iBooks Gift Cards - Don’t be Fooled!

I have been seeing in various stores Apple iBook gift cards (see the picture below). These cards look to be specific to the Apple iBook store but it needs to be noted that they are good for anything on iTunes; apps, music, videos, tv shows, and ibooks. You can still use regular iTunes gift cards and buy iBooks, as well as iTunes gift cards that you might get discounted from places like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc... (note - Costco has stopped selling the discounted iTunes gift cards, however some locations might still have a supply on hand).

Also be on the look out on Black Friday (Nov. 26th) here in the United States for many discounted iTunes Gift card offers. There is a pretty firm rumor going around that Best Buy will be discounting $50 dollar iTunes gift cards for $40 bucks! That is a 20% savings and can easily help take some of the sting of the higher e-book prices found in the Apple iBook store. As I hear about various deals I will pass them on here. Hope all have a great Thanksgiving!

Nook Color a MiniMe iPad?

Today Barnes & Noble announced their Nook Color e-book reader. The new version is priced at $249 and will begin shipping on or around Nov. 19, and is now available for pre-order. There is no 3G network connection but there is Wi-Fi. Overall the unit looks sexy and could be a real winner at the $250 price point. I personally think Barnes & Noble just hit a huge home run with this product. The pricing and color screen could really take a  bite out of Amazon and even iPad sales. I guess we shall see. What are your thoughts?

Interesting iBookstore Tidbits From Around the Web

Over the last week or so there have been several blog and news postings concerning the Apple iBookstore. Most pretty much say the same thing but I thought I would share some of the postings with my readers.

The iBookstore still doesn’t have a complete catalog of e-books. Amazon’s Kindle store has a far better selection. Plus in looking over the pricing in the top selling e-books in the iBookstore most of the prices are all $12.99 or more. There are not a lot of e-books in the $9.99 range. I actually don’t have a problem with the iBookstore. I enjoy reading e-books in both the iBook app or the Kindle app.

Here are the links to several interesting articles on the iBook store -

TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog had a good article called - ‘The iBookstore Six Months After Launch One Big Failure’

appadvice - had a good article called - ‘Report: E-Books Use Is Growing’

9 To 5 Mac - had a article called - ‘Little action at Apple’s iBookstore’

Would George Washington Chop a Penguin?

Penguin Publishing strikes again! The diabolical high priced e-book publisher just released another high profile e-book at an outrageous price; ‘Washington: A Life’ by Ron Chernow, is currently priced at $19.99 on all major e-book retailers. Not sure what to say about this except I won’t be buying this e-book. I am not sure what Penguin Publishing is trying to prove to their customers by these outlandish e-book prices. In my case they have just driven a huge wedge between me and their product offerings including their non-e-book products.

I was also a little disheartened last week to see that the other high profile Penguin Publisher’s release “Fall of the Giant” by Ken Follett had made its way on several top ten e-book lists. However as of right now it has fallen from somewhere around the #7 top spot on Amazon’s Best Selling Kindle e-books to now #12. Over on the iBook Store Top Charts it is listed at #7. So even though I am disappointed in seeing author Follett’s e-book not reaching its true potential, I am at least glad to see that Penguin can’t crow about record sales for this miss priced tome. Overall I am shocked that people would purchase an e-book at the price of $19.99, especially if they could get the hardcover cheaper. But I guess to each their own. Anyone have any insight into Penguin Publishing’s madness?

Principals or Cross the Line - Help Me Decide

Help! I have a dilemma. Oh it isn’t anything bad but I would like your opinion and help in deciding what I should do. There is an e-book I have wanted to read for awhile now but I have been sticking to my ‘I won’t purchase an e-book over $9.99’ principle. The book in question is ‘1812: The War of 1812‘ by Walter R. Borneman. The dilemma is this e-book is priced at $10.99. A dollar over what I vowed I would never pay. It is also important to know that the paperback at Amazon is selling for $10.87 so it is cheaper then the e-book, plus the book was originally published in 2004 so it it an older book.

I am very interested in the war of 1812. I have read several other books on the subject but understand that Mr. Borneman is considered a pretty good source on the subject. I have several other e-books to read (see my last post) so I am not desperate for something new to read. I had just saw that the e-book price had dropped for this particular e-book and for a dollar more I can either cross over the line I had drawn in the sand against the greedy e-book publishers or keep my buck and just read something already on my to read list. Perhaps I should just finish my fiction e-book ‘1812’ by David Nevin and just stick to my principals.

So help me decide. Stick to my principals or cross the line I have drawn in the virtual sand! Take my poll or leave me a comment and let me know!

E-books Waiting in the Wings for Me to Read

I am swimming in e-books to read. Now for me that isn’t a bad thing. I like to have several books waiting for me in the wings to dive into once finished with another. I also like to read several books at the time. 

Here is a list of the e-books I have purchased and are waiting for me to read over the next several months.

• 1812 by David Nevin
• Into the Unknown: Leadership Lessons from Lewis and Clark’s Daring Westward Expedition by Jack Uldrich
• Hamilton’s Curse: How Jefferson’s Arch Enemy Betrayed the American Revolution by Thomas Dilorenzo
• Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin
• Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy by David O. Stewart
• Climategate: A Veteran Meteorologist Exposes the Global Warming Scam by Brian Sussman
• Moonrise by Ben Bova
• The Fairest Portion of the Globe by Frances Hunter

What are the books you have queued up to read?

Penguin Slaps ‘Giants’ with Horrendous E-book Price

The 'Agency Model’ pricing has hit again! Yesterday looking through the Apple iBook store I came across Ken Follett’s new release ‘Fall of Giants’ and noticed that good old Penguin Publishing / Dutton Adult has slapped a giant price of $19.99 for the e-book  release. Shocked that such a well known author’s most current book would be priced so outrageously I checked Amazon, and what do you know $19.99 too. Barnes and Noble also has the pre-release price set for $19.99. At Amazon the e-book price is actually more then the hardcover price ($19.40)! Borders is listing only the hardcover of the book with no pre-order for the e-book listed.

The Amazon forums, on the Kindle page, for the book is bursting with upset readers. Which I don’t blame them. It is such an over the top price for an e-book. The book comes in at 1008 standard print pages but still that shouldn’t warrant such a high e-book price.

The hardcover and e-book is scheduled for release on September 28th, 2010. At least we are getting a same date hardcover / e-book release date, but I for one will be skipping this book in both formats. Shame on you Penguin Publishing / Dutton Adult!