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'


ABA joins Amazon boycott

The American Booksellers Association has joined the growing list of US retailers to boycott the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #growing list


Apps help Rashbass prepare for The Economist's first fall

The Economist is the magazine industry's undisputed star performer, achieving 61 consecutive circulation rises over the last 31 years, but group chief executive Andrew Rashbass expects global print sales to fall for the first time in 2012, so why is he "delighted"? Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2012-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine industry


Amazon Adds to Prime

In a deal with Viacom, Amazon Prime members will be able to stream TV shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT and Logo. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon adds #comedy central #tv land


Retail sales see 'second worst January' since records began

UK retail sales returned to negative like-for-like growth last month, in what was described as... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #retail sales #records began


Transworld sees double, takes fiction chart top spots

Transworld titles earn pride of place in both the Mass-market and Original Fiction charts this... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Dummies Euro Crisis ebook

Wiley imprint For Dummies is publishing a 99p mini ebook, The Euro Crisis for Dummies by Julian... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Indigo and Books-a-Million join boycott of Amazon print titles

Canadian bookselling chain Indigo Books and Music and Books-a-Million have joined ranks with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joined ranks


Graphic Canon: Comics Meet the Classics

In what looks to be the graphic publishing literary event of the year, Seven Stories Press will publish the first volume of the Graphic Canon: Gilgamesh to Shakespeare to Dangerous Liaisons in April, the first of a three-volume anthology of graphic interpretations of the world’s literary... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stories press #bront sisters #dorian gray #infinite jest


Tough Week for Amazon

Despite posting a 35% sales increase for the fourth quarter and earnings that were better than expected (if still down compared to a year ago), last week was a tough one for Amazon. Analysts and investors were disappointed in the quarterly report, and the stock price for the nation’s largest... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #earnings report #52-week high #fourth quarter #quarterly report #stock price #bounced back #recent report


Browns launches ebook platform

Book supplier Browns Books for Students is to launch an ebook platform especially for schools... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook platform


Amazon launches India e-commerce site

Amazon has this morning launched an e-commerce site in India called Junglee.com. The platform... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #e-commerce site


International print sales retreat—but US ebooks 'slowing'

Print sales are in retreat in almost all markets across the world tracked by Nielsen BookScan,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print sales #nielsen bookscan


VIDEO: International festival of comic books

Comic book fans gather in the French city of Angouleme to celebrate the 39th international festival of comic books. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international festival #comic books #french city


VIDEO: Amazon expects low growth for late 2011

Amazon has been pushing into new markets with products like the Kindle ebook, but investors are worried that the expansion is coming at the expense of profits. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle ebook


Toshiba outlines ebook ambitions

Toshiba, which will launch its first dedicated digital reader on 10th February, is aiming to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Quercus reports 270% December ebook sales growth

Quercus has reported that sales of its non-Larsson books increased by 83% over the last quarter... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Apple’s iBooks Author app attracts publishers

Independent publishers have welcomed the launch of Apple’s iBooks Author self-publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent publishers


There’s an App Developer for That

Getting into the app space can be a daunting prospect for publishers, but a wide range of developers have sprung up to help houses steer through what is still an uncertain new frontier for book interactivity. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #app developer #wide range


Gantos, Raschka, Whaley Take Home Top Kids’ Prizes

Last Monday, the American Library Association announced its annual Youth Media Awards at its Midwinter conference, held this year in Dallas. The 2012 John Newbery Medal went to author Jack Gantos for Dead End in Norvelt (FSG), a semiautobiographical story set in the town of Norvelt, Pa. The... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #midwinter conference #printz award


App Development Strategies for Small to Medium-Sized Publishers

Keeping pace with the dramatic changes on the smartphone and tablet front is no small feat for any publisher, but doing so presents a particular challenge for smaller companies without a safety net of funds for experimentation with platforms that are at once in their infancy and yet increasingly... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #small feat #medium-sized publishers #keeping pace #safety net