Google opens eBookstore
Google has opened its eBookStore for business. The search giant hopes the site will grow to rival download services offered by others including Amazon, and Borders around its Kobo service (represented in this part of the world by Whitcoulls.co.nz - where, incidentally, the slow, temperamental Kobo is no longer for online sale. Sony's more expensive but quick and capable eReader is offered instead).
eBookStore offers "hundreds of thousands" of commercial titles, with around half of the top-tier publishers participating at this point.
The commercial service is only available in limited areas at launch, not including New Zealand.
There is also around 3 million copyright-free or copyright-expired titles.
In similar fashion to its rivals, eBookStore supports multiple formats.
It's ebooks can be read on a computer screen, or transferred to a range of gadgets including Amazon's Kindle, Apple's iPhone and iPad, and Google Android mobiles.
And - again like rivals - an ebook can by synchronised between different devices. So you could, say, finish a page on your laptop, then pick up where you left off after opening the same title on your iPad.
MORE: Official Google blog: eBookStore overview
NBR staff
Tue, 07 Dec 2010
Tue, 07 Dec 2010
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Google opens eBookstore
10961