HTC are tipped to be developing their own App Store, which would offer not only smartphone software but ebook and emagazine content. According to the Financial Times‘ sources, HTC is already recruiting “content editors” for the online store, with a core Taiwan-based team paving the way for around 100 people spread around the world.
HTC, meanwhile, will only say that it is constantly recruiting “marketers, developers, technical writers and many others” and declined to confirm or deny the leak. Meanwhile there’s talk that HTC’s deal with Kobo – which sees the company’s ebook content accessible through HTC Android smartphones – is more complex than initially believed, and will see the company more closely involved with the expanding HTCSense.com service.
It’s been tempting for many to write Adobe off, as HTML5 gathers pace and criticisms of Flash grow louder; still, having seen what the company is doing with the Webkit engine and tweaking it for digital publishing purposes, we wouldn’t speak too soon. The company has been demonstrating a prototype text-wrapping, dynamic page layout for digital text, where words automatically reflow around call-outs and images that can be dragged about the page with a fingertip.
Video demo after the cut.
As the video shows, even irregular images – such as the handsome giraffe in the screengrab above – can be manipulated, with text automatically reworking itself accordingly. There’s also an option to lock call-out text in-line with the regular paragraphs.
While the demo shows ebook content being navigated on an Android smartphone, what this could potentially lead to is more flexible digital content on the web, but suited to manipulation on small and medium screen devices such as cellphones and tablets.
Amazon has announced record sales for their Kindle ereader, as well as that ebook sales are exceeding hardback and paperback sales by over 2-to-1. According to SVP Steve Kessel “it’s still October and we’ve already sold more Kindle devices since launch than we did during the entire fourth quarter of last year”; that makes the Kindle the best selling product on both Amazon US and Amazon UK.
The timing of Amazon’s announcement – on the eve of Barnes & Noble’s NYC event at which the rival bookseller is expected to announce the NOOK Color ereader tablet – seems unlikely to be a coincidence. We’re guessing Amazon are hoping to overshadow the new NOOK Color by underlining their market dominance; not that, if the figures are anything to go by, they really need to hammer home the point.
Press Release:
New Generation Kindle Device Sales Already Surpass Fourth Quarter 2009 – The Peak Holiday Shopping Season and Busiest Time of Year on Amazon
Amazon.com Customers Now Buying More Bestsellers on Kindle Than Paperbacks and Hardcovers Combined—At a Rate of 2 to 1
SEATTLE—October 25, 2010—(NASDAQ: AMZN)—The new generation Kindle devices are the fastest-selling Kindles of all time and the bestselling products on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Today, Amazon.com announced that sales of the new generation Kindle devices since their introduction have already surpassed total Kindle device sales from October through December 2009.
“It’s still October and we’ve already sold more Kindle devices since launch than we did during the entire fourth quarter of last year—astonishing because the fourth quarter is the busiest time of year on Amazon,” said Steve Kessel, Senior Vice President, Amazon Kindle. “Readers continue to choose Kindle for its all-new electronic ink screen with 50 percent higher contrast, readability in bright sunlight, long battery life of up to one month, light 8.5 ounce form, flexibility to read their books across all major LCD devices and platforms, and low $139 price. It’s clear that this is going to be the biggest holiday for Kindle yet—by far.”
In addition, Kindle book unit sales continue to overtake print on Amazon.com, even while print book sales continue to grow. During the past 30 days, Amazon.com customers purchased more Kindle books than print books—hardcover and paperback combined—for the top 10, 25, 100, and 1,000 bestselling books on Amazon.com.
“For the top 10 bestselling books on Amazon.com, customers are choosing Kindle books over hardcover and paperback books combined at a rate of greater than 2 to 1. Kindle books are also outselling print books for the top 25, 100, and 1,000 bestsellers—it’s across the board,” said Kessel. “This is remarkable when you consider that we’ve been selling hardcover and paperback books for 15 years, and Kindle books for just 36 months.”
