Google has gobbled up a little-known firm called eBook Technologies with an notice to that effect popping up on the companies homepage. Quite what eBook Technologies does isn’t totally clear.
The eBook Technologies site says it “supplies a family of intelligent reading devices and licenses technologies that enable automated publishing and control over content distribution.” That sounds like tech that could easily be folded in to Google Books but also opens up the possibility for an actual Google ebook reading device, perhaps even the mysterious Google Speedbook…
The eBook Technologies site includes a device page but that makes references to products that make their debut some time ago (one as far back as 2007). It seems likely that Google has taken eBook Technologies into the fold for the distribution technology it was working on. It’s described as a platform consisting of “four parts: electronic reading devices (eBook devices) plus their associated UI firmware technology, the “Online Bookshelf”, an Internet-based content sales and delivery system (the eBookstore), and eBook content conversion / publication tools.”
A note on the eBook Technologies site says it is “excited to announce that we have been acquired by Google. Working together with Google will further our commitment to providing a first-class reading experience on emerging tablets, e-reader and other portable devices.” That opens up a lot of possibilities for developments on the selection of Android tablets we saw at CES 2011 or even on a Google-branded tablet. Head for the comments to tell us what you think Google with do with its new selection of ebook tech.
Out TBC | £TBC | Google (via Techcrunch)
