Origami Unicorn

Consider the Universal Library

The Atlantic discusses Google's book scanning, copyright, class actions, and the future of books.

Somewhere at Google there is a database containing 25 million books and nobody is allowed to read them.

Apple Case Heads for the High Court

Apple's appeal on the price fixing charge moves forward, with a desion on weather the Supreme Court will consider the matter due as soon as tomorrow. Publishers Weekly comments.

If the high court declines to hear Apple’s appeal, Judge Denise Cote’s 2013 liability finding against Apple will be considered final, triggering $400 million in consumer rebates.

Apple and Its Allies

In an amicus brief, the Authos Guild, the ABA, B&N, and others back Apple's attempt to roll back the antitrust decision against it. Publishers Weekly has the story.

The amicus brief comes in support of Apple’s petition this fall to have the Supreme Court review the case, after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in June upheld Judge Denise Cote’s 2013 ruling finding the company liable for price-fixing. Apple attorneys argue that the lower courts erred in finding Apple liable for a “per se” case of price-fixing, rather than applying the more rigorous “rule of reason” standard...

SCOTUS & Apple

Publishers Weekly reports that the Apple ebook case is in the last stage of the last stage. If the Supreme Court won't take that case, or if they uphold the lower court's ruling, that is the end of the road.

If the Supreme Court rejects Apple’s appeal, Apple’s liability finding would be considered final under a 2014 settlement with 33 states and a consumer class, triggering $400 million in consumer rebates.

Amazon Goes After Fake Reviews

Bloomberg reports that Amazon has filed a lawsuit against a number of people offering fake reviews.

The largest online retailer said it sued freelancers offering to write fictional reviews on Fiverr.com, an online marketplace where people can be hired for minor tasks at prices starting at $5. The lawsuit was filed in state court in Seattle, Amazon said.

The Why and Wherefore of Book Blurbs

NPR has the story of book blurbs, which exist not so much to draw readers as to help trade people position books.

...the guy who came up with the word "blurb" in the first place — humorist Gelett Burgess, whose 1907 book Are You a Bromide? featured a woman he called Miss Belinda Blurb, extolling the book's manifold virtues from its cover.

Amazon and the Flow of Ideas

Publishers Weekly reports yet another effort to get the Department of Justice to take a look into Amazon's practices.

Teicher...said the "deleterious impact Amazon has had on consumers has become more apparent." And, while antitrust laws in the U.S. are different from those in other countries, "the fact that the European Union has launched its own investigation may give our DoJ reason to take another look."

Amazon Updates Terms

According to Publishers Weekly, Amazon has updated its terms for Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owners Lending Library to reflect the number of pages actually read. It has also, once again, fttened the pot payment is made from.

Nielsen Report on the US Ebook Market

The Bookseller talks about the latest Nielsen report on the US ebook market. Noteworthy:

Nielsen’s analysis tells us less about the overall e-book market in the States than we’d like, primarily because it doesn’t include sales from self-published — or non ISBN publishers — or as Hugh Howey would have it the "35%+ of the ignored/silent market". Nielsen does give some indication that it is aware of this grey sector, reckoning that 42% those who have downloaded e-books are sure they have bought a self-published

book.

Apple vs Bromwich

As the period in which Apple is being actively monitored draw toward a close, the monitor himself, Michael Bromwich, says the company is not cooperating. Publishers Weekly has the story.

It is unclear when the appeals court will rule on Apple’s objection to Bromwich’s work, which is now entering its final stages, unless extended by the court.