BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union regulators are to end an antitrust probe into e-book prices by accepting an offer by Apple and four publishers to ease price restrictions on Amazon, two sources said on Tuesday.
That decision would hand online retailer Amazon a victory in its attempt to sell e-books cheaper than rivals in the fast-growing market publishers hope will boost revenue and increase customer numbers.
'Faced with years of court battles and uncertainty I can understand why some of these guys decided to fold their cards and take the whipping,' said Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, an ebook publisher and distributor that works with Apple.
'It's certainly another win for Amazon,' he added. 'I have not seen the terms of the final settlement, but my initial reaction is that it places restrictions on what publishers can do, slowing them down just when they need to be more nimble.'
A spokesman at the EU Commission said its investigation was not yet finished. Amazon and Apple declined to comment.
In September, Apple and the publishers offered to let retailers set prices or discounts for a period of two years, and also to suspend 'most-favored nation' contracts for five years.
Such clauses bar Simon & Schuster, News Corp. unit HarperCollins, Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, the owner of German company Macmillan, from making deals with rival retailers to sell e-books more cheaply than Apple.
The agreements, which critics say prevent Amazon and other retailers from undercutting Apple's charges, sparked an investigation by the European Commission in December last year.
Pearson Plc's Penguin group, which is also under investigation, did not take part in the offer.
The EU antitrust authority, which in September asked for feedback from rivals and consumers about the proposal, has not asked for more concessions, said one of sources.
'The Commission is likely to accept the offer and announce its decision next month,' the source said on Tuesday.
Antoine Colombani, spokesman for competition policy at the European Commission, said: 'We have launched a market test in September and our investigation is still ongoing.'
Amazon declined to comment, while Apple did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Companies found guilty of breaching EU rules could be fined up to 10 percent of their global sales, which in Apple's case could reach $15.6 billion, based on its 2012 fiscal year.
AGGREGATE PRICING
UBS analysts estimate that e-books account for about 30 percent of the U.S. book market and 20 percent of sales in Britain but are minuscule elsewhere. When Amazon launched its Kindle e-reader, it charged $9.99 per book.
Apple's agency model let publishers set prices in return for a 30 percent cut to the maker of iPhone and iPad.
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating e-book prices. HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette have settled, but Apple, Pengin Group and Macmillan have not.
The DOJ settlement required that retailers must at least break even selling all ebooks from a publisher's available list, according to Coker and Joe Wikert, general manager and publisher at O'Reilly Media Inc.
It was not clear if EU regulators will include a similar requirement, which would prohibit Amazon from pricing all ebooks at a loss, said Wikert, a former publishing executive.
In the United States, Amazon will likely price popular titles at a loss and try to make up the difference on a publisher's other ebooks, he said.
Coker said any such rule could be dangerous in Europe, which still has distinct markets.
'It could allow a single retailer to charge full price in a large market like the U.K., and then sell below cost or for free in multiple smaller markets as a strategy to kill regional ebook retailing upstarts before they take root,' Coker said.
FROWNING ON ONLINE TRADE CURBS
Antitrust regulators tend to frown on restrictions on online trade and the case is a good example, said Mark Tricker, a partner at Brussels-based law firm Norton Rose.
'This case shows the online world continues to be a major focus for the Commission,' he said.
'These markets change very quickly and if you don't stamp down on potential infringements of competition rules, you can have significant consequences.'
(Additional reporting by Alistair Barr in San Francisco; Editing by Rex Merrifield, David Goodman and David Gregorio)
This news article is brought to you by PERSONAL FINANCE BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Exclusive - Amazon to win e-book tussle with Apple
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union regulators are to end an antitrust probe into e-book prices by accepting an offer by Apple and four publishers to ease price restrictions on Amazon, two sources said on Tuesday.
The decision hands online retailer Amazon victory in its attempt to sell e-books cheaper than its rivals in the fast-growing market that publishers hope will boost revenue and increase customer numbers.
Apple and the publishers offered in September to let retailers set their own prices or discounts for a period of two years, and also to suspend 'most-favored nation' contracts for five years.
Such clauses bar Simon & Schuster, News Corp. unit HarperCollins, Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, the owner of German company Macmillan, from making deals with rival retailers to sell e-books more cheaply than Apple.
The agreements, which critics say prevent Amazon and other retailers from undercutting Apple's charges, sparked an investigation by the European Commission in December last year.
Pearson Plc's Penguin group, which is also under investigation, did not take part in the offer.
