Just months after our Tasman neighbours won bragging rights for winning the Rugby World Cup, our Kiwi cousins have another trophy to hold over our heads – they can now purchase the Android-based Kobo Vox tablet from retailer Whitcoulls. The good news is that Aussies can still pre-order…
Fords? Holdens? Dogs? Cats? Today’s Android App choice is one of those either/or kinds of choices, with both Kindle and Kobo offering excellent book buying and reading apps for the Android platform.
The big news yesterday was clearly Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The news that flamed up briefly at the same time? Kobo’s also got a 7-inch tablet running Android. For a tablet called the Vox, they seem reluctant to talk about it, however.
As far as I’m aware, this is the first time the Kindle will be available from a local retailer. Both versions of the graphite Kindle 3 are now up for pre-order: the 3G for $219, and Wi-Fi for $159 (shipping is free). That compares pretty well compared to getting it shipped from Amazon directly. Update: Also available Woolworths supermarkets.
Since REDGroup (owners of Borders and Angus & Robertson) went belly up, Kobo users have been left wondering about access to Australian best sellers, even if they were reassured that books already purchased would remain safe. Enter publishing giant Pearson Australia.
Amazon. I know you guys are working on tablets or something but you should think about stealing this Kobo eReader Touch and using it as your next Kindle. Dude, it’s a touchscreen e-ink display. We’ve been wanting that forever ago.
The recent collapse into administration of Redgroup, which runs the Borders and Angus & Robertson chains in Australia, pretty much sucked for book lovers of all stripes. But here’s a tiny glimmer of hope: 25 franchise A&R stores say that they want to dump the brand and act as independents.
The company behind bookstores Borders and Angus and Robertson is in a lot of financial trouble at the moment. While they’ve been granted a slight stay of execution, they’re in administration, and things aren’t looking good. But given that Borders is the driving force behind eBook and eReader sales in Australia, what will happen to the budding electronic book market should RedGroup go completely under?
Yesterday over in the US, Borders filed for bankruptcy. Through what can be seen as coincidence or providence, the company behind the Australian bookstores Borders and Angus & Robertson, RedGroup Retail, has today been placed in voluntary administration. Fortunately, Kobo have assured that all eBooks purchased through the companies are safe.
