The Future Of Book Publishing

Amazon released a new device slated to be the “ipod for ebooks.”
Amazon is betting that the sleek white device will boost the market for e-book readership. In an interview with Associated Press, Jeff Bezos explains that the kindle gives users access to blogs, newspapers, and books by downloading them directly through the Kindle. The Kindle can handle up to 200 books and weighs 10.3 ounces. The kindle retails for $399.00.

Other companies are tackling the future of books by publishing them in audio (mp3) format.

Audible.com – distributes over 40,000 audio books
iAmplify.com – distributes top titles from Random House and Harper Collins
Simplyaudiobooks.com – Rents audio books for a monthly fee.

Web 2.0 Turnkey Stores

One of the defining terms of the web 2.0 world is: Turnkey.
Does a website provide a solution that takes very little time
or effort for the consumer to implement? Companies are increasingly
applying the Turnkey concept to build virtual storefronts. The stores
have been attracting website owners and consumers alike.

A few companies in the spotlight:

Zazzle.com & MySpace – A partnership that will allow musicians with MySpace pages to create virtual stores for their T-shirts and merchandise. Their fans will be able to customize the product they are purchasing with artwork and graphics from the musician.


Squidoo.com – You can build a page on any topic in a few minutes and add on merchandise from multiple retailers.


iAmplify.com – Any website can create their own MP3 and MP4 download store with a simple audio and video player dubbed the InSite Player. Consumers can purchase the downloads directly from the player.

Facebook Applications – All the Rage

With Microsoft Corp.’s $240 million investment in Facebook Inc, building a facebook application just got hotter. According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft announced last week it will buy a 1.6% stake in Facebook. The implications of this investment are yet to be seen. The valuation of Facebook as of today is approximately 15 billion dollars. As a marketer, it is probably wise to familiarize yourself with Facebook and building a Facebook Application as a way of reaching over 30 million people.

A few great places to find more information:
The Facebook Application Report by O’Reilly Radar
Social Media
Mashable.com

Web 2.0 Interfaces – Keeping it clean

With all the buzz about web 2.0 generating new methods of communication. Some web 2.0 websites are doing better than others with communicating with their visitors. Remember there is one golden rule: Keep communication simple and friendly. Visitors should be able to see where to go next in under 2 seconds.

The top 5 sites that keep their user interfaces clean and super friendly:
Twitter - The homepage leads you to do one thing: To join.
This Next – The homepage leads you to discover more about the site.
Quickeo – 3 simple things to do on the homepage all leading you to the same place…to enter the site.
YourMinis- find any widget the fast and easy way
Meebo – Simply sign up to an instant messenger on their homepage.