Google eBooks store launches in the US
Google have just announced the opening of their US digital book store. Originally thought to be called Google Editions, the search giants have instead opted for Google eBooks as its name.
The platform will go head to head with the likes of Amazon by offering DRM-free books, not restricted by device licenses. The long-planned move follows Google’s ongoing desire to digitise every book ever published.
“With Google eBooks, readers can discover and buy books from the Google eBookstore or get them from one of our independent bookseller partners,” said Google Books product manager Abraham Murray.”Whether you buy a Google eBook from Google or from an online bookseller, they are all stored in your online library.”
What will set Google eBooks apart however is that they are device-agnostic. Stored on the web, you’ll be able to read any books you buy from Google online through a reader and browser, on a smartphone, or on a dedicated eReader device or tablet.
“With Google eBooks, you can read books on devices from laptops to netbooks to tablets to smartphones to e-readers. Using the new Google eBooks Web Reader, you can buy, store and read Google eBooks in the cloud. That means you can access your ebooks like you would messages in Gmail — using a free, password-protected Google account with unlimited ebooks storage. Being able to access your books from anywhere means that it doesn’t matter what device you’re using.”
No word yet on when the service will launch in the UK, but Q1 2011 probably wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
