Thameera has a good post on the new Bookhub.lk. It’s a pretty functional solution for local eBook sales, but I’m more excited about its potential than anything else. You can get more books from sarasavi.lk and you can order books from Amazon just fine, including instant on the Kindle. Bookhub is notable because it’s linked up with mobile credit, mobile readers, and potentially offers another way for average Sri Lankans to innovate and earn.
Bookhub partner Etisalat has excelled here, in opening up opportunities to young Sri Lankans, like with their AppZone. I think they’re creating an open platform for publishers here, but perhaps I’m projecting. Let’s see. Note that you can buy stuff here with Etisalat credit or regular credit cards. Check out Thameera’s review for a start, and the Bookhub itself.
Again, respect to Etisalat for opening up gateway for Sri Lankan businesses, and their partner MD Gunasena. I hope other operators and big businesses will follow suit.
Props for the initiative, not so for the execution. Not sure about the Sinhala books on sale, but the English books are mostly public domain stuff that the Kindle market sells for free, but these guys are charging as much as Rs.300 for. That just rankles, IMO.
Plus, ‘Srilanka’s Only e-book store’ on the header of the site. Always good to claim a ‘first’ but for Pete’s sake spellings, Etisalat. No point claiming firsts in a market if you can’t spell it properly.