Tag Archives: Amazon

A monopoly believes it is permanent

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Chris Walters

A monopoly believes it is a permanent fixture in its industry. An Internet e-commerce company worries obsessively that it can be destroyed at any time if it doesn’t stay fast and smart. The contrast between Amazon and big publishing could … Continue reading →

Posted in business, publishing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Today’s Bargain Book: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Chris Walters

In Maguire’s detailed Oz re-imagining, the Wicked Witch of the West is more than just a villain; she’s also an intelligent, headstrong opponent of Oz’s establishment class, one whose inflexible demands for justice make her a prime political target as she grows in power. Continue reading →

Posted in bargains | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here’s how a local bookseller tried to get my future business

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Chris Walters

In my recent counter-tirade against the emotional outbursts that booksellers are frequently guilty of when they should be discussing retail strategies, I mentioned that the last time I contacted a local bookstore to offer feedback on what I want as … Continue reading →

Posted in business, commentary, ebooks, news, online, publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The biggest threat to local bookstores? Crazy booksellers and their fanboys

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Chris Walters

Last week, Amazon tried to train consumers to openly treat local retail stores as showrooms for Amazon merchandise. It was a ballsy but ethically shaky move; I believe customers who participated helped Amazon steal resources and sales from competitors for … Continue reading →

Posted in business, commentary, news, publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Amazon Silk, or Amazon Browses the Web So You Don’t Have To

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Chris Walters

The Kindle Fire doesn’t come with a normal web browser, but with something Amazon is calling Amazon Silk, which is Amazon’s attempt at improving page rendering speed, browser responsiveness, and hardware limitations. Amazon has launched a blog about Amazon Silk, … Continue reading →

Posted in business, devices, hardware, Kindle, Kindle Fire, mobile, online | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Amazon says, “Kindles for everyone, even the poor!”

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Chris Walters

Someone at Amazon must have figured out that things aren’t looking good for the middle class, because the four new Kindle models announced today are all ridiculously cheap, both compared to previous Kindles and the competition. Before the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in devices, hardware, Kindle, Kindle Fire | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Today’s Bargain Book: “The Strain” by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Chris Walters

A financier obsessed with immortality brings a vampire to NYC, but the contagion quickly spreads beyond anyone’s control. Continue reading →

Posted in bargains | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here’s an RSS feed for Amazon’s new Kindle Daily Deal

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Chris Walters

If you’re a bargain hunter when it comes to ebooks, there’s now a new source for discounted titles: Kindle Daily Deal at amazon.com/kindledailydeal. It’s similar to the Gold Box daily specials that Amazon has offered for years now, but focused … Continue reading →

Posted in deals, Kindle, online, promotions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments