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Old 10-04-2008, 09:57 PM   #1
bill_mchale
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Is there a dedicated device for eReader format?

Currently, I have been reading and enjoying some books on my iPod using the eReader software. Its fun, but I can't help but think that it would be nicer still on a screen that was larger. So, other than buying a windows UMPC and installing eReader on it, does anyone know of any dedicated eBook devices that support eReader format? Or any devices planning on supporting it?

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Old 10-04-2008, 10:39 PM   #2
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does anyone know of any dedicated eBook devices that support eReader format? Or any devices planning on supporting it?
None exist now that I am aware of. Astak was talking about supporting it, but that may have changed with their new plans. Don't know.

That said, you could always decrypt the eReader files you have and convert them to Mobi or LRF using ereader2html program that is floating around somewhere.

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Old 10-05-2008, 09:19 AM   #3
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True, but to a certain extent, if such a device had existed, I would have liked to reward the manufacturer for supporting one of the more friendly DRM'd formats.

I have to say of all the formats out there at the moment, I think I am least interested in supporting Mobi/Kindle. They don't support Macs, iPod touches or Linux (despite the fact that must of the devices using Mobi, use Linux). LRF, I am not crazy about for similar reasons, but at least the Sony reader supports ePub which is a start.

eReader on the other hand supports most platforms except linux but it currently doesn't have a dedicated device. If it gets one, count me in.

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Old 10-05-2008, 10:58 PM   #4
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Liberate it and read it on a Kindle
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Old 10-05-2008, 11:31 PM   #5
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I agree eReader is equal best or the best format out there[least intrusiv DRM, dictionary look up support, great appliction atleast in windows platform] or there abouts...I only wish Sony would support it and it would be a neat and cheap way of taking the fight to the mobi/amazon Juggernaut...

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Old 10-06-2008, 02:36 AM   #6
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I agree eReader is equal best or the best format out there[least intrusiv DRM, dictionary look up support, great appliction atleast in windows platform] or there abouts...
In what way is it better than MobiPocket? That's a genuine question - I know virtually nothing about eReader and I'd be interested to know in what ways you believe it to be better. For Mobi we can buy hundreds of different dictionaries - Oxford, Collins, Chambers, Websters, etc; is the same true for eReader?
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Old 10-06-2008, 08:14 AM   #7
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In what way is it better than MobiPocket? That's a genuine question - I know virtually nothing about eReader and I'd be interested to know in what ways you believe it to be better. For Mobi we can buy hundreds of different dictionaries - Oxford, Collins, Chambers, Websters, etc; is the same true for eReader?
Harry,
There are a few ways that eReader is better (imho) than Mobi.

1. DRM, yes eReader has DRM, but unlike the DRM of Mobi or Sony, its a device independent DRM. Essentially every DRM'd book has a code that includes your credit card (its actually a hash, so you can't get the credit card from the book). Essentially its social DRM. You could redistribute the book freely, but you won't because you don't want others knowing your credit card number. In contrast most other DRM schemes will limit you to registered devices. If you want to view them on another device, they might let you, but if the company you bought from gets out of the e-book business, it might be impossible to transfer your content to another device.

2. eReader has reader applications available for Macs, PCs, Palm, iPhones, Symbian devices and is known to be working on Blackberry (And I wouldn't be surprised if they were working on Android now as well). The only major platform they don't currently support is Linux, and I have hope they will in the future. I know I want a dedicated reading device, but I like the fact that I have much greater choice regarding what I use for backup readers. I want to make sure that I can choose phones and computers based on what is the best technology, not what allows me to read my books.

3. Fictionwise owns eReader. Fictionwise might be the friendliest company when it comes to non-DRM'd books. Since I would prefer books not be DRM'd at all, I would like to support them more (and I assume that any eReader enabled device would at least get them a small royalty. I tell you this right now, if any of the current devices were to add support for eReader, I would buy it tomorrow.

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Old 10-06-2008, 08:24 AM   #8
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Thanks, Bill - that's very interesting. What about choice of dictionaries, though - does one have the same wide selection one has with Mobi?

My selection of Mobi as my "format of choice" is motivated similarly to your reasoning - it's available on a very wide range of platforms, and I feel that it gives me the widest selection when choosing a new reading device.

How do you think eReader compared to Mobi when it comes to book creation tools? Creating books is important to me, and another thing which motivated my choice to use Mobi is the excellent range of freely-available tools for creating books in Mobi format. I've no idea what the range of tools for creating eReader books is like.
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Old 10-06-2008, 10:59 PM   #9
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Harry,
I don't know about dictionary availability with eReader; I know the version for the iPod Touch does have a facility that will let you link to a dictionary. But frankly, I have never been one to read with a dictionary next to me. I hate stopping in the middle of what I am reading to look up a word. 99.9% of the time, I gather enough information from context to follow what is going on even if I don't understand a specific word in the text.

