sell

Amazon ups author royalty for Kindle, matching Apple

In what may be a pre-emptive strike against the strong possibility that Apple will reveal a slate-style device on January 27, Amazon has said it will up the royalty for authors and publishers who use the Kindle Digital Text Platform (DTP) to 70 percent of the list price of their e-books. That's a big jump from its current 35 percent royalty rate and not coincidentally, the same number Apple doles out to developers who sell their apps in Apple's App Store.

Starting on June 30, Amazon says that for each Kindle book sold, authors and publishers who select the new 70 percent royalty option will receive 70 percent of the list price, minus delivery costs. This new option will be in addition to and will not replace the existing DTP standard royalty option, which is set at a 65-35 split, with 65 percent going to Amazon.

Amazon didn't have any comment about whether the new pricing was a response to Apple's royalty program for its App Store, which offers thousands of e-books as self-contained apps along with e-reader apps from Amazon (Kindle for iPhone, Stanza), Barnes & Noble, and other e-book stores. But it did say that delivery costs will be based on file size and pricing will be 15 cents per megabyte.

"At today's median DTP file size of 368KB, delivery costs would be less than $0.06 per unit sold," the news release notes. "This new program can thus enable authors and publishers to make more money on every sale. For example, on an $8.99 book an author would make $3.15 with the standard option, and $6.25 with the new 70 percent option."

The announcement also sets some parameters around the 70 percent royalty option. To qualify, books must satisfy the following set of requirements: … Read more

Amazon to open bricks-and-mortar stores?

(Updated 11.35AM PST Monday, with comment from Amazon)

There's a wonderful Borders bookstore in the middle of London's Oxford Street. Or at least there was. I went there in September and suddenly it was no more. Indeed, the U.K. arm of Borders recently reached for a form of bankruptcy protection.

So how interesting that one of the greatest successes in online book retail, Amazon, is rumored to be troubling real estate agents in its search for retail premises in the U.K. According to London's impeccable Times, Amazon is looking for very fine locations in … Read more

You can still break even on iPhone 3GS upgrade

So it has come to this: My iPhone 3G is a year old and out of warranty. Its battery ain't what it used to be. And, heavens, does it seem slow sometimes.

Needless to say, I've been eyeballing a 3GS for some time, but I still don't qualify for a price break on an upgrade--not until April, 2010, according to AT&T.

So if I want to replace my 16GB 3G with a 32GB 3GS, it'll cost me $499. It'll be a warm January day in Michigan before I spend that kind of money … Read more

Intuitive presentation maker

SellFolio Basic is a very intuitive program that walks users step-by-step through the process of creating attractive Flash-based presentations. People who want a sleek and professional-looking finished product but don't have a lot of design know-how will find SellFolio to be a powerful tool.

The program's interface is clean and well-labeled, with the presentation creation process broken down into 12 steps. Users simply move through each step, making the appropriate choices about template, music, text, images, and other components of the presentation. Many of the features that would allow users to really customize their presentations are disabled in … Read more

Clumsy Web designer

Ezimerchant Professional is designed to help build Web sites where users can sell their products. While it offers an impressive selection of tools, the program is complicated and frustrating to use and requires Web design skills.

The program's interface deceived us after our first impression. Although Ezimerchant has a professional-looking layout, we needed to revisit the Help file constantly. We were able to quickly build the skeleton of a Web site featuring a Home page, an About page, and more. While we were able to customize text, images, and the design template, we were disappointed by the results, which … Read more

Amazon and the art of service

May I begin with a message to the Federal Trade Commission, which is demanding that bloggers now reveal if they have been paid or incentivized by a company they are reviewing?

I have not been given any money by Amazon. I have not consulted for Amazon. And the only thing that Amazon has ever given me for free is free Super Saver shipping when I clicked that very button on the checkout page.

There.

So please now let me tell you about a certain experience with the Kindle-bearing online seller.

While traveling through Europe over the last month, I decided … Read more

The 404 393: Where Natali's alter-ego is Motherboard

Today we're graced by the presence of an actual superhero. Yes, Natali Del Conte has been transformed into the marginally intimidating geek hero "Motherboard." Neither a mother nor a board, Motherboard was sent to this planet to fight crime with her magic gadgets. Too bad she must recharge every night on her magnetic induction bed. Find out the etymology behind our new superfriend and her trusty sidekick Green Show Boy, aka Mark Licea, by listening in!

Also on the show, we discuss the fallout from the Horizon Realty escapade and why the Wii has stopped selling so well.

Finally, we talk about Peter Jackson's latest complaint: the fact that Hollywood has run out of original stories. OK Mr. Jackson, we'll give you District 9, but we're pretty sure both King Kong and The Lord of the Rings may have been other people's ideas.

EPISODE 393 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sell your iPhone 3G at a profit

If you're among those lucky few who are eligible to upgrade to an iPhone 3G S without paying full retail pricing, here's good news: you can sell your old iPhone 3G and walk away with some extra cash.

Let's say you have the 16GB model. A quick check of Craigslist and eBay shows that the going rate for a mint-condition 16GB iPhone 3G is around $400.

Now, it doesn't take a math whiz to figure out that if you buy a 16GB iPhone 3G S for $200, you'll walk away with a $200 profit. Grab … Read more

Add-on lacks customization

Amazon Top Sellers is a free Firefox extension that displays Amazon's top sellers at the bottom of your browser window. Though it performed its job, it lacked any kind of customization.

When installed, the add-on unobtrusively adds one of five categories--books, DVD, electronics, music, toys--to the bottom of your browser window. Following each category name are links to the top five sellers within that category. Clicking on each link takes you the corresponding Amazon Web page. At the end of the list resides a More link that takes you to the category's Web page. The program works well, … Read more

104: We drop the top on the Corvette convertible. In January.

China becomes the world's largest car market, but Ford is unable to unload Volvo there; you may get to write off part of your next car purchase; and we drop the top on a Corvette convertible. In January.

Listen now: Download today's podcast SHOW NOTES

• China overtakes the U.S. in auto sales for the first time

• GM eyes S.F. and D.C. as early home runs for the Volt

• CNET Review of the Corvette Convertible

• OnStar looking for a home in non-GM cars

• New Mazda3 variants to bow in Geneva early March