The EU antitrust authority, which in September asked for feedback from rivals and consumers about the proposal, has not asked for more concessions, said one of sources.
'The Commission is likely to accept the offer and announce its decision next month,' the source said on Tuesday.
Antoine Colombani, spokesman for competition policy at the European Commission, said: 'We have launched a market test in September and our investigation is still ongoing.'
Amazon declined to comment, while Apple did not respond to an email for comments.
Companies found guilty of breaching EU rules could be fined up to 10 percent of their global sales, which in Apple's case could reach $15.6 billion, based on its 2012 fiscal year.
FROWNING ON ONLINE TRADE CURBS
Antitrust regulators tend to frown on restrictions on online trade and the case is a good example of this policy, said Mark Tricker, a partner at Brussels-based law firm Norton Rose.
'This case shows the online world continues to be a major focus for the Commission. They are looking at lots of different aspects of e-commerce, as this can have such a significant impact on consumers, development and innovation,' he said.
'These markets change very quickly and if you don't stamp down on potential infringements of competition rules, you can have significant consequences.'
UBS analysts estimate that e-books account for about 30 percent of the U.S. book market and 20 percent of sales in Britain but are minuscule elsewhere. Amazon created demand for e-books when it launched its e-Kindle reader, charging $9.99 for each book.
Apple's agency model let publishers set prices in return for a 30 percent cut to the maker of iPhone and iPad.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating e-book prices. HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette recently settled, but Apple, Penguin Group and Macmillan continue to fight the allegations.
(Editing by Rex Merrifield and David Goodman)
This article is brought to you by COMPUTERS.
The decision hands online retailer Amazon victory in its attempt to sell e-books cheaper than its rivals in the fast-growing market that publishers hope will boost revenue and increase customer numbers.
Apple and the publishers offered in September to let retailers set their own prices or discounts for a period of two years, and also to suspend 'most-favored nation' contracts for five years.
Such clauses bar Simon & Schuster, News Corp. unit HarperCollins, Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, the owner of German company Macmillan, from making deals with rival retailers to sell e-books more cheaply than Apple.
The agreements, which critics say prevent Amazon and other retailers from undercutting Apple's charges, sparked an investigation by the European Commission in December last year.
Pearson Plc's Penguin group, which is also under investigation, did not take part in the offer.
The EU antitrust authority, which in September asked for feedback from rivals and consumers about the proposal, has not asked for more concessions, said one of sources.
'The Commission is likely to accept the offer and announce its decision next month,' the source said on Tuesday.
Antoine Colombani, spokesman for competition policy at the European Commission, said: 'We have launched a market test in September and our investigation is still ongoing.'
Amazon declined to comment, while Apple did not respond to an email for comments.
Companies found guilty of breaching EU rules could be fined up to 10 percent of their global sales, which in Apple's case could reach $15.6 billion, based on its 2012 fiscal year.
FROWNING ON ONLINE TRADE CURBS
Antitrust regulators tend to frown on restrictions on online trade and the case is a good example of this policy, said Mark Tricker, a partner at Brussels-based law firm Norton Rose.
'This case shows the online world continues to be a major focus for the Commission. They are looking at lots of different aspects of e-commerce, as this can have such a significant impact on consumers, development and innovation,' he said.
'These markets change very quickly and if you don't stamp down on potential infringements of competition rules, you can have significant consequences.'
UBS analysts estimate that e-books account for about 30 percent of the U.S. book market and 20 percent of sales in Britain but are minuscule elsewhere. Amazon created demand for e-books when it launched its e-Kindle reader, charging $9.99 for each book.
Apple's agency model let publishers set prices in return for a 30 percent cut to the maker of iPhone and iPad.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating e-book prices. HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette recently settled, but Apple, Penguin Group and Macmillan continue to fight the allegations.
(Editing by Rex Merrifield and David Goodman)
This article is brought to you by COMPUTERS.
Exclusive: EU regulators to accept Apple, publishers e-book offer
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU regulators are set to accept an offer by Apple and four book publishers allowing Amazon and other retailers to sell e-books more cheaply than Apple to end an antitrust investigation and avoid fines, two sources said on Monday.
Apple, Simon & Schuster, News Corp unit HarperCollins, Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre, and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, the owner of German company Macmillan, made the proposal to the European Commission in September.
The move came after the EU antitrust authority opened an investigation into the companies' e-book pricing model, which critics say prevents Amazon and other retailers from undercutting Apple.
