Dec 3 2008
Stanza Partners with Fictionwise
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com SB Sarah emailed this breaking news release to me. Stanza has partnered with Fictionwise to provide DRM content via the Fictionwise store. It's brilliant and I really applaud Fictionwise for allowing its store to be partnered with Stanza because Fictionwise could have easily said, no thanks, we've got ereader. Stanza has licensed the ebook Reader platform so the books that you buy are in eReader format.
This is how it works.
- Open Stanza on your iPhone.
- Choose Online Catalog from the Library screen then Fictionwise Book Store.
- Choose the Fictionwise library
- Add to Cart
- It's bookstore content is formatted for the iPhone (unlike every other retailer Stanza has partnered with thus far).
- You have to create an account with stanza.fictionwise.com. (I did NOT like this because I want to use my fictionwise account. Please get these integrated).
- Enter your email address associated with the Stanza.fictionwise account and password. Click the auto-fill login so you don't have to enter this information again.
- Got to Checkout or Continue shopping.
- You can either enter your credit card information here (no option to pay with paypal so booooo!!!) or at the website. I choose to both sign up and add my cc via the website using a full sized keyboard. If you add the card and set it as primary, you do not need to re enter the information but you must add the three digit security code from the back of your card. Press Continue.
- Another page loads and some graphic button (I think "authorize") is supposed to show up but did not. After clicking the Authorize area, My purchase was complete but the book did not download. Instead, I backed out of the purchase area all the way to the beginning to re-read the instructions on how to use this thing.
- Now you have to go the "My Bookshelf" link at the bottom. (Wow, could Fictionwise and Stanza make this harder and less intuitive? I think not).
- New page opens up to download book. I get a download popup request. I press "Download." I am now at the 13 minute mark.
- I now have to enter my unlock information (Name and CC). The book downloads and I am now ready to read it.
Verdict? Great idea, but lousy execution. I'll be sticking with buying online via the Fictionwise store where I can use my micropay dollars.
Send to Kindle
Dec 03, 2008 @ 13:38:08
So can you buy online and then DL via the Stanza app? Or are the two stores also exclusive in the downloading? How do you dl/read your ebooks on the iPhone, J? Which app do you use?
And can I make a comment without a question mark? No?!
Dec 03, 2008 @ 13:46:22
You can buy online at stanza.fictionwise.com. I highly recommend setting up the account via the computer and not the iphone. Then you would go to Online Library ->Fictionwise Bookstore -> My Bookshelf (last link/selection at the bottom) to download to the fictionwise store.
The two stores do not interact so you can apparently only download content from the stanza.fictionwise.com store BUT you can download content from BOTH stores via the eReader application.
I find the eReader application superior to Stanza because of the notes/highlighting and dictionary lookup feature.
To dl from eReader the books you purchased via stanza, hit the “+” tap and then the “other site” and enter “stanza.fictionwise.com”. You’ll need to expand the screen and click on the “Bookshelf” link. Fill in the email/password combo. Click the “Download” button next to the book you want to dl.
I had to re-enter my unlock information (Urgh!) but it is a way to use the Stanza bookstore and still use ereader, all from the iPhone.
Dec 03, 2008 @ 13:48:12
I should add that I personally use Bookshelf (a pay for app from Zac Bedell) as my iPhone reader because it allows me to set up a personal bookshelf on a computer at home that I always have access to and it reads a dozen formats without conversion. The only thing I think it is missing is a notes feature although I would like an organizational feature and a rating feature.
Apple Is Eveel | Jaci Burton's Muse
Jan 31, 2011 @ 08:07:42
[...] new ringtone. Setting up my email. Or in the App store. Or at Fictionwise downloading ebooks on the Stanza application for the [...]