Amazon did not let Google’s eBookstore launch go quietly. The online giant put out a press release yesterday afternoon saying that two of Oprah’s Book Club picks, are free eBooks from Charles Dickens in the Kindle Store. It should be noted that A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations are both in the public domain and there are free versions available all over the place including from Project Gutenberg and Barnes & Noble.

But the underlying conceit of the press release seemed to be that Amazon wanted to gain some headlines on a day when Google launched some steep competition. While the Kindle is arguably the most popular eReader on the market, the Google eBookstore is open and works on all kinds of devices including Android devices, iPads/iPhones, Web browers, as well as Sony eReaders and the Barnes & Noble Nook.

USA Today has more: “’This is a big threat to Amazon,’ says Allen Weiner, an analyst at researcher Gartner. While Kindle is the top-selling e-book reader, its penetration is dwarfed by the number of Android phones in use alone — about 40 million this year, according to investment firm Piper Jaffray. Combine that with next year’s shipments of Android phones and tablets, as well as the iPhone/iPad universe of more than 100 million devices, and ‘This is a critical juncture for Amazon,’ says Weiner.”

Do you think Amazon will lose its edge in the eBook market?

This morning Google launched the Google eBookstore, which is aimed at helping indie bookstores compete for the growing demand for digital publishing. The platform is designed for small and local bookstores to be able to sell eBooks.

Consumers can already use it to shop Powell’s Books in Portland or Alibris, an indie bookstore based in Emeryville, CA.  Emily Powell, president of Powell’s Books had this statement: “The book industry is changing, because the way our customers read books is changing. By working with Google, we’ll continue to get books into the hands of our customers, whether the book format is new or used, hardcover, paperback, or electronic.”

In addition, the American Booksellers Association announced today that ABA member stores with IndieCommerce websites are now selling Google eBooks online. ABA president Michael Tucker, co-owner of Books Inc. bookstores in California, had this statement: “This partnership with Google is an important chapter in the renaissance we’ve been seeing in independent bookselling. It allows our membership to better compete with corporate retailers on selection, price, and convenience. It levels the playing field.”

A list of participating ABA member stores that have opted-in to sell Google eBooks online can be found by following this link.

Do you think the Google eBookstore will help save indie bookstores?

The Google eBookstore launched this morning and consumers can use the store to buy eBooks for various different devices. The digital store front lets shoppers shop for digital book titles based on their device. You can shop directly for the Android, iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, Sony and Nook eReaders, as well as for the Web. Google eBooks can be downloaded onto all eReader devices that run Adobe Digital Editions.

Shoppers can use a Google Checkout account to purchase books, which will be hosted in their cloud-based Google bookshelf. At this point the store only works for U.S. based credit cards for payment.

There is also an option to return an eBook in case anything goes wrong. Here is more from the Google eBookstore: “You may return an ebook for a refund if the ebook does not perform as described, provided that we receive your request within 7 days of purchase. In certain cases, we may consider refunds outside this period, but please note we make these decisions at our sole discretion. Refunds will not be granted in situations of purchase abuse.”