Запас пиратов в шесть раз больше, чем предложение крупнейшего электронного магазина,— говорит Владимир Харитонов.— Мне кажется, что эти цифры указывают не столько на то, что “а, все спиратили!”, а на то, что издатели сами лишают себя возможности заработать. Издателям вместе с авторами, в общем, никто не мешает продавать все то, что скачивается у пиратов. По большом счету морального права бороться с пиратами у издателей нет, пока они не предложили купить те книги, которые пираты распространяют бесплатно".

via ebookstore.sony.com Кажется, забыл по выходе версии 3.1 этой программы, предназначенной для связи ПК с букридером Sony Reader, упомянуть, что это вполне добротная программа для чтения электронных книг в формате epub. Правда, она предполагает, что русские шрифты в книгу внедрены. То есть epub, полученный бесхитростной конвертацией из русскоязычного текста, будет продемонстрирован в виде ???? Специально подготовленный epub (такие epub-книги продают, например, «Литрес» и iMobilco) прочитается нормально. Полку epub-программ прибыло. И это радует.

Apple Cooks Up Rich Interactive eBooks With PastryKit There was a lot of discussion earlier this week about the discovery (via Daring Fireball) of a new Apple JavaScript framework, used to implement the iPhone User Guide (link for iPhone users). The PastryKit framework enables HTML-based content with a more iPhone-native UI: full screen support, fixed-position toolbars, and native-feel scrolling. Much of the speculation focused on implications for mobile app development. But looking at PastryKit as just an “iPhone Web app library” misses a key point: the iPhone User Guide is not an application but a rich interactive eBook.

Google Editions is an upcoming paid access product that will allow consumers to easily purchase and read digital editions of books. Consumers will be able to preview a book, as they do today in Google Books, and will also have the option to purchase its Google Edition. After purchase, the book will live in the consumer’s online bookshelf, available to be accessed and read on most devices with internet access and a web browser; as well as on supported partner devices (to be announced during our public launch).

Scribd, the YouTube for print, is working on a new way to get e-books onto your Kindle without buying them from Amazon. via businessinsider.com Ещё один решил приобщиться к «закрытому садику».

These pirates would destroy copyright, and they have no respect for our property. They dress up their thievery in high-minded rhetoric about how they are the true defenders and inheritors of creativity, and they have sold this claim around the world to regulators and lawmakers alike. There are members of Parliament and Congress-people who are unduly influenced by them. They say they’re only trying to preserve the way it’s always been.

Borders Group, told me that the company wants to reach “readers who buy a couple of books a year and we hope to offer a product for that market. via bits.blogs.nytimes.com Благородно.

Sony announced Thursday morning that it will sell subscriptions to the digital edition of the Journal as well as a daily summary of news events available only to owners of the Sony device. In addition, users will be able to subscribe to a daily summary of news stories and columns from MarketWatch.com, which like the Journal is owned by Dow Jones & Co. The Journal summary will cost $5 a month on top of the $14.

Europeana’s collection of online European heritage passed the 5 million mark in early December, taking the multilingual digital library, museum and archive over halfway to its target of 10 million searchable items in 2010. Portraits of notable Polish figures, including astronomer Copernicus and composer Frederic Chopin are among the newest additions to Europeana – part of some 257,000 images, texts, videos and sounds that were submitted by regional groups across Poland.

via engadget.com Смотрится очень симпатично.