

Why Apple’s iBooks Numbers Are Meaningless - obsaysditto
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/why-apples-ibook-numbers-are-meaningless/?ref=technology

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pchristensen
It's important to watch for careful wordings: 22% of _sales_ , 5 million
_downloads_.

As a single data point, I've downloaded about 20 free books (I've read _The
Invisible Man_ and I'm halfway through _Pinocchio_ ). The overlap of free
books on Kindle vs iBooks is pretty high (mostly all from Project Gutenberg).

I think the iBooks ability to download a free sample (usually first 30 pages)
is the killer difference. I've downloaded a few samples when I first heard
about a book, and every time I open iBooks they're there reminding me about a
book I wanted to read, that I can pay for when I'm ready. Maybe the Kindle
device has a better "shopping list" type feature, but all Kindle book
purchases on iPad have to go through the browser.

I think iBooks is a better service, but the huge Kindle catalog will help
Amazon. For a single book, the programs are similar enough that I'd just buy
it from the cheaper store.

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stcredzero
I have iBooks, BN eReader, and Kindle on my iPad. I primarily use the Kindle.
I use iBooks to put free ePub books on my iPad. I bought an Alastair Reynolds
book on the BN app, but I'm leery about it's need to "call home to the
mothership" every time I open it. What's going to happen on the plane?

I bought the book from BN instead of Amazon because BN's book was $4 cheaper.

Kindle and BN also do free samples.

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pchristensen
Didn't know about the Kindle samples, thanks!

