Despite having extensive distribution operations, publishers have long been extremely reluctant to sell books directly to customers. Whether for lack of retail expertise, out of fear of competing with bookstores they need to thrive, or lack of concrete vision, publishers have completely ceded the e-book and e-retailing landscape to Amazon and others. Even Bookish, a […]
E-books
Hands-free Books Are Coming
Credit: Google/Screenshot by me My friend and colleague Sharon Vaknin recently received word that she is one of the lucky winners of the Google Glass Explorers program, and will soon be able to test out this futuristic device called Google Glass for herself. What is Google Glass? It’s part screen, part camera, part enhanced reality, part […]
What Role Should Libraries Have in an Electronic World?
Children’s book author Terry Deary stirred up some controversy last month when he said libraries have “had their day” but no longer make sense in today’s world. He cites the lack of compensation for authors and damage to bookstores, who have to compete with an institution giving away the book for free: “People have to […]
Will Books Lose Out in a Tablet World?
One of my favorite predictions I have put down on pixel and screen is this one from 2007, when the Kindle had just been announced, e-book sales were virtually nonexistent, and the iPad was but a glimmer in Steve Jobs’ eye: In my opinion there will never be a widely used iPod of books, a […]
Will You Ever Buy Mostly E-Books? The Results!
Well well well. Do we have ourselves a leveling off in e-book sentiment that may mirror overall trends in the book business? For the first time, the numbers did not budge. Incorporating Monday’s poll, and once again with the caveat that this poll is unscientific, people who said you’d have to pry paper books out […]
Will You Ever Buy Mostly E-books?
It’s official: We’re all getting old! It’s time for the SIXTH ANNUAL poll on our e-book future, which I have asked every year since 2007 when the original Kindle was barely a newborn. Yes, caveat: I’m aware this is an unscientific poll. Entertainment purposes only. Here are the past polls: 2007 2008 (technically beginning of […]