Google to Launch an "Open" E-book Store

Many were wondering when this was going to happen, and now it looks like it is coming in a matter of days.

Google will debut it's version on an online bookstore in December to rival the digital reading leaders Amazon, Apple and others.

Google Product Manager Scott Dougall told the Wall Street Journal the e-book service will launch in the United States by the end of the year and internationally in the first quarter of next year.

The Journal said Google has signed deals with many major book publishers and will offer hundreds of thousands of titles for purchase and millions of books for free.

It appears Google will offer most of the titles that currently are available in other e-bookstores at launch or shortly after with costs similar to those at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Google told the publication.

Google will allow consumers to access books from retail partners on devices with full Web browsers, including computers, tablets and smartphones.

Google users will buy books online using Google's Checkout system and add them to an online library matched to a Google account.  It has not been revealed what percentage Google will pay its partners.

I'm looking forward to see what new features Google will offer and how they will manage their store compared to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple.  Let's just say this competition is good for readers everywhere.