International iBookstores Begin to Go Live With Free Project Gutenberg Books

[bobrik]

"International countries"?

Apple's iBookstore has begun to go live in a number of international countries.

"international countries"? don't you see how screwed up this term is? countries are by definition not international, it's things like UN or EU that are international (involving more than one nation). Did you mean "non-US countries" instead?

 

[Elise]

Why did 7 people rate this as negative ?

I just came in here to ask the same thing. How can people rate getting free books as a negative?

 

[MRU]

Working in Ireland despite our July official release date.

 

[The Phazer]

Why did 7 people rate this as negative ?

It demonstrates that Apple has been too lazy to go and do any content deals outside of the US.

Phazer

 

[MythicFrost]

I hope Australia's iPad App Store go live officially soon so I can buy some iWork apps and the iBook app

 

[VOG]

Working in Ireland despite our July official release date.

I can only get Appstore to work in Ireland, Apple Apps such as pages and Ibooks still not available

 

[ValSalva]

NOOOOOO...... I love print. Probably my favourite media. I still think its the best way to relay information and express yourself. What would make the iPad awesome would be if it help the cause of self publishing.

Agreed. Print still is the best way to read.

 

[nelmat]

The amount of books in every version of the iBookstore needs to increase. Compared to Amazon its a sad number. About time for the international iPad owners though, good for them

Ermmm - there are no international iPad users yet - this announcement is in advance of the first non-US launch. It's early days and growing quickly - of course Amazon currently have more titles, they've been growing for longer.

 

[nelmat]

It demonstrates that Apple has been too lazy to go and do any content deals outside of the US.

Phazer

It does no such thing. It simply shows that progress is being made and contracts and announcements will take time. Do you not remember the early days of the iTunes store - Apple have to repeat these negotiations all over again.

 

[nelmat]

nice, maybe prices will come down

Come down? From being FREE? errr....

 

[nelmat]

Any news on the ibookstore app in the UK appstore yet?

Yes, that's what this article is...

 

[Gav2k]

Yes, that's what this article is...

No there is no sign of the iBook store on iTunes uk yet.

 

[Fabienne]

I just went to iTunes store and looked for iBookstore. It was offered to me as Campus Books and it was free (I am in the USA). I just downloaded it for my iPod Touch. When I searched for Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, I was offered the book at a variety of prices from several bookstores (abebooks, amazon.com, etc.). Prices from $8.01-18.59. I don't think that Campus Books is affiliated with the Gutenberg Project, and not what the article is about here even though iTunes gives you the link when you search for iBookstore.

 

[shigzeo]

It may be a long slow battle against a lot of forces including Apple themselves to get a good selection on the store.

eBooks largely belong to Amazon and a BAD precedent has been set for users where books don't belong to the user - rather, they are licensed. You cannot share/lend that book to anyone or gift it later. It stays on your device and pretty much that alone.

iBooks should work better - in that you can spread it to different devices YOU own, but still - digital eBooks are in some ways, scams. The user buys at a price that almost seems reasonable, but in the end, they don't own the book they don't have any rights to what they supposedly bought.

I doubt Apple will change this and that is too bad, but for many reasons, print is still the best way to read and the ONLY way to actually own a book. DRM is crippling the reading seen too - far too much.

 

[Malcster]

iBooks is now up on UK App Store

 

[gnasher729]

I haven't really been following this much. Is Apple donating to the Gutenberg cause?

Yes, by selling millions of eBook-readers.

I suppose all that Project Gutenberg has to do is upload the books to the right place, and from then on Apple takes care of bandwidth and downloads.

I'm surprised they let this happen. doesn't these books destroy the market for ibooks? who will pay 15 US$ for a book when he can get something else to read for free? will the shareholders go broke now?

Project Gutenberg has been around for more than 15 years. You only get classic books that are out of copyright. So I don't think there is too much danger.

 

[Gav2k]

iBooks is now up on UK App Store

And the free book is Winnie the poo, woooot!

 

[tempusfugit]

Kindle books has better selection. Apple FAIL.

kindle app?

 

[reactions]

NOOOOOO...... I love print. Probably my favourite media. I still think its the best way to relay information and express yourself. What would make the iPad awesome would be if it help the cause of self publishing.

that would be great - curious to see if that has any impact

 

[dejudicibus]

Not for Italy

This is partly true. For example, Italian authors are not allowed to publish Italian books on the iBookstore. If they are US-resident, they could, but only on NA iBookstore, which is not available to most Italian readers. There is still a dominance of English language in iPad and iPhones because of such limitations.

 

[dejudicibus]

"international countries"? don't you see how screwed up this term is? countries are by definition not international, it's things like UN or EU that are international (involving more than one nation). Did you mean "non-US countries" instead?

I totally agree! Well said!