The London Book Fair (LBF) is not much to write home about, although there is something about the spectacle of Chinese apparatchiks shooting the breeze with what appear to be battalions of enhanced women from Eastern Europe.
But, LBF is the latest theatre in the tablet wars. The saga of Waterstones and the Barnes&Noble Nook continues. The companies have apparently agreed to enter partnership, after months of secret deliberations which were conducted in anything but secret. However, any official announcement has been pushed back until the summer. This deal has been dragging on for nearly a year, during which time the opposition has gone from strength to strength.
In that time, the very swish Kobo has been launched in Britain through WHSmith. Kobo has been making fighting talk at LBF. The company intends to extend its franchise in Britain, both through Smiths and other retailers.
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