Other recent milestones for Kindle include:
In the 12 weeks following the introduction of the new generation Kindles, Kindle devices or Kindle-related items such as Kindle books and covers represented 15 of the top 15 bestselling items on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined.
Amazon sold more than 3 times as many Kindle books in the first nine months of 2010 as in the first nine months of 2009.
The Association of American Publishers’ latest data reports that e-book sales grew 193 percent between January and August 2010. Kindle book sales growth during the same period exceeded this rate.
Learn more about Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/kindle.
Amazon has confirmed that a “lending for Kindle” feature will be launched later in 2010, allowing readers to loan their Kindle ebooks to other Kindle or Kindle app users. As with Barnes & Noble’s NOOK lending functionality, titles can be loaned once for a 14-day period, during which time the lender will be unable to read the ebook themselves.
“Later this year, we will be introducing lending for Kindle, a new feature that lets you loan your Kindle books to other Kindle device or Kindle app users. Each book can be lent once for a loan period of 14-days and the lender cannot read the book during the loan period. Additionally, not all e-books will be lendable – this is solely up to the publisher or rights holder, who determines which titles are enabled for lending.” Amazon Kindle team
As is also the case with B&N, Kindle books can only be loaned once; it’s unclear from Amazon’s announcement whether that’s once per person or once in the lifetime of the ebook. Meanwhile the company also confirmed that newspapers and magazines will be added to the Kindle apps rather than limited to the Kindle hardware itself.
Does anybody have the patience to read a full book any more? That’s obviously tongue-in-cheek, but the launch of Amazon’s Kindle Singles – in-betweener texts that fall somewhere in the gap between a New Yorker feature and a full novel – does seem to suggest that the retailer is hoping to pick up would-be Kindle owners tempted by the hardware but not generally used to paging through a whole book.
Amazon is putting out a call for submissions – roughly 10,000 to 30,000 words – that “lay out a single killer idea, well researched, well argued and well illustrated–whether it’s a business lesson, a political point of view, a scientific argument, or a beautifully crafted essay on a current event.” They’ll be sold at cheaper rates than usual books, and have their own section in the Kindle store.
Press Release:
Amazon to Launch “Kindle Singles”– Compelling Ideas Expressed at Their Natural Length
Kindle Singles, Which Can Be Twice the Length of a New Yorker Feature or as Much as a Few Chapters of a Typical Book, Coming Soon to the Kindle Store
SEATTLE, Oct 12, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
(NASDAQ:AMZN)–Less than 10,000 words or more than 50,000: that is the choice writers have generally faced for more than a century–works either had to be short enough for a magazine article or long enough to deliver the “heft” required for book marketing and distribution. But in many cases, 10,000 to 30,000 words (roughly 30 to 90 pages) might be the perfect, natural length to lay out a single killer idea, well researched, well argued and well illustrated–whether it’s a business lesson, a political point of view, a scientific argument, or a beautifully crafted essay on a current event.
Today, Amazon is announcing that it will launch “Kindle Singles”–Kindle books that are twice the length of a New Yorker feature or as much as a few chapters of a typical book. Kindle Singles will have their own section in the Kindle Store and be priced much less than a typical book. Today’s announcement is a call to serious writers, thinkers, scientists, business leaders, historians, politicians and publishers to join Amazon in making such works available to readers around the world.
“Ideas and the words to deliver them should be crafted to their natural length, not to an artificial marketing length that justifies a particular price or a certain format,” said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President, Kindle Content. “With Kindle Singles, we’re reaching out to publishers and accomplished writers and we’re excited to see what they create.”
Like all Kindle content, Kindle Singles will be “Buy Once, Read Everywhere”–customers will be able to read them on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. In addition, with the Kindle Worry-Free Archive, Kindle Singles will be automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.
To be considered for Kindle Singles, interested parties should contact digital-publications@amazon.com.
