Last December we wrote about the launch of Entitle, a subscription eBook service that was notable for its focus on ownership rather than the ubiquitous model of Netflix-style streaming. At the time, the service — formerly known as eReatah — focused on Android and iOS devices, but recently we learned that popular demand has driven Entitle to expand its hardware support to e-ink readers as well.Specifically, besides adding 10 new publishers and 50,000 new books since its launch — when more than 100,000 titles were already available — Entitle now allows users to transfer books to their Nooks, Kobos or Sony Readers too, according to a weekend TechCrunch report.
E-ink support has reportedly been early Entitle users’ most frequent request; transferring Entitle content to these readers requires the installation Adobe Digital Editions.At least as interesting, meanwhile, is that 45% of Entitle’s books are being downloaded from its curated pages; just 10% are being downloaded from search, suggesting that most readers “are a little more open, and aren’t looking for a specific title,” CEO Bryan Batten told TechCrunch.Entitle’s pricing has also come down. When it launched, monthly subscriptions started at $14.99 for two book downloads. Today, pricing for two books monthly starts at $9.99.Entitle offers content representing big-name publishers including Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as well as best-selling authors such as Stephen King, Dan Brown, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Michael Crichton. A matching algorithm suggests books to Entitle users based on their reading habits and ratings.
