Giants and upstarts of publishing gathered at the annual BookExpo America last week agreed e-books will transform the business, but believe the big change will come when there is a standard format across which all e-books can be published and shared.
The industry has been going through a tumultuous period as Apple and Amazon duke it out for dominance in the nascent market for electronic books.
Both want their devices — the iPad and the Kindle — to be the one consumers use to read e-books, and each wants to be the biggest virtual store were such content is sold.
For Michael Serbinis, chief executive of Kobo, a company that allows users to buy e-books and read them on most devices, that battle is a distraction to the real changes coming.
"Today you can buy a book at Barnes and Noble and you can buy a book at Walmart and you don’t have to keep them in separate rooms in your house," he said. "You buy a book from Apple and Amazon and you have got to keep it tied up with your Apple universe or your Kindle universe."
Ultimately, consumers want freedom, said David Shanks, chief executive of leading publisher Penguin Group USA.
"Our fondest wish is that all the devices become agnostic so that there isn’t proprietary formats and you can read wherever you want to read," Shanks told Reuters. "First we have to get a standard that everybody embraces."
The issue, he said, is the fear of piracy and how to set a common digital rights management system to thwart it.
Amazon could release a new slimmer Kindle in August, Bloomberg News reports, citing "two people familiar with its plans."
Bloomberg reports that the new Kindle would be thinner than existing models and although the next model would still offer a black and white screen, it would have a sharper and more responsive display.
The Kindle 2 is 0.36 inches thick. The Apple iPad, a rival device, is half an inch thick.
Although Bloomberg said the next Kindle "won’t include a touch screen or color," a person I’ve spoken with who is familiar with Amazon’s plans but is not authorized to speak publicly said Lab 126, the division of Amazon responsible for the Kindle, is hard at work on multi-touch prototypes for a next-generation e-reader.
As reported earlier this year, Amazon bought TouchCo, a company in New York that specialized in clear multi-touch overlays for computers and electronic readers.
Rumors that the next iteration of the device will still be black-and-white also might be short-lived. As also reported earlier this year, the Kindle job board had been seeking engineers with an understanding of color LCD displays that could possibly be integrated into the next generation of the Kindle.
In addition, earlier this week, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s chief executive, told shareholders that a color screen was in the offing. "I’ve seen some stuff in the laboratory, but it’s not quite ready for prime-time production," Mr. Bezos said.
Amazon.com is keeping its Kindle eReader as far from the iPad as possible. Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos, on Tuesday told investors at a shareholders meeting in Seattle not to expect a color Kindle.
Bezos conceded that adding a color LCD display to the Kindle would be easy, but said that adding color to the Kindle's digital ink display was no small feat.
"The LCD display comes with some significant drawbacks for long format reading, among them is increased eye strain," he said in a video of the meeting posted on Amazon's Web site. Bezos also noted that backlit LCD displays also drain battery life and sun glare.
That said, Bezos noted that there are a few things brewing in the lab but that color on the Kindle is a ways out.
Bezos said that Amazon will continue to be a device for serious readers and that it will focus on one thing, reading.
"There are always ways to do the job better if you are willing to focus in on one arena," Bezos said.
The Amazon Kindle currently sells for $259 and gets its 3G wireless connectivity from AT&T's network.
Bring music to Dad's ears this Father's Day (June 20) with the gift of MP3 players and accessories. Give him his new favorite gadget with a sleek MP3 player, including iPods, Zune, and Archos. Or, free Dad from headphones with a powerful speaker system from top brands like iHome, Altec Lansing, and Bose. You could also help him get the most out of his player (plus make your shopping a breeze) with an accessory bundle that includes everything you need in just one click. Whether he needs more country, disco, or funk, Amazon.com has everything you need to make Father's Day rock!
Listed below are Amazon's current bestsellers for Father's Day gift ideas in MP3 players, speaker systems, and accessories:
Straight from the source, here are 11 great reasons you should consider purchasing the Amazon Kindle Wireless Reading Device:
1. Wireless Access with Whispernet
Whispernet utilizes Amazon's optimized technology plus Sprint's national high-speed (EVDO) data network to enable you to wirelessly search, discover, download, and read content on the go.
