MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 01/30/10 at 02:10 PM
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#1
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Sounds like Apple's move into ebooks is starting to stir the pot. Amazon has pulled all books from publisher, MacMillan, for direct Amazon purchase (only secondary suppliers available for paperbound books and nothing for ebooks). From what I've read, MacMillian signed deal with Apple then MacM went to Amazon with pricing pressure to raise ebooks from $9.99 to $15. Amazon's marketing stance has been to sell most books for under $10.
I think we're at a significant point in history because I think the entire book market is going to change now that Apple is involved.
Thoughts???
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Keys
Registered: 07/25/09
Posts: 1,486
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jbenham
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 1,634
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Posted 01/30/10 at 02:41 PM
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#3
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It depends on what you would want one for. My Sony is for reading. It does not need to surf the web. I have a PDA which can be used for reading (All of my MCs are on an SD card) but also for things like games, internet, contacts, etc. I would like an iTouch but have no use for one. The iPad, I think will be more of a competition for netbooks. I like my Sony ereader and am pretty sure Mike likes his Kindle so if you want a device for reading, my advice is tpo get one made for that purpose. 
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mlerc
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 441
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Posted 01/30/10 at 06:08 PM
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#4
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Keys,
Not sure I am ready for either machine,but thanks for the resources. The PC authority article was clear and complete for comparison.
Now I am going back to my book, chuckle.
Marilyn
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zerocred
Registered: 01/12/10
Posts: 33
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Posted 01/30/10 at 07:00 PM
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#5
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DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Amazon.com has pulled books from Macmillan, one of the largest publishers in the U.S., in a dispute over the pricing on e-books on the site, the New York Times reported Saturday on its Web site. The publisher's books can be purchased only from third parties on Amazon.com. Citing an unnamed person in the industry with knowledge of the dispute, which has been brewing for a year, the Times reported that Amazon was expressing its strong disagreement by temporarily removing Macmillan books. Macmillan, like other publishers, has asked Amazon to raise the price of e-books to around $15 from $9.99. Macmillan is one of the publishers signed on to offer books to Apple (AAPL), as part of its new iBookstore on the iPad tablet unveiled earlier this week.
Full story at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/technology/30amazon.html?ref= business
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 01/31/10 at 02:50 AM
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#6
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I love my Kindle and I knew Apple would rock the boat. I think the iPad will be too big , too heavy, less battery life, and a distraction from reading with all the other stuff loaded onto it. Sounds like they want books priced at $15 versus Amazon's $9.99 price point. One might think that Amazon should just say "okay, they forced our hand and we'll just need to collect the extra $5 per book" but I think that Amazon's success to build the ebook market has been price. Also, Apple's device is going to include music, video, reading, apps, etc so they probably feel they can get away with $15 because the book is going to be in color on a bright-lit screen with all the other stuff at one's fingertips.
Apple hasn't lost too many battles but I hope Amazon keeps the upper hand here because I do feel they have gotten it right up to this point with a dedicated ereader.
I read my Kindle books on my Apple iTouch (free app). It does the job but I will say the 1 day of battery life is a joke to the 1-2 weeks I can get from my Kindle. E-ink is closer to a book page than an illuminated screen. I believe Apple is going to charge for 3G wireless whereas Kindle is free.
Am I happy that I can't buy a Brian Freeman book or Michael Koryta's THE SILENT HOUR on Kindle right now? No. But I blame Apple more than Amazon because I feel Apple is trying to shift the market price. Not sure who will reap the extra $5 but I can't believe it would be the one who most deserves it: the author.
Time will tell....
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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zerocred
Registered: 01/12/10
Posts: 33
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 02/01/10 at 09:25 PM
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#9
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Amazon gave in and will start charging higher prices for MacMillan books. I wonder if this will domino with other publishers. All because Apple wanted it that way. I think it is a big mistake because $9.99 was a great price to get the ebook market to expand. I don't buy ebooks that cost $10+ and I am going to hold strong on this one. This one will hopefully be a huge boycott with the dedicated Kindle readers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/technology/companies/01amazonweb.html
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mlerc
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 441
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Posted 02/01/10 at 10:32 PM
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#10
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"Book publishers, meanwhile, are volunteering to limit their digital profits. In the model that Amazon prefers, publishers typically collect $12.50 to $17.50 for new e-books. Under the new agency model, publishers will typically make $9 to $10.50 on new digital editions" NY Times article
Mike,
The paragraph above seems to contradict the increase of prices that the publishers wish. What am I misunderstanding?
