Firstly could someone confirm what I think i know already (!) that as I'm on a Macbook the Cybook will appear as an added drive just as with my irex?

I took the plunge in August for the iRex iLiad reader and have thoroughly enjoyed using it. The big downside is though the battery life, when I'm reading a lot (which I do quite often) then I need to charge it up daily. I also use none of the 'extra' things that the iRex does so I'm considering getting the Cybook instead.

The Cybook is noticeably cheaper (largely as it doesnt have the iRex's bells and whistles) but it is still more than I 'should' be spending! (hubby would definitely agree! lol)

Wondering if anyone knows of a place to sell e-readers? .. if i can sell my iRex I can get a Cybook.

Thanks!
Loopy

You could try the Flea Market here to put up an advert for your iLiad.

ebay works ok

Firstly could someone confirm what I think i know already (!) that as I'm on a Macbook the Cybook will appear as an added drive just as with my irex?


That's correct, yes.

thanks all .. will check out the flea market and then if no joy will pop onto ebay ..
thanks Harry also for the info about getting content onto it ..

the Cybook certainly looks awesome!

Loopy

Until eReader pdb files are supported, there's no compelling reason for a Mac user to buy a Cybook. It's just as crippled as a Sony.

Until eReader pdb files are supported, there's no compelling reason for a Mac user to buy a Cybook. It's just as crippled as a Sony.

I do not understand this comment. So for a Linux user there is no compelling reason to buy a Cybook either then?

The fact that the Cybook supports a lot of formats natively and the companys stated policy in this respect was one important reason for me to but a Cybook.

Until eReader pdb files are supported, there's no compelling reason for a Mac user to buy a Cybook. It's just as crippled as a Sony.Doesn't that rather assume that MacUsers only read e-books in eReader .PDB format? :headscratch:

I suspect that MacUser who aren't heavily invested in eReader .PDB books might find any number of reasons to buy a Cybook. :shrug:

But I'm not a MacUser, and I don't read in eReader .PDB format (not since I got my Sony Reader, anyway. :D).

Last time I checked there were a lot of files available in HTML that as I remember a Mac like the Cybook can also read. Plus the Cybook like the iRex can read Mobipocket files. As almost all of the recent files posted for download at MobileRead are in Mobipocket (in addition to LRF for the Sony) there is a wealth of available reading material for the Cybook. Many throughout the world have, like Harry, settled on Mobipocket as their standard for ebooks. (I even use it on my Palm powered cell phone even though I have a Sony Reader.)

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.

There are 4 formats that Cybook supports:
txt - not DRM'd.
html - not DRM'd
pdb - either not DRM'd, or DRM'd in eReader format, which is not supported.
prc - DRM'd, requiring Mobipocket software, which is Windows-only.

Why does the epublishing industry want to prevent me from putting the titles I've purchased onto a portable device? I'd like to be a good citizen, but this behavior on the part of the industry encourages piracy.

Last time I checked there were a lot of files available in HTML that as I remember a Mac like the Cybook can also read. Plus the Cybook like the iRex can read Mobipocket files. As almost all of the recent files posted for download at MobileRead are in Mobipocket (in addition to LRF for the Sony) there is a wealth of available reading material for the Cybook. Many throughout the world have, like Harry, settled on Mobipocket as their standard for ebooks. (I even use it on my Palm powered cell phone even though I have a Sony Reader.)

Unfortunately MobiPocket does not support a MAC. It is one of the few OS's that are not supported but they should be able to easily do it if they really wanted to. EReader is one of the few eBook formats that does mac so to share books between the two platforms you have to limit the choices.

Dale

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.Oh! Well why didn't you just say so? Now I understand what you're saying. :yes:

Why does the epublishing industry want to prevent me from putting the titles I've purchased onto a portable device? I'd like to be a good citizen, but this behavior on the part of the industry encourages piracy.That's getting into the e-Babel issue, which is a huge can of worms.

