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You Can't Rest on Your Laurels

ByLeigh Davis AAR afterhours blog, Leigh AAR
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You know, after the Department of Justice filed suit against Apple and Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, and Simon & Schuster, I imagined  Jeff Bezos is doing a victory dance around his office like Hugh Grant in the clip below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUm2K6eDuMU

But now with the announcement of the Barnes and Noble and Microsoft collaboration I have to wonder if he is feeling so buoyant.  In case you missed the news, Microsoft is making a 605-million dollar investment in the Nook.

Barnes & Noble is creating a new subsidiary, tentatively dubbed Newco. Microsoft initially is investing $300-million and then over the next several years will invest an additional $305 million to help fund Newco’s international expansion – something that has hurt the Nook.

I have a Kindle and have good feelings toward Amazon; still, I am glad that this happened.  I think it just proves that the market place doesn’t need publishers to control pricing to maintain competition.

What are your thoughts?

– Leigh AAR

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maggie b.

We need a competitive market place. I like Amazon, love my Kindle – but I don’t want those people ruling the (book) world.

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Rike

I read recently that B&N are taking on the European market and are planning to sell books to outside the US, which they haven’t done yet. So yeah!

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Wendy

I don’t know what I’d do without your updates on this. Yay Nookl!

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LeeB.

I’m glad there will be more competition. Plus I have a Nook.

And Love Actually — one of my favorite movies! :)

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AAR Sandy

You know how people somewhat irrationally hate Apple? That’s me with Microsoft.

I didn’t like Apple’s stand in the eBook war, but I still love the company. I’ve been on a Mac since 1987 and it’s all I know.

Still, competition is a good thing. I hate Microsoft, but this is a good thing.

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