e-books

Eager to be the first on your block with an iPad? Apple started taking orders for the tablets on Friday. Wi-Fi models running from $499 to $699 will be available on April 3; 3G models, costing $629 to $829, won't be available until late April.

With the e-book industry expected to explode into a multibillion-dollar business in the next three years, Barnes & Noble wants to open a new chapter in sales by making sure its products are available on Apple's iPad. The retail giant on Thursday confirmed reports that it is preparing an iPad application in time for the anticipated April 3 release.

Digital Library Preserved

Barnes & Noble said Monday that its popular nook e-book reader is back in stock online and will be rolling out in the majority of the bookseller's U.S. stores this week. Customers also will be able to enjoy exclusive Valentine's Day-themed online content this month, the company said.

The nook differs in several ways from many of the e-readers announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, which suffer from either high prices or little access to consumer channels, said Forrester Research Vice President James McQuivey.

The Department of Justice believes significant antitrust, class certification, and copyright issues remain in the amended book settlement proposed by Google and publishing industry representatives in September. However,the government attorneys also said Thursday that the U.S. believes the parties have approached the effort in good faith.

With Apple's new iPad acting as a big rock thrown into the e-book pond, Kindle maker Amazon.com has given in to the pricing demands of publisher Macmillan. The move could mean fewer under-$10 prices for new e-books.

Amazon, whose Kindle is currently the front-running e-book reader and which offers a large inventory of e-books, had been resisting Macmillan's requirement of a pricing hike. New e-books on Amazon have been priced at $9.99, but Apple is reportedly offering higher prices to publishers for iPad content.

'We Will Have To Capitulate'

Apple is in talks with the McGraw-Hill Companies and Hachette Book Group to include educational and trade titles on its planned tablet computer, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

McGraw-Hill Education, the third largest educational publisher in the U.S. by sales, is discussing getting electronic textbooks and parts of its online learning system onto the tablet, say two people. Apple has also held talks with trade book publisher Hachette Book Group about distributing e-books on the tablet, says one person involved in the discussions.

With the expected launch next week of Apple's tablet computer, the commitment of major publishers is being watched closely. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that HarperCollins is negotiating with Apple for new electronic books specifically for the tablet.

The involvement of major content providers will play a critical part of any successful rollout of an Apple tablet, just as it did with the iPod and iTunes. While there have been previous reports of major publishers in discussions with Apple, this report is more specific about details.

New Features for E-Books?

When most people think of electronic book readers, Amazon's thin, white Kindle probably springs to mind. But that could be about to change.

A cascade of e-readers will hit the market this year, taking the devices far beyond gray-scale screens with features like touch navigation and video chatting -- and probably lowering prices, too.

It's happening as other gadgets, such as mobile phones and tablet computers, give people even more choices for diving into their favorite books. Perhaps the only downside is worrying you might buy an e-reader from a company that won't stick around.

Need help sorting through the tens of thousands of programs available for the iPhone on Apple's App Store? Now there's an app for that called Appsaurus.

Hello Chair, a small developer, convinced Apple to allow the app that was previously rejected because it's similar to Apple's Genius in helping users find what they like best. For 99 cents, Appsaurus does for your iPhone what TiVo does for your TV or Netflix for your DVD rental queue. It learns from your selections and recommends future choices.

Amazon.com said Monday that its Kindle e-reader has become the most gifted item in the company's history, but didn't provide specific sales numbers. The company said the Kindle, Apple's 8GB iPod touch, Garmin's nuvi 260W personal navigation device, and the BlackBerry Bold were among the most popular gadgets that customers purchased during the holiday shopping season this year.