Borders has announced pre-orders for their latest ebook reader, the Kobo Wireless eReader. Like the previous Kobo model, the new ereader has access to Border’s 1.5m ebook titles; however it can now also browse and download them over WiFi.
There’s also a new casing design, measuring 4.7 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches and weighing under 8oz, and it’s finished in a choice of black, silver or lavender with a textured, soft-touch back panel. The display is still a 6-inch E Ink panel, and Borders reckon you’ll see around 8,000 page turns from a full charge of the battery.
Up to 4GB SD cards can be used to boost storage, and the Kobo Wireless eReader supports ePub and PDF ebooks and is preloaded with 100 classics. It’ll begin shipping on November 1st, and is priced at $139.99.
Press Release:
Borders® Advances eReading Offerings with Kobo Wireless eReader
Borders Rewards members can now earn Borders Bucks twice as fast on the purchase of the Kobo Wireless eReader and Kobo™ eReader
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Borders® today announced the addition of the new Kobo Wireless eReader to its digital assortment that now includes an industry leading selection of seven eReading devices. The addition of the new Kobo device advances Borders as a preferred destination for eReaders for virtually every household. Counting among its successes the recent launch of the Borders eBook store, powered by Kobo, and mobile applications — and its rapidly growing selection of eReading devices — Borders is poised for significant growth in the eReading market.
Borders’ new Kobo Wireless eReader comes with a built-in wireless connection, upgraded hardware in three new colors and a new processor that drives faster page turns. Just .4 inches thick and 7.8 grams, the lightweight eReader is available in three sleek color combinations: onyx, porcelain with a metallic silver back and porcelain with a pearlized lilac back.
The new Kobo Wireless eReader allows consumers to browse more than 1.5 million books in the Borders eBook store and update their digital library wirelessly, directly from the eReader device, a smartphone or the Borders Desktop Application. With the intuitive control pad and a built-in library-management system, customers can easily navigate and organize their library by title, date last read and author. In addition, customers can add documents using an SD card, Adobe Digital Editions, or drag-and-drop. The eReader also supports EPUB and PDF documents, so customers can enjoy the option of borrowing and reading free eBooks from their local library.
Designed by book lovers for book lovers, the new Kobo Wireless eReader reads like print on paper with its specialized E Ink® screen for a true book-like reading experience. With 16 grey scale levels to choose from, the device offers sharp graphics and crisp text that are easy on the eyes. The device also comes pre-loaded with 100 free classics so customers can immediately begin reading.
Priced at $139.99, the device can be pre-ordered beginning today at www.borders.com/kobowifi and will be available for purchase in Borders stores by the end of October.
Borders’ Industry-Leading eReader Selection
In addition to the new Kobo device, Borders also offers the Aluratek “Libre” eBook Pro, Velocity Micro’s Android-based Cruz Reader™ R101, Cruz Tablet™ T103 and the original Kobo™ eReader. The Sony®Touch and Sony®Pocket round out Borders’ “good-better-best” selection of devices, which are aggressively priced from $99 to $299. Customers can now test-drive and purchase eReaders as well as choose from more than 1.5 million titles from the Borders eBook store within the company’s newly unveiled Area-e digital shops. Trained Area-e staff are available to assist customers through the eReader discovery experience, providing demonstrations and answering questions.
“We are committed to offering our customers the best of the physical book and eReading worlds,” said Mike Edwards, CEO of Borders, Inc. “For decades readers have known Borders as a trusted destination for exploring and discovering traditional paper books — and now as the only major book chain with a comprehensive selection of eReaders and digital content, we are meeting our customers’ reading needs on all fronts. Nowhere else can you browse a selection of more than 82,000 paper books, walk over to Area-e, our new digital hub, where you test drive a variety of e-Reading devices, and then search for your next favorite book in our e-Bookstore.
