By Joe Wilcox, Betanews Apple's approach to magazine and newspaper subscriptions and third-party ebook sales stink of the kind of practices that got Microsoft into trouble with trustbusters on two continents during the late 1990s and early 2000s. A year ago, publishers embraced iPad as the savior of their industry. Now iPad looks like a devil's deal instead.Trouble started three days ago, when Sony said that Apple rejected its Reader software from the App Store in a policy change. Apple responded that there is no policy change. Oh? Well, if there is no overt policy change, it is effectively one of enforcement. Either way, the demands Apple is placing on publishers is too much, and arguably being made from a monopoly position. Essentially, the company wants sales to go through the App Store, which would compel the likes of Amazon and Sony to sell ebooks indirectly through Apple and would prohibit magazine and newspaper publishers from offering existing subscribers the benefits of iPad editions without paying more.Policy Change by Another NameLet's start by identifying what is or is not a policy change. Yesterday, during News Corp.'s The Daily Launch, Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet Services, said that "You'll hear an announcement from us very soon for other news publications." That suggests the policy for subscriptions, at least, isn't clear -- if Apple still has something to announce. Regarding content sales, Sony surely seemed surprised about its Reader... Continue reading at 'Betanews'
[ Betanews | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
Hardback titles by the likes of John Cleese and Jacqueline Wilson go on sale in race for Christmas bestseller listsTim Walker is expecting queues outside his familys bookshops in Oakham and Stamford on Thursday. Other booksellers up and down the country will be hoping for a similar rush of eager... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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There was a mix of good news and bad news in Barnes & Noble’s first-quarter financials, which the company released last week for the period ended August 2. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble has begun a test of the Espresso Book Machine system at three of its outlets, including its New York City store at Union Square. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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There was a time when Barnes & Noble was so big, so dominating, that even Tom Hanks managed to look like a jerk when he played a book-chain executive. But times have changed, and as people began to order their books online -- or even download them --... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble has officially kicked off a new era -- one in which it doesn't manufacture its own tablets. The struggling book outlet announced last summer that it would work with other manufacturers going forward and Samsung is first in line. The... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble’s Nook Media has unveiled the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, the first co-branded... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scholastic is the latest publisher to phase out downloading, meaning ebooks already purchased might become unreadableScholastic, the publisher of such children's book juggernauts as The Hunger Games and the Harry Potter series, announced recently that its Storia ebook shop would shortly be... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Customers in certain areas of New York City and Los Angeles can now get same-day shipping on Barnes & Noble products. Will it help the book retailer? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Need that yoga for dogs book yesterday? You can now get it "today" at least from Barnes & Noble, who have joined Amazon with same-day book deliveries. It's enlisting an odd partner for the service: Google, one if its competitors in the ebook space.... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google and Barnes & Noble, taking on their mutual rival Amazon.com, have paired up to offer same-day delivery of books purchased online. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brick-and-mortar book stores have clearly been on the decline for a while -- just look at Barnes & Noble's rocky finances. However, there's now some tangible evidence that the pendulum has swung in favor of internet-based sales. BookStats estimates... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Investors, as well as members of the book publishing industry who see the survival of Barnes & Noble as crucial to maintaining a healthy bookselling environment, were cheered last week when the retailer received board approval for separating its Retail and Nook Media businesses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc said it would spin off its Nook tablets and college books business, sending its shares up about 8 percent in early trading. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun
[ Baltimore Sun | 2014-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble is to separate its Nook Media and Retail businesses in a bid to increase... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble’s Nook has partnered with Samsung to build co-branded tablets. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble has reached an agreement with Samsung for the technology giant to develop co-branded tablets that will include Nook software. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Liberty Media Corp. has sold most of its stake in Barnes & Noble to what the company called “qualified institutional buyers.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble’s Nook Press self-publishing platform will be available in the UK,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble as disclosed some modifications to its agreement with Microsoft that will give B&N the option to not develop additional Nook Window apps. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The release of its third-quarter results for fiscal 2014 and the subsequent conference call with analysts on February 26 made it clearer than ever that Barnes & Noble executives are operating two companies with very different issues. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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