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'Google eBookstore' Launches in U.S. With iOS Support

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Google today announced the launch of its previously-rumored eBookstore, bringing another significant competitor to the market targeted by major bookstore chains, Amazon's Kindle Store, and Apple's iBookstore. The new Google eBookstore currently offers over three million titles with "hundreds of thousands" of pay titles available.
We designed Google eBooks to be open. Many devices are compatible with Google eBooks - everything from laptops to netbooks to tablets to smartphones to e-readers. With the new Google eBooks Web Reader, you can buy, store and read Google eBooks in the cloud. That means you can access your ebooks like you would messages in Gmail or photos in Picasa - using a free, password-protected Google account with unlimited ebooks storage.
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Google is launching an iOS application to allow iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users to access their Google eBookstore content on their devices, although the application does not yet appear to have gone live in the App Store. With the company's Web reader, users can access their content through computers running any Javascript-enabled browser.

Notably, Google is also partnering with third-party booksellers such as Powell's and Alibris to allow customers of those business to purchase Google eBooks directly through those stores' sites. Digital right management (DRM) technology on Google eBooks is driven by Adobe's Content Server 4.

A quick glance at Google's offerings for The New York Times Best Sellers shows pricing for most titles at $12.99, equivalent to pricing for those same titles in Apple's iBookstore. A handful titles are, however, priced at $14.99 through Google while Apple offers them at $12.99.

Article Link: 'Google eBookstore' Launches in U.S. With iOS Support
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/12/06/google-ebookstore-launches-in-u-s-with-ios-support/
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bkj216

macrumors newbie
Dec 6, 2010
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I like how books can be exported from the Google store to EPUB format for reading on other devices. Key aspect for me, gives me alot of freedom for using on other devices later down the line
 
allpar

allpar

macrumors 6502
May 20, 2002
365
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But do they support Kindle? For serious reading, Kindle remains #1 IMHO. (At least for people who have issues with eyestrain, you can't beat digital ink.)

Seems almost like non-news; what does Google offer that isn't already out there?
 
blomma

blomma

macrumors member
Apr 13, 2010
73
0
bkj216 said:
I like how books can be exported from the Google store to EPUB format for reading on other devices. Key aspect for me, gives me alot of freedom for using on other devices later down the line
Click to expand...

Were do you find this feature, i've given it a go but can't find this option anywhere.

*EDIT* Nevermind, found it *EDIT*
 
allpar

allpar

macrumors 6502
May 20, 2002
365
122
Then never mind my Kindle comment. That must be the "big deal" about this announcement.
 
Porchland

Porchland

macrumors 65816
Apr 26, 2004
1,076
2
Georgia
Jaro65 said:
The more choice the better. Hopefully we'll be able to use at some point text highlighting and notes.
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I really hope Google develops a micro-payment system with publishers that would allow readers to pay for limited access to books. I would love to be able to pay $.99 to research a single chapter of an old text that I would otherwise have to chase down and buy used.
 
blomma

blomma

macrumors member
Apr 13, 2010
73
0
Neato

Right, the prices seems to be about equal to kindle altho the selection seems a bit on the light side, but that's something that can only get better.

Since i live outside the US i have to make my purchases thru a tor node on a US account on kindle and altho google demands that i have a US ip address also it will merrily allow me to download the book on epub format, which is a huge win for me. So in the future i will have a look in the google store before kindle.
 
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pmz

macrumors 68000
Nov 18, 2009
1,949
0
NJ
Not interested in my books being read "from the cloud", nor am I likely to be interested in using anything but iBooks for reading for some time.
 
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cmwade77

macrumors 65816
Nov 18, 2008
1,071
1,200
The google site claims the iPhone App is available in the U.S.; however, when I click the link I get a message saying that it isn't/
 
notjustjay

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
yourwiseguy said:
Whoever gets Harry Potter in eBook form first will win my approval. Done.
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Agreed! When I went to see HP7 the other day, we had to arrive about an hour before the showing to get a reasonable place in the line-up. During that hour, I tried to open up iBookstore and buy and download the book so I could re-read the story before going into the movie. I was quite surprised to find it wasn't available...
 
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alent1234

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2009
5,688
170
pretty good free selection

now i can dump some of the other apps i have that are just classics books and use Google
 
A

alent1234

macrumors 603
Jun 19, 2009
5,688
170
pmz said:
Not interested in my books being read "from the cloud", nor am I likely to be interested in using anything but iBooks for reading for some time.
Click to expand...


apple needs to put the ibook store inside itunes. the way it is now, it sucks
 
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