7.15.10: A Medley of eBook News
Extra, extra! Publishers Weekly released information yesterday regarding the May 2010 U. S. eBook sales statistics:
“After sales growth slowed slightly in April, to 127%, e-book sales rose 162.8% in May, to $29.3 million, at the 13 publishers that report results to AAP’s monthly sales report. Sales for the first five months of the year increased 207.4%, to $148.3 million.”
The PW report went on to say that mass market paperback sales from nine publishers were down over 14% for the month–down 7% for the year-to-date–while hardback sales rose.
Yesterday appeared to be The Day for breakthrough eBook announcements; Smashwords reported on their blog that late Sunday night their 15,000th “Indie” eBook was uploaded.
“We’ve experienced tremendous growth in the last two years, thanks to the trust and confidence placed in us by nearly 7,000 indie authors and publishers around the world. A lot has changed in the last two years. Indie authors are starting to earn the respect they deserve. We still have a long way to go, however.”
A new eReader also surfaced yesterday the Velocity Mico’s Android Cruz Reader, a device set to launch in August. Instead of taking on the iPad, the folks at Velocity Micro pared down the features and price to $199; it will run on Google’s Android OS. The Cruz Reader has a 7″ 4:3 display with a built-in accelerometer and SD capability. Also in their lineup is the Cruz StoryPad, a children’s tablet with the same basic features as the Cruz Reader, plus drop-resistant casing and an interface reportedly designed to be “intuitive for children”.
In other eReader news I received an email alert from Amazon yesterday stating that the “new” Kindle DX is available, a slightly altered and cheaper version of the old one with a 9.7” display, “50% better contrast” on the eInk screen but alas, still no color. I deleted the email and took another peek at the iPad ad-video on Apple’s website.
On the iFront, Audible.com released a new audio book app for iPhone & iPad; the release of the new application comes just a few weeks after the company released a version of its software for Android-based smart-phones. The app has the capability of browsing through your iPod library and finding audio books that have already been downloaded to your device using iTunes or Audible’s download manager, allowing users to skip re-downloading their audio books from Audible.com’s website.
Libraries across the country are beginning to not only see the use of eBooks, but some are taking the next step, providing “docking stations” for in-library access to online titles. Resource Shelf, a daily online newsletter, put up articles about the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Baltimore Library taking said strides.
“Coming soon: a docking station for a free download of popular titles. Under one plan under discussion in Baltimore, library patrons would have three weeks to read it on a Kindle or iPad, then the text would disappear. They could also access a musical recording for a similar period of time.”
To round out the day’s news, I stumbled upon a press release from publisher Knopf Doubleday regarding their latest hop onto the eBook bandwagon; as an eBook writer, I must say that I found the first line especially amusing:
“Not that you had any doubts from the beginning, but the ebook is here to stay. Publishers everywhere are in the process of expanding the number of new titles they plan to make available electronically, and in addition, are making available for the first time older titles that have previously existed only in traditional formats.”
While the news above is good to hear, how quickly the book industry forgets that eBooks were—until quite recently—considered to be ‘a passing fad’. In the midst of such a popular storm it is admittedly easy to forget that the ever-growing group of indy writers are the ones largely responsible for consumer interest in both eBooks and eReading devices, leading the way by presenting their books in a unique fashion and simply refusing to leave the marketplace.
–Meredith Greene
Meredith Greene has been a reviewer for SBR/SFBR since April of 2009; a wife of thirteen years, mother of four and self-published novelist. She, nevertheless, finds time for poetry, blogs, home projects, and gardening. Come on over and read what Meredith has to say about home, gardening, and other general musings in her column Greene Ink. Visit Meredith’s website www.BelatorBooks.com.
