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#1 | |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
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Karma: 23555235
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DC Metro area
Device: Shake a stick plus 1
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Oyster shutters its ebook service
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Oyster was the smaller than Scribd or KU, and after Scribd faced a couple setbacks this summer, it was obvious that Oyster would soon have problems as well. The only remaining question is whether someone bought Oyster, and what is going to happen to the tech. Would anyone care to guess? The Digital Reader |
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#2 |
Séduisant
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Karma: 2107018
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Texas, USA
Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6
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Wow, another one bites the dust.
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#3 |
monkey on the fringe
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Karma: 158500174
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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It's expensive to set up a private library service and these companies just don't have the funding.
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#4 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
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#5 | |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
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Karma: 23555235
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DC Metro area
Device: Shake a stick plus 1
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#6 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
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#7 |
Wizard
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Karma: 18401861
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada
Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633
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Libraries wouldn't be able to afford it either if they had to buy a new book for each loan (at least that seems to be Scribd's case). I don't know if Oyster had the same problem.
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#8 |
Wizard
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Karma: 30063305
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Singapore
Device: Boyue
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Google paid for the developers not the company. But I am wondering Google with its huge ad network we might see an ad based reader in addition to a subscription based model. Something like they have with youtube.
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#9 |
Treasure Seeker
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Karma: 26026435
Join Date: Mar 2010
Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices
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I never tried Oyster but I am sad to see the model fail so quickly.
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#10 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
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I'm thinking Google might want the developers to set up their own subscription service as a complement to their bookstore. Unlike Oyster and scribd they have money to burn so they might last long enough to grow a measurable customer base.
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#11 |
Fanatic
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Karma: 13511506
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cleveland, OH
Device: Voyage, Oasis, Kobo Glo HD,iPad Pro, Sony 350 and T2
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Majorly bummed about this. I really enjoyed the service. Selection is a lot better than Kindle Unlimited. I've never checked out Scribd. Might have to now. Wondering if Google will open up a subscription service. If so, I'll be very interested in that.
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#12 |
Orisa
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Karma: 1035571
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Ireland
Device: Onyx Poke 5
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Google's subscription services have been underwhelming so far. This is bad news.
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#13 | |
The Dank Side of the Moon
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Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
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Go Go Google Books.....
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#14 |
Wizard
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Karma: 9211856
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini
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I haven't heard anything about Scribd going under. It probably lost a lot of romance readers in its bid to prove profitable, but it's done two things that might help it stay afloat:
* limit the romance offerings, by reducing and rotating catalogue. Readers were gobbling that stuff down like crack (myself included). There's no way they could have paid royalties for it all based on what we were paying. I've still been using the service for YA (which reads as quickly but doesn't have the same following) and SF (slower going altogether). * limit the audiobook listens. There is a monthly credit for high-demand audiobooks now (they roll over), and unlimited listens on another grouping of audiobooks. I think tiered subscriptions might also be successful in this space. Since there is reporting that Google has acquired the Oyster staff to work in their ebook division. I wonder if Google is interested in launching a subscription service to compete with Scribd and KU? |
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#15 |
Tea Enthusiast
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Karma: 75384937
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Somewhere in the USA
Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2
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NPR said that Google was snapping up Oyster employees
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