As for device support; I would say that the only area that Mobipocket trumps eReader is in the hardware readers that are available for it. Its only advantage on other platforms is in that it supports blackberrys.. but not iPod Touches and not Macs. Their slowness to adopt the iPod Touch/iPhone format really speaks volumes (when there are no less than 4 software book readers for the iPhone platform and some of them do support Mobipocket. Since Mobi has the development muscle of Amazon behind them, their lack in developing software for the platform is glaring (Yes I know they are promising it.. but actions speak louder than words).

My big gripe with Mobipocket is that it limits the number of devices you can read the book on. When I buy a book I expect to own it for the rest of my life. With Mobipocket, I will have to ask permission after I have loaded it on readers in the future... of course that is assuming it is still around. More than a few people who bought DRM'd music got burned when the company selling it to them sold it or discontinued their DRM servers. Ereader is DRM'd, but the DRM is built into the file, so I can load it into any device I want, and then use my own code to open the file. If fictionwise stops DRM tomorrow, I can still read my DRM'd books.

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Old 10-06-2008, 11:27 PM   #10
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eReader book creation tools

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How do you think eReader compared to Mobi when it comes to book creation tools? Creating books is important to me, and another thing which motivated my choice to use Mobi is the excellent range of freely-available tools for creating books in Mobi format. I've no idea what the range of tools for creating eReader books is like.
While I also prefer eReader as a format when purchasing DRM'd books, eReader's software for creating books has at least one big flaw - it costs $30! I think it's a mistake for them to charge for the software, when other companies offer theirs for free.
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Old 10-07-2008, 12:55 AM   #11
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While I also prefer eReader as a format when purchasing DRM'd books, eReader's software for creating books has at least one big flaw - it costs $30! I think it's a mistake for them to charge for the software, when other companies offer theirs for free.
Dropbook is free and is used as the final step in most converters. Even Book Designer uses Dropbook for the final step. Unfortunately it requires PML so it isn't easy to use unless you use another program. It is also available on a mac.

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Old 10-07-2008, 01:50 AM   #12
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In what way is it better than MobiPocket? That's a genuine question - I know virtually nothing about eReader and I'd be interested to know in what ways you believe it to be better. For Mobi we can buy hundreds of different dictionaries - Oxford, Collins, Chambers, Websters, etc; is the same true for eReader?
I haven't seen Collins or Champers but yes the others are available for eReader still mobi is lightly ahead I think, although I haven't looked that much around. The difference is though not significant and for all intents and purposes you can get any mobi ebook its equivalent as eReader one too, but as i have said re book availability I suspect mobi is slightly ahead, But its things like smaller files sizes, faster application and most importantly a better and much more user friendly DRM implementation makes eReader the best propriety eBook format today. IMHO

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Well said I couldn't agree more with you.
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Old 10-07-2008, 03:15 AM   #13
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Dropbook is free and is used as the final step in most converters. Even Book Designer uses Dropbook for the final step. Unfortunately it requires PML so it isn't easy to use unless you use another program. It is also available on a mac.
Thanks, Dale! I find I am hopeless with Book Designer - probably because I last did HTML programming when 3.2 was new.

I tried Harry's tutorial and found it wasn't remedial enough for me.
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Old 10-07-2008, 07:31 AM   #14
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I guess the important question regarding book creation software is regarding what purpose it is used for. If you are writing new books to be published (independently I would presume) then I think $30 is reasonable; I know everyone loves free software, but fictionwise does have to pay for all the development costs.

If the process is converting books to eReader format, I know Stanza can do it. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other tools can do it too.

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Old 10-07-2008, 09:06 AM   #15
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I guess the important question regarding book creation software is regarding what purpose it is used for. If you are writing new books to be published (independently I would presume) then I think $30 is reasonable; I know everyone loves free software, but fictionwise does have to pay for all the development costs.

If the process is converting books to eReader format, I know Stanza can do it. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other tools can do it too.

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I believe the reason people complain is because Mobipocket has made theri very powerful Creator available for free to all. That means that people who may not want to convert books for sale, but do have long documents they want to convert have a easy WYSWYG converter.

As for fictionwise paying for development cost, they could always put it under promotion of format and be done with it

Seriously, having a creator freely and easily available is necessary if you want to drive adaption of the format. Charge for a more advanced version which you have to use if you want to publish books from the site, but have a free version available.

In my own case, I've been curious about eReader but without a easy tool to convert, I've ignored it as with Mobi I can play around and try out what works for me and my personal files.

As for other tools being available, yes they are there but my and a lot of peoples question is why should I bother if the company that owns the format is not interested in convincing me to use it.
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