Pearson Plc's Penguin group, which is also under investigation, did not take part in the offer.
The Commission, which in September asked for feedback from rivals and consumers regarding the proposal, has not asked for more concessions, said one of sources.
'The Commission is likely to accept the offer and announce its decision next month,' the person said. (Writing by Luke Baker)
This article is brought to you by BUY A NEW COMPUTER.
Apple, Simon & Schuster, News Corp unit HarperCollins, Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre, and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, the owner of German company Macmillan, made the proposal to the European Commission in September.
The move came after the EU antitrust authority opened an investigation into the companies' e-book pricing model, which critics say prevents Amazon and other retailers from undercutting Apple.
Pearson Plc's Penguin group, which is also under investigation, did not take part in the offer.
The Commission, which in September asked for feedback from rivals and consumers regarding the proposal, has not asked for more concessions, said one of sources.
'The Commission is likely to accept the offer and announce its decision next month,' the person said. (Writing by Luke Baker)
This article is brought to you by BUY A NEW COMPUTER.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Apple sells three million iPads over first weekend
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc sold 3 million of its new iPads in the first three days the tablet computers were available, driving optimism for a strong holiday quarter despite intensifying competition.
Sales of the 7.9-inch iPad mini and fourth-generation 9.7-inch version, both Wi-Fi only models, were double the first-weekend sales of the Wi-Fi iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
Apple did not break out numbers for the crucial iPad mini, a smaller version of the original tablet designed to spearhead its foray into a segment now dominated by Amazon.com Inc's Kindle Fire and Google Inc's Nexus 7.
Analysts estimate that about 2.3 million of the new iPads sold over the weekend were the mini-tablets, surpassing expectations of 1 million to 1.5 million.
Wall Street, which was disappointed with Apple's latest quarterly earnings, had been looking to the iPad mini to boost demand during the crucial year-end holiday shopping season as competition reaches a fever pitch. Microsoft Corp became the latest major entrant to the market last month with the Windows-driven Surface.
While lines for the new iPads appeared lighter than usual for a new Apple product when they began selling at stores on Friday, the company said demand was so strong that it 'practically sold out of iPad minis.'
Apple had never before introduced two different iPad models in one quarter. Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt said that while the sales numbers looked good, the company would need to sell another 20 million iPads this quarter to meet his estimate.
'There's still a lot of wood to chop in the quarter,' McCourt said.
The company said it had already shipped many of the new iPads ordered before the release date, but some would not be sent out until later this month.
'We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis,' Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement. 'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.'
HOLIDAY SALES CRUCIAL
Apple shares closed up 1.35 percent at $584.62 on Nasdaq on Monday, but that was still 17 percent below the record high set in September.
The strong sales numbers for the iPads came despite both the iPad mini and fourth generation iPad being priced much above competing tablets. The iPad mini's $329 price had prompted some analysts to conclude that the higher price tag may hurt demand.
But Apple is still maintaining its industry leading margins with the smaller tablet, according to a teardown analysis of the tablet by research firm IHS iSuppli.
The Wi-Fi only iPad mini carries a bill of materials of $188.00, IHS iSuppli said, adding that the cost goes up to $198 when manufacturing expenses are added in.
'This differs markedly from Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7 tablets, both of which are essentially low-margin or no-margin giveaways at a $199.00 retail price,' Andrew Rassweiler, senior principal analyst, teardown services, for IHS, said.
But the California company's dominance of the tablet market eroded in the third quarter as both consumer and commercial shipments declined, partly as people waited for the new iPad mini, while rival Samsung Electronics more than doubled its share, according to tablet shipment numbers from research firm IDC.
Apple's share of the tablet market fell to 50.4 percent from 59.7 percent in the third quarter while Samsung was No.2 with 18.4 percent followed by Amazon with 9 percent. Samsung's market share a year ago was 6.5 percent.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Versions of iPads with both Wi-Fi and cellular connections will not ship in the United States for another few weeks. And both will be available in more countries later this year.
Apple heads into the current quarter after refreshing almost all of its product lines, from Macintosh computers to tablets.
'We believe the iPad mini has the opportunity to surpass the sales of the regular-sized iPads over the next several years,' said Topeka Capital analyst Brian White.
(Additional reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Lisa Von Ahn and Phil Berlowitz)
This news article is brought to you by GLOBAL WEATHER NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Sales of the 7.9-inch iPad mini and fourth-generation 9.7-inch version, both Wi-Fi only models, were double the first-weekend sales of the Wi-Fi iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
Apple did not break out numbers for the crucial iPad mini, a smaller version of the original tablet designed to spearhead its foray into a segment now dominated by Amazon.com Inc's Kindle Fire and Google Inc's Nexus 7.
