Digital publishing news and views from the Firsty Group
New eCommerce site live for Osprey Publishing
February 12th, 2015 | by FirstyNews
Firsty Group are delighted to announce the launch of the new, fully responsive, direct to consumer eCommerce,... Read More
BookSource signs deal on new customer-facing site
February 12th, 2015 | by FirstyNews
We’re delighted to announce the signing of a recent agreement with BookSource – one of the UK’s... Read More
New eCommerce sites launched with Macmillan Education
December 10th, 2014 | by FirstyNews
Firsty Group is delighted to have partnered with Macmillan Education on the recent launch of three new... Read More
EU VAT regulation change and how this will affect publishers – a summary of priority actions
December 10th, 2014 | by FirstyNews
It is clear that the majority of EU-based publishers will be affected, whether directly or indirectly, by... Read More
Firsty Express – free direct to consumer service for publishers
November 3rd, 2014 | by FirstyNews
It was the talk of the town at the Frankfurt Book Fair, and is now rapidly being... Read More
New website for Profile Books!
September 10th, 2014 | by FirstyNews
Following a series of discussions with the Profile team, we are pleased to announce the imminent development... Read More
What others are saying…- This Israeli Startup Wants to Turn Your Smartphone’s Camera into a TricorderGoogle's Project Ara offers the promise that you might be able to add just about any feature to your smartphone which a module maker can think up and if Unispectral's camera tech lives up to the claims that could include the next best thing to a tricorder. This Israeli startup is working on a new camera lens which the WSJ says will radically improv […]
- Twitter Is Testing An Internal Browser in its Official AppSeveral third-party Twitter clients have long enabled users to open links in a web browser contained in the app, and now it looks like Twitter is adding the feature to its official apps. Several of Twitter's beta testers are reporting that they now have access to a built-in web browser for opening links. Android Police reports that this appears to be a […]
- EU Court Rules eBooks Aren’t eBooks, Orders Tax Rates IncreasedWhen one is confronted by new technology, one can either adapt existing rules to suit the new tech or one can blindly apply the rules - even when it doesn't make sense. The European Court of Justice chose the second option this week when it handed down a ruling (PDF) which declared that ebooks weren't books, but were actually digital services and s […]
- Unicorn Watch: Larger iPad Delayed Until Later This YearNewly leaked rumors suggest that Apple's larger tablet is still the stuff of urban legends. Bloomberg and the WSJ are reporting that the iPad Pro won't enter production until much later in the year. From Bloomberg: Production of the 12.9-inch-screen iPad is now scheduled to start around September because of delays involving the supply of display pa […]
- This Israeli Startup Wants to Turn Your Smartphone’s Camera into a Tricorder
Commentary
February 12th, 2015The DRM dilemma
Essential tool or obsolete weapon? A defence against piracy or an obstacle to sales? Digital Rights Management is an issue that has deeply divided the publishing industry over the last few years.
DRM—technology that restricts the use of digital content once it has been bought—was evolved by publishers and retailers to protect their interests. But it has alienated some consumers, who consider it obstructive.
Some publishers have responded by scrapping it. The Bookseller’s recent Digital Census found that one in five publishers has removed DRM from their ebooks and another third have considered doing so—but nearly half have not. The issue clearly splits publishers right down the middle—so what can be done to restore unity?
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