The Register reviews the Cooler

ShortNCuddlyAm · 10-19-2009, 09:44 AM

Article here: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/10...eread_cool_er/

Summary:

Quote:

The basics are there, but there are a lot of rough edges to it, compared to the others like the Sony Reader.

They gave it 60%

The-eBook-Reader · 10-19-2009, 10:52 AM

My biggest beef with cooler is the prices of books on their online store. For example, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol sells for $23.96. Get real. All the big boys sell it for $9.99. They also sell public domain books for like $5 each. How anybody buys from them, I don't know.

Hellmark · 10-19-2009, 01:17 PM

I'd wager not many people buy from them, and the cooler isn't locked into buying from them only.

As far as the other stuff, that's why I am uninterested in the B&N reader, since B&N is along the same lines ($5 PD books, etc)

luqmaninbmore · 10-20-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I'd wager not many people buy from them, and the cooler isn't locked into buying from them only.

As far as the other stuff, that's why I am uninterested in the B&N reader, since B&N is along the same lines ($5 PD books, etc)

Actually, B&N prices are quite good, especially for the best sellers. For PD stuff, there's alays their Google Books tie in or, better yet, Mobileread!

HarryT · 10-20-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The-eBook-Reader

My biggest beef with cooler is the prices of books on their online store. For example, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol sells for $23.96. Get real. All the big boys sell it for $9.99. They also sell public domain books for like $5 each. How anybody buys from them, I don't know.

That's the benefit of buying a device with ePub support - you are NOT tied in to buying from any one particular bookstore.

There's nothing particularly "wrong" with charging $5 for a nicely-formatted PD text. It takes a minimum of an hour or so's work to convert a PG book into something decently readable. How much is your time worth to you?

The-eBook-Reader · 10-20-2009, 01:47 PM

Hi HarryT,

I think that selling optimized PDs is perfectly fine, as long as people know that the book is a PD and is converted.

Selling PDs in with other books without saying anywhere that they are PDs just seems shady to me. Most people aren't going to know that they can get them free elsewhere. They see a classic title they read as a kid and think, "hey, it's only a couple of bucks, I might as well get it."

A while back I downloaded one of your Edgar Rice Burroughs Omnibuses for my Sony readers (thanks, BTW; it's really good, and must've taken you a lot of time).

Would you feel feel right about encrypting it and then selling it for $15 to people that simply don't know they get it for free somewhere else?

Cooler charges $1.40 for Gods of War alone, and next to it there's a crossed out $1.75 list price, with no mention of it being a "classic" or PD.

Very shady in my book.

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10-19-2009, 10:52 AM	#2
The-eBook-Reader Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 4637 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: United States Device: All	My biggest beef with cooler is the prices of books on their online store. For example, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol sells for $23.96. Get real. All the big boys sell it for $9.99. They also sell public domain books for like $5 each. How anybody buys from them, I don't know.

10-19-2009, 01:17 PM	#3
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,552 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I'd wager not many people buy from them, and the cooler isn't locked into buying from them only. As far as the other stuff, that's why I am uninterested in the B&N reader, since B&N is along the same lines ($5 PD books, etc)

10-20-2009, 01:47 PM	#6
The-eBook-Reader Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 4637 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: United States Device: All	Hi HarryT, I think that selling optimized PDs is perfectly fine, as long as people know that the book is a PD and is converted. Selling PDs in with other books without saying anywhere that they are PDs just seems shady to me. Most people aren't going to know that they can get them free elsewhere. They see a classic title they read as a kid and think, "hey, it's only a couple of bucks, I might as well get it." A while back I downloaded one of your Edgar Rice Burroughs Omnibuses for my Sony readers (thanks, BTW; it's really good, and must've taken you a lot of time). Would you feel feel right about encrypting it and then selling it for $15 to people that simply don't know they get it for free somewhere else? Cooler charges $1.40 for Gods of War alone, and next to it there's a crossed out $1.75 list price, with no mention of it being a "classic" or PD. Very shady in my book.

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