Waiting, waiting...

[Stensie4JC]

I am so excited that this ebook thing is finally taking off. I've been waiting and anticipating this transition for some time. I frequently travel internationally and it's always a heart-wrenching to decide which books stay and which go. If you've never had to choose and pack a whole year's worth of reading, you have escaped great distress.

I started out reading books from project Gutenberg the 2" square white-on-black screen of my Chinese MP4 player. Returning to the states last fall I borrowed the oooold ipaq that I've been using, which cannot/will not display mobibooks properly. But that's not why I'm here. I've meditated on what I want and how I would use it, and I've decided to buy a dedicated device. After despairing over the price and exclusivity of Kindle and Sony (not to mention the obstacles of using either abroad), I fought through the hype and discovered there are independent devices out there. This was around the time Astak announced they will be the US distributor of a Chinese device branded here as the EZ Reader Pro. And I fell in love.

Now I impatiently await the consummation of my digital betrothal.

[MickeyC]

Hi Stensie4JC and welcome to MobileRead. I used to read on a iPaq but now that I've got a dedicated eInk device, I could never go back. And you will love going on a long trip carrying 50 books that don't take up any more room than a single paperback.

Be sure and let us know when you get it.

[rlparker]

Hi Stensie4JC. Welcome to MR!

...
Now I impatiently await the consummation of my digital betrothal.
...

Sounds kinda kinky, but we're all broad-minded adults here. Aren't we?

[Lady Blue]

Hello Stensie4JC, and to Mobileread.

[kazbates]

Welcome to MobileRead, Stensie4JC!

I am sure you will love your new reader. Don't be shy about asking questions when they pop up! We've all been there at the beginning with our new readers and are happy to help.

Happy Reading.

Oh, and, uh. . .Congratulations on the betrothal!

[Stensie4JC]

Thanks! I am sure there will be lots of questions. I am not so techno-savvy. I was initially attracted to Kindle because it seemed like there was a lot less thinking involved. But Kindle seems to be the iphone of ereaders, I'd rather have some freedom. I've never before awaited the release of a device. I feel so cutting edge.

As for the betrothal, don't tell my husband!

[Elsi]

Hello Stensie4JC -- and welcome to MobileRead. We're glad you've joined us here.

I have both a Kindle and a Sony reader and use them a lot when I'm traveling -- even when I'm traveling internationally. While I do anticipate some complexity if I decided to purchase new books for the Sony while outside the USA, there should be absolutely no problem with getting books from the Kindle. With either device, I can purchase DRM-free books from Fictionwise and Baen/Webscriptions or I can download tons and tons of DRM-free classics and Creative Commons-licensed books from MobileRead, Feedbooks, Manybooks, Munsey's and other sites.

I almost bought an EZ Reader this past weekend, but the promised deep discount didn't materialize. I'm now thinking kindly about the new 5" Pocket Pro from Astak, the 5" Cybook Opus from Bookeen, or the Jetbook. I know ... I don't really need another reader, but I'm such a glutton for them.

So -- welcome indeed to the family of avid readers who travel lightly laden.

[Stensie4JC]

I know the forums are for questions, but I need a road map. This ereader thing is complicated. I just want a to buy a gadget and then put some books on it. Color me conservative, but I'd actually prefer to pay for copyrighted/non-public domain materials I read...I want the good karma, I still plan on publishing my opus some day and then retiring on an island. There's different software and different book formats, and the mysterious DRM. I know what it means, and sort of what it does, but I don't really know how it will impact me. I'd like to have my books on my device but also backed up on my computer because, well, sometimes I drop things in toilets or swimming pools and my cell phone once took a trip through the washing machine. I'd hate to invest in a library and then lose it if I lost the device. I'd like to use a bookstore(s) that is available abroad, specifically in China, the land of censorship. Is there a specific thread or forum someone could point to for a beginner?

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Stensie4JC

I know the forums are for questions, but I need a road map. This ereader thing is complicated. I just want a to buy a gadget and then put some books on it. Color me conservative, but I'd actually prefer to pay for copyrighted/non-public domain materials I read...I want the good karma, I still plan on publishing my opus some day and then retiring on an island. There's different software and different book formats, and the mysterious DRM. I know what it means, and sort of what it does, but I don't really know how it will impact me. I'd like to have my books on my device but also backed up on my computer because, well, sometimes I drop things in toilets or swimming pools and my cell phone once took a trip through the washing machine. I'd hate to invest in a library and then lose it if I lost the device. I'd like to use a bookstore(s) that is available abroad, specifically in China, the land of censorship. Is there a specific thread or forum someone could point to for a beginner?

