What’s wrong with Agency pricing | The Digital Reader

What’s wrong with Agency pricing | The Digital Reader:

"As I’ve made it clear elsewhere, I hate the Agency Model. I think it’s anti-customer, and I long ago took a pledge not to buy any Agency Priced ebooks. But I’ve never really explained why I hate it."

40 years of ebooks (infographic), by Piotr Kowalczyk | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics

40 years of ebooks (infographic), by Piotr Kowalczyk | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics:

"When I finished the infographic and showed it to my wife, she said: “Forty years? No way. Four, maybe.”

“Four, maybe” – it’s what most people think. Most people are still convinced that e-books are a fad. That’s why I was looking for a convenient, all-in-one way to challenge this myth. I hope it works. Every year shows not only the information about e-books, but also other facts and achievements. This builds a good, thought-provoking time reference."

Google acts like Apple, pulls app for payment violations | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics

Google acts like Apple, pulls app for payment violations | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics:

"He also questions why his app is the only one to have Google single it out in this manner; there are a number of other free apps that also provide premium services or sell outside the app and do not use Google Checkout for payment processing. For example, the Kindle and Nook e-book reader applications certainly don’t use Google Checkout.

All that Google had to say in response to GigaOm is that “We remove applications from Android Market that violate our terms of service.” Nice to know that not only Apple can be laconic and capricious."

Pirates Have A Strange Reading List - eBookNewser

Pirates Have A Strange Reading List - eBookNewser:

"But what does a pirate’s reading really list really look like today? It doesn’t mirror Kindle or Nook’s top selling books. In fact, GalleyCat made a list of the Top 10 Pirated eBooks at The Pirate Bay, and it’s a weird list. Galley Cat reports: “As you can see by the list below (titles, but no links!), the most popular books aren’t the titles you might expect…"

You're looking in the wrong place. Larsson, Rowling, and much of the Times top Ten are out there. All of the Sci-fi and Romance market is well represented but you won't usually find them on the Torrents.

Publishers of digital content face uphill battle - The Globe and Mail

Publishers of digital content face uphill battle - The Globe and Mail:

"What about using Google, instead of Apple? Publishers I have talked to believe the tablet is likely to be the dominant device for reading digital content, and Apple has a very big early lead. That installed base of tablets, the iTunes store and the more than 100 million credit cards already signed in makes it a market that will be too big for many to ignore … even as they complain about the economics."

Just as we saw Android take the phone market by storm, we are likely to see a drastic change in the tablet market. Let Apple develop the market for the tablet. Chinese tablets will then come along and take over.

A call to action: why 2011 is going to be an important year for ebook fans | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics

A call to action: why 2011 is going to be an important year for ebook fans | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics

Three stories are occupying my techie RSS feeds these days, and they are all alarming ones.
1) The Borders/Red Group Closures
2) The Hot Mess That is the Apple In-App Purchasing Fiasco
3) The Broadband Spectrum and Usage-Based Billing

This can be a watershed year for the internet. Are we going to see more rights and freedoms and growing online social connections or are we going to see a class system and the Balkanization of the internet.

Unshelved by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes-review of Fritz Leiber's Swords and Deviltry as webcomic

Unshelved by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes

"Good evening, book lovers. Shorty and I are here to tell you a bit about an under represented classic"
"Oi. What he said."

Awesome review of Fritz Leiber's Swords and Deviltry and the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser fantasy series in a six panel web comic.

Paramount Buys ‘Old Man’s War’ For Wolfgang Petersen And Scott Stuber – Deadline.com

Paramount Buys ‘Old Man’s War’ For Wolfgang Petersen And Scott Stuber – Deadline.com:

"Paramount Pictures has acquired screen rights to the John Scalzi novel series Old Man’s War, with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct and David Self adapting the tale into a large-scale science fiction project. Scott Stuber will produce through his Stuber Pictures banner, with Petersen also producing."

Are we talking about the next Avatar (Green skin instead of blue)? The budget will make or break this concept.

UK chain sells e-ink reader for less than �29 ($50) | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics

UK chain sells e-ink reader for less than £29 ($50) | TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics:

"Those of you in the UK can find a great bargain on an e-ink e-reader. Normally listed at £139 (currently $225.64), the Binatone ReadMe Classic is on sale for £29.99 ($48.69) at UK electronics chain Makro. That’s the cheapest any e-ink e-book reader has been that I can think of, especially in the UK where things tend to cost more than in the US."

New we're talking! Need something like this in Canada.

The 2010 Nebula Awards Nominees � Whatever

The 2010 Nebula Awards Nominees � Whatever:

"Novel

The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US)
Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace)
Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW)
Blackout/All Clear, Connie Willis (Spectra)"

I haven't read any of these yet. This is why I prefer the Hugo awards to the Nebula.