Ramblings of a Wompy

People still read. No really, people still read books. Where do you think so many movie scripts come from? Either way, the new wave right now is about ebooks. Just like how MP3s had their epic battle over the player and the store, ebooks are beginning the same battle.  There are the free books from google which, lets be honest, have some good classic books but is really full of books you’ll never be interested in reading.  There are also several free programs and mobile programs for reading these book, but once again the experience of using an e-ink screen is so much better. Having used Sony’s reader, Amazon’s Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, trust me on this, sitting and reading is so much nicer with a REALLY long battery life and no extra eye strain. So lets take a look at the contestants:

• Sony – Sony the big blue chip name in consumer goods. selling ebooks and ebook reader.
• Amazon – Orginally dot com book store, now sells everything including ebooks and ebook reader
• Barnes & Nobles -Big brick and mortar book store. Also sells books online and just starting to sell ebooks, usable through their ebook program that runs on most devices and computers.

So what right? Think back a couple years, before iTunes was the defacto place to download music let alone movies. There were several companies each offering different types of DRM. Apple won that battle because they offfered the complete package. Easy to navigate and purchase from their store, which made syncing with their iPod even easier. Everyone else might have offered a more open store for people to use the MP3 player of their choice with the program to sync up of their choice. In this case the closed system works.

Fast forward to today, Amazon and Sony are both trying their own closed system. If you buy from Amazon it will only work with the kindle and likewise with Sony, and even Barnes & Nobles. They are offering the complete vertical package. Sony fails miserably compared to Amazon though. Although their store is decent there is nothing simple as buying directly from the ebook, or buying from the website and it automatically sending the book to your device. So far Amazon is winning. The real competition in my eyes is what is coming around the corner, Barnes and Nobles.

Barnes & Nobles doesn’t offer an ebook reader. What they do offer though is the ability to read the books on your computer (Mac or PC), Blackberry, iPhone or iPod Touch.  This is huge, they don’t have a ebook reader yet but they are allowing people to use what they already own as a reader. This ease of entry to market and the well established brand will make them a major influence. Amazon does offer an iPhone and iPod Touch app though, which is something. What they really need to do is open up to other platforms too, as @shiftB already said.

In the end though this will play out just like the MP3 battle. Everyone will choose their sides and hope that they last. I don’t think that any of there 3 will fall to the wayside, but I do think within a year there will be one major store. I’m placing my money on Amazon as shown by purchasing a Kindle for my wife and myself. The books I want to buy have been cheaper with them anyway.