E-book reader Tolino: Even Germany can Kindle - Business Week

together against the market leader: The great German booksellers have brought with Tolino Shine an e-reader on the market, which neatly makes the Kindle Paperwhite Amazon in this country competition

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Easy and light, it is in one place. The thumb touches the screen, stroking lightly over the surface. The display changes color to black for a moment. Direct it shows the letters, one by one until the entire page is filled. Even in the sunlight they can still be seen engraved sharp. Nothing reflected, nothing hidden.

Increasingly, the digital reading material against the classic paperback is exchanged. Books belong to the most popular grade for Christmas gifts – but not always in their original form. According to a survey of high-tech association Bitkom the Germans are willing to spend a large part of their Christmas bonus for electronic devices. Twelve percent of respondents want an e-reader. Currently it says: Tolino against Amazon, shine against Paperwhite, Germany against America. Who wins the battle under the Christmas tree?

Tolino Products

• Tolino Shine

  display : E-Ink Pearl display with integrated lighting

  size : Six inches

  weight : 183 grams

  battery life : up to seven weeks

  space : 4 GB (internal)

  Price: 99 €

• Tolino Tab 7 inch

  display : HD Display

  size : seven-inch

  battery life : up to twelve hours

  space : 16 GB expandable memory

  Price: 179 €

• tolina Tab 8.9 inch

  display : HD Display

  size : 8.9 inches

  battery life : up to twelve hours

  space : 16 GB expandable memory

  Price: 249 €

It was designed by the great German booksellers Weltbild, Thalia, Hugendubel and Bertelsmann Club, in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom AG. The goal: The Internet giant Amazon does not leave the field without a fight. This has been achieved. According to the GfK market research company Tolino Amazon could push back with their readers. The market share fell from 48 percent in the second quarter to 43 percent in the third quarter of this year. The Tolino Shine was able to expand its share to 37 percent, placing it closer.

Official sales figures are not yet available, but are already more than half a million units to fall from the readers have gone over the counters. This indicated the publishers involved in at the Frankfurt Book Fair in the fall. Amazon gives its sales figures for Germany not unknown. Also buch.de confirms the success of Tolino reader. Through him three-digit growth rates were achieved, says CEO Michael Weber. Currently, the e-reader is the best selling product in the buch.de and thalia.de online stores.