Quote:
Originally Posted by oncdoc
Any other alternative?
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The Sony store tries to compete, to some extent, with Amazon. It isn't currently available for the Pocket Pro, but it is switching to Adobe ePub by the end of the year. I assume they will then be selling to everyone.
FictionWise and
B&N (which now owns FictionWise) want to sell you DRM-ridden eReader ebooks. This format isn't typically as pretty as ePub (
A Comparison of format limitations based on The Hobbit), but there are tools available to strip its DRM. Once DRM-free, Calibre can convert it to ePub (say). The B&N ebook store is more like the Kindle store, in providing direct discounts with no frills. FictionWise can be competitive if you buy a lot of ebooks and take advantage of their club and their frequent deals.
I have a Kindle 1, and I buy about half my ebooks from Amazon (because of price or availability) and about half from FictionWise (any time they are price competitive).
Note that in the US, there is no definitive case law but stripping DRM from ebooks you bought for your own personal use is probably legal. What is illegal is writing the DRM-stripping programs and that is why these are not as user friendly as they could be (improving them is illegal too). The Pocket Pro might later on be able to handle DRM-ridden eReader ebooks via a firmware upgrade. I always strip DRM immediately so that I am sure I have a usable copy of my ebooks no matter what reading device I buy later on, so on-device DRM capability isn't such a big deal to me.