Amazon or Apple: Choose Your Invader
A writer for “Fast Company” accidentally reveals that there may be no respite for publishers as pure digital invaders come to plunder them.
O’Reilly to Amazon: Open the Kindle!
Part 1 of a 3-part series — Amazon’s proprietary e-book platform needs to open up in order to truly thrive.
Playing Two Ends Against the Middle
Anderson says Free is the “future radical price.” Gladwell says free may not be the future. Godin simply says “Malcolm is wrong.” Why are all the arguments so polarized?
Gladwell & Nielsen: The Fixed Costs of Fixed Ideas
Gladwell tackles Anderson, Nielsen tackles Christensen. Both provide useful insights for publishers today.
Will Form Follow Function?
Will e-book readers lead to a new form of expression? Should they even bother trying to mimic the paper and ink format they’re replacing?
The Freedom of Not Owning Books
Thinking about the Kindle as an e-book reader rather than a wireless reader makes you miss some of the benefits of not owning books.
More Kindle Limitations Discovered
Two new undocumented DRM limitations make the Kindle a less appealing device.
Simon & Schuster to Sell E-books on Scribd
Last week, Simon & Schuster announced it would be selling digital copies of its books on Scribd. This is interesting news because it signals that major trade publishers are (finally) beginning to look for additional venues to sell digital copies of their books, and because it transforms Scribd from a host of miscellaneous documents into a potentially significant e-bookseller.
The Kindle DX — First Impressions
The DX, while too expensive, is a very good large-format e-reader with a lot of possibilities for publishers, not the least of which is PDF support.
Book Buying Habits — Evolving and Online
Bowker summarizes book shopping and purchasing habits for 2008 in a nice slideshow. Surprises? Females, seniors, and the Internet’s role.
Bing and Wave: New Technologies with Different Aims
Two new technologies are introduced, with very different scope and aims. As publishers, we need to think more like Wave and less like Bing.
Publishers and the Future of Reading
The book may only be a part of the future of reading. Will publishers be only a part of it, too?
Two Thoughts After the SSP Annual Meeting
Two long thoughts after the SSP Annual Meeting — about whether science is truly salvation, and reflecting on why non-expert information can be vital to an accurate scholarly record.
E-reading in Academia
E-reading is gaining acceptance, but multi-purpose devices hold a strong advantage.
Traditional Books Become the Minority
Books made the traditional way accounted for less than 50% of US book production in 2008. Has the sea change come?