That's the thing about DRM, you can't have both. To publishers, that's the same as owning 2 physical books and they think you should pay for both copies. If you purchase a book in a specific format (I'll use .lrf since I have a Sony 700 and much about other devices), you are stuck with that format and can only read it on a device made to read .lrf files. If you own multiple readers like I do which are not format compatible, you cannot transfer your newly purchased ebook from one unit to the other. However if you use an online ebook source that sells books in DRMed .lit format, there is a way to strip the drm called Convertlit. Once you've done that, there is software out there that can convert the deDRMed lit file to a format that you can use on your reader (you can google both the convertlit and conversion software if you are interested -as you can with software to strip drm from mobi and ereader formats). Publishers (and the US government, actually) think this is wrong, even though you've legally purchased the book and have no intention of sharing the file with anyone (and even though you can share a paper book ). The whole thing IS complicated and a nuisance. There are a number of threads here at MR that discuss this very subject. The majority of people are not trying to steal from the publisher or take anything away from the author, they just want the freedom and flexibility to read their purchased ebook on whatever device they own. Also, knowing the nature of technology and digital storage, I would like to be able to back up my ebooks for the day when my hard disk crashes, my reading device implodes or the server where I purchased the ebook decides to break it's contract with the ebook store and no longer allow you to download the ebook in your reader's required format (this has happened with Fictionwise.com). I, for one, wouldn't care about the DRM if there was one standardized format that could be read on all readers. But since the ebook industry is still in it's infancy, I have a feeling we will be waiting a while.

I hope all this information helps a little and doesn't confuse you more. DRM tends to be a sore spot with most people here at MR (on both sides of the argument).

[calvin-c]

I'll admit I haven't tried all the DRM formats out there, but I have yet to find one that I can't back up by treating it as a file. The difference, of course, is that to read the 'story' you need to treat it as a book-and there are some that I've been unable to read until they're restored to the original device/location.

Personally, I don't want to be tied to a particular device. It's bad enough being tied to a particular format but even worse being tied to a particular device.

I settled on the Mobipocket format (several years ago) when I found an eBook seller that maintains the books you buy from them & allows you to change the Mobipocket 'device code' (called a PID) and re-download the books. Yes, that puts me at risk, not only of Mobi going down but also the seller. But it's the best *I've* found for DRM'd books. (Like most readers, I avoid DRM whenever possible-but I'd rather put up with DRM than not read the book. So I use the least objectionable DRM I can find.)

I'm giving eReader a try again as some books I want to read I've only found in that format. I doubt if I'll continue using it except for those books that require it. The basic problem is that it uses your credit card number as the pass code. So, each time I reload a book I need to re-enter a 16-digit number. Who remembers that? Pain in the ***. I might find a way to handle this, if I keep trying. I've found several 'workarounds' for Mobipocket problems. Like resetting a book to 'unread'. It's easy in the Windows version-and makes no difference I can see in the library. But in the Palm version, which I use more often, unread books appear in bold but once you've opened a book (even if it's just to check the contents) there's no apparent way to return it to that 'unread' state.

So how do I do it? Easy-I return it to the unread state in Windows & then transfer it again. (Actually, I back up the state file while unread, then restore it. Mobipocket books are stored in 2 files-the first contains the book itself, with the extension .prc or .mobi, while the second, with extension .mbp, contains the state & other info. I suspect that includes annotations but I don't annotate my books so I'm not certain. If I need to make notes I make them in a separate file.)

Anyway, DRM is a major problem in all areas where it's used-but so is theft. From my standpoint, DRM is a bigger problem but obviously the publishers who use it think differently. For an author's viewpoint, read the 'editorials' by Eric Flint in Baen's Free Library (http://www.baen.com/library/). Except for the introduction they're called 'Prime Palaver' and to me, they're *very* interesting even if quite old. I wish more publishers would read these.

[MsAstoria]

Amazon keeps all your ebook purchases forever on their server so if you ever need to, you can re-download your books to Kindle, PC, Mac, Ipad, and Iphone apps at any time. Just saying......

[Sandra Edwards]

Greetings and welcome to MR! I completely understand your love of e-readers :-)

Sandy

[CaraM]

Welcome. I've recently ordered a Kindle, my first ereader. Amazing how ebooks are taking off.

www.caramarsi.com
Logan's Redemption
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040JI3PG

[ImogenRose]

Hello and welcome to MR!

Imogen

[happy_terd]

Hello and welcome to MR!!!