Google is pursuing an E-book strategy that leverages the ubiquitous and free web browser, rather than an expensive Kindle like device that may or may not let you browse. Photo Credit: GoogleOctober 16, 2009, (Sawf News) - Google is pursuing an E-book strategy that leverages the ubiquitous and free web browser, rather than an expensive Kindle like device that may or may not let you browse.
The internet search giant plans to bring electronic books into the realm that it rules, by making them searchable in the blink of an eye.
Google is working with existing partner publishers to open an electronic book store – Google Editions – starting with half-a-million e-book titles in the first half of 2011.
Google Editions will host e-books which can purchased either from Google or through online book stores such as Amazon and Barnes &Noble.
"We're not focused on a dedicated e-reader or device of any kind," Tom Turvey, Google's director of strategic partnerships, told journalists at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Google's move comes on the heels of two important new developments in electronic publishing – Amazon's decision to make its e-books accessible world-wide using Kindle, and Barnes & Nobles' intent to field its own Kindle competitor.
Current year e-reader sales in the US are projected to touch 3 million, according to technology research firm Forrester, with 900,000 e-readers likely to be lapped up in November and December.
Readers will be able to access a Google Edition e-book on any device including PCs, laptops, netbooks and smartphones like Apple's iPhone, through their gmail account.
The books will be downloaded to the device allowing for off-line perusal.
Google entered electronic book publishing with its controversial Google Books project under which it scanned about 10 million books in collaboration with libraries. The scanned books are converted into text using optical character recognition.
Google allows open-source and out-of-copyright books to be downloaded as pdf documents. The scanned database can be searched at Google Books search.
The Google Book project ruffled feathers because some of the books were discovered to be in-copyright. Google is optimistic of resolving the disputes surrounding such titles.
Google's ultimate aim is to enrich the quality of its web search by dipping into the well researched and written contents in books, past and present.
Google search already displays relevant content from out-of-copyright books with its result, but limits the content displayed from in-copyright books. The quality of the search will steadily improve as more publishers giving Google access to their titles.
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