Borders launches Kobo-powered online eBook store

By on Jul 7, 2010 at 1:31 PM
eBooks July 7, 2010

borders-ebooks-store

Borders dove head first into the eBook market today with the launch of its new eBook store. Powered by the Kobo eReading service, the online bookstore will launch with a catalog of over 150,000 eBooks in ePub, PDF, and Adobe DRM format. Supporting a wide variety of platforms, Border’s eBooks can be read on your PC or Mac desktop as well as your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry or Android-powered mobile phone. Borders will also be selling the Kobo eReader which includes a 6-inch e-ink screen, support for flexible fonts, desktop syncing, bluetooth syncing with a smartphone, 1GB storage and a 4-way d-pad with center selection. The eReader will launch with a competitive $149 price tag and will be available both online and in select retail stores. Head over to Border’s website to browse the eBook selection and see how Border’s offering stands up to the competition.

Read

Tags:
, , , , , ,
11 Comments

Related Articles

  • HunterA3

    I understand why Borders is jumping on the e-book bandwagon. After all they are on the verge of being de-listed from the NYSE. But in my opinion, what the e-book market needs is not another e-book reader, it needs a standard.

    The average consumer will not know which one to buy and will sit it out rather than risk making a moderately expensive purchase to end up obsolete within a year. The uncertainty of the e-book market is hampering it’s overall adoption. At least Amazon is making a case for a defacto standard by making kindle reader apps for other platforms even though their own device will not read other device e-book formats. Though it appears borders is following the same model.

    It certainly leaves Apple in a very good position and gives Amazon a format advantage–if not a patent advantage over the nook (see techcrunch story http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/07/06/amazons-original-kindle-patent-could-spell-trouble-for-competitors/)

    • Tdot34

      Kobo uses e-pub, which is what Apple, Sony, Barnes&Noble and nearly every other e-reader uses… Only Amazon is the odd man out with its .amz. I have a Kobo reader, it works great for doing what it is supposed to do, let me read books. It’s price point was perfect before everyone dropped their prices to Kobo reader levels. Best thing I like, is that it comes with 100 pre loaded books, I am reading some stuff I never would have it they weren’t on there. Middle of Treasure Island right now.. arrrrghhh!

      • Joshie

        I think the Kobo reader will have to drop in price to get adopted in any significant way. Most people would probably rather pay the extra $40 for all the additional features a Kindle brings to the table, or else opt for the non-3G Nook at the same price.

  • Joey Joe Joe Jr05

    so could i read these books on my kindle

    • Joshie

      No. Kindle doesn’t support ePub.

    • geotrouvetout

      Yes you can. If you buy a epub book on kobo or somewhere else, if it does not have drm you can convert it into MOBI files that can be read by the Kindle. You can also convert drm-free PDF files and read them on the Kindle.

      Just download the free open souce application called Caliber here http://calibre-ebook.com/ to convert any drm-free ebook between formats.

      This actually makes the Kindle 2 very attractive at it’s current price point of $189 because for $40 extra compared to the Kobo reader, you get both worlds accessing to drm free ebub books as well as the amazon drm-locked library.

  • jonathan

    I downloaded the app form the apple store just now. Its always good to have more e-readers anyway. Its going to be hard trying to beat Ibookstore with more publishers going the apple way. Amazon has to come up with something before the Ipad sucks it all up.

    • http://unprintedpage.com UnprintedPage

      I doubt iPad will do a takeover. Tablets will oust e-readers when they also have the option of not being backlit. E-readers’ biggest draw is the E Ink display.

    • geotrouvetout

      I doubt it too but not because of the backlight, I would actually love having a backlight on ebook readers still with the e-ink. I think the main factor is the e-ink and the weight of the device and the price; ipad is just too heavy to be a good e-reader and also cost more than the average e-reader. But, for those who have an ipad, it does not make sense to buy an e-reader separately. For people like me who have zero interest in the ipad, an e-reader fits the bill way better.

  • Bills2dogs

    I love my kobo. It’s smaller overall, then kindle, weighs less and the books have no drm crap. Once I buy a book it’s mine. I can read it on any device. This is a readers ereader.

  • http://alghienkad06.student.ipb.ac.id/ thea

    love my kobo

blog comments powered by Disqus