Kindle on sale — Black Friday sales all week at Amazon

Haven’t bought an e-reader yet? Well, this is the week to take the plunge — Amazon’s Black Friday Week has Kindles on sale at great prices.

I love reading, whether it’s a paper book or on my Kindle. I know some people think it’s an “either/or”, but imho, the more ways to read and enjoy my favorite books, the better. The Kindle stores hundreds and hundreds of books — more books than I own, alas — and is incredibly portable. I love having my library with me everywhere I go. Speaking of libraries, borrowing e-books from your local library and reading them on your Kindle is a snap.

One last note: I tell everyone I know to buy the Kindle versions with Special Offers. It lowers your price by $30, and it’s completely unobtrusive — advertisements appear on just the screensaver and the very bottom of your home screen. There are NO ads in your books. So why not save a little money?

Black Friday Deals Week: Kindle e-readers

$30 off Kindle —  $49.99 (normally $79.99)

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The entry-level Kindle is a great choice and this is the lowest price I’ve ever seen it. Don’t miss this deal!

$20 off Kindle Paperwhite — $99.99 (normally $119.99)

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This is the Kindle I currently use. The higher-resolution display and built in adjustable light is terrific for reading anywhere (at night in bed, on planes, etc.)

Offers end November 30 at 11:59pm PT.

Huge sale — The Color Purple on Kindle for 9 CENTS

Too good to be true but it is — Alice Walker’s amazing novel, The Color Purple, is on sale for 9 cents at Amazon right now. Don’t wait, no way to know how long this will last!

 

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What’s the future of e-book pricing? | Internet & Media – CNET News

What's the future of e-book pricing? | Internet & Media – CNET News.

from David Carnoy:

“In case you missed it, the U.S. government recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five of this country’s largest publishers, alleging they conspired to limit competition for the pricing of e-books. Three of the five — HarperCollins, Hachette and Simon & Schuster — opted to settle the case, while Penguin, Macmillan, and Apple didn’t.
So where does that leave us?”

An interesting article that explains more about the e-book pricing situation as it stands, as opposed to just trying to predict where it might be going. Click on the link above for more.

One-fifth of Americans read e-book in past year

One-fifth of Americans read e-book in past year – Technolog on msnbc.com.

21 percent of those in the U.S. say they’ve read an e-book in the past year, and while many are gravitating to e-readers and tablets, a surprising number say they read books on their computers and cellphones.

Harry Potter e-books available at J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore store

Harry Potter fans can finally download e-books of the entire young adult series from J.K. Rowling’s website Pottermore.

Harry Potter e-books available at J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore store – Tech Talk – CBS News.

George R. R. Martin joins the “Kindle Million Club”

Amazon announced this week that George R.R. Martin, author of the Song of Ice and Fire series, has become the latest author to sell 1 million Kindle e-books. Honestly, I’m hardly surprised. I’m nearing the end of the third book myself (there are five in the series thus far, with more to come), I’ve bought each as an ebook, though I went with the Nook format. These books are long, and therefore, these books are heavy. I’m not hauling that thing on a plane.

Martin has now sold one million Kindle books through Amazon, reports the site. He joins a list that includes Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lee Child, Suzanne Collins, Michael Connelly, John Locke, Janet Evanovich and Kathryn Stockett.

“Groucho Marx once said, ‘I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member,’ but even Groucho might have made an exception for the Kindle Million Club,” Martin says in the Amazon news release. “It’s a real thrill to be inducted into this one. There are no dues, no meetings, and I’ll be in some wonderful and exclusive company.”

Loving books in all forms

I’ve had a lot of conversations lately with people who are wary of embracing ebooks. They’re die-hard print book lovers and they all share a bit of fear, really, of something that may be trying to take their place. With Amazon reporting that ebooks are outselling print books, it’s a real possibility. Or is it? Either way, is this a change we book lovers should worry about, or a new opportunity we should embrace?

