Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the latest blog post from the Amazon Books Team is raising eyebrows within the publishing industry due to its use of a partial quote from George Orwell in support of its cause.We have made Amazon many millions of dollars and over the years have contributed so much, free of charge, to the company by way of cooperation, joint promotions, reviews and blogs.This is no way to treat a business partner. Nor is it the right way to treat your friends. Without taking sides on the contractual dispute between Hachette and Amazon, we encourage Amazon in the strongest possible terms to stop harming the livelihood of the authors on whom it has built its business.With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons.They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution places like newsstands and... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #status quo #penguin books #market share #big businesses #reading public

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Apple unveils new version of iBooks with continuous scrolling, iBooks Author also updated

Apple CEO Tim Cook took to a San Jose theater stage today to unveil a new version of the company's literature-based digital storefront, iBooks. Cook says it integrates better with iCloud, allows for quote sharing on Facebook and Twitter, and has support for "over 40 languages." Beyond the app... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ibooks author #apple unveils


EC to give France ultimatum on ebook VAT

The European Commission is to give France one month to raise the VAT rate applied to ebooks or... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook vat #european commission


Hearst Pulls Content From Multiple Titles for Holiday eBook

Hearst Magazines has announced the release of a new ebook aimed at the holiday chef. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #multiple titles #hearst magazines


Waterstones and Amazon begin Kindle promotion

Waterstones has begun promoting the Amazon Kindle devices that will be on sale in stores from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers look for author 'staying power'

Publishers are still prepared to pay good money up front for the right books, agents have told... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #staying power


Is Amazon Really Buying Brazil’s Biggest Bookstore Chain?

Amazon is said to be negotiating to acquire Saraiva, Brazil's dominant bookseller, with 102 stores. Is it realistic? We break down the facts and scenarios. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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US Publishing Leaders Unite To Denounce Saudi Textbook Bigotry

Seven current and former heads of major American publishing houses have published a joint statement opposing hate speech in Saudi textbooks. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon struggles to get its books onto the bestseller charts

Books published by Amazon like the Penny Marshall memoir 'My Mother Was Nuts' have not seen strong sales. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestseller charts #strong sales


Amazon debuts Whispercast service, lets organizations manage Kindles and Kindle content

Individual Kindle users already have Whispernet, and Amazon has now announced another free service designed to make Kindles easier to manage for large organizations. Dubbed Whispercast, the service will let schools, businesses and other groups both distribute and manage the Kindles themselves... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #distribute content #kindle content #large organizations #source link


Haynes to sell ebooks independently

Haynes Publishing is launching its first range of ebooks and selling them independently through... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple, Amazon Inform Customers of Settlement Refunds

According to the terms of a settlement between the DoJ and three major American publishers, some customers may receive refunds on their ebook purchases. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook purchases


Kindle Users To Get Refunds And Lower Prices on E-Books After Settlement

Buy a lot of ebooks? Thank your state attorney general for the credit you'll get next year. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon: breaking even on popular Kindle sales

In an interview with the BBC, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos confirmed what many surmised: Amazon is selling the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Fire HD at cost. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle paperwhite


Jeff Bezos Reveals Amazon Makes No Dough On Its Hardware

Jeff Bezos, in the U.K. to launch the Kindle Paperwhite and Amazon's Lending Library service, has told the BBC that his firm makes no money on its Kindles. "We make money from when people use our devices, not when people buy our devices," he told technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones. "That... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2012-10-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle paperwhite #make money #people read #jeff bezos #ve bought #digital books


Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite coming to the UK on October 25th, starting at £109

Amazon has found a relatively clear day in the calendar on which to launch its excellent Kindle Paperwhite e-reader in the British Isles. The ad-supported basic model will knock you back £109, while an extra £60 will get you the 3G version. Amazon's Lending Library service will roll-out at the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-10-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british isles #3g version #barnes noble


Amazon extending Kindle Owners' Lending Library to the UK, Germany and France this month

Amazon's Kindle Owners' Lending Library has grown considerably since launching in the US, and it looks like the company's finally decided it was time to let some other countries in on the service as well. It announced today that Amazon Prime members in the UK, Germany and France would all have... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced today #lending library #kindle owners #grown considerably #local languages


Amazon brings controversial e-lending scheme to UK

Amazon is to launch its controversial Kindle Owners' Lending Library in the UK from the end... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lending library


Chicago Tribune Launches Ebook Initiative - but L.A. Times Opts Out

Tribune Company has kicked off an ebook initiative in partnership with Agate Publishing, collecting stories and photos from the Chicago Tribune and two other newspapers and selling them as digital long-form features. Tribune, which has already relea ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tribune company #chicago tribune #ebook initiative #agate publishing


Sharethrough Grabs $5 Million in Funding for Native Ad Push

Sharethrough founder and CEO Dan Greenberg is one of the more vocal evangelists of the native advertising talk that has recently bubbled up. While native advertising isn’t an easy sell to media buyers who typically prefer traditional buying methods, the online video advertising startup has grown... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2012-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$40 million #editorial content #usa today #york office


Syrian author shares Pinter prize

Samar Yazbek, whose latest book is an account of the Assad regime written inside Syria, will share the Pen Pinter prize with poet Carol Anne Duffy. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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