Google plans to open a virtual bookstore

Scanning hundreds of thousands of books and posting online seems to be insufficient for Google. The search giant is now hatching plans to build an online bookstore in the near future.

According to chief executive Eric Schmidt, the success or failure of this project depends on whether publishers and copyright owners accept the license.

Pay for download

When searching for - the traditional strong market - began to saturate, Google hurriedly expanded its kingdom to other districts. Last week, the company launched an online video booth, right in the speech of co-founder Larry Page at the CES 2006 exhibition. To buy special content, users have to pay for Google and then download. machine.

Unlike paid video download services, e-books have actually been on the market for many years. Only thing, that idea cannot take off. Recently, at CES, Sony also tried to stimulate e-books by releasing a handheld device that allows reading e-books easily. The company also incorporates a number of major publishers to sell e-book reader devices online.

When asked if Google had a similar plan, Eric Schmidt replied: "If the copyright issue is OK, I will consider it."

Both Schmidt and Page tried to reassure the public about the controversial book digitization project that Google was running. According to them, the "Google Book Search" project aims to build only one of the world's largest book catalogs, not intended to "compete" for content protected by copyright law.

"We will not let users read books for free (or pay) unless we have received the nod from publishers," Schmidt shrugged, not forgetting to add that publishers will certainly consider This, because it helps them sell more books.

Thien Y