Google ebookstore: UK launch


Google launched its ebookstore in the UK yesterday (6 October 2011). The advantages of which are that its eBooks (even when DRM protected by the publisher) run on most eInk Readers (with the major exception of the Kindle) thanks to the adoption of the ePUB format alongside Adobe's DRM. You can also view your books on the web, or in a web app using the Google Chrome browser. In addition to which there are iPad/iPhone and Android apps to access your content.

Pages sync between devices, and the interface is clean and simple on the web and in the apps. Also, Google incorporates the PDF alongside the ePUB, so that you can check how the page rendered in the print book very easily by selecting the settings menu (which is denoted by "Aa") and changing from "Flowing text" to "Scanned pages" (where the publisher has enabled this feature).

One thing that isn't present at the moment is the ability to take notes or highlight text inside the app, but no doubt this will follow soon enough. Foremost at the moment is the speed and ease with which books can be found, samples perused and the flexibility with regard to the number of devices on which books can be read.

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