MediaNet Digital

MediaNet Launches eBook Catalog and Distribution Service

Posted by MediaNet Public Relations | April 28, 2010 9:10 am | No Comments

Tags: API Updates, Biz Updates, Content Updates, Press Releases, Product Updates

Success in Digital Music Distribution is Expanded to Deliver Comprehensive
eBooks Digital Bookstore and Full-Featured Product Offering

NEW YORK, NY (April 28, 2010) – MediaNet, the leading service provider for the distribution of premium digital media, introduced today a comprehensive eBook catalog and product offering.  The advanced MN Open platform that MediaNet has successfully built for digital music will now support the integration of eBooks using an intuitive API that has been widely adopted by more than 100 application developers, web publishers and online retailers for music offerings.

MediaNet will make available a broad catalog of eBooks including the most popular titles that are available through major physical and online book sellers. These eBooks will initially be offered in the Adobe ePub and PDF formats which are compatible with a wide variety of devices including PC, Mac, Sony Reader, Nook and new entrants such as the Plastic Logic Que, and additional formats will be introduced as needed. Currently there are applications available in the marketplace that will allow for compatibility with the “iDevices” including the iPhone and iPad, similar to the applications available for digital music. 

Alan McGlade, CEO of MediaNet stated:  “MediaNet has a long track record in the music business with proven success in the digital delivery of premium music content.  MediaNet currently powers music metadata, streams and downloads for over one hundred digital retailers and online entertainment destinations. The integration of eBooks comes at the right time for this burgeoning industry and is a natural extension of MediaNet’s digital music roots.”

MediaNet’s eBook service will be accessed by web publishers and application developers through an API built on top of MediaNet’s enterprise class content delivery platform.  MediaNet’s API provides complete control over the user experience, functionality, e-commerce and content catalog. Online retailers can rapidly implement more advanced browsing, discovery, and purchase options under their own brand. MediaNet will make available its popular suite of Web Components for the eBooks offering in the next month.  With no coding required and a quick time to market, MediaNet’s Web Components allow anyone to place dynamically displayed eBook content anywhere on the Web.  This offers a contextually rich experience with eBooks content presented to end users in a relevant manner when they are most interested in an author or subject and likely to transact. 

New MediaNet customers can sign-up for the MN Open eBook service by going to www.mndigital.com. They will be able to incorporate a versatile and intelligent download manager to simplify the acquisition and management of eBooks for their end users. Once an eBook service is successfully launched, MediaNet customers will be given access to a sophisticated real-time reporting portal to monitor sales activity. 

Alan McGlade added:  “The MN Open eBook solution gives web publishers and application developers access to a new form of premium digital content that will increase user engagement and generate sales.  Book publishers will see a significant broadening of eBook distribution online with a powerful new marketing platform for titles to be exposed to consumers when they are most likely to purchase them. In addition, MediaNet’s entry in the growing eBooks marketplace will spur innovation by lowering the barrier to entry for a broad range of online retailers and encouraging new ways to present eBooks and touch consumers.”

Contact:
Ann Garrett
MediaNet
818-501-8499 or agarrett@mndigital.com

eBooks PR Images

MediaNet eBooks API Screenshot

MediaNet eBooks Web Component Screenshot


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The Buzz Around eBooks

Posted by Alan McGlade | November 4, 2009 8:09 pm | No Comments

Tags: Content Updates

The narrative of how the CD business was unexpectedly disrupted and is ultimately being replaced by digital downloads is well established. More recently, movie, television, radio and newspaper companies have been wiggling their toes in the digital space. They will ultimately have to make a profound transition as well. But this fall and into the holiday season it is eBook and eReader retailers that are getting the headlines.

Kindle came on the scene almost two years ago and is already regarded as a modest success. While they have not sold many devices or eBooks relative to the total market size, Kindle can be given its share of the credit for introducing the idea of eBooks to consumers.

The other early player was Sony. Last month Sony expanded its eBook offering through deals with libraries and Google. You can now check out eBooks from many local libraries using a service called Library Finder and read them on a Sony Reader. In addition, Sony struck a deal with Google to gain access to an additional 500,000 eBooks.

Barnes & Noble launched a fully stocked eBook Store last month and just announced that they intend to sell an eReader as well. A number of companies will be introducing advanced devices in the coming months. Prominent among them is Plastic Logic, a technology start-up that will offer an eReader with a form factor suitable for newspapers and magazines. Expect other companies like Samsung and Apple to step up in the not-too-distant future. Finally, a variety of Apps have been developed for the PC, Mac, iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones to allow users to read eBooks on any of these devices.

Expect to see a lot of action in the eBook space in the next year. And look to MediaNet to show you how your company can participate with our eBook products that are currently being developed.