PRS-500 Connect internals

[igorsk]

Received my Reader today and was poking a bit around Connect software. Here's some random observations in no specific order.

Connect software uses a combination of XML and ECMAScript (think Javascript) to describe the UI of the program and the web store (e.g. see reader/ktStart-kBook.xml). A lot of support code is pre-compiled ECMAScript (.xsb files). Loaded modules are listed in a simple xml file, so theoretically it should be possible to add plugins for converting new formats or other functionality. A few key URLs are listed in ktConnectAssets.xml, e.g.:
http://ebooks.connect.com/index.xml - main store page
http://download.sony.com/prs/notices...otice-info.xml - info about new sofware versions
Book database is kept in "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Sony Corporation".
Books are stored in "My Documents\My Books".
Authentication and purchases are done using secure SOAP calls.
List of services: http://ebooks-mediasvr.connect.com/w...et/AxisServlet
WDSL links don't work, but you can find some of the services descriptions here: http://ebooks.connect.com/XSL/mb_us/...tionTokenP.mct
Each store page is tracked via Omniture's 2o7.net, using a transparent 2x2 gif.

[TadW]

Well done, Igor!

Looks like the services are not all in place yet - I tried the update service but the URLs all point to 404 ;(

PHP Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<update-notice-info xmlns="http://www.kinoma.com/fskin/1" version="1.0">
  <target id="CONNECT Reader">
    <update min="1.0.00.00000" max="1.0.00.00000" 
      uri="http://download.sony.com/prs/connectreader/1.0.01.21150.setup.exe"
      name="CONNECT Reader"
      version="1.0.01.21150.test"/>
  </target>
  <target id="PRS-500/U">
    <update min="1.0.00.00000" max="1.0.00.00000"
      uri="http://download.sony.com/prs/prs-500/setup.exe"
      name="Sony Reader update"
      version="1.0.1.fake"/>
  </target>
</update-notice-info>

If we find out how to communicate with the Shop via SOAP, we could write our own Sony Connect software quite easily. That would make a lot (non-Windows) users happy me thinks.