This Week in Books - Brian Altounian of Wowio.com

TL;DR

Browser books are a new breed of ebooks that allow users to read in their browser using an app or widget that mimics a book, offering a fully immersive reading experience with real-time and geo-targeted advertising.

Transcript

you we all know about the kindle we also know about ebooks in the iphone app store but now there's a new breed of ebook in the process of being bored the browser book you read in your browser using an app or widget that mimics a book its large in color and unlike the kindle absolutely nothing is lost in the translation from paper to digital browser... Read More

Key Insights

• 📔 Browser books offer a fully immersive reading experience with realistic book features.
• 👾 Wowyo.com is one of the few companies in the browser book space, focusing on offering free books with ads and generating revenue through targeted advertising.
• 📔 The success of browser books in the comic book space highlights their potential in the digital reading market.
• 👾 Google's entry into the browser book market with an iTunes-like model could further validate the space.
• 🎓 The education and nonprofit sectors are potential growth areas for browser books.
• ⤴️ Publisher concerns about cannibalization and digital rights management can be addressed through careful implementation and targeting of ads.
• 🏛️ Adapting to mobile devices like the iPhone and building partnerships with social networking platforms could expand the reach of browser books.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Wowyo.com get started in the browser book business?

Wowyo.com was started by technologists and professors who saw the high cost of textbooks and wanted to provide free books with ads. They found that there was a demand for not only textbooks but also books that were attractive but not easily accessible to the public.

Q: How does Wowyo.com generate revenue from browser books?

Wowyo.com generates revenue through ads in the books. They have a revenue split with publishers for ads shown in the browser version, and if a reader chooses to purchase a downloadable version, they also have a revenue split with the publisher. They also offer free books sponsored by advertisers.

Q: How does Wowyo.com ensure the quality of browser books?

Wowyo.com takes great care in ensuring the quality of the books on their site. They have added elements to public domain books to make them unique and also work closely with publishers to provide additional content and create a richer reading experience.

Q: Are there any competitors in the browser book space?

While there may be other companies in the browser book space, Wowyo.com appears to be fairly unique in their approach, especially with their focus on free books and targeted advertising. They have seen success in the comic book space, which sets them apart from others.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Browser books are similar to ebooks but offer a more immersive reading experience with realistic book features like color and page turning.

• One company, Wowyo.com, is bringing browser books to the mass market with a focus on providing free books with ads and generating revenue through targeted advertising.

• While browser books initially started with textbooks, they have seen significant success in the comic book space as well.