Yahoo Japan Outsources its eBookstore - The Digital Reader

Today, Panzer made a quick trip to The Digital Reader site. There our speedy kitty found a post about Yahoo.

An ebookstore? I didn't know about that.

According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, Yahoo Japan is outsourcing the management and marketing of its ebook store to Ebook Initiative Japan. In the post Mr. Hoffelder states the outsourcing makes sense based on Yahoo's pending sale to Verizon. The post includes a link to Yahoo Japan's press release; however,  it's in Japanese.

Panzer says, "This little kitty is wondering what will happen to Yahoo after the sale to Verizon goes through."

Note: This is a short post. Bring half a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Yahoo Japan Outsources its eBookstore

Microsoft Unveils Digital Bookstore - Publishers' Weekly

Today, Panzer was making a leisurely trip around the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was buffeted by laughing and guffawing. Following all the jocularity, took our inquisitive kitty to the Publishers' Weekly (PW) site. There he discovered a post about Microsoft.

According to Calvin Reid's post, Microsoft has plans to open a retail digital bookstore. Quoting from a post at the Good E-Reader site, Mr. Reid says Microsoft will have hundreds of thousands (no specific number anywhere) of ebooks available. Microsoft's April upgrade to the Windows 10 Edge browser will make it easier to read ebooks on your computer, laptop or tablet. The post includes a link to the quoted Good E-Reader post and one to an earlier The Verge post.

A little slow in your old age MS?

Panzer says, "Hmm ... This kitty thinks Microsoft is coming to the party a little late. All the customer party goers have already picked their ereader dance partners."

Note: This is a shortish-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the two included links, bring another cup of tea and a whole muffin too.

To read the post, tootle over to Microsoft digital bookstore

Amazon to Acquire SOUQ.com - Business Wire

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Business Wire site. There our traveling kitty found a post about Amazon.

According to the press release there, Amazon has reached an agreement to acquire Middle East e-commerce marketplace SOUQ.com. The company sells women's, men's and children's products, electronics and a wide selection of other products. This acquisition will allow Amazon access to the Arab world market. If you are interested in learning more about SOUQ.com, scroll all the way to the bottom of the information section about SOUQ.com and there's a link to the company's marketplace site.

You know Amazon owns the world.

Panzer says, "Amazon just keeps getting bigger and bigger."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection. If you plan to go to the SOUQ.com site, bring a muffin too.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon

Every Amazon Books Location, Mapped - Publishers' Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard ohing and ahing coming from outside. Following all the noise, took our kitty boy to the Publishers' Weekly (PW) site. With no digging at all he found a post about Amazon's bricks and mortar stores.

Is this a building frenzy?

According to the post by Jim Milliot, Amazon has announced the projected opening of five more bricks and mortar stores in 2017. These five new stores will join the five already opened for a total of ten. Two of the already opened stores have cafes, but it's unknown if any of the upcoming five stores will include this feature. There's a map included in the post that shows the locations of the current bricks and mortar stores and the proposed locations for the new ones.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Is there going to be one near you?"

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon bricks and mortar stores

A New Panzerism

Panzer on technology:

Today, Mom and What's His Name were talking about that World Wide Spider Web.
What's His Name got lost in it and Mom was trying to help him find his way out.

Well, I can help them because I have that thing all figured out.

It's like those dark and gloomy spaces under Mom's furniture.

If you keep digging around ...

Eventually ...

Oh look, What's His Name's wallet.*

After you get all the dust bunnies out of the cobwebs ...

You find the good stuff ...

like my feather, my string, my catnip-filled mouse.



* From Cat Wisdom for Humans

Fact Check: Amazon to "Collect" Sales Tax in All US States - The Digital Reader

Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took him to The Digital Reader site. There our adventuresome kitty boy found a post about Amazon's sales tax collections.

According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, Amazon's newest announcement about the states' sales tax collections the company is doing appears to be causing some confusion. Apparently, the sales tax collections aren't what they're being professed by some to be. Yesterday, Panzer told you about Amazon's agreement with Maine to begin collecting sales tax on the company's sales to Maine residents. Mr. Hoffelder points out in his post that Amazon will only be collecting sales tax on their own sales to Maine residents not the sales made by merchants who use Amazon's platform for their sales to Maine residents.

It's not a secret how it works.

This same procedure of merchants collecting and paying their own taxes applies to all the states Amazon collects sales taxes in for the company's sales.

