eBook readers

[Paul Keith]

A++ for the link Mark0. Just read the article and skimmed through the comments and it made me understand and make a better decision on whether to continue searching for e-book readers or not.

I especially like how I now have a third option in the Sony 505 when I originally assumed that the Kindle and the Iphone were head and above the competition already.

[gorinw13]

http://www.betanews...._Kindle_2/1234194231

[app103]

I have an older PocketPC (HP Jornada 540). For me, it's primary use is for reading ebooks. I also use it for IRC chat, playing puzzle games, & very basic web surfing during hot summer months. (There is only 1 room in my home with air conditioning, and my desktop computer is not in that room.)

I have both MS Reader and Pocket Adobe Reader on it, so I can read both .lit and PDF.

I prefer .lit for a few reasons, but the primary reason is file size.

There is an issue with certain PDF files, mainly related to either the age of the file or the software that was used to create it.

Pocket Adobe Reader reformats the files for reading on hand-held devices. To do this, it relies on a tagging system that is embedded in the original file. When you transfer the files from your desktop PC to your device, they are converted. With newer files containing real text, created in Adobe's own pdf creation software, there really aren't too many issues and it works pretty well most of the time.

The problem is really with older files that don't have these special embedded tags, and files created with certain non-Adobe pdf creation software that doesn't add them...and those files that are actually images and no real text can't be converted at all, to anything readable on my handheld device.

When you attempt to transfer a non-tagged, text based pdf file, from your desktop pc to the device (through ActiveSync), the automatic conversion utility will try to add tags to it (by guesswork) and the end result is a file twice the size as when you started (it also isn't always correctly tagged). PDF files are usually much larger than .lit to begin with, and when it's finished converting you could end up with a pdf book that takes up the same amount of space it would have if it were 25-30 copies of the same book in .lit format.

When you only have a 250mb CF card for storage, that can be a real issue to consider.

And I will agree with everyone else about handheld devices being good for reading novels, but not so good for reference books in which you would need to perform searches for info. MS Reader does allow you to create bookmarks, highlight passages, and write page notes (text & color doodles), much the same way you could in a physical book, but you would still have to do that first in order to find something again later. A dictionary in .lit is pretty much useless. As a matter of fact, a dictionary in pdf is also pretty useless on a PocketPC.

[herneith]

I own a Sony 505.  I basically bought to read books without the need to tote them around.  This comes in handy when reading several books at around the same time.  As for the prices of these reading devices they vary.  The irex  iLiad, is expensive at 699$.  According to website you can draw and write on it and you can also read newspapers. http://www.irextechnologies.com/ ).

  As for the PDF capabilities, I stopped perusing the site when I got to the price!  The cheapest one I saw was the Gemstar/Rocket reading device from Ebookwise, (http://www.ebookwise...se/ebookwise1150.htm), which sells for 109$ sans memory card.  I chose Sony because I could transfer PDFs to it.  The only drawback is if you purchase ebooks via stores like Sony ebooks, Books on Boards, you cannot download them to your computer files as such.  Rather, you have to download ereaders such a Adobe Digital Editions, Mobipocket, or Microsoft readers etc.  However there are many sites where you can download ebooks for free.  Two examples immediately come to mind, Project Guttenberg and Internet Archive.  I believe that many of the copyrights have expired for these books.  The only contemporary site which permits you to download the file directly to your folders is Lulu.com which is a site for self-publishers.  I believe the restrictions imposed by Adobe, Sony and Microsoft readers are to prevent dissemination of the books to other who have not purchased them thereby depriving the authors of compensation.  Like all technology, this particular field is constantly evolving, so many concerns in regards to visuals etc may be mute in the future, in the very least minor.  I found that the Sony reader is suitable for my needs which is just reading books.  I have not purchased a 'book' in several months as I can find most in ebook form via the ebook stores or the free sites which I mentioned above.

[wraith808]

Actually, you can download Mobipocket and eReader books as files and copy them just as you would any other- that's the way I generally download them.  In fact, I download them directly to my phone, then move them to my library folder to get them to show up in the library.

[app103]

You can also read MS Reader .lit books on the desktop, and in some cases you can have the software read it to you. This option is not in the PDA versions of the Reader software, but it is available in the desktop software. The only catch is that if the file is locked with DRM, usually text is your only option and not audio.

[herneith]

Once I have downloaded ebooks purchased through Adobe  Digital Editions for example, I cannot remove them and place them in my documents folder.  When downloading the ebooks purchased online, several formats are offered such as Adobe, Mobi, Microsoft E reader etc.   When you purchase the books, they download into these programs.  Once in these e readers, I am unable to move them into any file/folders on my computer.  The only ebook store where I have been able to download the file directly into a file/folder has been Lulu.com.  Can you tell me in more detail how to do this?  So far that is the only drawback to the reading device unless of course you are downloading from one of the free sites.  Thanks!  

[CWuestefeld]

Take a look at Fictionwise. Their "multiformat" ebooks can certainly be moved around as you wish, including from one machine to another. Their "secure" ebooks might have any kind of DRM, and so I won't buy those from 'em. But even so, it's a pretty good service.

[Nod5]

If there's truth behind the buzz then small laptops wih Pixel Qi screens might be hot contenders for the ebook reader throne come this summer:
http://www.liliputin...ens-this-spring.html

[app103]

I don't know a thing about the process of downloading purchased books and where the files go by default, and all the particulars, as I only read free books. And I know nothing about Adobe Digital Editions.

The books I get are either .txt files that I convert to .lit myself, or they are already in .lit format, converted from .txt by someone else. Almost all are public domain works. the rest are various free normal pdf files acquired from various sources.

If you can't find your book files for MS Reader, just do a search of your system for *.lit. That should find them all for you. Then just move them where you want them. If you do not see them in your library the next time you run Reader or if they won't work when selecting through the software, then just find & click the .lit file in Explorer to open it that way and it should stick it in your software's library. (works for me)

And even those with DRM should be able to be moved around. The restrictions is on what PC can open them...not where on a pc they are located. Any device or pc that has a copy of MS Reader registered to the original purchaser of the book should be able to open the book. (you can copy the books from your desktop to your PDA, and read them, provided the copy of MS Reader on both the desktop and PDA are registered to the same person, and that person is the purchaser of the DRM protected book file.)