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Monday, November 3, 2008

The Kindle Killer?

posted by on November 3 at 13:00 PM

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Even as Oprah has given the Kindle a huge endorsement, Google might be en route to something that could completely upend Amazon’s e-reader platform.

A few days ago, Google paid a $125,000,000 settlement to publishers:

As part of the settlement, Google is paying $125-million to settle the legal claims, pay legal costs for the two groups, and — more importantly — will set up a new entity called the Book Rights Registry, which will be responsible for distributing payments that come from online access to books provided through Google (and through any similar programs created by other providers). The registry will also be responsible for locating rights holders for old and out-of-print books, collecting and maintaining accurate info, and for providing a way for rights holders to “request inclusion in or exclusion from the project.” In effect, Google is setting up a body that does what ASCAP and similar groups do for musicians.

Some are wondering if this ruling—which in effect gave Google access to millions of books—is setting up a Google e-reader that will challenge the Kindle. I think it fits perfectly into Google’s mission statement to produce a portable library—probably paid for with ads—that has access to just about every book ever published. That would be the perfect use for an e-reader, in my opinion.

RSS icon Comments

1

I got something that beats the Kindle.

It's called a paperback.

Posted by Will in Seattle | November 3, 2008 1:59 PM
2

are there any really, really good historical fiction books that focus around the library of alexandria?

and by good, I mean exciting but also very nerdy and learned (see also "the baroque cycle").

Posted by brian_ | November 3, 2008 2:17 PM
3

Anyone else have vision problems with eReaders?

Posted by blind as a bat? | November 3, 2008 2:38 PM
4

paperback beats kindle, scissors beat paperback, kindle beats rock band 2?

Posted by brian_ | November 3, 2008 3:06 PM
5

I seriously doubt Google Books will ever approach 1% of "every book ever published". They're currently at 0% (rounded off).

Posted by Fnarf | November 3, 2008 3:59 PM
6

Now that they have the rights to the books, they'll just make (or encourage someone else to make) an Android app e-reader, duh.

Posted by NaFun | November 3, 2008 10:52 PM

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