Analysts estimate that about 2.3 million of the new iPads sold over the weekend were the mini-tablets, surpassing expectations of 1 million to 1.5 million.
Wall Street, which was disappointed with Apple's latest quarterly earnings, had been looking to the iPad mini to boost demand during the crucial year-end holiday shopping season as competition reaches a fever pitch. Microsoft Corp became the latest major entrant to the market last month with the Windows-driven Surface.
While lines for the new iPads appeared lighter than usual for a new Apple product when they began selling at stores on Friday, the company said demand was so strong that it 'practically sold out of iPad minis.'
Apple had never before introduced two different iPad models in one quarter. Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt said that while the sales numbers looked good, the company would need to sell another 20 million iPads this quarter to meet his estimate.
'There's still a lot of wood to chop in the quarter,' McCourt said.
The company said it had already shipped many of the new iPads ordered before the release date, but some would not be sent out until later this month.
'We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis,' Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement. 'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.'
HOLIDAY SALES CRUCIAL
Apple shares closed up 1.35 percent at $584.62 on Nasdaq on Monday, but that was still 17 percent below the record high set in September.
The strong sales numbers for the iPads came despite both the iPad mini and fourth generation iPad being priced much above competing tablets. The iPad mini's $329 price had prompted some analysts to conclude that the higher price tag may hurt demand.
But Apple is still maintaining its industry leading margins with the smaller tablet, according to a teardown analysis of the tablet by research firm IHS iSuppli.
The Wi-Fi only iPad mini carries a bill of materials of $188.00, IHS iSuppli said, adding that the cost goes up to $198 when manufacturing expenses are added in.
'This differs markedly from Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7 tablets, both of which are essentially low-margin or no-margin giveaways at a $199.00 retail price,' Andrew Rassweiler, senior principal analyst, teardown services, for IHS, said.
But the California company's dominance of the tablet market eroded in the third quarter as both consumer and commercial shipments declined, partly as people waited for the new iPad mini, while rival Samsung Electronics more than doubled its share, according to tablet shipment numbers from research firm IDC.
Apple's share of the tablet market fell to 50.4 percent from 59.7 percent in the third quarter while Samsung was No.2 with 18.4 percent followed by Amazon with 9 percent. Samsung's market share a year ago was 6.5 percent.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Versions of iPads with both Wi-Fi and cellular connections will not ship in the United States for another few weeks. And both will be available in more countries later this year.
Apple heads into the current quarter after refreshing almost all of its product lines, from Macintosh computers to tablets.
'We believe the iPad mini has the opportunity to surpass the sales of the regular-sized iPads over the next several years,' said Topeka Capital analyst Brian White.
(Additional reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Lisa Von Ahn and Phil Berlowitz)
This news article is brought to you by GLOBAL WEATHER NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Apple sells 3 million iPads over first weekend
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc sold 3 million of its new iPads in the first three days the tablet computers were available, driving optimism for a strong holiday quarter despite intensifying competition.
Sales of the 7.9-inch iPad mini and fourth-generation 9.7-inch version, both Wi-Fi only models, were double the first-weekend sales of the Wi-Fi iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
Apple did not break out numbers for the crucial iPad mini, a smaller version of the original tablet designed to spearhead its foray into a segment now dominated by Amazon.com Inc and Google Inc.
Analysts estimate that about 2.3 million of the new iPads sold over the weekend were the mini-tablets, surpassing expectations of 1 million to 1.5 million.
Wall Street, which was disappointed with Apple's latest quarterly earnings, had been looking to the iPad mini to boost demand during the crucial year-end holiday shopping season as competition reaches a fever pitch. Microsoft Corp became the latest major entrant to the market last month with the Windows-driven Surface.
While lines for the new iPads appeared lighter than usual when they began selling at stores on Friday, the company said demand was so strong that it 'practically sold out of iPad minis.'
Apple had never before introduced two different iPad models in one quarter. Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt said that while the sales number looked good, the company would need to sell another 20 million iPads this quarter to meet his estimate.
'There's still a lot of wood to chop in the quarter,' McCourt said.
The company said it had shipped many of the new iPads ordered before the release date, but would not send some out until later this month.
Apple had sold 3 million iPads in March, including those with cellular connections as well as Wi-Fi only models.
