If you’re interested in Borders’ Kobo or Aluratek ebook readers, then you’re in luck: the two have had their prices dropped by $US20 and are now available for $US129 and $US99.99 respectively.
Buildings-based traditional retail chain Borders has launched its ebook store today, selling titles powered by the popular Kobo eReader system. Borders says it wants to capture a rather arbitrary 17 per cent of the ebook market by July 2011.
Borders may not be the biggest name in ebook readers. They may not have the nicest devices or the most robust selection. But by god, they’re going to win on price if it kills them. Enter the $US120 Aluratek Libre.
At three metres tall, two metres wide and light enough for one person to carry around, this gigantic Kobo reader shown off at the Borders launch yesterday is the future of ereaders. You might struggle to get one on a plane though…
Borders has officially started selling its Kobo eReader online and through retail stores, trumping its competitors with a $199 price tag. Over two million EPUB titles are available to download as of today, with a promise to deliver “dedicated Australian content” that customers can access from a range of enabled devices.
The Borders-backed Kobo eReader is officially on pre-order in the US to be delivered by June 17. It’s not as flashy as a Kindle or nook, but the barebones platform is only $US150. Drop that price to $US99, and Borders may find itself a market. [Borders]
Finally a large Australian bookstore is getting behind the ebook format (and hopefully not just leaving it to die). An invite just landed in my inbox announcing the launch of Borders’ eBooks and eReader offering, which is “set to change the way we read in Australia forever”.
The last time an Australian bookseller tried to launch an eBook arm, it was Dymocks and it was a disaster – electronic books were more expensive than hardcover versions and the only eReader they were selling cost $900. Hopefully things have changed, with Blair Speedy at the Australian reporting that Redgroup retail, the company behind Borders and Angus & Robertson, are planning on selling eBooks.
In case you having sleepless nights fretting about content partners for Spring Design’s Alex ereader, they’ve linked up with Borders, and will feature the Kobo ebook store on their dual-screened device. That’s something Barnes and Noble likely won’t be accused of copying.
We’ve all heard about the Kindle. And most of us know about the Nook. And while Amazon is not selling a dedicated ebook reader of their own, they have just doubled down on digital distribution.
