Hello,

I have exciting news for iPhone and iPod Touch users! BooksOnBoard has just launched our new mobile site for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The only software that is required is Stanza, which is free to download in the iPhone Applications store.

The new site is an easy browsing and purchasing experience because when you are browsing from the iPhone site, ONLY the formats that are compatible with the iPhone -- eReader (both DRM and non-DRM) and non-DRM Adobe ePUB -- are displayed. It takes the guesswork out of deciding which format to purchase for your iPhone.

You also have the option to save your BooksOnBoard account log-in and billing information so you don't have to re-type every time you purchase on the iPhone. The safely encrypted information is stored only on your iPhone (BooksOnBoard doesn't keep this information). This makes checkout an easy and safe one-click experience.

More iPhone instructions can be found here: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?F=iPhone_ebooks

If anyone has any questions about the iPhone site, please post them in the comments, and I will answer. Our press release regarding our new iPhone site is below my signature.

Best wishes,

Kelly
BooksOnBoard


New BooksOnBoard Technology Knocks Down iPhone eBook Barriers

Austin, TX – Reading a bestseller on the Apple iPhone just got significantly easier. Two major barriers to eBook adoption collapsed today with the public launch of BooksOnBoard’s new Qik Clik(TM) technology for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

“With this advance, format guesswork and long checkout forms go the way of analog TV, truly making eBooks available anytime and anywhere for iPhone owners,” said Bob LiVolsi, CEO of BooksOnBoard (http://www.booksonboard.com).

Qik Clik(TM) technology gives iPhone and iPod Touch customers a quick, one click checkout experience at BooksOnBoard, and takes only three clicks from eBook selection to download, automatically doing the format selection for them. And registered customers have no checkout forms to complete after their first purchase – no credit card information, no name and address, just a single click.

According to Neelan Choksi, Lexcycle/Stanza COO, “I am very impressed. The BooksOnBoard team deserves a huge amount of credit. They have taken the Stanza catalog format to a new level and greatly improved and streamlined the eBook customer experience.”

To access their eBooks, customers must have Lexcycle’s free Stanza application downloaded from the iPhone App Store.

“Our Qik Clik technology provides a secure, customer friendly eBook experience on the iPhone and iPod Touch – with the fewest possible clicks,” says Marwan Hassoun, BooksOnBoard CTO. “This is only the beginning. Our eco-friendly technology roadmap will continue to make eBooks easier for customers to access and read. We plan to expand the technology and make it available on almost all mobile devices very soon.”

Harlequin Enterprises Vice President of Digital and Internet , Brent Lewis, said, “We know that more and more readers value the convenience of their mobile device, so BooksOnBoard’s launch of a user-friendly mobile website for iPhone is a timely and welcome addition to eBook purchasing options”

Bestselling author Jess Dee reflected the response of many authors when she said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of this innovative venture. Congratulations to BooksOnBoard for the launch of their new iPhone interface.”

Jane Porter, acclaimed author of Flirting with Forty, said, "An exciting new way to buy your books today! I’m a fan"

Added Renee Bernard, popular author of A Rogue’s Game, “With BooksOnBoard and my iPhone, there isn’t anything else I need to take with me! It’s the best of both worlds and I’m thrilled to have the world’s largest selection of books at my fingertips wherever I go!”

According to Mike Smith, Executive Director of the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), the trade and standards association for the digital publishing industry, “It is good news for customers that non-DRM format EPUB titles are also part of the BooksOnBoard offering for the iPhone, allowing readers to experience the interoperability of EPUB between devices and reading applications.”

Thanks for the info, Kelly! :thumbsup:

I do pretty much all my reading on my iPod, and while I have purchased a book or two at BooksOnBoard in the past, the easy process for shopping at eReader meant they have received most of my money. Now that you have made it easier to buy and download directly to the iTouch, I'll have to take a better look at your offerings.

Any chance of offering direct access for the eReader software? Generally I am indifferent between eReader and Stanza, but depending on the book, eReader's dictionary function can come in quite handy at times. Also, there is still the occasional eReader book that Stanza does not display correctly (Lexcycle says they expect to have that cleared up shortly, but no ETA).

Again, thanks for letting us know!

The Bandit

Kelley, what format are the Books On Board for the iPhone?

Kelley, what format are the Books On Board for the iPhone?

It's actually in her post, though it does get a bit lost in all the other information:
ONLY the formats that are compatible with the iPhone -- eReader (both DRM and non-DRM) and non-DRM Adobe ePUB -- are displayed.

The Bandit

I thought Stanza supported DRM ePub. Or is this a yet to come feature?

According to the press release at Lexcycle's site:
Stanza with support for Adobe DRM will be released in 2Q09.

The Bandit

Right now, Stanza only supports non-DRM ePub.

Kelly

Thanks for the info, Kelly! :thumbsup:

I do pretty much all my reading on my iPod, and while I have purchased a book or two at BooksOnBoard in the past, the easy process for shopping at eReader meant they have received most of my money. Now that you have made it easier to buy and download directly to the iTouch, I'll have to take a better look at your offerings.

Any chance of offering direct access for the eReader software? Generally I am indifferent between eReader and Stanza, but depending on the book, eReader's dictionary function can come in quite handy at times. Also, there is still the occasional eReader book that Stanza does not display correctly (Lexcycle says they expect to have that cleared up shortly, but no ETA).

Again, thanks for letting us know!

The Bandit

Currently, if you shop from BooksOnBoard iPhone site, you can only open the titles in Stanza.

Kelly