'We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis,' Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement. 'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.'
HOLIDAY SALES CRUCIAL
Apple shares were up 1.7 percent at $586.50 in morning trading on Nasdaq, still down more than 16 percent from a record high set in September.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Versions of iPads with both Wi-Fi and cellular connections will not ship in the United States for another few weeks. And both will hit more countries later this year.
The iPad mini takes aim at Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire. At stores around the world, the product's debut drew sparser crowds than previous launches did, dampening initial optimism for sales. Still, the mini attracted hundreds of people in many locations.
Apple heads into the current quarter after refreshing almost all of its product lines, from Macintosh computers to tablets.
'We believe the iPad mini has the opportunity to surpass the sales of the regular-sized iPads over the next several years,' said Topeka Capital analyst Brian White.
(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore and Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Lisa Von Ahn)
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Sales of the 7.9-inch iPad mini and fourth-generation 9.7-inch version, both Wi-Fi only models, were double the first-weekend sales of the Wi-Fi iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
Apple did not break out numbers for the crucial iPad mini, a smaller version of the original tablet designed to spearhead its foray into a segment now dominated by Amazon.com Inc and Google Inc.
Analysts estimate that about 2.3 million of the new iPads sold over the weekend were the mini-tablets, surpassing expectations of 1 million to 1.5 million.
Wall Street, which was disappointed with Apple's latest quarterly earnings, had been looking to the iPad mini to boost demand during the crucial year-end holiday shopping season as competition reaches a fever pitch. Microsoft Corp became the latest major entrant to the market last month with the Windows-driven Surface.
While lines for the new iPads appeared lighter than usual when they began selling at stores on Friday, the company said demand was so strong that it 'practically sold out of iPad minis.'
Apple had never before introduced two different iPad models in one quarter. Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt said that while the sales number looked good, the company would need to sell another 20 million iPads this quarter to meet his estimate.
'There's still a lot of wood to chop in the quarter,' McCourt said.
The company said it had shipped many of the new iPads ordered before the release date, but would not send some out until later this month.
Apple had sold 3 million iPads in March, including those with cellular connections as well as Wi-Fi only models.
'We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis,' Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement. 'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.'
HOLIDAY SALES CRUCIAL
Apple shares were up 1.7 percent at $586.50 in morning trading on Nasdaq, still down more than 16 percent from a record high set in September.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Versions of iPads with both Wi-Fi and cellular connections will not ship in the United States for another few weeks. And both will hit more countries later this year.
The iPad mini takes aim at Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire. At stores around the world, the product's debut drew sparser crowds than previous launches did, dampening initial optimism for sales. Still, the mini attracted hundreds of people in many locations.
Apple heads into the current quarter after refreshing almost all of its product lines, from Macintosh computers to tablets.
'We believe the iPad mini has the opportunity to surpass the sales of the regular-sized iPads over the next several years,' said Topeka Capital analyst Brian White.
(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore and Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Lisa Von Ahn)
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Apple says sold 3 million iPads since Friday
(Reuters) - Apple Inc said it sold a total of three million iPads in the three days since Friday, when it launched the new iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad.
This was double the first weekend sales of 1.5 million for Wi-Fi only models for the third generation iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
'Demand for iPad mini exceeded the initial supply and while many of the pre-orders have been shipped to customers, some are scheduled to be shipped later this month,' Apple said.
'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand,' CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment, and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Apple shares were up nearly 1 percent at $582.27 in trading before the bell.
(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
This article is brought to you by BUY A USED COMPUTER.
This was double the first weekend sales of 1.5 million for Wi-Fi only models for the third generation iPad sold in March, Apple said on Monday.
'Demand for iPad mini exceeded the initial supply and while many of the pre-orders have been shipped to customers, some are scheduled to be shipped later this month,' Apple said.
'We're working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand,' CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.
The 7.9-inch iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into the smaller-tablet segment, and is the company's first major new device since the death of co-founder Steve Jobs last year.
Apple shares were up nearly 1 percent at $582.27 in trading before the bell.
(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
This article is brought to you by BUY A USED COMPUTER.
The app's the thing as Shakespeare goes digital
TORONTO (Reuters) - William Shakespeare's plays are getting a 21st century-style makeover in the form of new apps for tablets and smart phones nearly 500 years after the Bard took pen to parchment.
Plays such as 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Macbeth' spring to life in iPad apps released by Cambridge University Press, which pairs the texts with audio performances, commentary and other interactive content, transforming the classic plays for the digital age.
