Unlike Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Google won’t rely on eReaders to drive book sales, going with apps for Android, the iPhone and iPad instead. Most of the books will offer day/night reading settings, font size selection, line spacing and font choice. {ZDNet} While the Kindle also has its own apps on those devices as well, Amazon has done everything it can to push the advantages of e-Ink over the glossy screens of tablets and mobile phones. In fact, the Kindle is one of the most notable exceptions to the 85 devices the Adobe Content Server 4-driven store supports (the Nook is supported). {Adobe Digital Publishing blog}

While the Kindle’s wi-fi only version is one of the least expensive at $139 (and best selling), the cost of an app is sure to be less than the cost of a new device – at least for those who already own a smartphone. Also, the fact that Google offers cloud storage means that readers can use multiple devices to start and stop reading, provided there’s wi-fi. How much of an advantage that offers is up for debate, but Android has provided legitimate competition to the iPhone’s single device model, so if that’s any indication Google distributed eBooks may not be a Kindle killer, but could be decent competition, and make user adoption easier.

Don’t expect that to cause any kind of price war though: aside from the roughly 2.8 million out of copyright books which are free, Google’s working with the top 6 US publishers, who have managed to keep pricing the same across devices. That’s usually $10-15. Major publishers will take 70% of that price – considered standard, while other publishers will get 52%. For self-published work, that may make Amazon’s Kindle only model more attractive. Smaller booksellers like Powell’s, Alibris and the American Booksellers Association have been brought on as partners though, which could help in bringing independent titles to the massive library.

Our take? New options in any field is rarely a bad thing. The Kindle is popular enough that it will probably continue to do well, but Google’s focus on distribution rather than device could make it a reasonable competitor.

Like all mobile eBook apps, nook for Android will sync bookmarks and last read pages with other instances of the app or your nook eBook reader.  Unlike the iOS version of Barnes & Noble, nook for Android is an actual nice-looking app.  It has eight choices for fonts, which is even more than is on the nook reader.  The standard to turn the page is a one finger flick, though that can be changed to a single press on either side of the screen.  Like the nook device, nook for Android comes complete with LendMe, so users can share eBooks with friends, giving their friends a copy of the book for up to 14 days (the eBook is then removed from the original owner’s library for that time). {Barnes & Noble}

With Barnes & Noble, that now means all the biggest eBook sellers are on Android.  Given the fact that many publishers are switching to an agency model, making eBooks cost the same across all platforms, it really comes down to which app you prefer.  Granted, those who own eBook reader devices would want to use the same app as the device they have, others are free to choose whichever app they like.  Aside from Amazon, Kobo/Borders and now Barnes & Noble’s nook there’s also Adiko which can access any free eBooks, or read ePub files bought from other virtual stores.

A recent study has proven that reader comprehension doesn’t seem to change between formats, whether they be paper, iPad, Kindle 2 or desktop PC {PC World}.  What definitely did change in the study, which held only 27 participants, was that reading on paper was typically faster than reading an e-book.  The difference between reading time iPad and the Kindle 2 was found to be “not statistically significant.”  That doesn’t mean that users didn’t like reading e-books.  On a scale of 1 to 7, users rated the iPad first at 5.8, followed by the Kindle 2 at 5.7, and paper books at 5.6; the desktop PC scored a lowly 3.6 as it reminded users of work.

What the study didn’t cover is whether users would be more likely to read e-books rather than carrying around a book with them.  Readers like the Kindle 2, and even the iPad are much more portable than most books – especially hardcovers books.  They also make getting new books much easier than before.  It could stand to reason that because users enjoy using the iPad or Kindle 2 even just a bit more than printed paper, they’d use those devices to read more than they would otherwise.  We’ve seen this anecdotally, devices like the iPad and Nook just entice us to use them, and are generally less cumbersome than thick novels.

Competition for eReading consumers†affection sizzled on Monday as Barnes and Noble dropped the price of its well received Nook e-book reader 23 percent to $199 and introduced the Nook WiFi at an even bigger bargain $149, though the latter device can only be used in a WiFi environment. Amazon, whose $259 price tag for their Kindle eReader (which comes with 3G technology by default) previously matched the Nookâ€s cost exactly, responded by dropping the price of the Kindle to $189, and they aren’t stopping their competitive advances there. Amazon.com plans to introduce a thinner Kindle with an upgraded screen this August. Sonyâ€s cheapest eReader is still $169. {Fortune}

Get yourself a price gun: the war for th eReader market is on

At this rate, eReaders will be cheaper than the actual books in their stores in no time.

