New stats and $99 e-readers

Updated ereader and ebook stats have been posted on paid-content.org:
"if all you want for Christmas is a $99 e-reader, Santa is listening, according to research firm IDC. The company also finds e-reader shipments growing 167 percent year on year...."

 Other items of interest in this article is info on Amazon's new device and sale percentages for Kindle and Nook.   "We’re also expecting Amazon’s much-rumored, color LCD-based device to ship later this year. Because we expect it to run a customized version of Android that ties its use to Amazon’s content services, we expect the device to more closely resemble Barnes & Noble’s Color Nook than Apple’s iPad 2."

Barnes & Noble sales

A recent press release from Barnes & Noble announced an overall loss of dollars, but soaring  ebook sales:



"The rapidly growing digital business propelled the top-line at BN.com driven by the company’s NOOK™ eReader product line and digital content from the NOOK Bookstore™.  BN.com comparable sales growth accelerated throughout the year, increasing 78% for the fourth quarter and 65% for the full year as compared to the same periods in fiscal 2010.  BN.com sales were $217 million for the quarter and $858 million for the full year."

ebook lending clubs (an incomplete list)

From ALA Tech Source:    http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2011/02/e-book-lending-clubs.html

The article, ‘Ebook lending clubs’ gives a little background on lending ebooks and information on five lending clubs.  Be sure to check out the clubs listed in this article.  

The clubs/sites listed below are not included in this article.  I have not borrowed from any of these clubs – this is just information not a recommendation for use.

Lendle   http://lendle.me/how-it-works/

Lendle states they are the “easiest, fastest,  fairest and best way to lend and borrow Kindle books.”

BookBee   http://www.bookbee.net/

“A Beginner's guide to ebooks - simple guide/comparison to device, software, format, buying and help.  Info on Kindle, iPad, Nook, PC (Windows), Mac (OS X), iPhone.”  This site also offers Book Ant (search for books with prices at B&N and Amazon) and an ebook exchange.  I registered on BookBee to see what is offered.  At the time, only four books were available, but this was a few weeks ago.

Ebook exchange     http://www.ebookexchange.com/

Lend or borrow ebooks (Kindle or Nook).  Complete step-by-step instructions and registration is free.  I did see a spot for a $3 donation, but I’m not sure this is required.

Open Library   (Internet Archive )    http://openlibrary.org/

“Open Library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published….  Just like Wikipedia, you can contribute new information or corrections to the catalog. You can browse by subject, author or lists members have created. If you love books, why not help build a library?”

Wikipedia    http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries

List of worldwide lending libraries