Mobile Read Guest Blog at Angry Robot Website

[LeeH]

Hi,

I asked Mobile Read to write a guest blog for newbies to eReading, and it's just been posted here:

http://angryrobotbooks.com/2009/06/t...ctronic-books/

Cheers!

[Argel]

A lovely simple introduction.

If I might suggest a couple of additions:

Many people still read ebooks on their laptop/netbook - it's a good place for some people to start.

In fairness to eReader, saying that it can't be read on an ebook reader is strictly correct but leaves out the fact that they supply software for nine different devices, including the iPhone.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by Argel

A lovely simple introduction.

If I might suggest a couple of additions:

Many people still read ebooks on their laptop/netbook - it's a good place for some people to start.

In fairness to eReader, saying that it can't be read on an ebook reader is strictly correct but leaves out the fact that they supply software for nine different devices, including the iPhone.

A laptop is a PC. I think it would be redundant to replace "PC" with "laptop PC or desktop PC". To do so would also imply that the reader can't figure that out on their own.

And the second point was more about Sony than about ereader.

[Argel]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

A laptop is a PC. I think it would be redundant to replace "PC" with "laptop PC or desktop PC". To do so would also imply that the reader can't figure that out on their own.

And the second point was more about Sony than about ereader.

Well I disagree with you on the first point - adding laptop to the list of devices would cost nothing. The final sentence referring to "even" a PC will, I think, appear to most people to refer to a desktop.

As to your second point, I respectfully suggest that you're simply wrong. I quote:

While “ereader” is a common term for ebook reader, there is also a specific ebook format by that name. eReader cannot be read on any of the ebook readers currently on the market.

That is clearly not about the Sony and I thought it was little unfair to eReader not to point out that there are many portable devices on which the format can be read. As the paragraph stands, if I knew nothing about ebooks I would assume that eReader is of very little use, which is not the case.

Anyway, these were no more than suggestions and I have no desire to go to war over them. As I said I think it's a nice simple introduction.

[sirbruce]

I found the article lacking in two respects:

1. It talks all around dedicated devices, but they never get their own bullet point. No general overivew of what ebook readers are out there (Kindle, Sony, many others) or why EInk is different from LCD.

2. "Each of the dedicated ebook readers supports exactly one DRMed ebook format." Is that really true? I thought some of the ebook readers that have been announced lately didn't. In any case that seems like a statement of a passing truth that's not really important; the point is your ebook reader only supports certain formats, and may or may not support DRM in those formats.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

I found the article lacking in two respects:
1. It talks all around dedicated devices, but they never get their own bullet point. No general overivew of what ebook readers are out there (Kindle, Sony, many others) or why EInk is different from LCD.
2. "Each of the dedicated ebook readers supports exactly one DRMed ebook format." Is that really true? I thought some of the ebook readers that have been announced lately didn't. In any case that seems like a statement of a passing truth that's not really important; the point is your ebook reader only supports certain formats, and may or may not support DRM in those formats.

Good point on you one bullet. But I think that level of detail is beyond the level of this article

On your second point, I totally missed that error the first time I read it.
At the moment I can think of only two dedicated book reader that supports multiple DRM. The sony 505 and 700.
=X=

[Nate the great]

Hey, guys, they're interested in more blog posts aimed at beginners. Why don't you write one?

[sirbruce]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Hey, guys, they're interested in more blog posts aimed at beginners. Why don't you write one?

Sure, how much are they paying?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

2. "Each of the dedicated ebook readers supports exactly one DRMed ebook format."

I suggest "Each dedicated ebook reader supports a limited number, often only one, of the DRMed ebook formats."

The Sony Readers support two (Sony and Adobe), and Astak's readers will also soon support two (eReader and Adobe). Note that this also means that eReader will soon be supported on some ebook readers. It is already supported on the vast majority of handheld devices.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Sure, how much are they paying?

Are you serious?

BOb

[pshrynk]

Thanks for jumping in there, Nate!

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Hey, guys, they're interested in more blog posts aimed at beginners. Why don't you write one?

Isn't it by invite only.... my days of party crashing are over with .

BTW I failed to mention it before. Great article!

=X=