The apps are part of a new series called Explore Shakespeare that was introduced by the British publishing house to expand the playwright's reach to casual readers.
'A lot of people have a copy of Shakespeare on their bookshelf that they never got around to reading because they have this idea that Shakespeare is hard or has to be studied to be appreciated,' said John Pettigrew, executive producer of the Explore Shakespeare series.
Pettigrew believes the plays are meant to be enjoyed and are accessible provided readers are given context to overcome outdated or poetic language.
While the core focus of the app is on the actual text, readers can consult glossaries, notes, photos and synopses at any point in the script.
'Everything there is designed to keep you in the play and to put you in the mind of the actor, director or writer,' he explained.
To understand less common language, readers can tap on words and phrases to delve into their meaning.
'A classic one is in 'Romeo and Juliet' which is `wherefore art thou Romeo?' It's not 'where are you Romeo?', It's `why are you Romeo?` So that kind of phrase gets a glossary to explain what is meant,' said Pettigrew.
The apps also include full audio performances from stars such as Kate Beckinsale and Martin Sheen. Other features help readers to visualize relations between actors in a scene, understand how Shakespeare interweaves themes throughout the play, and to analyze the text more thoroughly.
'You can delve into the language or themes or interpretation, but our first task is to show that it's just a good story,' Pettigrew said.
Although the app was designed with consumers in mind, Pettigrew believes it could also play a role in education, with students embracing the app over its print counterpart.
'For a 13-year old, Shakespearean language can be a barrier and to have something right there on the page is really helpful,' he said.
According to Pettigrew, the publishing house chose to develop it for the iPad because it is the dominant tablet platform in schools, but he said they are considering Android and Windows 8 apps in the future.
Four more apps including 'Twelfth Night,' 'A Midsummer's Night Dream,' 'Hamlet' and 'Othello' are due to be released in coming months. They are available worldwide for $13.99 each.
Pettigrew said the app is vetted for accuracy by experts and includes ancillary material, which is designed to augment the original text.
'To borrow a Shakespeare phrase, 'the play's the thing.''
(Editing by Patricia Reaney and David Gregorio)
This article is brought to you by COMPUTERS FOR SALE.
Plays such as 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Macbeth' spring to life in iPad apps released by Cambridge University Press, which pairs the texts with audio performances, commentary and other interactive content, transforming the classic plays for the digital age.
The apps are part of a new series called Explore Shakespeare that was introduced by the British publishing house to expand the playwright's reach to casual readers.
'A lot of people have a copy of Shakespeare on their bookshelf that they never got around to reading because they have this idea that Shakespeare is hard or has to be studied to be appreciated,' said John Pettigrew, executive producer of the Explore Shakespeare series.
Pettigrew believes the plays are meant to be enjoyed and are accessible provided readers are given context to overcome outdated or poetic language.
While the core focus of the app is on the actual text, readers can consult glossaries, notes, photos and synopses at any point in the script.
'Everything there is designed to keep you in the play and to put you in the mind of the actor, director or writer,' he explained.
To understand less common language, readers can tap on words and phrases to delve into their meaning.
'A classic one is in 'Romeo and Juliet' which is `wherefore art thou Romeo?' It's not 'where are you Romeo?', It's `why are you Romeo?` So that kind of phrase gets a glossary to explain what is meant,' said Pettigrew.
The apps also include full audio performances from stars such as Kate Beckinsale and Martin Sheen. Other features help readers to visualize relations between actors in a scene, understand how Shakespeare interweaves themes throughout the play, and to analyze the text more thoroughly.
'You can delve into the language or themes or interpretation, but our first task is to show that it's just a good story,' Pettigrew said.
Although the app was designed with consumers in mind, Pettigrew believes it could also play a role in education, with students embracing the app over its print counterpart.
'For a 13-year old, Shakespearean language can be a barrier and to have something right there on the page is really helpful,' he said.
According to Pettigrew, the publishing house chose to develop it for the iPad because it is the dominant tablet platform in schools, but he said they are considering Android and Windows 8 apps in the future.
Four more apps including 'Twelfth Night,' 'A Midsummer's Night Dream,' 'Hamlet' and 'Othello' are due to be released in coming months. They are available worldwide for $13.99 each.
Pettigrew said the app is vetted for accuracy by experts and includes ancillary material, which is designed to augment the original text.
'To borrow a Shakespeare phrase, 'the play's the thing.''
(Editing by Patricia Reaney and David Gregorio)
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