FictionWise Acquires eReader.com

[Ed Hansberry]

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/01/11/fictionwise-acquires-ebook-unit-motricity

"Fictionwise, an independent eBook retailer, announced this week that it has acquired the eReader.com eBook retail business unit of mobile content distributor Motricity. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Motricity's eReader.com offers over 23,000 eBook titles. "

I've been an eReader.com customer since they were PeanutPress back in the late 90's. They were then sold to Palm, then to Motoricity, who has now sold them to FictionWise. I am hopeful that much of FictionWise's content will be converted to the eReader.com Pro platform. I have never personally cared for the MobiPocket format FictionWise supports, but time will tell.

Overall though, this is probably a good deal for ebook fans as FictionWise is dedicated to the success of ebooks, whereas to the previous 2 owners of eReader.com, it was just another side business.

[Ed Hansberry]

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/01/11/fictionwise-acquires-ebook-unit-motricity

"Fictionwise, an independent eBook retailer, announced this week that it has acquired the eReader.com eBook retail business unit of mobile content distributor Motricity. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Motricity's eReader.com offers over 23,000 eBook titles. "

I've been an eReader.com customer since they were PeanutPress back in the late 90's. They were then sold to Palm, then to Motoricity, who has now sold them to FictionWise. I am hopeful that much of FictionWise's content will be converted to the eReader.com Pro platform. I have never personally cared for the MobiPocket format FictionWise supports, but time will tell.

Overall though, this is probably a good deal for ebook fans as FictionWise is dedicated to the success of ebooks, whereas to the previous 2 owners of eReader.com, it was just another side business.

[Rod3]

I just hope it doesn't mean you have to keep money tied up there. Fictionwise always has a few dollars of mine in their "account" thing. I like to pay and be done with it.

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by Rod3

I just hope it doesn't mean you have to keep money tied up there. Fictionwise always has a few dollars of mine in their "account" thing. I like to pay and be done with it.

Oh really? eReader.com works like a bookstore - you pay when you download. I wouldn't buy from them if they changed to a prepaid account balance.

[Rod3]

Yes, that's why I like eReader. Fictionwise has this "micropay" thing that I've never been able to cotton to. I'm just hoping they don't switch eReader to that.

[disconnected]

I'm glad it's not just me. I know I have some theoretical micropay money somewhere on Fictionwise, but I've never bothered to actually find out how to get at it. ops:

I always look first at ereader, then Powells, then Fictionwise for a title I want, and try to get the ereader format, when possible, on all three. MsLit and Mobipocket DRM is too cumbersome.

Somehow, my credit card name on Fictionwise doesn't include my middle initial. I don't remember if this was because I forgot to put it in, or there was no place for it. I guess I should really look into trying to change it if most of my future purchases will be there, so that all my books will open with the same input.

[Doug Raeburn]

Fictionwise has offered its secure books in ereader format for a long time. I have a bunch of books from them that I've read using ereader Pro, even back to when it was called Palm Reader Pro.

And you don't have to use the Micropay option. You can pay with a credit card or PayPal. The only restriction is that they charge an additional $0.50 for those types of payments for orders under $5.

They do sometimes offer free Micropay bucks during sales. That's not cash out of your pocket... you can use it or not, as you prefer. Sometimes they'll give you 100% Micropay rebates when you buy a book, so it's often like a "buy one, get one free" sale.

[Doug Raeburn]

Originally Posted by Disconnected

I'm glad it's not just me. I know I have some theoretical micropay money somewhere on Fictionwise, but I've never bothered to actually find out how to get at it. ops:

If you have Micropay, you have to have an account. Just log into your account and go to the "My Bookshelf" page. Your Micropay balance is displayed there.

[disconnected]

Thanks.

I've just had an unpleasant thought. Does this mean the ereader application might no longer be maintained (updated for new versions of PPC operating systems) and ebooks no longer released in that format? I always knew my hundreds (several hundreds) of ebooks could become obsolete at some point, but I've tried not to think about it. If that happens, I hope someone will write a conversion program. I'm a law-abiding sort, but I think this is where I'd cross over.

Never mind. I just read the press release. ops: Still not totally reassured though. I hope it's not like the dreaded vote of confidence just before the end.

[Doug Raeburn]

I kinda doubt there's anything to worry about. eReader has been the secure format that FictionWise has recommended ever since I've bought from them. And my understanding is that its their best-selling format. So I think we're pretty safe.

[geosta]

The thing I love about Fictionwise is that you can choose what format to download the books in, as many times as you like. I routinely download in both .lit and .pdf format so that I can read the book on my PDA in .lit and PDF on my phone.

Very useful, and the one time that I have had an issue with the site, customer support got back to me in a couple of hours. I wouldn't be worried if I was an ereader user being moved over.