Google Editions to launch this year in US says WSJ
The thing I use my iPad for the most is reading. I really like to read books on the thing because it's easy to take with me wherever I go and buying a book is as easy as touching the screen when I want something new to read. That is much better than schlepping to the local bookstore. The only downside to me is that there aren't that many books on the iPad that I really like.
I am all for more choice in the online book market and if you have the same penchant for reading digital books you probably are too. Google is set to launch its online bookstore this year according to the WSJ. The bookstore is called Google Editions and will open in the US by the end of this year and internationally in Q1 2011. The store is expected to shake up the way books are sold online. One of the cool features of Google Editions is that the books will be sold at multiple outlets and any book purchased will be readable on multiple devices.
Google Editions books will be able to be accessed by the user from one central account that you can get to from any device with a web browser. That means you could read the same book on your computer, your smartphone, or your tablet. There are some key things we don't know about Google Editions right now with the biggest not affecting users, but the bookseller. So far, there is no indication of what the profit share for booksellers will be. I really hope that Google Editions has a wider array of geek titles like Sci Fi and fantasy books.