a clear impact on your ability to sell your book. Familiarize yourself with this new development, so that you can be one step ahead of where your target audience is going.
-1,000 Chimps
What the Kindle 2 Price Reduction Means for Authors
Yesterday, Amazon dropped the selling price of their Kindle 2 by $60 to sell below $300. There is much speculation as to the various factors driving that decision. Some feel that the production cost is getting lower and that Amazon is passing the savings on to us. Others have suggested that Amazon is feeling the heat of increasing pressure from competitors such as the Sony Reader or any number of iPhone apps and digital options and is bracing to maintain the lead in the market. There is also talk of in-book advertising being implemented in the near-future.
But I believe that there is another aspect at play that is worth mentioning. I agree with the forward-thinkers who aim at a potential future with a single device that can handle all of our electronic needs from Tweets to e-books, from e-mail to multimedia and telecommunications. There is clearly a long-term limit on the success of any devices that are compartmentalized to one segment of our wi-fi society.
For authors who are writing and marketing in this environment, there will be a strong benefit to maintaining a presence and awareness. The trends are not too difficult to spot, so find a way to be involved. If people are constantly talking about Twitter, then find a way to get your story out to them on Twitter. If Kindle is the thing, start an account at dtp.amazon.com where you can upload your writing for sale on the Kindle store. Do a search on your favorite browser every once in a while to find out what the new trends are or where the most eyes are pointing, and get your book or idea in front of those eyes.
And don’t limit yourself to just industry related trends, because the media is hungry for stories. Once a leading story is released on any major event, there are opportunities for others to get in on that attention. Consider the example of the two Chinese writers who worked together to crank out a book about Michael Jackson within 48 hours of the news of his death. These writers acted quickly after hot-topic event, and they are now gaining global attention.
Altogether, in the battle of apps, e-readers and everything in between, I think we are simply experiencing the natural progression of a developing market. There are different ways of looking at it and different ways of trying to make any subject more news-worthy than it would initially seem to be.
The important aspect to remember amid these changes is that people are still reading. There are doors opening in this limited economic environment, so stay vigilant and keep writing. Regardless of whether someone buys a $299 Kindle or a $4 iPhone app, these machines are only as good as content created for them.
-1000 Chimps
Wordclay and Smashwords: E-book Formatting Service in May
That’s right — Wordclay is offering fifty percent off their new Smashwords e-book formatting service, which not only helps authors market their books online, but sell additional copies to all types of gadget lovers who are investing in Kindle devices and Sony Readers.
- Reach new kinds of readers and different audiences.
- Join the growing digital market with your e-book.
- Offer your book in a variety of file formats for everyone.
- Promote your e-book, and earn royalties per download.
Wordclay will take your completed manuscript and format it per the recommended guidelines in the Smashwords Style Guide. Visit Wordclay’s site to view details about the service and frequently asked questions about how valuable e-book formatting can truly be.
Check out the Smashwords blog for more updates>>
Don’t Call It a Comeback: eBooks and the State of the Market (early ‘09)
It’s not a flying surfboard or a cloned beloved pet, but the future of the e-book is something to look at. Some of us have had the inkling that the eventuality of this technology would replace the printed page. That hasn’t quite happened, and it may never happen. We have discussed various angles of the Kindle-Sony Reader growth over the past year. In that time I have personally seen the discussion go from ‘maybe we should try that out’ to ‘how can we do that for all of our titles’ here at Author Solutions.
The early advancers have adopted the machines, and the powers behind the two platforms are working to enhance the means by which publishers can go to market with these titles. Software companies have been working toward perfecting the output of various file-types for the displays, and the manufacturers of the screens and e-ink technology have been working to increase the size and function of the displays. If you keep an eye on the technology tab of your favorite news provider, you will see occasional mentions of the new prototypes, flexible displays, color displays and lower costs. If you put all of that together, it is clear that the people who sell you books believe that you will be buying e-book readers and e-books.
Ask Amazon how much of their overall income for 2008 was related to e-books for their Kindle device, and you might be surprised to find that demand for titles that are available in print or e-book has pivoted to over 12 percent preference for Kindle, a percentage which is only growing. The number of titles currently available compared to the total market is low, but the market share for the Kindle is definitely on the rise.
The discussion is exciting. There are any number of parties out there talking about the next generation Kindle and the possibility that Apple will get in on the game. This massive coalescence is still in its early stages, but it is starting to swirl. I predict that more content which is non-book in origin that will continue to drive the sales of these devices. Newspapers and magazines are getting their feet wet as we speak. In the future will you purchase a book on the Internet that you can then read or listen to or watch on one machine? Will video be a part of the package? How much of the page will need to be ads before the device is free? Will it be in your phone? Will it be flexible and online? Does anyone know for sure???
Smashwords: Using E-Book Marketing as Free Book Promotion
What could be better than finding a great book marketing strategy? How about finding a free book promotion strategy. Well, you’ll be happy to know that there’s one that any author can use: Smashwords.
Smashwords is an online e-book publishing tool. If you’ve ever used another free publishing tool to create printable books, such as Wordclay, it’s only a short frolic down Internet road to Smashwords. Of course, you might be a bit leery of this practice if you’ve never published content online before. Fear not.
I was impressed with all of the options and freedom when publishing content with Smashwords. For instance, you can choose to earn royalties from selling your e-book, or you can give it away for free. Plus, there’s a cool feature that you can offer a (more…)
Free Book Promotions: Generate Book Buzz with Giveaways & Incentive Offers
Free stuff, sign me up. Truth is, everyone loves a chance to get a book for free, especially if the book in question might be one these folks actually like or use. The more honest and accessible your content, the more tempted Internet surfers will become by your book. And it don’t get much better than free!
For that matter, asking for an e-mail address to send them information or even suggesting they subscribe to your blog is usually safe. What’s the worst that could happen? They simply unsubscribe? But that won’t happen if you keep them interested with new content and previews of your book that actually keep their attention. Running promotions and distributing free copies of your book are both great strategies for luring new readers to your site and ensuring they stick around to see what you’re all about.
You can run an annual giveaway for your book, or you might want to invest time and money into a monthly contest, to cull even more readers within your target audience. The choice is yours. One things for certain, limiting the risk and investment to readers will not only keep them interested in your book, but increase the likelihood they’ll discuss the book online within forums or offline with friends.
Plus, free book giveaways are quite simple to implement. Say you maintain an author Web site, you can easily promise a free ebook or perhaps a PDF of chapter 1 to all those who subscribe to your newsletter or mailing list. Then, hold a monthly drawing, and send a free copy of your book to whomever you select from the pool of e-mails.
Even if a subscriber only gets your first chapter of your book, that may be enough to pique their interest and buy your book, or talk about the content with friend, which can only help your promotion. Once people get talking, it’s only a matter of time before your subscription base grows, and you can start sending info about discounts you’re offering on books. The possibilities are endless.
The Point: Remember, people love free stuff, and subscribers are less hesitant to invest an e-mail address for a chance to get some free, quality information. Giveaways not only keep you in touch with your target audience, but provide an opportunity to intrigue new readers and generate book buzz both online and beyond.
