Waterstones, the largest UK bookstore chain, announced this morning that it would be partnering with Amazon to sell the Kindle in its stores, rather than competing against the Seattle company with its own digital books platform as Barnes & Noble has done. Based on his comments related to the announcement, I think Waterstones managing director… Read More…
Six months ago, James Daunt, the managing director of big UK bookstore chain Waterstones, had this to say about Amazon: ”They never struck me as being a sort of business in the consumer’s interest. They’re a ruthless, money-making devil.” At the time, the bookseller was in the process of developing its own e-reader. But this morning, Waterstones announced… Read More…
New clues suggest that Amazon’s Kindle e-reader business have been suffering more than has been letting on — with E Ink Holdings saying that its “major customer” ordered “almost nothing” in the first quarter after overestimating its sales during the holiday season. The theory from investor Paolo Santos is that the Kindle Fire is cannibalizing traditional… Read More…
This could get very interesting, especially in light of the new alliance between Barnes & Noble and Microsoft. The Verge reports today — citing an unnamed source and an internal Target memo — that the giant retailer will stop selling the Kindle due to “conflict of interest.” There certainly seems to be some legs to this… Read More…
If you saw the “Hunger Games” movie but haven’t bothered reading ahead in the books, you might want to keep your head down when you venture outside. An outdoor ad by Amazon.com for the Kindle shows the opening page of “Mockingjay,” the third book in the trilogy — revealing a number of plot twists from… Read More…
[Follow-up: Microsoft vs. Amazon? Plot thickens with Barnes & Noble pact] Looking to jumpstart its upcoming Windows 8 operating system and bolster its position in tablet computers, Microsoft today announced a $300 million investment in Barnes & Noble’s Nook business unit. As part of the deal, Microsoft will take a 17.6 percent stake in the… Read More…
The Kindle Fire is just five months old. But Amazon.com’s touchscreen device already accounts for 54 percent of the Android tablet market, according to a report out today from comScore. That’s an amazing achievement, outdistancing the next closest rival, the Samsung Galaxy, by nearly 40 percentage points. “Within the Android tablet market, Kindle Fire has… Read More…
Amazon.com senior vice president of worldwide digital media Steven Kessel — who helped lead the early efforts behind the Kindle electronic reading device — is taking time off from the company, according to a report by Tricia Duryee at All Things D. Kessel joined the company in 1999 and assumed the senior vice president role… Read More…
One of the down sides of traditional E Ink, used in devices such as Amazon Kindle e-readers, is the inability to read in the dark without some kind of accessory. As an owner of an official Kindle Lighted Leather Cover — which sells for a whopping $50 — I can attest to the fact that… Read More…
The Pew Internet & American Life Project is out today with an epic report on the “rise of e-reading” — showing, among other things, that more than 20 percent of Americans have read an e-book in the past year, up from 17 percent at the end of last year. There are tons of interesting… Read More…
GeekWire Summer Bash, June 21: We’ll be breaking out the ping-pong tables for this giant summer celebration at the Showbox SODO — with expert and intermediate tournaments, foosball, prizes, and more. Sign up to compete, or just come to enjoy the party and cheer on your friends. Tickets available now.
Join us at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® awards gala to see who will take home top honors in the Pacific Northwest. The finalists are high-growth entrepreneurs and leaders who are innovating, expanding and creating jobs and enhancing our communities. June 15, 2012 | Hyatt Regency Bellevue | 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Come celebrate!
You’re invited to HAPPY HOUR, a monthly meet up for leaders in the film, music and interactive industries to share, learn and make meaningful business connections. This month features guest speaker Trey Gunn, guitar player for King Crimson, Brian Eno, Tool, and more. Trey will speak to the value of original voice, how to find it, and how, as an artist and business professional, to use it to your advantage.
See you Wednesday, May 30th, 5-7 PM at Spitfire in Belltown, free admission (21+)
In case you haven’t heard, Splunk’s Seattle office is responsible for the company’s developer platform and Microsoft offerings. Join us for our open house, where you can geek out at demo stations, enjoy food and drinks, and meet our CEO, Godfrey Sullivan, and more Splunkers. The event is free, but if you’d like to make a donation, check out Year Up Seattle.
RSVP for this free event, and we’ll see you on Wednesday, 6/20, 5-8 PM
FounderDating is a premier online network for entrepreneurs to connect with cofounders. You should apply if you want to a part of a network that is:
Ideas change, people don’t. FounderDating: Where Founders Meet. @founderdating
On May 22nd at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, join 800 tech and business leaders at the Technology Alliance’s 2012 State of Technology Luncheon for a timely conversation with John McAdam, President, CEO & Director of F5 Networks, Inc.
Co-founder, Seattle Editor
john@geekwire.com | (206) 913-7926
Chief Business Officer
rebecca@geekwire.com | (206) 714-6341
Co-founder, National Editor
todd@geekwire.com | (206) 300-0265
Photographer and Writer
annielaurie@geekwire.com
Rebecca Lovell, GeekWire's chief business officer and a veteran of Seattle's tech startup scene, dispenses tips, tricks, insights and tough love in this regular column. Have a question for Rebecca? Submit your lovelletter to rebecca@geekwire.com, and follow her on Twitter @lovelletters.
GeekWire's iPhone App is Here: Download it today to read the latest tech news and features on the go, with Twitter and Facebook sharing, plus offline reading support.
GeekWire on Twitter: Follow @geekwire for real-time headlines, breaking news and updates from the GeekWire news team, plus selected highlights from the GeekWire Job Board.
Most commented