In addition, Apple updated the iPhone and iPod Touch today to include available iBook software. The iPadâ€s price tag for the entry-level model remains near $500, though the additional tablet computer functionality give it an advantage over single purpose eReaders. It would be difficult to justify a $500 eReader purchase, but when that device doubles as a place to play games, browse the web and check on email, it’s a lot easier to rationalize.
“Their sales have obviously been impacted by the iPad,” Charlie Wolf, a senior analyst at Needham & Co. in New York, said. “These price cuts are almost an act of desperation.” {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Meanwhile, Kobo, the e-book retailer that offers eReading software for an array of devices, released free software on Monday that is available through the Android marketplace and allows eReaders to be used on Smartphones with the Android operating system. The e-book retailer already produces software for other Smartphones, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Palm WebOS and the newly released Kobo reading device.

Users who buy Kobo e-books with one device can read their purchase on any of the devices for which Kobo offers software.

“We’ve adapted the features our customers love and expect from Kobo to ensure that we provide the best reading experience for Android-enabled smartphones,” Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis said. {Publishers Weekly}

Borders is also holding steady with eReaders that began selling for $119.99-$149.99 in May. {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Need to catch your breath? We sure do! We canâ€t wait to see which devices prove most popular among consumers and how low the prices will need to go to woo customers who are interested in an e-reading device but not its expense.

One of these books can't be shared like the others

As it stands now, eBooks are made available through mostly proprietary book stores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore.  Other companies like Kobo, Sony Library and Fictionwise offer eBooks that work on their selected devices or apps, but can also work on other devices.  Those stores use the ePub format, which was supposed to be the universal format.  ePub is actually used by Barnes & Noble and Apple as well, though some extra Digital Rights Management (DRM) is added on top of the existing ePub DRM in those stores.

Micheal Serbinis of Kobo, when interviewed by Reuters, mentioned that he expects readers will one day be able to lend books to each other.  This is already available on the Nook from Barnes & Noble, though on no other platform.  A world where Kindle users can share books with nook owners would be nice to see, which a universally adopted format could help with.

Susan Peterson Kennedy of Penguin Publishing claimed that “contrary to popular belief, the book is much more flexible [than eBooks].”  Without a universal format that can be true.  EBooks, however, can be used almost anywhere, which is almost more flexible.  Books like “Only Revolutions” by Mark Z. Danielewski {Wikipedia} have proven that the book can do more interesting things, but for most stories and simple text file that can be read on a computer, eReader, tablet and cell phone would just as easily suffice.

When Macmillan, a large international publisher with a substantial number of textbooks (among other types of books), pressured Amazon to bring its pricing and revenue share in line with Apple’s future iBook store, we found out. The initial response? Take your ebooks and see how well they do without the Kindle and support from Amazon. Both electronic and physical book titles were yanked from the Amazon marketplace. The message to Apple? We’re the big dog in online book sales, and you won’t get any without a fight.

The New York Times is now reporting that Amazon is grudgingly backing away from that position. Macmillan ebooks will now retail around $15.99, rather than the $9.99 they’ve encouraged for new release and best-seller ebook titles. Calling the new prices “needlessly high,” Amazon could also be upset that the 70/30 revenue split that previously favored them will likely now flip the other way to pose formidable competition to Apple, who will leave publishers with 70% of revenue from sales.

There are many who think the Kindle (and possibly the Nook {previous coverage}) will survive the iPad because of e-ink, which is easier on the eyes than a backlit LCD screen for extended periods of reading. Additional points in favor of e-readers: the 10-hour iPad battery life isn’t that great when you compare it with the days long battery of the Kindle; the Kindle also comes with free 3G wireless which easily beats the $30/month you’ll spend with AT&T for the same on the iPad. Those in the iPad camp remind us that even though the LCD touchscreen might not be the best choice for frequent readers, the applications will make it the choice for so many things besides reading that it could still be a great replacement device.

In the end though, no matter how hard they compete, two major ebook distribution points mean publishers win. And if the iPad and eReader market grows large enough, authors who self-publish and are willing to compete on price with major publishers could win big. Throw in whatever Barnes & Noble has cooked up for the Nook, and there’s real competition. Considering that there’s no single formidable competitor to iTunes or the App Store, we think it’s also a good thing for consumers that Amazon is keeping their hat in the ring.

So, we say it’s time to say good-bye to the suddenly hackneyed technology of the Kindle, and to start getting acquainted with the new kids in town: the eReaders of 2010.

TREND: UNDER $400

The Spring Design Alex, $359

What looks like a Nook, sells like a Nook, and wants to kick some serious Nook ass?

The Alex.

