http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/ http://www.nook.com
This is an excellent opportunity to study B&N's marketing and learn what their market studies analysis and focus groups have found concerning eBook perception in consumers. Remember however that their target market is not ours, although there is surely overlap (well-to-do parents and teachers who love to read, geeky teachers interested in the budding eBook reader gadget segment). I already notice the terms "eBook", no hyphen, capital B; this echos Apple's product marketing, and seems to me to be preferable to "ebook" or "e-book" or "e-Book" or "E-book". And, they are calling Epub "EPUB", probably to differentiate the format from commercial products, and to equate the format with "PDF" in importance. When a media launch is done six weeks before street availability, you know they are scrambling for purchase intention before the holiday season. "Thousands of free eBooks: From Treasure Island to Pride & Prejudice, download thousands of free titles." They are leveraging their retail presence by offering free wifi eBook browsing in-store. EPub and PDF formats. There is a 14-day "lending" function to nooks or other devices, which means DRM, confirmed in joint Adobe PR describing the Adobe Reader Mobile software development kit (SDK) and use of Adobe Content Server. >From the PR: "Adobe is integrating Barnes & Noble’s eReader social content protection technology into Adobe Content Server, Adobe Reader Mobile SDK and, eventually, into Adobe Digital Editions.... Barnes & Noble will support PDF and EPUB, a reflow-centric, XML-based open standard with broad support from the publishing industry and the Association of American Publishers. With this enhanced version of Adobe Content Server, publishers and booksellers will be able to protect EPUB and PDF eBooks through either social password or identity-based authentication options, allowing their readers access to interoperable eBook content across diverse platforms." Multiplatform (PC, Mac) software for download, synchro etc.; similar to iPod/iTunes/iTunes Music Store tight integration No mention of access to free open repositories. media for journalists: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/media/ PDF press release: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pimages/bravo/whiteout/barnes_and_noble_introduces_nook_press_release.pdf PDF factsheet: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pimages/bravo/whiteout/nook_fact_sheet.pdf PDF product comparison: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pimages/bravo/whiteout/nook_product_comparison.pdf PDF Adobe partnership: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pimages/bravo/whiteout/barnes_and_noble_and_adobe_join_forces_press_release.pdf They are photocopying iPod in the sense that they want to propose colors & jumpstart an accessories aftermarket. >From their promo e-mail I am subbed to, condensed from nook.com redirected >page: * "Introducing the world's most advanced eBook Reader: nook by Barnes & Noble. Access over one million books, newspapers and magazines; Downloaded wirelessly, in seconds. Available Nov. 30th. Pre-book your nook: pre-order today and receive a Free eBook of Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point." * "Shop your own personal store. Download new titles in seconds, delivered free over a lightening-fast 3G connection." * "Enjoy a better reading experience. A color touchscreen and E-Ink(r) display revolutionize the way you read." * "Save time, money, and space. Read many bestsellers and new releases for just $9.99, and thousands of classics for free." * "Furnish your nook. Shop a wide range of accessories from top designers, made to keep your nook safe and looking good." _______________________________________________ Marketing mailing list [email protected] http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/marketing
