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Google Takes On Amazon With Own E-Book Store

Posted by kdawson on from the real-page-turner dept.

CWmike writes "Google announced on Thursday that next year it's launching an online e-book store called Google Editions where users will be able to buy digital books that can be read on a range of gadgets, including e-book readers, laptops, and cell phones. Press reports out of Germany, where it was announced, note that Google plans to offer up half a million e-books from the get-go. Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group, said, 'The market leader, Amazon, built its position with a closed device, Kindle, which is limited to reading and buying eBooks. It will be interesting to see how well it stacks up against Google's strategy of delivering e-book capabilities via the Web to any device that can connect to the Internet. This gives Google a vastly larger addressable market than what Amazon has built up with Kindle so far.'" The price per book will be set by the publishers, Google says. Google willl turn over 45% of what they take in to the publisher and "the vast majority" of the rest to retailers.

4 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. The format is all that matters by DrivingBear · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As long as the books they sell are readable on any device they win in my book.

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    How can that be?
  2. what's the DRM story? by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    and what file format are they? they say 'browser based'. does that include lynx?

    how OPEN is this, really? anyone know?

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    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  3. Re:amazon vs. Google by Shakrai · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What's wrong with that?

    Hippie: Because it's the corporations man. The corporations are raping and destroying the world. *takes a hit* We should get rid of all the corporations and like live together somewhere and like help each other. We can have one guy who makes bread and another guy who looks after people's safety.
    Stan: You mean like a baker and a cop?
    Hippie: You kids just don't understand because you haven't been to college yet.

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    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  4. Out of print. by JustNiz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I like the fact that Google are focussing on out-of-print books.
    It boggles my mind why Google scanning out-of-print books is kicking up a shit storm with book publishers though. I mean if the books are so marketable why are they out-of-print in the first place?
    Also, where else would I go to get an out-of-print book? perhaps a used book store but the publishers dont get a cut of that either but don't seem to mind those. At least with Google selling on their behalf they could arrange some kickback.