I found myself wondering the other day when the music industry (not the same thing, but it's related due to DRM) shifted from just wanting to get anyone they could to hear music so that they would buy what they enjoyed, to wanting to make sure they get paid every time anyone heard any song, whether they liked it or not.

Somewhere along the line, that shift occurred, and it's only made things nasty and painful for all concerned. :sad2:

Oh! Well why didn't you just say so? Now I understand what you're saying. :yes:

That's getting into the e-Babel issue, which is a huge can of worms.

I found myself wondering the other day when the music industry (not the same thing, but it's related due to DRM) shifted from just wanting to get anyone they could to hear music so that they would buy what they enjoyed, to wanting to make sure they get paid every time anyone heard any song, whether they liked it or not.

Somewhere along the line, that shift occurred, and it's only made things nasty and painful for all concerned. :sad2:

I agree. you can't even sing Happy Birthday these days since someone will try and get you to pay for the privilege.

Dale

Good insight, NatCh, and I agree.

Wish I had some idea of what use to make of the insight. :sad3:

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.

There are 4 formats that Cybook supports:
txt - not DRM'd.
html - not DRM'd
pdb - either not DRM'd, or DRM'd in eReader format, which is not supported.
prc - DRM'd, requiring Mobipocket software, which is Windows-only.

Why does the epublishing industry want to prevent me from putting the titles I've purchased onto a portable device? I'd like to be a good citizen, but this behavior on the part of the industry encourages piracy.
One place here where you are very wrong is about the PRC DRM format. While there is no software for
OS X to view DRM laden mobi format. you can still purchase and download such using your MAC. All you need is the PID from the Gen3 to input to the site to then download the Mobi file. The mobi file can be copied to the gen3 and read fine. When you plug the Gen3 into the USB port, it is seen as a USB mass storage device. So there should not be any problem copying the PRC file (full of DRM goodness) on to the the Gen3 to then use the Gen3 to read this book. So being able to purchase and read Mobi format books with the Gen3 does not need Windows based software.

yup already doing it all just fine on the iRex (that i want to sell!)

Loopy

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.

There are 4 formats that Cybook supports:
txt - not DRM'd.
html - not DRM'd
pdb - either not DRM'd, or DRM'd in eReader format, which is not supported.
prc - DRM'd, requiring Mobipocket software, which is Windows-only.

Why does the epublishing industry want to prevent me from putting the titles I've purchased onto a portable device? I'd like to be a good citizen, but this behavior on the part of the industry encourages piracy.

PDB is not eReader format. The PDB supported by Cybook is the Palm Doc format which MobiPocket also supports. There is no DRM for that format. I would certainly like to see them support eReader in non-DRM but I suspect there is a license restriction from MobiPocket on the DRM support requiring them to only support MobiPocket DRM. But this is only conjecture based on data on the iLiad.

They also support PDF in non-DRM format. And they say other formats are coming.

Dale

PDB is not eReader format. The PDB supported by Cybook is the Palm Doc format which MobiPocket also supports.Actually, you're correct and incorrect at the same time. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

PDB, or Pilot DataBase format is a wrapper, all sorts of different file types can go inside it, including Mobi, eReader, Palm Doc and a passel of others. PRC (I don't know what that one stands for beyond Pilot Something Something), is sorta the same deal, It's usually an executable, but sometimes it's not. Some Mobi Files are PRC, I think, and I remember having some Palm Doc and eReader files that were PRC's too. :shrug:

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.


I'm perfectly happy to read DRM content personally.



There are 4 formats that Cybook supports:
txt - not DRM'd.
html - not DRM'd
pdb - either not DRM'd, or DRM'd in eReader format, which is not supported.
prc - DRM'd, requiring Mobipocket software, which is Windows-only.

Why does the epublishing industry want to prevent me from putting the titles I've purchased onto a portable device? I'd like to be a good citizen, but this behavior on the part of the industry encourages piracy.

