'Net Features : e-readers

B & N's Nook to Get App for Windows 8

Linc Wonham — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have formed a new partnership that aims to accelerate the digital world's transition to e-reading.

A new Barnes & Noble subsidiary backed in part by Microsoft’s $300 million investment will bring together B&N’s digital and college businesses. The two companies have settled their patent litigation and the new subsidiary will have a royalty-bearing license under Microsoft's patents for its NOOK e-reader and tablet products.

Microsoft will have an approximate 17.6-percent equity stake and Barnes & Noble will own approximately 82.4 percent of the new subsidiary, which has yet to be named and which will have an ongoing relationship with the company's retail stores. One of the intended benefits for consumers will be a NOOK application for Windows 8, which will extend the reach of Barnes & Noble's digital bookstore by providing one of the world's largest digital catalogues of e-books, magazines and newspapers to hundreds of millions of Windows customers.

The inclusion of Barnes & Noble's college business is also an important component of the new subsidiary’s strategic vision. Through the newly formed company, Barnes & Noble's NOOK Study software will provide students and educators the technology platform for the distribution and management of digital education materials in the market.

Content Belongs on the Kindle

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:23:00 GMT

Website Magazine has been busy putting the finishing touches on its iPad app (request advance notification of the official release here), but don’t think for a moment that we haven’t thought about placing content on other tablet and reading devices as well.

That choice was confirmed as a good one this morning when we discovered that the new generation Kindle is the best selling product on Amazon now, and more of the devices were sold in the first four week after launch than any other Kindle launch.

“Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon.com for two years running and our new generation Kindles are continuing that momentum,” said Steven Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle. “Readers are excited about all that the new Kindle has to offer—50 percent better contrast, 20 percent faster page turns, 15 percent lighter, up to one month of battery life—and a new price of only $139.”

If you are a content publisher should you put your content on the Kindle? The many nice features of the Kindle aside (better screen contrast than previous versions, lighter weight, faster page turns, one-month of battery life, double the storage, and built in wi-fi) are overshadowed the accessibility in price. The new Kindle retails at $139 (those with 3G retail at $189) which should make it a medium of note for content publishers.