Some of us are already so hooked on reading that we can't imagine our lives without at least a few books on the go; believe it or not, others need a little extra motivation to flip those pages (literally or digitally). Fortunately a Berlin-based startup has a great idea: gamification. By following a freemium-based model, Blloon is an app that promises to engage readers with … [Read more...] about Blloon iOS App Competes with Leading e-Book Subscription Services
Oyster
eBook Subscription Services are Not Viable
Penguin Random House UK CEO Tom Weldon has proclaimed that eBook subscription websites such as Amazon Unlimited, Scribd and Oyster are not viable business models. "We have two problems with subscriptions. We are not convinced it is what readers want. 'Eat everything isn't a reader's mindset. In music or film you might want 10,000 songs or films, but I don't think you want … [Read more...] about eBook Subscription Services are Not Viable
eBook Subscription Service Oyster, Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
The publishing industry has been trying to crack the Netflix for eBooks concept for a number of years. Oyster is one of the bright spots, offering 500,000 eBook titles and has established relationships with over 1,600 distinguished publisher partners. Today, Oyster is celebrating their one year anniversary and offers some key metrics on their ecosystem. 500,000+ titles-- … [Read more...] about eBook Subscription Service Oyster, Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
Oyster Adds Web-Based Mobile Reading to Its Platform
eBook subscriptions services are making headlines right now, especially following the launch of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program. In some ways, correlations can be made that two other pioneering subscription services--Scribd and Oyster--could have paved the way for KU, despite the various differences in their platforms. While other ebook subscription startups have been around … [Read more...] about Oyster Adds Web-Based Mobile Reading to Its Platform
Oyster eBook Subscription Service Now on Android
Fellow bookworms will be thrilled to know that their appetites can now be satiated much like movie and television show lovers are by Netflix using the new Oyster - Read Unlimited Books app. Functioning as a subscription service with a library of over 500,000 titles (with additions every week, including New York Times bestsellers), Oyster is a bargain at $9.95 per month … [Read more...] about Oyster eBook Subscription Service Now on Android
The eBook Subscription Model is Here to Stay
At an IDPF and BISG panel today as part of its Making Information Pay event, speakers addressed one of the key changes the publishing industry is undergoing: ebook subscriptions. When 24Symbols launched in 2010 as a Netflix-style model for ebook consumption, publishers weren't quick to jump on board, at least not in the US. One reason may have been that the company was simply … [Read more...] about The eBook Subscription Model is Here to Stay
Amazon’s One-Sitting Short Reads Meets Need for Fast Fiction
A number of platforms have offered great content in a short essay, long-form journalism environment, but it has typically been informative, expository non-fiction pieces. But news came out this week about a quiet launch from Amazon that will offer short works of fiction to be consumed in one-sitting, as the site is referring to it. Amazon's Short Reads, which features short … [Read more...] about Amazon’s One-Sitting Short Reads Meets Need for Fast Fiction
Simon & Schuster Signs eBook Backlist Deals with Scribd, Oyster
All-you-can-eat unlimited ebook subscription reading has finally come into its own with the launch of a couple of different platforms, namely Oyster and Scribd. Billed as a Netflix-style approach to reading, these platforms charge users one flat-rate monthly fee for unlimited access to their full catalogs of ebook titles. When subscription-based ebook reading was first … [Read more...] about Simon & Schuster Signs eBook Backlist Deals with Scribd, Oyster
Smashwords, OverDrive Brings Indie Titles to Libraries
An agreement announced today between ebook distributor and self-publishing platform Smashwords and OverDrive, the largest provider of digital content to public and school libraries, is going to give self-published authors one of the few remaining pieces in the publishing puzzle, namely the ability for libraries to stock their work. As it stands right now, self-published … [Read more...] about Smashwords, OverDrive Brings Indie Titles to Libraries
Oyster hits 500,000 eBooks
eBook subscription website Oyster has hit 500,000 eBooks, including bestsellers and uber popular books. The milestone comes after an expanded partnership with HarperCollins to add 10,000 new titles from the publisher to the app, in addition to newly inked deals with more than 500 publishers. Oyster now features more than 1,600 publishing partners. Oyster is only available … [Read more...] about Oyster hits 500,000 eBooks