Panzer says, "Umm ... Mom and my books (paperbacks) and other stuff are sold on the Amazon platform. Amazon doesn't collect sales tax for our sales. We pay the sales tax (use tax) to our state for the sales."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of cocoa and muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon sales tax

To read yesterday's post about Amazon collecting sales tax for Maine (and other states), tootle over to Maine sales taxes

Amazon to begin collecting sales taxes in Maine next month - Yahoo! Finance

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Yahoo! Finance site. There our kitty investigator found a post about Amazon.

It's not going to happen..

According to the Associated Press post, Amazon plans to begin collecting a 5.5 percent sales tax on all products sold to Maine residents. Businesses located in Maine and selling products there are required to collect the sales tax. The state wants businesses located outside the state boundaries to collect the same sales tax and Amazon has now agreed to do this.  Amazon also plans to begin collecting sales taxes in Hawaii, Idaho and New Mexico.

Panzer says, "Don't even start thinking about sales taxing my catnip ... or ... you'll be sorry."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon collecting Maine sales tax

Hachette Partners with Wattpad to Produce Audiobooks - Publishers' Weekly

When Panzer was cleaning out the Panzermobile today, he found a post scrunched under the passenger seat. Spreading out the post, our fastidious kitty discovered it was from a trip he made to the Publishers' Weekly site. The post was about Hachette and Wattpad's new partnership.

Mom's feeling better.

According to the post by Calvin Reid, Hachette and Wattpad are partnering to produce audiobooks. The audiobooks will use popular Wattpad author's stories. Plans are to have 50 audiobooks available in the summer of this year. They will be available at iTunes and other sellers. No titles or authors have been announced yet.

Panzer says, "It makes this little kitty want to post some of his work at Wattpad. Maybe it will become popular with the readers there."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and one and a half muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Hachette and Wattpad

Sick Days

Mom's been sick for the last three days. She's feeling better and plans to post tomorrow.

St. Patrick's Day

In Face of NEA Cuts, Small Presses Worry About Their Futures - Publishers' Weekly

Today Panzer was taking his afternoon nap when his cat bed was shaken by screaming and crying coming from the Catosphere. Our sleepy kitty jumped in Panzermobile and headed out. Following all the noise took him to the Publishers' Weekly (PW) site. There he found a post about the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Cats had nothing to do with him. You did it.

According to the post by Jason Boog, President Donald Trump's budget for the U.S. government has been given to Congress. As rumored earlier, the President's budget cuts all funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and, therefore, effectively closing the agency. This proposed budget will certainly have a negative impact on small presses. Small presses receive money through sources who themselves receive NEA money. Some presses will be forced to close and others will be tightening their own budgets.

Panzer says, "Umm ... I wonder if there's even more bad news for writers and publishers in this budget."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to NEA cuts

Ebook sales continue to fall as younger generations drive appetite for print - The Guardian

Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took our adventuresome kitty to The Guardian site. With just a little digging he found a post about UK ebook sales.

According to the post by Sian Cain, quoting from the Nielsen Book Research UK, ebook sales were down in the U.K. in 2016. Ebook sales fell 4 perceent for the year while physical book sales were up by 2 percent. The increase in print sales in 2016 was due to children's physical book sales. This is the second year of physical book sales increase. The increase in 2015 was due to adult coloring book sales.

Hmm ... Are print books coming back?

Panzer says, "Maybe ebook authors should pay attention to what's happening in the U.K. It just might be spreading."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and one and a half muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Ebook sales

London Book Fair 2017: For Publishers, Business Is Booming, But Brexit Means Uncertainty - Publishers' Weekly

Today Panzer was tootling around in the Panzermobile when he heard grumbling and questioning noises coming from the Catosphere ahead of him. It only took our traveling kitty a short time to find the hubbub was coming from the Publishers' Weekly (PW) site. With a little digging he found a post about the London Book Fair (LBF) that was raising all the questions.

According to the post at the Publishers' Weekly site, the London Book Fair opened with discussions about the questions of how Brexit will effect publishing in the UK. UK Publishers Association chief executive Stephen Lotinga, DK Publishing CEO Ian Hudson, and HarperCollins CEO Charlie Redmayne discussed the uncertainties of issues of free trade, currency, and copyright among others.

