Google's Book Service

[lessthaniv]

Google has launched their book service with over 3 million titles. I took the liberty of searching for WEB books on the link provided however you can search for any topic that revs your motor.

 

Here is the link that has been screened for WEB books that you can preview online! I don't think you can get the entire book but you can certainly get very useful chunks. I just found a beauty on fly fishing that I've wanted for some time.

 

http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks%3A1&tbo=1&q=coquihalla&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1%2Cbkv%3Ap&q=warren+buffett&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=44253eb2e797c355

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

<IV

[uncommonprofits]

Google has launched their book service with over 3 million titles. I took the liberty of searching for WEB books on the link provided however you can search for any topic that revs your motor.

 

Here is the link that has been screened for WEB books that you can preview online! I don't think you can get the entire book but you can certainly get very useful chunks. I just found a beauty on fly fishing that I've wanted for some time.

 

http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks%3A1&tbo=1&q=coquihalla&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1%2Cbkv%3Ap&q=warren+buffett&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=44253eb2e797c355

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

<IV

 

The link you provide is part of Google's search feature that allows one to locate physical books, then link up and compare prices at various retailers (I think this has been around for a while).  The more recent news is Google going directly into retailing of digital books.  All indications are that Google's platform is very much behind what is available at the present moment; however, I am unable to test it - as at this point the service is not available in Canada.    

 

Article on this in Today's Globe & Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/books/kobo-is-keeping-canada-in-the-vanguard-of-the-e-book-revolution-for-now/article1828886/

 

This is of course from a Canadian perspective.  But a little quote from the article:

The Google service closely resembles the model pioneered by Kobo, “which is something I really admire,” Lefebvre said. “Talk about a Canadian success story.”

 

This writer seems to be in tune with what is going on and has what seems to be a pretty good unbiased write-up:

http://americaneditor.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/will-you-be-a-googler/

 

Interesting quote from the above article"

If the ebook race were to be decided simply on the quality of the ebookstore and customer service, the race would be between Amazon and Kobo, none of the other major players would even be a blip on the horizon. Kobo is aggressive and provides customer service at the vaunted Amazon level.

 

Here is another bloggers view - questioning if Google's retail store is a best seller or a bargain bin bookstore?  

http://www.geardiary.com/2010/12/07/is-google-ebooks-a-bestseller-or-a-bargain-bin-book/

 

I again look at this from the perspective of the free Kobo option that is thrown in with the already undervalued IDG.  Kobo has teamed up thus far with the lead book retailers in Australia, New Zealand, and of course Canada -- and just recently signed on the leading English book retailer in Hong Kong.  Google would seem to be teaming up with smaller retailers and independents (but thus far only in the US).  While Google's strategy 'sounds' like a game changer -- Kobo is already 'walking the talk' by becoming pre-packaged in pretty much any device out there except the Ipad, Nook, Kindle and Sony.  Where there are no conflicts - Kobo is the only one at this point to have deals for prepackaging with most of the other major device makers  (to date: Samsung, RIM, HTC, Acer, Asus and HP) and smaller ones too (Velocity Micro, Viewsonic, Pandigital, Sharper Image, etc).  About the only device manufacturers missing from the list at this point are Dell, Toshiba, Motorola and maybe Nokia.

 

For the time being I put Google in the iBook camp where Apple has not had a lot of success to this point.  Kobo is first and foremost a retailer with a significant amount of experience in the book business.  The book business is a far more dynamic and strong industry than the music industry was when Apple (at least in the present short term) monopolized it.  

[DCG]

Their Book store needs some work on they layout, IMO. Google has struggled with commerce-type endeavors and I think it will take them some time to get this right. They have the right idea, but lacking in execution.

 

-In my opinion, iBooks is the best/most intuitive reading app/program out there. The problem is the book selection on the App Store is currently nowhere near Amazon's. I end up using the Kindle app on my iPad a lot only because Amazon seems to have almost every book I look for for the Kindle. If Apple has books at the same price, I always buy it through iBooks.