Total Boox is hoping to make its mark on the e-reading market by offering a new pay as you go model. Think of it as a toll both for e-books and as with most drivers these days you pay for your pass upfront.
Here’s how it works:
If you read 10% of the book you pay 10% of the full retail price, etc.
I’m not sure what to make of the tagline – Read Books Rather Than Buy Them – perhaps Buy The Words Not The Books is more appropriate.
I’m also a bit skeptical regarding its direct to consumer application since for most books one can already sample enough of a book online for free to be able to make an informed decision. Clearly, though, there are some healthy applications of the technology for public libraries, for textbooks (think of the unlimited page skipping feature and paying for only the chapters needed) and the Free Reading Zones service where cities can create “pre-defined areas where anyone can access ebooks at any time and read them.”
I look forward to seeing how this one plays out.