Unlike WiFi, you don't have to find a hotspot. Amazon pays for Kindle's wireless connectivity so you will never see a monthly wireless bill for shopping the Kindle Store. There is no wireless setup—you are ready to shop, purchase and read right out of the box.
Note: There is no wireless coverage available currently on Sprint’s data network for Kindle in Montana and Alaska.
2. Carry Your Library in 10.3 Ounces
At 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and thinner than typical paperbacks, and fits easily in one hand. Its built-in memory stores hundreds of titles. An optional SD memory card lets you hold even more. From Melville to Morrison, your favorite authors can always be with you.
In addition, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are backed up online in your Kindle book library at Amazon.com. You can wirelessly re-download books available in your library for free. This allows you to make room for new titles on your Kindle. We even back up your last page read and annotations. Please see more information about your Kindle library content.
3. Ergonomic Design
We wanted Kindle to be as easy to hold and use as a book, so we designed it with long-form reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people naturally shift positions often. Kindle's full-length, vertical page-turning buttons are located on either side, allowing you to read and turn pages comfortably from any position. Navigation on both sides means both "lefties" and "righties" can easily use Kindle with one hand. And at only 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and thinner than a typical paperback.
4. Shop the Kindle Store Right from Your Device
You can shop the Kindle Store wirelessly right from your device, allowing you to click, buy, and start reading your purchases within a minute. The Kindle Store offers the same great Amazon.com customer experience you're used to, including customer reviews, personalized recommendations, and low prices. Simply search for the title or author you're interested in reading, or browse the store to discover titles and download your reading choices. We auto-deliver your selections wirelessly, so the next time you hear about a great book, just click, buy, and read.
5. Search
Kindle makes it easy to search across your library. To use the Search feature, simply type in a word or phrase you’re looking for, and Kindle will find every instance across your Kindle library. Looking for an article you read a couple of days ago about hybrid cars but can’t remember where? Simply type in hybrid and Kindle will search your library for each reference, making it easy to jump directly to what you’re looking for. You can extend your search to the Kindle Store to find related titles you may be interested in. Explore even further by searching Wikipedia.
6. Keyboard
Kindle's QWERTY keyboard puts the Kindle Store at your fingertips. Simply type in a title, author, or keyword to find the book, newspaper, or magazine you are looking for. From there, click to buy, and begin reading your selection in under a minute.
The keyboard also enables you to do a full text search across your entire library or within a specific title. To find the article you read last week on globalization, simply type in globalization to locate each relevant reference. You can then jump to Wikipedia to learn more about it. The keyboard also means you can annotate text and utilize Kindle’s built-in dictionary without interrupting your reading.
7. Bookmarks and Annotation
By using the keyboard, you can add annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of a book. And because it is digital, you can edit, delete, and export your notes, highlight and clip key passages, and bookmark pages for future use. You'll never need to bookmark your last place in the book, because Kindle remembers for you and always opens to the last page you read.
8. Built-in Dictionary
Never get caught without a dictionary. Kindle includes The New Oxford American Dictionary with over 250,000 entries and definitions, so you can seamlessly look up the meanings of words without interrupting your reading. Never fear a sesquipedalian word again—simply look it up as you go.
9. Wireless Access to Wikipedia
Kindle also includes free built-in access to the world's most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org. With Kindle in hand, looking up people, places, events and more has never been easier. It gives whole new meaning to the phrase walking encyclopedia.
10. Adjustable Text Size
Because one size doesn’t fit all, you can increase the text size of your favorite book or periodical with the push of a button. If your eyes tire, simply increase the font size and continue reading comfortably. Kindle has six adjustable font sizes to suit your reading preference.
11. Long Battery Life
Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content. In low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will consume battery power more quickly. Kindle fully recharges in two hours.
Read more...
