Google: iriver Story HD to be first Google eBooks e-reader

[Emil]

Google has announced that the iriver Story HD e-reader will be the first e-reader integrated with the Google eBooks platform, through which you can buy and read Google eBooks over Wi-Fi. The iriver Story HD will become available for sale in Target stores in the US and on Target.com on July 17, 2011.

The iriver Story HD, which retails for $140, is slim and lightweight with a high-resolution e-ink screen and a QWERTY keyboard. Google eBooks supports more than 80 devices, but books need to be first downloaded and transferred from computer to e-reader with a USB cable. The Story HD meanwhile includes over-the-air access so that you can browse, buy, and read Google eBooks with your e-reader through Wi-Fi.

Google says the Story HD is a new milestone for the company, as iriver becomes the first manufacturer to launch an e-reader integrated with Google eBooks. That being said, the search giant is promising more Google eBooks-integrated devices in the future.

"We built the Google eBooks platform to be open to all publishers, retailers and manufacturers," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "Manufacturers like iriver can use Google Books APIs and services to connect their devices to the full Google eBooks catalog for out-of-the-box access to a complete ebookstore."

Back in December 2010, Google launched the Google eBookstore with more than 3 million titles. Google eBooks is compatible with laptops, netbooks, tablets, smartphones, and e-readers. The Google eBooks Web Reader, which works in all modern browsers, lets a users buy, store, and read Google eBooks in the cloud.

Google updated the service in May 2010, offering the ability to select words in Google eBooks and look up their definitions, translate them, or search for them elsewhere in the book. The company has also added new retailers (including more than 250 independent bookstores) and made Google eBooks available in the Android Market.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/44634-google-iriver-story-hd-to-be-first-google-ebooks-e-reader.html

 

[superty12]

Sorry Google, but there's a leading product in this market that nobody can shake. What was its name? Oh yeah, Amazon Kindle, the first and the greatest. Stop following everybody or you're going to die.

 

[Guest]

I like the new Nook a lot more than the Kindle. So much simpler. Haven't put it down for a week.

 

[Kibaruk]

I hope Google stops buying or making existing stuff and go make their own.

PS: Remember ChromeBooks? :lol:

 

[Archean]

A product with stupid name and looks, they jacked off the button design straight from an old SE cell / and I think some Aston Martin DB series dashboards ....... wtf is wrong with Google nowadays?

 

[Mizzou]

Sorry Google, but there's a leading product in this market that nobody can shake. What was its name? Oh yeah, Amazon Kindle, the first and the greatest. Stop following everybody or you're going to die.

It certainly does seem like Google is running around trying to imitate / displace leading products and providers. Think they're trying too hard to get their fingers in too many pies all at the same time.

 

[Butch]

I have a Kindle now and I love it but I am glad to see more and more eBook devices being released as it drives the cost down. Hell, I paid almost $400.00 for my Kindle when it was the only game in town and now you can get one for a third of that. Hopefully the same will happen for the over priced tablets..