PRS-500 Sony Reader official developer site launched - PRSLabs.com

[Alexander Turcic]

Lo and behold, today Sony silently launched PRSLabs.com, a site providing official tools and documents for you to create unencrypted BBeB files for the Sony Reader. Registration is free and doesn't seem to require any prerequisites. Among the things you can find once you're registered:

• BBeB XML Format Specification
• Xylog Parser API Specification
• BBeB Metadata Guide
• BBeB Character Set
• BBeB ID Specification
• Xylog Parser (Windows DLL)
• Xylog Parser API Specification
• Sample Projects

[NatCh]

Heh, you beat me to it, Alex!

[scotty1024]

I score first post on the site though.

[TadW]

I don't want to spoil the fun here, but where are my tools to put custom stuff on the Reader?

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by scotty1024

I score first post on the site though.

Scotty, you are a machine. I just checked and already three posts!

[RWood]

3 posts and 25 members.

[scotty1024]

The only "tool" is the XYLog parser DLL.

So far in the tool department it's "We help those whom help themselves." :-)

I've got an official parser API spec to aim for in Java, I'm a happy coder.

This officially derails all other efforts.

[sic]

What a piece of junk this new site is.

for a few seconds I was so naiv that I thought maybe SONY did something cool...

Sic.

[sic]

I saved the DTD from the doc into a file. Here you go

I'd attach it but I think I'm not allowed, the file says " do not copy"

idiots!

[scotty1024]

@Sic

Compared to what they did for the Librie, this is cool.

Of course it could have gotten a bit cooler but then there would be less for us to write.

[TadW]

Originally Posted by scotty1024

@Sic

Compared to what they did for the Librie, this is cool.

Of course it could have gotten a bit cooler but then there would be less for us to write.

Hey, it's Sony for God's sake!!!!! I consider this a HUGE step forward - to slowly open up and discuss the development of one of their products with us mere mortals, that is groundbreaking (for Sony).

On the other hand, to what I said earlier, the biggest problem is that there is still no official support to develop and load apps onto the Reader.

[scotty1024]

@TadW

It's all about content with the PRS-500. So far it appears you can't execute native executables from the memory card slot and there is very little file space left in the executable internal filesystems. Which means that even Sony can't go crazy adding apps either, of course they do have tools that could be removed and free up room...

The lack of application development support doesn't surprise me but I wouldn't have minded a bit more effort on their part to help people generate content. But who knows, the source code to that DLL could be too embarrassing to released.

But good things will come of this!

Mark my words: in a year there will be 15 different HTML to LRS convertors, DJVU to LRS convertors, Open Office will do LRS etc ... content will flow like milk and honey into SD cards to be viewed on the Readers. Paris Hilton will pose with her dog and the new Swarovski Crystal cover Sony Reader and we'll all laugh and continue to lament the lack of bluetooth/wifi/ethernet/keyboard/touchscreen/edgelight (take your pick.)

But it will all have started on this day: April 5, 2007.

[Leaping Gnome]

Haha, Paris Hilton read a book.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Leaping Gnome

Haha, Paris Hilton read a book.

Nah, just pose with it (she'll pose with anything!)-- you didn't think she really drives herself around, did you? Let alone washes the limo (or eats at Carl's Junior for that matter)?

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by sic

What a piece of junk this new site is.

for a few seconds I was so naiv that I thought maybe SONY did something cool...

Sic.

Weren't you just recently asking for this sort of info? I take it this isn't what you wanted then?

Remember it is still a beta site (less than 24 hours after going live), it's reasonable to expect that more will be added.