Coming soon to a Borders near you, the Alex is Spring Design’s answer to Barnes & Noble’s Nook (which, according to Spring Design is actually a plagiarized version of their Alex). Also an eReader that runs on Android, the Alex differs in that its capacitive LCD touchscreen lets you browse the web…and its price tag comes in a little heftier at $359.

Read More {CNet}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Gizmodo}

Samsung E6 Reader, $399

Samsung enters into the eReader market with its simply named and designed E6 Reader. Different from its competitors thanks to its handwriting capabilities, slide-out controls, and a partnership with Google, the E6 may not be a game-changer, but at least it’s bending (if not breaking) the eReader mold.

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {CrunchGear}

TREAT: UNDER $500

enTourage eDGe DualBook, $490

Combining two the biggest trends at CES this year, the enTourage eDGe is, according to their Web Site, the “World’s First Dualbook” to combine a tablet with an eReader.

A very cool piece of machinery, the two sides actually talk to each other (writing into the eReader side pulls up the option to search on Wikipedia or Google on the other), so it’s basically like owning a lap top (that runs on Android) with a nice alternative monitor for reading. We’re loving the idea – but not so much the size. At almost 20 inches when opened up, it’s not exactly “light” reading – pun intended. But, at $490 for a tablet AND an eReader, we might be tempted to overlook its bulk.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {enTourage}

TREASURE: UNDER $800

Plastic Logic’s QUE Reader, 4GB for $649 and 8GB for $799

Light, thin, and perfect for the professional on the go, the QUE Reader is meant to accompany you when you’re grabbing your morning coffee, slipping into your office meeting, or catching up on emails at home. Compatible with Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and most Newspapers, the Que may not be the “funnest” eReader, but it will help you get the job done. And at $649, you should certainly hope so.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Que}

TORTURE: UNDISCLOSED

Skiff Reader

The biggest eReader yet, the Skiff, at 11.5 inches long (but only a quarter of an inch thick), is meant as a big ole’ flexible touchscreen version of a Newspaper. Although the Skiff reader will be available in either a black and white or a color version, not much else is known about these devices as of yet – including its price.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Notion Ink Adam tablet/eReader

No, it doesn’t bend, it isn’t huge, it may not come with 3D glasses and it doesn’t have a little apple on its back – but the combination tablet and eReader known as the Adam is making big waves in the tech world.

Why? You ask?

Its screen. A screen that’s the future of the eReader (and some say the death knell of e-Ink technology). Known as a Pixel QI transflective screen, this guy can actually go from a backlit LCD mode to a low-power electrophoretic reflective mode (like e-Ink), depending on your environment  or preference. So whether you’re reading a book in your bedroom or trying to watch a movie in your sunny backyard, the Adam should be able to adapt no matter what – pretty cool, huh?

Add into the mix a tablet that runs on Android and some pretty cool concepts to display digital magazines, and we’re officially psyched. And, while the Adam is still in its early development stages, we can’t wait to see the final product.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {SlashGear}

Longer than The Lord of the Rings, more dramatic than The Odyssey, and more ridiculous than a two-day marathon of America’s Next Top Model, the saga of “The Nook” continues.

While Nook initially got great press from the Tech world – word is that the device is superior to Sony’s eReader and even Amazon’s Kindle – Barnes & Noble has seriously messed up their competitive edge by not producing enough Nooks to meet the demand.

With the deficiency (which B&N maintains is due to shipping problems…but no one’s believing that one), there’s a chance you may not get your Nook by Christmas – even if you pre-ordered and were given a pre-holiday shipping date.

To soften the blow, B&N is offering $100 gift certificates and fancy “Your Nook Will Be Here Soon” Cards for those whose Nooks won’t be under the tree for Christmas Day.

It’s a nice gesture – but will that be enough for B&N to recover from this disaster and take on the increasingly popular Kindle? Only time will tell.

Read the Full Story {Wired}

Blue-Ray DVDs? Wii consoles? Going Rogue?  Nope. Amazon released a press release today stating that the Kindle, the incumbent eReader facing competition from Barnes & Noble’s Nook, is currently its top dog.

Thanks to a recent international launch and a price cut, the Kindle is, according to Amazon Vice President Ian Freed, “flying off the shelves.” But how fast it’s flying is still cause for speculation, since Amazon has yet to release any hard sales numbers to the public.

Plus, as Gizmodo writer John Herrman points out,  it’s easy to make a bestselling item when you have a monopoly on the device.

Of course, being #1 on Amazon is still no small feat – we’re just anxious to find out how the Kindle will fare once (and if) B&N gets their act together to promote/distribute their much spiffier Nook. 

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Mashable}

Read More {CrunchGear}

Read More {ZDNet}

Read More {Switched}