London Buzzing About Amazon Reader, Google Online
By Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 4/18/2007 7:46:00 AM
The buzz on the London Book Fair floor included speculation on when Amazon will launch its own e-book reader as well as the increasing number of U.K. publishers that have signed on for Google’s Book Search.
Amazon has been previewing its e-reader to publishers both in the U.S. and U.K.—HarperCollins UK CEO Victoria Barnsley mentioned the reader at yesterday’s LBF seminar on green publishing—for months, although it has declined to comment on its existence to the press. According to publishers who have seen the player, the reader is a step up from the Sony Reader which was introduced last year. The screen quality is reportedly as sharp as Sony, but the Amazon device has better functionality, and, as should be expected from the e-tailer, a first rate e-commerce option. Amazon is expected to release the reader this spring, although the exact timing may depend on how fast it can develop a critical mass of titles. Two years ago, Amazon acquired Mobipocket—the company’s cross-platform e-book reader is designed to run on all PCs, handheld devices and mobile phones—and it is using that company to supply titles for the player. Price is expected to be above $400.
Google has had a harder time recruiting U.K. publishers to take part in its book search program than U.S. houses, but that reluctance appears to be waning. Google held seminars on all three days of the fair to try to entice companies to sign up. As part of the pitch at the show, the company included testimonials from publishers about the benefits they’ve gained since joining the search program. In a written testimonial, Pete Shemilt, sales and marketing director for academic books at Cambridge University Press, the press is certain Book Search has increased backlist sales. He noted that in the U.S. sales of titles in the program were 20% higher than for titles that are not.
The Google presentations also included a glimpse at an option that Google is expected to make available later this year—Online Access. Google has made reference to the program before, but has provided few details. Under the program, according to Google’s Jason Hanley, consumers will be able to buy or rent a book’s content to read directly on their computers. Publishers will determine what books will be made available through the program and how much of the content will be available for sale. A print capability and cut-and-paste options will be available, although details have not been worked out on either option, Hanley said. Pricing will be set by the publishers.
