Microsoft is getting back into ebooks!

Nate the great · 12-29-2009, 06:24 PM

You may have seen the reports that Blio will be demoed at CES. It's not on any schedule, but I finally found out where and when. I have confirmation from a contact with Kurzweil Technologies that Blio will be on display in the Microsoft booth. I was also told that Steve Ballmer will mention it during his keynote address (Wednesday, 6:30pm).

The Juggernaut is awake, and it's throwing its weight behind a new and unknown format. This may not be new to you, but I've glanced through all the coverage on Blio and I don't see Microsoft mentioned anywhere. Have you?

P.S. On a related note, I also found the support site for Blio: www.blioreader.com.

phenomshel · 12-29-2009, 08:17 PM

Very interesting.

tovare · 12-29-2009, 09:32 PM

Microsoft would rather have everyone read on computers running windows.

Jack Tingle · 12-29-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovare

Microsoft would rather have everyone read on computers running windows.

Well, they did a lousy job of it. They should have supported MS Reader a lot better. They almost had the whole market to themselves. Only Mobipocket and Peanut Press were credible competition for commercial use. (Tome Raider and Plucker seemed to be more aimed at hobbyists.) None of the competition had MS's money, credibility or technical resources.

The fact that MS Reader still looks good compared to a lot of software is testament to their head start. The fact that almost no one uses it is testament to their bone-headed stupidity in this market. Frankly, Kurzweil should be running away from MS. An MS sponsored substitute for Adobe PDF? Just kill it now and put it out of its misery.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Jack Tingle · 12-29-2009, 10:00 PM

Wow, talk about a lame website.

Amazedly,
Jack Tingle

LDBoblo · 12-29-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovare

Microsoft would rather have everyone read on computers running windows.

Most people do.

K-Thom · 12-29-2009, 10:05 PM

What the ...?!?? A new format? Don't they ever learn anything?!

Instead of sticking to and developing MS Reader, if at all ...

Stevo · 12-29-2009, 10:08 PM

Better late than never.

Ever notice how much behind the curve Microsoft is? It is surprising to me.

Haesslich · 12-29-2009, 10:11 PM

Oh geez, another format to compete with ePub and AZW. Here's betting it'll be completely incompatible with anyone else's products, and that they try to buy the competition out of business again... because they're just SO successful with their media ventures. I mean, look at how well Urge flew - or Microsoft Reader format. Or what about the VC-1 codec? EVERYONE supports those now, and it's not like people no longer have access to their DRM'd documents and music because they stopped supporting those formats...

/SARCASM.

LDBoblo · 12-29-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haesslich

Oh geez, another format to compete with ePub and AZW. Here's betting it'll be completely incompatible with anyone else's products, and that they try to buy the competition out of business again... because they're just SO successful with their media ventures. I mean, look at how well Urge flew - or Microsoft Reader format. Or what about the VC-1 codec? EVERYONE supports those now, and it's not like people no longer have access to their DRM'd documents and music because they stopped supporting those formats...

/SARCASM.

I don't think it's competing with epub and azw. Those formats are generally for low-quality reflowable text on portable devices. This seems to just be an extension from PDF, which is essentially fixed format. Not bad in terms of quality, but not so hot for small screens. Perhaps that's what the TTS is for (one article did say there was cooperation with Nokia).

JSWolf · 12-29-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

I don't think it's competing with epub and azw. Those formats are generally for low-quality reflowable text on portable devices. This seems to just be an extension from PDF, which is essentially fixed format. Not bad in terms of quality, but not so hot for small screens. Perhaps that's what the TTS is for (one article did say there was cooperation with Nokia).

Why are you even here if you hate (seems like you do) your Reader?

luqmaninbmore · 12-30-2009, 12:56 AM

This forum is about ebooks, not just portable reading devices.

John Bailey · 12-30-2009, 02:00 AM

Perhaps they can call it "reads for sure"..

brecklundin · 12-30-2009, 02:21 AM

if they do this MS could either do a great job or make a mess of it...as for the comment about MS always being behind the curve, compared to who? Yup, ApPlE is sure setting the curve aren't they? As in nobody wants ebooks because nobody reads anymore...that worked well, yes?

Anyway given MS pretty much owns the desktop word processing market and will for a long time to come, here is a shot at leveraging MS Word to create ebooks and as the cornerstone for ebook creation. And given the MS Reader was a pretty nice app, there is that design to have worked from...this could be a very significant thing. I wonder how many back catalogs have a ton of original and even edited manuscripts in some Word file so if there was a solid version of Word that could make converting those files into ebooks with less headache then that fills one of the glaring problems for publishers. Of course there also has to be a ton of books in Wordstar and XYWrite as well. but one step at a time...I feel whoever makes it efficient to get back catalogs converted and ready for market will backdoor Amazon and other "boutique" ebook formats.

