[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I have been thinking along the same lines. Here is what I have figured out so far.

The various DRMs can be split into several groups; MSReader, Sony, PDA formats, and the various oddball formats(Ebookwise, Hanlin, etc).

Let me apologize in advance for what I am about to say. Sony is currently a third rate DRM ebook format. It's restricted to just their hardware. The selection in the Connect store is limited, and the website itself is difficult to navigate. It's possible to make your own ebooks; many people here post the one they make. If you buy an ebook from Sony, I think it is restricted to just the one device you registered with Sony.

You have it incorrect about Sony. You can register (I think) 6 devices from one account. That means one computer, and 5 Readers. I know 100% for sure that 2 Readers work fine. So you can buy books from Connect that can be loaded on more then one Sony. If you say want to read a book your friend bought, you register it with his/her account, read the book, and then reregister it back to your account so your books work again. Simple.

I know the Connect store isn't perfect, but considering it just recently opened, the selection isn't too bad.

MSReader has been around awhile. It is in a number of ebook stores. I think it only runs on various versions of Windows. However, I do not trust Microsoft. No, I take that back. I trust them to screw it up. I will not buy stuff from MS in this format. From other sellers, maybe. It also has a built in limit on the number of devices.

MS Reader does not need to be installed and activated on multiple computers. You can deactivate the LIT format DRM with no trouble at all.

There are two PDA formats that I am aware of: Mobipocket and Palm eReader. They are about equal in availability. I am not certain, but I think they each have a limit on the number of device you can read an ebook on. Both formats can be read on a PDA running Palm or Windows Mobile. I don't know about eReader, but I do know that Mobipocket can also be read on your Windows computer. I've tried it, it's okay.

I don't know enough about MobiPocket's DRm to comment. But the eReader DRM has your name and credit card info in it So I don't think you'll be giving away eReader books you have purchased. You can read then I think on any number of devices. Just don't give away the files or you give your credit card info with it.

Ebookwise is the only other DRM format that needs to be mentioned. It is limited to the one device, the 1150, and can only be bought from the one website(I forget the name). The hardware is old and inexpensive. You can make ebooks in this format with the dozens of converters on the web. Actually, I am pretty sure all of these formats can be created on your PC.

Using Book Designer, I can go purchase a LIT format book, remove the DRM, load it, clean it up, and create books in BBeB (LRF), PDB, PRC, FB2, kml, rb, LIT, RTF, HTML, TXT. Any decent reader will be able to handle some format that Book Designer can output. So yes, you can convert ebooks from a LIT file into any of the formats you've mentioned.

There are a number of new ebook readers out with proprietary formats. None of them are important yet.

Sony (IMHO) is the last comany to be able to create a new ebook format and get away with it. I don't think the others have the clout to do so.

Currently, the most universal ebook reader hardware is a computer running Windows, with a Windows Mobile PDA running a close second.

I agree with Windows, but the iRex iLiad has Mobi Pocket and FBReader available for it. So it can read a fair share of books. Plus it supports PDF and HTML. So I would have to say the iLiad is right up at the top for formats it can read.

[quoteI am still looking for a lightweight large screen device that will do this. I currently have my hopes set on the possibility of the Amazon Kindle, which might read ebooks from Amazon's subsidiary company Mobipocket.[/quote]
The kindle is vaporware. I would not count it in the running until it's actually available and we have the ability to purchase one.