“We’ve long believed that even as more readers transition to eReading they will continue to buy traditional books and a recent Harris Interactive poll bears this out,” continued Edwards. “The poll found that readers with e-book devices are reading more – and they are also more likely than others to purchase physical books. It’s exciting to be in a position to help spur what could very well prove to be a reading Renaissance in this country.”
Customer Support on Facebook
Borders has created a dedicated eReading tab on its newly revamped Facebook page. The tab includes an eReading “tip of the week” as well as an eReader/eBooks “deal of the week.” Understanding that eReaders are still a new concept to many customers, Borders has created an application to help readers decide which device is right for them. The application includes a series of lifestyle questions, such as “How price conscious are you?”; “How much do you read?”; and “How tech savvy are you?” After the customer completes questionnaire, the system recommends five devices and ranks them according to the customer’s preferences.
Borders’ Editorial Voice
For decades Borders has maintained a strong editorial voice, guiding millions of customers to enriching and entertaining books. Now Borders is applying that same authoritative voice to eBooks. When customers visit Borders.com, they immediately see eBooks grouped according to various themes for easy purchasing. For example, they may see featured memoirs, famous series, best in eBooks under $3 and Oprah’s Book Club picks. The company is also redesigning its title detail pages so customers can quickly find a book and purchase it in traditional print format, eBook, audio book or in other available formats.
Special eReading Offers for Borders Rewards Members
Borders Rewards members can now earn Borders Bucks twice as fast on the purchase of the Kobo Wireless eReader and Kobo™ eReader in store and online. In addition, Rewards members can enter for chance to win a Velocity Micro’s Android-based Cruz Tablet™ T103 plus a full year of eBooks in Borders’ Cruz Tablet giveaway sweepstakes going on now through Oct. 19th on Borders.com. Announced earlier this month, the Cruz touch-screen device also plays video and music, and provides a full color web browsing experience. The Cruz Tablet gives consumers Wi-Fi access to the Borders’ eBook store and access to the Cruz Market with downloadable apps.
Earlier this month, Borders unveiled its new Rewards loyalty program, bringing customers more choices, richer benefits and better savings. For complete information on Rewards or to sign up to become a Rewards member, visit www.Borders.com/Rewards
About “Powered by Kobo”: Kobo, Inc.
“Powered by Kobo” is an eBook partner program from Kobo, a global eBook service backed by Indigo Books & Music, Borders Group, REDgroup Retail, and Cheung Kong Holdings. The “Powered by Kobo” program provides a flexible solution for hardware manufacturers and retailers worldwide to launch an eReader or eBook store. “Powered by Kobo” partners have access to Kobo’s catalogue of more than two million titles and applications for smartphones, netbooks, laptops, tablets and dedicated eReaders. Kobo’s vision is to deliver any book on any device and is a strong voice in the eBook industry supporting open standards for eBooks and eReaders. For more information, visit www.kobobooks.com.
About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., through its subsidiaries, Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks® stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, visit borders.com/media.
The Kindle spread continues, and hot on the heels of Amazon’s pledge to put a Kindle app on the new BlackBerry PlayBook comes the news that the online retailer now has a web-based version. Kindle for the Web doesn’t allow full access to Amazon’s ebooks, but you can read a book sample online rather than having to download it to your device, and it means other sites can embed those samples and even earn referral fees on subsequent ebook sales.
There’s also social networking integration, with options to share samples via email, Twitter or facebook. As with the free PC and Mac Kindle clients, you can adjust text size and view the ebook full-screen, and there’s a choice of line-spacing, words per line and even background color.
Amazon says it’s planning versions of Kindle for the Web for mobile browsers, and of course you can click the online viewer to buy the full version instead. It’s available to try below.