Seems like Hachette, Simon & Shuster, et al are already on board with this increase.
mlerc
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Janed
Moderator
Registered: 07/22/09
Posts: 639
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Posted 02/02/10 at 02:08 PM
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#11
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http://www.salon.com/technology/apple/index.html?story=/books/laura_miller/
"Kindle Killer" -Amazon's behind-the-scenes battle with publishers shows how the iPad is already making its mark .
Via Salon.com
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 02/02/10 at 11:18 PM
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#12
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Quote: Originally Posted by mlerc
Mike,
The paragraph above seems to contradict the increase of prices that the publishers wish. What am I misunderstanding?
Seems like Hachette, Simon & Shuster, et al are already on board with this increase.
mlerc
mlerc - From what I understand, the publishers feel that Amazon is charging too low of a price and it is decreasing the value of ebooks. I've been reading that Amazon actually takes a hit on alot of the books they sell. The publishers want control to set the prices and the retailer must take a 30% cut. Ebook sales have been growing and Apple's new device will give alot of people the chance to buy their ibooks. I guess it'll be up to the consumer to decide if the increase price is fair or not. I won't pay more that $9.99 for an ebook. Any book over this price will be one that my library will loan to me for $0.
I'm not surprised about the other publishers following MacMillan. If they don't then they will probably be in trouble when signing up with Apple.
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mlerc
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 441
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Posted 02/03/10 at 01:18 AM
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#13
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Frontline's Digital_Nation PBS TV program
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/?utm_campaign=DigitalNation&utm_medium=Search&utm_source=DigitalNationBrand
Fascinating 11/2 hours. You can watch it on link.
Korean kids sent to camp do break video game addiction.
Bronx school kids' attendance and grades soar 30% or more as they become part of digital nation.
MIT and Stanford kids test out lower in concentration, although they think they are great at multi-tasking.
College kids become bibliophobes. Reading declines, test scores decline, writing abilities decline, because all those require concentration.
Virtual reality used against PTSD. Second Life virtual reality becomes like Trekkies.
Watch it!!!!
Marilyn
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 02/06/10 at 02:29 PM
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#14
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Another perspective. Other than being PO'd about this whole thing, I still feel it is interesting to follow and see what happens.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/In-Amazon-vs-Macmillan-Amazon-paidcontent-3683130300.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=
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MikeO
Registered: 07/24/09
Posts: 526
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Posted 04/12/12 at 12:48 AM
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#15
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Quote: Originally Posted by MikeO
Sounds like Apple's move into ebooks is starting to stir the pot. Amazon has pulled all books from publisher, MacMillan, for direct Amazon purchase (only secondary suppliers available for paperbound books and nothing for ebooks). From what I've read, MacMillian signed deal with Apple then MacM went to Amazon with pricing pressure to raise ebooks from $9.99 to $15. Amazon's marketing stance has been to sell most books for under $10.
I think we're at a significant point in history because I think the entire book market is going to change now that Apple is involved.
Thoughts???
I posted the comment above back on 1/30/2010 and today this is news:
DOJ sues Apple over price-fixing schemehttp://money.cnn.com/2012/04/11/technology/apple-doj-ebooks/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1
All I can say is FINALLY! I hope Apple pays and this brings back some competition to the ebook marketplace. I am tired of paying the 'this price was set by the publisher' price - yeah, right!
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boschbuddy
Registered: 10/27/11
Posts: 83
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Posted 04/12/12 at 01:57 AM
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#16
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Quote: Originally Posted by MikeO[ I posted the comment above back on 1/30/2010 and today this is news: DOJ sues Apple over price-fixing schemehttp://money.cnn.com/2012/04/11/technology/apple-doj-ebooks/index.htm?hpt=hp_t1All I can say is FINALLY! I hope Apple pays and this brings back some competition to the ebook marketplace. I am tired of paying the 'this price was set by the publisher' price - yeah, right!
Antitrust law is technically complicated and very nuanced. Don't read into it so superficially, as if it were simply an issue of higher prices vs lower prices and why.
DOJ allegations can be negotiated and settled with or without litigation. The fact that Apple and several publishers haven't announced reaching settlements could suggest they believe they can defend their actions, or that they think the DOJ's negotiating position is unreasonable, or many other alternatives.
That other parties have settled doesn't mean they admit to any wrong-doing, it just means they've chosen a course of action to end the process as it relates to them.
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