It might be very interesting...people need to get off their high-horse about who is doing this, last time I looked the smug Linux & aPplE users are on systems from companies doing NOTHING to bring ebooks into the mainstream.

zacheryjensen · 12-30-2009, 06:55 AM

You're all acting like MS created this. They didn't. This is Ray Kurzweil's baby. MS is probably just providing space to demonstrate how well it will work on their beloved tablet monstrosity computers.

Since this "format" (it seems to be nothing more than repackaged PDF with perhaps some added metadata) obviously would work best on a regular PC/Netbook/Tablet, MS is clearly going to want to be the OS of choice for anyone interested in using it as a distribution platform. They aren't going to care at all if it competes with other formats or not, it's just another opportunity to remind people of their relevance.

They do it for all kinds of applications of their platforms.

12-29-2009, 06:24 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Microsoft is getting back into ebooks! You may have seen the reports that Blio will be demoed at CES. It's not on any schedule, but I finally found out where and when. I have confirmation from a contact with Kurzweil Technologies that Blio will be on display in the Microsoft booth. I was also told that Steve Ballmer will mention it during his keynote address (Wednesday, 6:30pm). The Juggernaut is awake, and it's throwing its weight behind a new and unknown format. This may not be new to you, but I've glanced through all the coverage on Blio and I don't see Microsoft mentioned anywhere. Have you? P.S. On a related note, I also found the support site for Blio: www.blioreader.com. Last edited by Nate the great; 12-29-2009 at 08:41 PM.

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12-29-2009, 08:17 PM	#2
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Very interesting.

12-29-2009, 09:32 PM	#3
tovare Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 1133312 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oslo/Norway Device: PRS-600, Kindle kb Wifi, new Kindle NT, PW2, Kindle Oasis	Microsoft would rather have everyone read on computers running windows.

12-29-2009, 10:00 PM	#5
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Wow, talk about a lame website. Amazedly, Jack Tingle

12-29-2009, 10:05 PM	#7
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	What the ...?!?? A new format? Don't they ever learn anything?! Instead of sticking to and developing MS Reader, if at all ...

12-29-2009, 10:08 PM	#8
Stevo Member Posts: 23 Karma: 46 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: SoCal Device: Kindle 3!!!	Better late than never. Ever notice how much behind the curve Microsoft is? It is surprising to me.

12-29-2009, 10:11 PM	#9
Haesslich Fanatic Posts: 572 Karma: 1138182 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Touch,Glo,Mini,Aura/HD/One,H20, Sony PRS-300/600, Kindle 3-PW	Oh geez, another format to compete with ePub and AZW. Here's betting it'll be completely incompatible with anyone else's products, and that they try to buy the competition out of business again... because they're just SO successful with their media ventures. I mean, look at how well Urge flew - or Microsoft Reader format. Or what about the VC-1 codec? EVERYONE supports those now, and it's not like people no longer have access to their DRM'd documents and music because they stopped supporting those formats... /SARCASM.

12-30-2009, 12:56 AM	#12
luqmaninbmore Da'i Posts: 1,144 Karma: 1217499 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Toshiba Thrive, Kobo Touch, Kindle 1, Aluratek Libre, T-Mobile Comet	This forum is about ebooks, not just portable reading devices.

12-30-2009, 02:00 AM	#13
John Bailey Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 167 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Cybook Gen 3	Perhaps they can call it "reads for sure"..

12-30-2009, 02:21 AM	#14
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	if they do this MS could either do a great job or make a mess of it...as for the comment about MS always being behind the curve, compared to who? Yup, ApPlE is sure setting the curve aren't they? As in nobody wants ebooks because nobody reads anymore...that worked well, yes? Anyway given MS pretty much owns the desktop word processing market and will for a long time to come, here is a shot at leveraging MS Word to create ebooks and as the cornerstone for ebook creation. And given the MS Reader was a pretty nice app, there is that design to have worked from...this could be a very significant thing. I wonder how many back catalogs have a ton of original and even edited manuscripts in some Word file so if there was a solid version of Word that could make converting those files into ebooks with less headache then that fills one of the glaring problems for publishers. Of course there also has to be a ton of books in Wordstar and XYWrite as well. but one step at a time...I feel whoever makes it efficient to get back catalogs converted and ready for market will backdoor Amazon and other "boutique" ebook formats. It might be very interesting...people need to get off their high-horse about who is doing this, last time I looked the smug Linux & aPplE users are on systems from companies doing NOTHING to bring ebooks into the mainstream.

12-30-2009, 06:55 AM	#15
zacheryjensen Addict Posts: 229 Karma: 887 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Utah, USA Device: iPad, iPhone 4	You're all acting like MS created this. They didn't. This is Ray Kurzweil's baby. MS is probably just providing space to demonstrate how well it will work on their beloved tablet monstrosity computers. Since this "format" (it seems to be nothing more than repackaged PDF with perhaps some added metadata) obviously would work best on a regular PC/Netbook/Tablet, MS is clearly going to want to be the OS of choice for anyone interested in using it as a distribution platform. They aren't going to care at all if it competes with other formats or not, it's just another opportunity to remind people of their relevance. They do it for all kinds of applications of their platforms.

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