Press Release:
Amazon Launches Kindle for the Web
Readers can now read the first chapter of Kindle books for free through web browsers – no download or installation required
Bloggers and website owners can embed Kindle book samples and earn referral fees on sales
SEATTLE – Sept. 28, 2010 – Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today introduced the beta version of “Kindle for the Web,” making it even easier for customers to discover new books and authors by sampling Kindle books directly through web browsers—no installation or downloading required. Amazon is also inviting bloggers and website owners who are participants in the Amazon Associates Program to be part of Kindle for the Web by embedding samples of Kindle books on their websites. These website owners will earn referral fees from Amazon when customers complete book purchases using the links on their websites. More information about Kindle for the Web and how to embed Kindle book samples is available at www.amazon.com/kindlefortheweb.
Customers simply click the “Read first chapter FREE” button on a book product page on Amazon or on other websites, and the first chapter will open within the web page. Customers can change the font size and line spacing, adjust the background color, and share their favorite books with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail—all without leaving the book in the browser.
“With Kindle for the Web, it’s easier than ever for customers to sample Kindle books – there’s no downloading or installation required,” said Dorothy Nicholls, Director, Amazon Kindle. “Kindle for the Web is also a great way for bloggers and authors to promote books on their websites by letting visitors read a chapter without leaving their site.”
To see examples of Kindle for the Web on authors’ websites, go to the blog of author Karen McQuestion at www.mcquestionablemusings.blogspot.com and the free sample of her bestselling Kindle book “A Scattered Life,” or the website of author John Miller at www.heymiller.com and the free sample of his book “The First Assassin.”
Kindle offers the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. The U.S. Kindle Store now has more than 700,000 books, including New Releases and 108 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 575,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 80 New York Times Bestsellers. Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available to read on Kindle devices. Kindle lets you Buy Once, Read Everywhere—on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.
The all-new Kindle has an electronic-ink screen with 50 percent better contrast, a new sleek design with a 21 percent smaller body while still keeping the same 6-inch-size reading area, 15 percent lighter weight at just 8.5 ounces, 20 percent faster page turns, up to one month of battery life with wireless off, double the storage to 3,500 books, no glare even in bright sunlight and built-in Wi-Fi—all for only $139. The all-new Kindle 3G with all of these new features plus the convenience of free 3G wireless is only $189.
In the future, Kindle for the Web will include optimization for mobile browsers and other features. For more information about Kindle for the Web, including instructions on how to embed Kindle book samples, go to www.amazon.com/kindlefortheweb.
Apple is quietly making a push for self-publishing authors, adding native ePUB support to the latest version of its iWork suite of office apps. Pages 4.0.4 now allows writers to save their masterpieces as ePUB files, the same format that the company uses for its iBooks ereader app on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Meanwhile a new support document from the company details best practice for ePUB files, complete with sample documents that can be used as templates. The update follows on from Apple opening up the iBook Store to self-publishing authors, back in late May, where one of the main criteria for inclusion was that the ebook must be in ePUB format.
No great surprise, given the constantly slipping ship date for new orders, but Amazon has confirmed that the new Kindles are the fastest-selling models of the three generations. In fact, with the first shipments only going out today, the online retailer says the ereaders are their best selling products.
Now, you could well argue that the gradually falling price over the course of the Kindle’s lineage may have had something to do with that: the original Kindle was $399, the second version debuted at £359, and the two new models are $189 for the WiFi+3G unit and $139 for the WiFi-only unit. Still, they’re the most gifted and most wished for products across the US and UK versions of Amazon’s site, and have found buyers in 125 different countries (including, Amazon’s press release helpfully tells us, Mongolia).
Press Release:
NEW GENERATION KINDLES ARE THE FASTEST-SELLING KINDLES EVER AND ALREADY THE BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS ON AMAZON
New Kindles start shipping to customers today—two days ahead of previously announced release date
SEATTLE—August 25, 2010—(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon.com today announced that more new generation Kindles were ordered in the first four weeks of availability than in the same timeframe following any other Kindle launch, making the new Kindles the fastest-selling ever. In addition, in the four weeks since the introduction of the new Kindle and Kindle 3G, customers ordered more Kindles on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined than any other product, continuing Kindle’s over two-year run as the bestselling product across all the products sold on Amazon.com. The new Kindles started shipping to customers today—two days earlier than previously announced.
“Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon.com for two years running and our new generation Kindles are continuing that momentum,” said Steven Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle. “Readers are excited about all that the new Kindle has to offer—50 percent better contrast, 20 percent faster page turns, 15 percent lighter, up to one month of battery life—and a new price of only $139.”
The all-new Kindle has an electronic-ink screen with 50 percent better contrast than any other e-reader, a new sleek design with a 21 percent smaller body while still keeping the same 6-inch-size reading area, 15 percent lighter weight at just 8.5 ounces, 20 percent faster page turns, up to one month of battery life with wireless off, double the storage to 3,500 books, no glare even in bright sunlight and built-in Wi-Fi—all for only $139. The all-new Kindle 3G with all of these new features plus the convenience of free 3G wireless is only $189.
Early comments from product reviewers on the new Kindle include:
“This e-book reader’s lighter weight and complete overhaul make the third-generation Kindle the best reader from Amazon yet… After spending some quality time curled up with the new Kindle, I have to say it’s the first e-reader in months that’s left me wanting to read more. Its solid build quality, along with its improved design, integrated store, and cross-platform transportability (books are usable on any Kindle reader app, including iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, and PC) all add up to a winner that shoots to the head of the pack.” – PC World
“Despite some predictions that the iPad and other Web-oriented tablets would start the Kindle doom clock ticking, its continued popularity bodes well for the future of single-purpose long-form reading devices. The new third-generation Kindle only makes that future brighter. All its basic virtues—instant downloading from an abundantly stocked store, light weight, ability to read in sunlight—are still there, with significant improvements in text readability, physical design, and battery life.” – Wired
“…given its new low price along with its massive library of ebooks and dead-simple book buying, the Kindle keeps its crown as our Editors’ Choice. Simply put, it’s the best dedicated ebook reader you can buy.” – PC Magazine
“Amazon’s newest Kindle (simply called “Kindle,” though it’s sometimes referred to as the “Kindle 3″) is the best ebook-reading device on the market.” – Fast Company
Also in the four weeks since their introduction:
Kindle and Kindle 3G are the most gifted and most wished for products on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined.
Customers in 125 countries on six continents from Austria to Zimbabwe have already placed orders for the new generation Kindles. Some of the most remote shipments will be sent as far away as Mongolia and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Customers are already ordering books to read on their new Kindles. The most popular are the books in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, “Star Island” by Carl Hiaasen and “The Rembrandt Affair” by Daniel Silva.
Kindle offers the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. The U.S. Kindle Store now has more than 670,000 books, including New Releases and 107 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 550,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 73 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available to read on Kindle devices. More than 235,000 books have been added to the Kindle Store in just the last seven months, including New York Times Best Sellers “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” and “The Passage.”
Kindle lets you Buy Once, Read Everywhere—on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.
Customers can discover full details and order the new Kindle and Kindle 3G at www.amazon.com/kindle3G and www.amazon.com/kindleWi-Fi.
Amazon’s third-gen Kindles are still sold out – even before the first ones ship – but that hasn’t stopped the retailer opening the doors at their Kindle UK store. As well as the Kindle 3G + WiFi and Kindle WiFi themselves, listed for £149 and £109 respectively, Amazon is now selling ebooks priced in local UK currency; previously, titles were purchased from the US Kindle store and priced in US dollars.
So, how does the ebook pricing itself compare? Titles range from free to around £11, and many are roughly the same cost in both the UK and US (taking into account mild fluctuations in the exchange rate). Readers outside the US have always had a smaller selection of titles to choose from thanks to geographic licensing agreements, so hopefully now that the Kindle store is more official in the UK the difference will reduce.
New Kindle units aren’t expected to ship until September 4th, and those outside of the UK can still pick up an ereader from Amazon US and have it shipped. More on the new Kindle models here.
