Comments on: E-books of most Penguin U.K. titles to appear simultaneously with p-books—with .epub for READERS http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:01:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Edwin Wisse http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-766625 Edwin Wisse Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:15:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-766625 I mailed Penguin about the problem. They immediately offered me a refund. I'll probably give it another try as soon as the prs-505 update is available. I mailed Penguin about the problem. They immediately offered me a refund.
I’ll probably give it another try as soon as the prs-505 update is available.

]]> By: A Web That Works » Blog Archive » Undelivery http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-765836 A Web That Works » Blog Archive » Undelivery Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:37:18 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-765836 [...] asked to wait another couple of days. *sigh* I can’t say this bodes well for Penguin’s recent committment to providing more ebooks. They really, really must get their support sorted out before expanding [...] [...] asked to wait another couple of days. *sigh* I can’t say this bodes well for Penguin’s recent committment to providing more ebooks. They really, really must get their support sorted out before expanding [...]

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-763853 David Rothman Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:48:48 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-763853 Hi, Edwin (and David Rendall). Sorry about your eBabel/DRM problems. Confusingly, the Sony Reader at present can only read NONencrypted PDFs. It's an easy mistake to make. When the Reader first came out, I warned Sony this would happen. This is yet another argument for <a href="http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/dear-santa-please-make-harlequin-feel-customers-pain-try-social-drm-and-push-harder-for-e-book-standards/" rel="nofollow">ditching conventional DRM and standardizing on the .epub format</a>. Here's to simplicity! Thanks for writing in, both of you, and I hope that both of you will keep us informed as to whether you get refunds or other help. Thanks. David P.S. Sony is supposed to come out with Digital Editions soon and at least let owners of the PRS-505 update. DE will be able, apparently, to read Adobe-encrypted PDF as well as .epub. I'd welcome Sony or Adobe updating us on DE. Hi, Edwin (and David Rendall). Sorry about your eBabel/DRM problems. Confusingly, the Sony Reader at present can only read NONencrypted PDFs. It’s an easy mistake to make. When the Reader first came out, I warned Sony this would happen. This is yet another argument for ditching conventional DRM and standardizing on the .epub format. Here’s to simplicity! Thanks for writing in, both of you, and I hope that both of you will keep us informed as to whether you get refunds or other help. Thanks. David

P.S. Sony is supposed to come out with Digital Editions soon and at least let owners of the PRS-505 update. DE will be able, apparently, to read Adobe-encrypted PDF as well as .epub. I’d welcome Sony or Adobe updating us on DE.

]]> By: Edwin Wisse http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-763391 Edwin Wisse Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:51:27 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-763391 Buyer beware indeed. I bought a book to read on my sony reader. No luck, Adobes paranoid DRM does not allow me to actually READ the book I paid for. Buyer beware indeed. I bought a book to read on my sony reader. No luck, Adobes paranoid DRM does not allow me to actually READ the book I paid for.

]]> By: David Rendall http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-761927 David Rendall Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:33:39 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-761927 I bought an ebook from the Penguin UK website a week ago. I still have net been able to download it and 3 emails to customer support have gone unanswered. Buyer beware! I bought an ebook from the Penguin UK website a week ago. I still have net been able to download it and 3 emails to customer support have gone unanswered. Buyer beware!

]]> By: Penguin UK to release their books in the .epub format! | ePub Books http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-761311 Penguin UK to release their books in the .epub format! | ePub Books Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:22:13 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-761311 [...] article was brought to my attention via the TeleRead blog. David Rothman’s article makes some interesting points, in particular he wonders what kind of [...] [...] article was brought to my attention via the TeleRead blog. David Rothman’s article makes some interesting points, in particular he wonders what kind of [...]

]]> By: Liviu http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-761017 Liviu Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:43:53 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-761017 The problem with e-book pricing is that digital content is perceived to have low value - whether this is a historical accident or whether the tech companies needing to sell the hardware, storage and access skewed the perception that way is a matter of debate and can be argued either way. So in the e-book market offer the bid is very low while the offer high, hence its negligible size. The problem with e-book pricing is that digital content is perceived to have low value – whether this is a historical accident or whether the tech companies needing to sell the hardware, storage and access skewed the perception that way is a matter of debate and can be argued either way.

So in the e-book market offer the bid is very low while the offer high, hence its negligible size.

]]> By: Rob Preece http://www.teleread.org/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/comment-page-1/#comment-760916 Rob Preece Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:55:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/11/simultaneous-e-book-versions-of-all-new-black-and-white-penguin-titles-with-epub-in-use-at-consumer-level/#comment-760916 While I offer eBooks at a considerable discount to paper, my costs of paper production are far higher than are Penguins. And I've already noted the issue of angering bookstores by appearing to be competing with them (as bookstores currently do not sell eBooks in-store). I certainly think I could develop a business case that eBooks offer a higher value experience and should sell for more. Unfortunately, while I believe that they do offer a higher value experience, I also believe that we'll need to offer a discount to encourage new customers to give eBooks a try--as well as to cost-justify the still significant investment that dedicated readers involve. I was interested in the BOOK suggestion. I wonder, though, whether the long-term answer isn't HTML, perhaps enhanced with the ability to add bookmarks. I know lots of people hate reading books on their computer, but increasingly, just about any device you buy supports HTML. While one big reason for ePub is that it allows DRM, this isn't really a big issue for me. It'll be interesting to see whether specialized markup for books will dominate. Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com While I offer eBooks at a considerable discount to paper, my costs of paper production are far higher than are Penguins. And I’ve already noted the issue of angering bookstores by appearing to be competing with them (as bookstores currently do not sell eBooks in-store). I certainly think I could develop a business case that eBooks offer a higher value experience and should sell for more. Unfortunately, while I believe that they do offer a higher value experience, I also believe that we’ll need to offer a discount to encourage new customers to give eBooks a try–as well as to cost-justify the still significant investment that dedicated readers involve.

I was interested in the BOOK suggestion. I wonder, though, whether the long-term answer isn’t HTML, perhaps enhanced with the ability to add bookmarks. I know lots of people hate reading books on their computer, but increasingly, just about any device you buy supports HTML. While one big reason for ePub is that it allows DRM, this isn’t really a big issue for me.

It’ll be interesting to see whether specialized markup for books will dominate.

Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com

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