Sorry, I really don't follow your argument. You certainly do not require any Windows software to buy Mobipocket DRM-protected books. They can be bought and downloaded from the web site of any Mobipocket retailer; all you need is the MobiPocket ID of your reading device which you enter into the seller's website to allow you to download the book. Once you've download the book onto your Mac (or whatever) you can transfer it to the CyBook via its USB connection.

The MobiPocket Windows desktop reader can act as a "Librarian" and as a "front end" to the various Mobi stores, but you certainly do not have to use it. I don't use it to buy books myself - I buy them directly from the seller's web site (I generally buy from Fictionwise).

The only facility that the Windows software gives you that's not available on other platforms is the ability to read RSS feeds. That's of zero interest to me personally.

Actually, you're correct and incorrect at the same time. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

PDB, or Pilot DataBase format is a wrapper, all sorts of different file types can go inside it, including Mobi, eReader, Palm Doc and a passel of others. PRC (I don't know what that one stands for beyond Pilot Something Something), is sorta the same deal, It's usually an executable, but sometimes it's not. Some Mobi Files are PRC, I think, and I remember having some Palm Doc and eReader files that were PRC's too. :shrug:

How can I be right and wrong and the same time? I stated the format on the Cybook which is correct. You added some information about general PDB which I already knew. you can read the exact details of PDB in the wiki where I generated the table of values and tuned the description. You can also read about PDB/PRC on my web site in the article on ebooks.

Dale

I'm perfectly happy to read DRM content personally.I think he mean that he wanted to read DRM formats, and that the Cybook's support for them is limited. :shrug:


How can I be right and wrong and the same time? I stated the format on the Cybook which is correct. You added some information about general PDB which I already knew.I think I misunderstood what you meant by: The PDB supported by Cybook is the Palm Doc format which MobiPocket also supports.I think I thought you were saying that PDB is Mobi, which would not be correct, but it's also not what you actually said. Sorry 'bout that -- I didn't read it as carefully as I should have. :o

For me, DRM is a disincentive to buy an e-book! I either download public domain and Creative Commons titles, or buy DRM-free e-books from the publishers and e-stores who sell them. I've already spent nearly 100 $ with Baen Books and the Fictionwise Multiformat catalog...

So I'm fine with the Cybook! ;)

Actually, you're correct and incorrect at the same time. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

PDB, or Pilot DataBase format is a wrapper, all sorts of different file types can go inside it, including Mobi, eReader, Palm Doc and a passel of others. PRC (I don't know what that one stands for beyond Pilot Something Something), is sorta the same deal, It's usually an executable, but sometimes it's not. Some Mobi Files are PRC, I think, and I remember having some Palm Doc and eReader files that were PRC's too. :shrug:

NatCh is correct - a PDB file may contain thousands of different data formats. Basically a Palm only supports two types of files:

.PDB - Palm Database - used by applications to store data.
.PRC - Palm Resource - used to store data in resource segments.

A resource database may be used to store executable code, data, or both.

A Palm file may be identified only by examining the contents. Each file contains a Creator ID and a File Type. The Creator ID is a 4 character string registered by a developer with Palm and identifies the application that created the file. The file type is another 4 character string selected by the application developer to allow a single application to support multiple file types.

Quite a while ago I created a Windows Explorer shell program to dynamically display the type of a PDB file by hovering the cursor over it in Windows Explorer. I will attach it to this posting in case anyone here uses Windows and is interested. It would be pretty easy to create something like this that could be run from a command line and support multiple OS's - let me know if anyone is interested.

Regards,
Bob

It presupposes that someone would want to read a DRM'd book.

There are 4 formats that Cybook supports:
txt - not DRM'd.
html - not DRM'd
pdb - either not DRM'd, or DRM'd in eReader format, which is not supported.
prc - DRM'd, requiring Mobipocket software, which is Windows-only.


Five, actually! The Cybook also supports the non DRM'd PDF files.

Or six if you count the non DRM'd Mobipocket file format (extension prc or mobi), which the Cybook supports. ;)