InfoPrint first to issue statement on Google in Printed Books

Google has teamed up with On Demand Books to offer Print-On-Demand publishing for two million out-of-copyright books.

The story at
Publisher's Weekly.
Times Online (UK)
E Week
LA Times
Cnet News (pix)
San Jose Biz Journal

@Sandraz (Sandra Zoratti, Vice President of Global Solutions Marketing says:

“Today’s news from Google and On Demand books is a boost of adrenaline to the print on demand industry. Despite the headlines on the boom in electronic books, readers still generally prefer printed copies – after all, how can you pass on a book you love to your friend, if it is kept on an e-reader?

The problem has always been how to create a decent business case around producing more niche titles, for an important audience that is less interested in reading on a computer screen than in holding a printed and bound version in its hands. Print on demand solves this, as well as the waste issue around pulping books that go unsold from larger print runs. With Google taking the first big step in this direction, it is likely many other well-known brands will follow suit.”

I say,

End of Print? Ha! As long as they don't get it, I get to buy more under valued stock. The biz model for books going forward is "Read for Free. Pay for Print."

Go Print!

I bet Amazon will respond by looking for a distribute and print network to keep Google out of the book business. Once they get the contextually accurate ads in the form of QR and one tag line in the right hand column we'll get pretty close to Books free-to user, paid for by appropriate advertising to the "printernet". Way cool!

And either BN or Borders will contract with part of that network instead of spending the money for an Espresso Machine.

The story at
Publisher's Weekly.
Times Online (UK)
E Week
LA Times
Cnet News (pix)
San Jose Biz Journal