Panzer says, "Brexit is turning out not to be simple for the publishing industry."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of cocoa and two chocolate cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to London Book Fair 2017

Amazon May Be Looking to Book Space in L.A. - Los Angeles Business Journal

Hmm ... Is that ll stores now?

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Los Angeles Business Journal site. There our inquisitive kitty found a post about Amazon.

According to the post by Daina Beth Solomon, several real estate individuals have reported that Amazon is considering opening another bricks and mortar store in California. These same real estate individuals say Amazon has expressed interest in the California locations over the past few months. Rumors abound about several Mall locations in and around Los Angeles. The Century City Mall is believed to be the final choice. Amazon spokespersons have not affirmed any of the speculations.

Panzer says, "The sales from Amazon's bricks and mortar stores must be pretty good if they're opening another store so soon."

Note: This is a longish-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and one and a half muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the Zen of teaching cats:

When you tell a dog to sit,
it means he can relax and get off
his feet for a minute.

But ...

if you tell a cat to sit,

Listen to me ... It's not going to happen.*

that cat has to wake up, stretch,

and ...

then get up to sit.

No, I think you can take sit off the list of things to teach a cat.



* From Cat Wisdom for Humans

Libro.fm Launches Audiobook Subscriptions - The Digital Reader

A kitty's work is never done.

Panzer was sweeping out the Panzermobile when he notice a post stuffed under the passenger seat. Flattening it out, our fastidious kitty discovered it was a post from The Digital Reader site about Libro.fm.

According to the post by The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, audiobook seller Libro.fm has announced a new audiobook subscription service. The subscriptions will be $15.00 ($14.99) per month. The post includes a link to the Libro.fm site which includes information not included in Mr. Hoffelder's post. The $14.99 membership/subscription fee allows the reader one audiobook for the month, then each additional audiobook is 30 per cent off the regular price from their 70,000 audiobook inventory. Currently, the first month's signup fee is $0.99 to "try out" the service. You can cancel the service at any time. The service is only available in the U.S. and Canada.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... I'd like to see the whole list of audiobooks first. And as always, read everything carefully."

Note: The original post is short. Bring a half a cup of tea for today's reading selection; but, if you plan to follow the link to the Libro.fm site, bring an extra cup of tea and a muffin and a doughnut.

To read the post, tootle over to Libro.fm

The science of why cats like getting into boxes and peering menacingly over the edge - BoingBoing

Peak-a-boo! I see you!

Panzer was shaken from his evening nap by laughing and clapping. Taking the Panzermobile into the Catosphere he discovered all the hoopla was coming from the BoingBoing site. It didn't take any digging at all to find the post about cats and boxes that was causing all the noise.

According to the post by Rob Beschizza, cats like boxes because ... we're predators ... and ... we're bored in the house. There's a video explaining it all to you humans.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Humans needed science and a video to explain we're predators."

Note: This is a two minute video. Bring a cup of tea and sit on comfortable chair watch it.

To watch the video, tootle over to Cats and boxes

The Marauder's Map - Pottermore

Who needs a map? Not me.

Today, Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he decided to stop in at the Pottermore site. Everybody knows our kitty boy is a big Harry Potter fan, so he was doing the happy kitty dance when he found a new post by J.K. Rowling at the site.

What our fan kitty found was the story of The Marauder's Map by J.K. Rowling explaining the origin and creation by James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. At the end of the post, Ms. Rowling gives her thoughts on the use of the map by Harry.

Panzer says, "All those shape shifters and not one smart enough to be a kitty."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring two cups of tea, a muffin and two chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to The Marauder's Map

EU Court Rules Lower Sales Tax Only Applies to Print, Not eBooks - The Digital Reader

Panzer was jolted from his afternoon nap by crying and shouting coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile, he followed the weeping and gnashing of teeth to The Digital Reader site. There our brave kitty found a post about the EU Court of Justice.

Please explain this to me.

According to the post at The Digital Reader, the European Court of Justice in announcing their decision in the digital book VAT case ruled digital books will be charged a higher tax than printed books. According to the EU Court judges, digital books are electronic and not allowed the lower rate because the EU legislature  "consists in the exclusion of all electronic services from the possibility of a reduced rate of VAT being applied."

Panzer says, "Hmm ... When is a book not a book? I'll never understand humans."

Note: This is a shortish-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to EU Court

Hachette U. K. Acquires Bookouture - Publishers' Weekly

I've been one busy kitty today.

