Microsoft Joins eBook Forces with O’Reilly Media

Today the publishing arm of computing giant Microsoft (MSFT) announced a partnership with O’Reilly Media, Inc., entering an eBook market that has been dominated by Amazon.com (AMZN) and Google (GOOG).

O’Reilly Media, a tech publisher with a broad digital footprint, will help Microsoft Press expand its content into new multimedia channels, from social networking sites to mobile phones. Along with wider distribution, O’Reilly Media will help Microsoft launch new “eBook initiatives” as well.

Here’s a statement from Walid Abu-Hadba, corporate VP, Developer and Platform Evangelism: “The publishing industry is rapidly evolving, embracing the new and interesting ways that people are consuming information, and using personal technology. By working together with O’Reilly Media, Microsoft authors will have greater opportunity for exposure, and readers will have more access to author content … This is an opportunity to give our customers a broader and more robust portfolio that is more responsive to their needs.”

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