Barnes & Noble today introduced Nook for Web, a cloud platform that strives to make e-reading easier by providing browser access to electronic books without needing a download, a Nook account or a Nook device for that matter. The overdue move follows in footsteps of Amazon which last August introduced Kindle Cloud Reader, a service that lets you access Kindle books instantly in a web browser (works great on iPad), no Kindle device required. UPDATE: the article is updated with a simple fix to run Nook for Web on your iPad...
iBooks
Judge sets Apple e-book price fixing trial for 2013
Earlier this year, the United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five major book publishers for allegedly conspiring to raise e-book prices.
Three of the five publishers have decided to settle with the DoJ. But Apple, however, maintains its innocence. And it'll get a chance to prove that in court, come next June...
iOS 6 features remodeled iTunes, iBooks and App Stores
Apple didn't have time to go into each and every new addition in iOS 6 in great detail today, so a lot of cool stuff flew under the radar. New content stores, for instance, would fall into that category.
As previously rumored, the latest iOS update features completely remodeled iTunes, iBooks and App Stores. A change, that Apple says, will give users a "new kind of shopping experience..."
Apple calls e-book suit “fundamentally flawed”, says it created competition
Apple in court documents wrote that the government’s complaint over an alleged price fixing related to digital books is "fundamentally flawed". Moreover, the company argued that competition had been non-existent prior to its entrance into the market because Amazon was imposing its wholesale model upon the industry and no party was willing to challenge it...
Apple: we broke Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the publishing industry
Almost 48 hours after the US Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five publishers over alleged ebooks price fixing, Apple decided to break the silence and go on the record about the situation.
In a comment made to AllThingsD, Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr defends the company's position, claiming the following:
Antitrust experts say DOJ likely to lose eBook case against Apple
Apple has been grabbing a lot of headlines over the past couple of days, and not because of poor factory working conditions or the announcement of a new gadget. The Cupertino company is being sued by the Department of Justice over alleged eBook price-fixing.
The DOJ believes that Apple is acting in concert with several major publishers to raise eBook prices across the industry with its 'agency' pricing model. But there's just one problem: experts don't think the government has much of a case...
DOJ files antitrust lawsuit against Apple, five publishers for alleged price fixing
As expected, the United States Department of Justice has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and five major book publishers over an alleged price fixing related to digital books. Three publishers are reportedly close to settling with Uncle Sam in order to dodge costly and lengthy litigation and avoid risking potentially high damages.
However, Apple and two other publishers are not willing to cut a deal with the government and are said to be gearing up for a fight with the U.S. Justice Department in court, if necessary...
DOJ could sue Apple as early as Wednesday over eBook pricing
Reuters is reporting tonight that the US Department of Justice could file a lawsuit against Apple as early as tomorrow morning over its iBook Store. The store utilizes an 'agency' model, which allows publishers to name their own eBook prices.
The DOJ believes that Apple is acting in concert with a number of publishers, who have recently raised their eBook prices across multiple platforms, to raise prices across the industry — which happens to be a violation of federal antirust laws...
Apple and publishers nearing eBooks settlement with DOJ
It appears that Apple may avoid going head to head with the Department of Justice over possible eBook price fixing, with the news from Reuters that the company behind iBooks and publishers may be close to coming to an agreement with the DOJ.
Earlier this month it was suggested that Apple and book publishers had been colluding in order to fix the price of electronic books, and with Apple already in so many court rooms it is clear that the firm could do without having to fight on yet another front.
Even Apple can't take on everyone...
Apple blocking eBooks that link to Amazon?
Seth Godin is reporting that Apple is rejecting eBooks submitted to the iBookstore that contain a link to Amazon. Godin experienced the blockage first-hand, after Apple rejected his eBook for containing "multiple links to Amazon store.”
The links to Amazon were found in the bibliography of his new book Stop Selling Dreams, where Godin linked to Amazon using its affiliate program, so readers could locate books he has published. These types of practices could lead to a closed eBook market...
Marvel bringing more than 80 graphic novels to iBookstore
That's right Marvel fans, it looks like you will soon be able t0 download your favorite Marvel content through Apple's iBookstore. The comic book-creator announced today that it would be bringing more than 80 of its graphic novels to the iOS book market.
Of course, you can already access Marvel's work through its standalone application. But this move will make the content, which includes popular Spiderman, Avengers, and X-Men titles, available to a much wider audience...
iBooks FairPlay DRM finally cracked
So this is pretty interesting. A MobileRead forum poster is claiming that Apple's "FairPlay" iBooks DRM has finally been cracked. The Digital Rights Management has previously kept users from reading purchased iBooks content on non-iOS devices.
This means that, with the appropriate software, users will now be able to essentially "unlock" their iBooks to make them compatible with other devices that recognize the ePub eBook format...