- published: 29 Nov 2010
- views: 1110544
Google eBooks (formerly Google Editions) is an e-book program run by Google, originally set to open in mid-summer 2010. It was opened on December 6, 2010 to customers in the United States. It offers universal access and non-restrictive copying. The store is headed by Dan Clancy, who also directs Google Books.
Google eBooks purchased at the Google eBookstore (Google eBooks' online store front) or other retailers are stored online and linked to the customer's Google account. They can then be read online, or downloaded to a cache for offline reading. Holding purchased books on Google's server theoretically allows Google to serve books to users under a variety of formats, including new formats that might not be available at the time of purchase.
Reception of eBooksStore at launch was mixed. Reviewers noted that it was still glitchy, and that books lacked reviews even for those that were centuries old. Also others remarked that Google touted the EBookStore as "open", but that it was still using Adobe's Adept eBooks Digital rights management.