Google ebookstore

[sonyreaderfan]

The news today is that a new reader, iRiver StoryHD, is coming out. That ereader is tied to Google ebookstore. I haven't pay much attention to Google ebookstore until now. From the website, Google says their books use the Adobe Adept DRM, so the books can be read on Sony, Kobo, and Nook.

My question is: has anyone bought books from Google ebookstore? If so, how is the formatting and content (have proper hyperlinks, TOC, etc.) ?

I bought some books from Kobo and unfortunately they didn't turn out great when read in ADE. I think it's because Kobo uses two formats, Kepub and Adobe DRM, and puts more energy into the kepub format.

I'm looking for another source of epub provider that'll be reputable, so then it'll be another store to price compare. How is Google ebookstore's books?

[SCION]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

The news today is that a new reader, iRiver StoryHD, is coming out. That ereader is tied to Google ebookstore. I haven't pay much attention to Google ebookstore until now. From the website, Google says their books use the Adobe Adept DRM, so the books can be read on Sony, Kobo, and Nook.

My question is: has anyone bought books from Google ebookstore? If so, how is the formatting and content (have proper hyperlinks, TOC, etc.) ?

I bought some books from Kobo and unfortunately they didn't turn out great when read in ADE. I think it's because Kobo uses two formats, Kepub and Adobe DRM, and puts more energy into the kepub format.

I'm looking for another source of epub provider that'll be reputable, so then it'll be another store to price compare. How is Google ebookstore's books?

I've never tried them. Do they offer samples/previews of the books?

[sonyreaderfan]

The previews are all web-based, at least for me. Is anyone able to download samples for preview?

[Rhale]

I've gotten a few books from google (2 out of my 4 total), they work fine with my eDGe when i download the epub version. though oddly enough, for a google service, i find their search a little lacking, i could find some star wars books for example, but i couldn't find the ones i wanted (the movie books, episodes 4 to 6) so it could be a little bit thin on the number of books (i resorted to getting the star wars books from boarders/kobo ebooks)

but as a ebook newbie i'm not sure of how well the technical details are handled by google books

[SCION]

I'm able to download samples directly within the Google Books app (after selecting it in the browser). They show up in the app's Library after syncing. Table of Contents links don't work, but I guess that's the app's limitation. . The app doesn't do bookmarks either.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by SCION

I'm able to download samples directly within the Google Books app (after selecting it in the browser). They show up in the app's Library after syncing. Table of Contents links don't work, but I guess that's the app's limitation. . The app doesn't do bookmarks either.

Hmmm that's odd. right now I'm using the app on my droid x and the table of contents links do work. I'm using it on the books they start you out with. Alice in Wonderland is what I'm using.

settings you get :
Text sizes: 4
Font's : 4 Sans, Serif, Volkorn , Sorts Mill goudy
Two choices for justifications
Line Spacing : 3 choices
Day and Night settings
Brightness
also for out of copyright it offers "original pages"
Page turn animation is the sliding motion, not the page curling animation.
I also don't see bookmarking but It does remember last page read.

Remember though this is only the app, the iRiver reader I'm sure has it's own features and such. My guess is the iRiver is only using the Google bookstore as it's platform same as the nook uses BN, Kobo uses kobo ebookstore. iRiver would be more responsible for all the individual features of the device.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by boswd

Hmmm that's odd. right now I'm using the app on my droid x and the table of contents links do work....

OK, I see what I did. When I "flip pages" to the table of contents (as if paging through a book) they aren't hyperlinked. When I access "Contents" via the menu, then I can select them.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

My question is: has anyone bought books from Google ebookstore? If so, how is the formatting and content (have proper hyperlinks, TOC, etc.) ?

I bought one ebook from the Google ebookstore. So far as I can tell, the ePub is the same as you would get from any store that sells Adobe ePubs.

[Nanopr]

There is a thread on the Sony forum that contains a list of ebook stores where you can buy epub books from. Never discard the Sony Reader store, I think they have done a decent job expanding their title base.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by Nanopr

. Never discard the Sony Reader store, I think they have done a decent job expanding their title base.

Sony is my bookstore of choice. Their books are very well formatted for the Sony Readers, as expected. It's just that, like in complaints elsewhere (like the complaint of prices with the Kobo bookstore in the Kobo forum), the prices for certain books are not competitive, with especially Amazon. That's why it's good that the epub format allows you the choice of buying from different stores.