Coming Soon To A Store Near You

June 23rd, 2008 |

When I read in Publishers Weekly, back in April, that Print On Demand outfit Lightning Source had signed a deal with On Demand Books I had a feeling that something was in the air.

This weekend I read in The Guardian that Blackwells book shops are to install what has been called the ATM of books. Several of their outlets are to trial the Espresso Book Machine which won the Time Magazine ‘Best Invention of the Year 2007’ in their Living catagory.

Now I don’t like to say “I told you so!” but I did predict this over a year ago in the previous incarnation of this blog.

At about $50,000 a pop I can’t see many indie shops going for one of these machines… yet. Supply and demand will, of course, bring down the price - remember how much DVD recorders used to cost - let’s hope this roll out will rejuvenate book reading and in ten years time - you never know - there may be one on every corner.

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