Forbes blogger Stephanie Chandler states succinctly, “Just because ebooks are exceeding print book sales online, it doesn’t take away my desire to own books.” I’ve purchased a number of ebooks and especially enjoyed borrowing them from the library (instant access, right from home, and free!). I find that a good book is a good book whether I’m reading it in print or on my iPad, and by the same token, a bad book is very much a bad book no matter what the format. I’m not resisting the format entirely, but I still like my print books. I still enjoy the feel of a paperback at the beach, or a brand-new hardcover in bed. Still, I don’t think one really has to choose. Once again, Chandler states it well:

So instead of resisting all this change in the publishing world, I’ve decided to embrace what is happening. My bookshelves are bulging, my digital bookshelf is stocked, and even my iPod is loaded with audio books. Variety is good and anything that promotes reading and makes it easier to access is okay with me.

The bottom line is, a book in any form is something I’m interested in.

 

Barnes & Noble offers a new e-reader, the Simple Touch

From Wired:

Barnes & Noble on Tuesday unveiled a simplified touchscreen e-reader: the Simple Touch Reader. Designed for a “pure and simple” reading experience without buttons, keyboards or complexity, the new compact Nook will be available around June 10th in stores or online.

It’s got a 6-inch Pearl E Ink display and weighs in at just under 7.5 ounces, 35% lighter than the original Nook. It’s selling for $140, the same price as the Kindle 3, but not as cheap at the $114 Kindle with ads.

Great Holiday Expectations for E-Readers

I’m far from the only person who thinks e-readers are going to be the go-to- gift item this holiday season.

Great Holiday Expectations for E-Readers

By JULIE BOSMAN

Published: November 14, 2010

Not many book buyers have an e-reader, but publishers and booksellers expect this holiday season to change that.

The big question I have, though, is how much of a price drop can we expect? Most retail analysts consider $99 the “magic number” which will bring an item down to the average American shopper’s general consideration, but most e-readers price at $139 or $179. Will they go any lower, or will the new-found frenzy for e-readers keep the prices where they are? What about supply? In some previous years, e-readers were difficult to get your hands on in time to wrap for under the tree. Lets hope the major players have their ducks in a better row this year.

Are textbooks a thing of the past? Maybe paper ones are.

Kindles, Nooks and the iPad (perhaps especially the iPad): while e-reading is the hot new thing this year, it’s the textbook industry that most are predicting will see the biggest impact from e-book technology.

Compared with traditional textbooks, the iPad and other devices for reading digital books have the potential to save on textbook costs in the long term, to provide students with more and better information faster, and — no small matter — to lighten the typical college student’s backpack. (USA Today) At the same time, a robust online marketplace of used books and recent inroads by textbook rental programs give students more options than ever. The prospect of digital books and slow-but-steady growth in free online “open” content loom as developments that could upend the textbook landscape and alleviate the perennial problem of rising prices.

Back in August, Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc.) announced an expanded textbook rental program; at the same time, the company offers thousands of eTextbooks and the NOOKstudy program.

Some say it’s the iPad that’s making all the difference. A shift to e-books within the textbook industry has been expected for some time, but it’s the arrival of the iPad that seems to have jump-started momentum in that direction. In a recent piece on NPR (The E-Textbook Experiment Turns a Page), Matt MacInnis of Inkling talks about why iPads surpass their paper counterparts: “We give guided tours through complex concepts,” he says. “So rather than seeing a picture of a cell dividing and then having a big, long caption, you can now tap … through all the different phases of cell division and see those things unfurl in front of you.” At Reed College, students tested Kindles last year (the results were lackluster and mostly unsuccessful; students reported understanding the course material less with Kindles than with paper textbooks) and are testing iPads this year. Most express positive feedback with the iPads, though they often cite the cost of purchasing one as prohibitive. Still, as MacInnis points out, when a printed textbook can cost hundreds of dollars alone, students may be swayed to purchase hardware that will allow them to download a chapter from that same textbook for $2.99.

MacInnis says he’ll be aiming straight for the students. He says, “I can absolutely guarantee you that the guy with the book version is looking over the shoulder — with envy — at the guy with the iPad version.” (NPR)