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Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is investigating deals struck by Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc. to offer low prices on electronic books, saying the agreements may block rivals from providing attractive pricing.
Earlier this year, Amazon and Apple worked out a “most favored nations” deal with major publishers, ensuring rival booksellers would not be able to work out an even lower price, Blumenthal said. Get the full story »
Amazon.com launched a cheaper, wireless-only Kindle Wednesday, betting that the $139 price will turn its latest electronic reader into a mass-appeal device as Apple Inc’s iPad gains ground.
The world’s largest online retailer and leading e-reader seller also revealed its third generation Kindle, some 21 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter than the previous version, but still priced at $189.
Amazon does not give sales figures for the Kindle, but said last week that its growth rate tripled after it cut its price on the device from $259 and said e-books were outselling hardcover books. Apple has said it sold more than 3 million iPads, starting at $499, since the product was introduced in April. Get the full story »
Online retail giant Amazon.com plans to introduce two new versions of the Kindle e-reader on Thursday, one for $139, the lowest price yet for the device.
Sony has cut the prices on its electronic-book readers in an effort to keep up with stiff competition from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, which both recently slashed prices on their own e-readers.
Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. said Thursday it is introducing a new version of its higher-end Kindle at a lower price as competition among electric-book readers intensifies. The large-screen reader with free 3G Wireless will be sold for $379. That’s down more than 22 percent from $489 than the price on the previous high-end version. Get the full story »
Amazon.com has purchased deal-a-day website Woot.com. Woot says on its company blog that it agreed to be acquired by the online retailer. Woot started out in 2004 as a site that sold one heavily discounted item every day — usually consumer electronics.
Amazon.com said Wednesday it is now offering do-it-yourself authors and publishers royalties of about 70 percent on their e-books. The online retailer in January had announced plans to offer users of its e-book self-publishing program, the Kindle Digital Text Platform, book sale royalties of 70 percent after delivery costs. Get the full story »
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected Monday an effort to patent a way to smooth energy costs, but pleased some high-tech industries by saying the current test for business method patents may be too narrow.
The case had been closely watched by a wide range of interests.
Some software and biotechnology companies wanted a broad definition of what can be patented because they license processes. Others, such as some financial institutions, wanted restrictions on business method patents to avoid lawsuits. Get the full story »
Despite its early lead in the fast-growing e-book market, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) faces growing competition from tech giants Google Inc. (GOOG) and Apple Inc. (AAPL), according to one analyst.
Marianne Wolk of Susquehanna downgraded Amazon to a neutral rating on Monday. In a note to clients, the analyst cited “intensifying competition” in the e-book market, which is creating more uncertainty around the company’s Kindle business. Get the full story »
A price war is heating up in the electronic reader market, as Amazon cut the price of its Kindle e-reader below $200 Monday just after Barnes & Noble did the same with its competing Nook device.
The rapid-fire moves are fanning flames in the still-small but rapidly growing market that the book industry sees as a major part of its future.
On Monday afternoon, online retailer Amazon.com Inc. slashed the price of the Kindle by $70 to $189, just a few hours after bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. reduced the price of the Nook by $60 to $199 and said it would also start selling a new Nook with Wi-Fi access for $149.
Get the full story »