Panzer is helping Mom update Cat Wisdom for Humans, so he made a very quick trip into the Catosphere today. Our hurrying kitty stopped in at the Publishers' Weekly site. With a little digging he found a post about Hachette U. K.

According to the post by John Maher, Tim Hely Hutchinson, Hachette U. K. CEO, announced the acquisition of digital publisher Bookouture. Oliver Rhodes, CEO and founder of Bookouture, will remain in that capacity. Bookoutre will stay in its current location and all employees will remain with the company. Bookouture's digital authors can now be seamlessly published by Hachette U. K. Little, Brown print publishing arm.

Panzer says, "Bookouture sure has grown in only four years."

Note: This is a shortish-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Hachette UK

February 2017 Big, Bad, Wide & International Report: covering Amazon, Apple, B&N, and Kobo ebook sales in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand - Author Earnings

Today, Panzer was just tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard oohing and aahing. Following the breathless noises took our kitty boy to the Author Earnings site. With no digging at all he found a post about ebook sales all across the e-retail sites.

The post by Data Guy is ebook sales information packed. The post includes information on total e-retailer sales by country, total ebook sales by country, amount of money spent by country, and more. The headline for the post names all the e-retailers ebook sales covered, including Amazon, Apple, B and N, and Kobo. Each company's sales information is included for the English language countries of the US, UK,  Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There are charts and graphs illustrating each section.

After all that, I need a nap too.

Panzer says, "I have a kitty headache from all the information included in the post."

Note: This is a h-u-m-u-n-g-o-u-s post. Bring two thermoses of tea, one dozen muffins and one dozen doughnuts. Also bring a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle.

To read the post, tootle over to Author Earnings

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the Oops Factor:

Mom and I are having a disagreement.

She says my middle name should be Oops.
I'm definitely not happy about that.

Really. They jumped by themselves.*

It's not my fault her knick knacks keep smashing themselves by jumping off the shelf in the living room.

I say they have a mind of their own.
They're like lemmings. Where one goes, they all follow.



* From Cat Wisdom for Humans

Barnes and Noble Announces the Winners of the 26th Annual Discover Great New Writers(R) Awards - Yahoo Finance

26th? I never heard of it before.

Today, Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, when he stopped in at the Yahoo Finance site. With a little digging around, our inquisitive kitty found a post about Barnes and Noble.

According to a post from Business Wire, Barnes and Noble announced the winners of the Discover Great New Writers Awards. Murder mystery The Lighthouse Keeper by Abby Geni won Barnes and Noble's award for fiction. Nonfiction book Evicted Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond won Barnes and Noble's award for nonfiction. The authors will each receive $30,000 and marketing from Barnes and Noble. Second and third place winners are named in the announcement too. How the novels were nominated and judged is also included.

Panzer says, "MeWoW! A mystery novel won first place. I've got to get Mom to read me that book."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble winners

Amazon Publishing's Newest Imprint Makes Its Debut in Germany - Publishing Perspectives

Today, Panzer made a trip to the Publishing Perspectives site. There our meandering kitty found a post about Amazon's APub division.

I learn something new every day.

According to the post by Porter Anderson, Amazon Publishing Europe announced their new German language publishing imprint Tinte and Feder. The Tinte and Feder imprint will publish historical and contemporary fiction German authors. Tinte and Feder joins Amazon's German language mystery publishing imprint Edition M.

Panzer says, "I didn't know Amazon had a publishing division in Europe."

Note: This is a shortish-long post. Bring a cup of tea, a muffin and a cookie (biscuit) for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon publishing

Amazon Unveils First East Coast Bricks and Mortar (Store) - Publishers' Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering from up ahead of the Panzermobile. Following all the hullabaloo took our kitty boy to the Publishers' Weekly (PW) site. With no digging at all he found a post about Amazon.

Another cafe, but no alcohol this time.

According to the post by Alex Green, Amazon has opened their newest bricks and mortar store in Dedham, Massachusetts. The 5,800 sq. ft. bookstore includes a cafe. The cafe was included based on customer requests. The bookstore has a limited selection of only 5,700 physical books. It does, however, also carry Amazon digital devices. The Dedham store joins the Seattle (Washington), Portland (Oregon) and San Diego (California) Amazon bricks and mortar stores.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Most libraries have more books than each of the Amazon bookstores."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and two cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon bricks and mortar store