Chat app takes on ebook retailers, Amazon with manga comics service

Line, the popular messaging platform based in Japan, is challenging ebook vendors like Amazon and Rakuten with a new service to download and view manga, or Japanese comic books. The company has launched "Line Manga," a mobile app for Android and iOS phones. Line's initial offering consists of 30,000 manga titles, making it one of the largest online comic stores in Japan. Manga are extremely popular in Japan with men and women across a wide range of ages and consumer groups. They are seen as a key part of the fledgling ebook market in Japan—Amazon's long-awaited launch in the country included 15,000 manga, just under a third of its total library. Rivals include Rakuten and Sony, services run by Japan's mobile operators, and a host of third-party apps. Line can leverage its vast and growing user base in Japan, where it has become the default chat app for many users. The company has built a growing suite of services around chat, including online games and a camera app. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #wide range #consumer groups #key part #third-party apps #growing suite

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Chat app takes on ebook retailers, Amazon with manga comics service'


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... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online retailer #comic books #email address #added bonus #originally appeared


Coates blasts UK library service as Bilbary launches in the US

Tim Coates, founder of online e-lending service Bilbary, has pledged to raise money to donate to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tim coates #raise money


"Major change" predicted for French ebook market

An advisory body to the French prime minister has predicted that ebooks are about to shake up... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major change


New York Magazine Takes Home Digital Ellie for General Excellence

NEW YORK – Today’s MPA Digital: Swipe Conference closed with the National Magazine Awards for Digital Media 2012, presented by the American Society of Magazine Editors [ASME]. People managing editor and ASME president Larry Hackett and Lucy Danziger, editor-in-chief of SELF and ASME secretary,... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #general excellence #mpa digital #american society #lucy danziger


Egmont launches War Horse app, humour list

Egmont Press is launching a new imprint for humour books, and will partner with leading... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #egmont press #humour books


Agate Publishing and Chicago Tribune Enter New Ebook Partnership

Evanston, IL—Agate Publishing Inc., the Evanston, Illinois-based independent press, has entered into a partnership with the Chicago Tribune to produce ebooks created from Chicago Tribune-owned content. The ebooks will appear as pa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #agate publishing #ebook partnership #chicago tribune


PA calls for abolition of 20% VAT on ebooks

The Publishers Association is calling for the government to abolish the 20% VAT rate on ebooks... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pa calls #publishers association


Antitrust lawyer: Apple ebook deals are illegal

Steve Jobs left behind a legal mess for Apple chief executive Tim Cook. Decisions the former CEO made when brokering ebook distribution deals haunt Apple, as a civil price-fixing case moves forward and the specter of a federal antitrust investigation approaches. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major publishers #antitrust law


Right pricing ebooks: Is the government actually discouraging competition?

Authors Guild President Scott Turow charges in an open letter about ebook pricing: “Our government may be on the verge of killing real competition in order to save the appearance of competition.” Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pricing ebooks #open letter #ebook pricing


EU ready to settle with publishers over ebook price-fixing, but no talks yet

European Union antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia says that the Competition Commission is open to a settlement with publishers in the increasingly high-profile ebook price fixing case, but only if the companies address key regulatory issues. Almunia says regulators are coordinating with the Justice... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook price-fixing #competition commission #justice department #simon schuster #key issue


Marvel Hopes to Give Comic Books a Boost With Augmented Reality Content

The Marvel AR app will be released in April for Apple's iPhones and iPad as well as smartphones and tablets, the comic book publisher said in a statement. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Lower ebook prices ahead as government threatens Apple, publishers?

The Justice Department has told Apple and five major publishers that it's planning to sue them for fixing ebook prices. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major publishers #justice department


Edith Pearlman takes the NBCC fiction prize

Other National Book Critics Circle honorees include writer John Lewis Gaddis for 'George F. Kennan: An American Life' and Maya Jasanoff for 'Liberty's Exiles.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american life


Apple admits to two key allegations in ebook price fixing case

While Apple and book publishers may find themselves on the precipice of an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, filings in a concurrent civil class-action lawsuit obtained by BetaNews indicate that Apple has already admitted to two of the most damaging allegations in the case that the... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishers #antitrust lawsuit #justice department #federal government #increase dramatically #critics argue


Amazon and controversy head to Salon du Livre

  Salon du Livre in Paris will open for four days on 16th March with a notable new addition... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #16th march


10 Judy Blume titles to be released as ebooks

On March 21, 10 of Judy Blume's books for young readers will become available as ebooks. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judy blume #young readers


Publishers warned on ebook prices

Five US publishers are being threatened with legal action over the way they set prices for electronic books according to reports. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers warned #ebook prices #legal action #set prices #electronic books


U.S. reportedly warns Apple, ebook publishers about price-fixing

The U.S. Justice Department has warned Apple Inc. and five top book publishers that lawsuits over alleged ebook price fixing might be in the offing, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook publishers #justice department #warned apple


Scholastic enters the ebook fray with Storia and 1,000 children's stories

Between Google Books, iBooks, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Sony... you'd figure the ebook field was crowded enough, right? Well, if you're specifically in the market for children's stories, things might look a little less packed. We guess that's why Scholastic is attempting to enter the fray with Storia,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #google books #interactive features #free ebooks


Jonathan Franzen – this time taking on Twitter – heaps more scorn on social media

 'Freedom' author Jonathan Franzen, who has previously disparaged Facebook and ebooks, says Twitter 'stands for everything I oppose' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jonathan franzen