03:56 PM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

Rumors popped up today claiming that by using the right Python-based tools, it's now possible to strip the DRM from protected Adobe ePub e-books. Note from the cracker:

By way of a concrete reverse-engineering contribution, I have successfully circumvented Adobe's ADEPT DRM scheme for EPUB files. The same circumvention probably also allows decryption of ADEPT-encrypted PDF files, although I haven't looked into it yet... And on a preachy note, please don't be a jerk with these. DRM is bad, but piracy is wrong kids, and only validates the opinions of those who think they need DRM in the first place.

Of course we have no way of verifying whether this is the real deal - and it's safe to say that removing DRM is illegal in at least some countries - so folks, you're warned.

03:07 PM by DixieGal in E-Book General | Deals and Resources (No...

I got the promotion email and this looks like a good sale. Books that were made into Oscar nominated movies are on sale, all except one is under $10. Also a bunch of recent year books that were previously nominated are on sale in the $6 to $9 range.

The sale goes till March 2nd and a list can be found here.

08:22 PM by TadW in E-Book General | News

Enjoy the show.

http://vimeo.com/3205133

Tzu's The Art of War -- is it a good book for a presentation?

09:15 AM by TadW in E-Book General | News

Bloomberg columnist David Pauly is contemplating the potential effects the Kindle might have on the future of home libraries. And the future ain't looking good (if you ask David).

When my wife and I made our house bigger several years ago, I pampered myself and reserved one of the new rooms for books. The library cost about as much as our new kitchen, so it was an indulgence.

With the advent of digital books, I’m afraid people will start asking me why I don’t just download everything we have on our shelves onto the Kindle -- Amazon has 230,000 digital titles available -- and convert the library into another bedroom for the grandkids?

It’s just a bit of progress I can do without. I’m convinced I can hear Johann Gutenberg rolling over in his grave.

So I started a new poll. Do you think an e-book reader might at one point replace your library at home (or perhaps did it already)? If yes, would you be worried?

10:44 AM by Kris777 in E-Book General | News

The most promising open-source e-book format received a big vote of confidence earlier this week when O'Reilly, the technology book publishing giant, threw its weight behind the Bookworm project, a web service for reading books online.

The company is now hosting the Bookworm website, and it plans to use it for various experimental e-publishing projects in the coming months.
More details:
http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/...orm-gives.html

10:32 AM by zelda_pinwheel in E-Book General | News

Straight from the horse's mouth : Adobe announced today a Mobile SDK which will allow the development of mobile phones capable of reading pdfs and epub ebooks.

Software Development Kit Enables Reflowable PDF and Content Protection for Smartphones and Reading Devices

BARCELONA, Spain — Feb. 16, 2009 — At the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the availability of the new Adobe® Reader® Mobile SDK, a software development kit (SDK) designed to enable companies to deliver mobile phones and handheld devices that can easily download, manage, and display PDF content and eBooks. The new software engine delivers support for reflowable PDF technology, Adobe’s content protection technology, as well as the EPUB file format, an XML-based eBook standard with broad support from the publishing industry.

In support of the new Adobe Reader Mobile SDK, a number of companies announced plans to ship devices or applications in 2009 that integrate the new Adobe technology, including Bookeen, iRex Technologies, Lexcycle, Plastic Logic, Polymer Vision Ltd., and Spring Design. The Adobe Reader Mobile engine is already integrated into the groundbreaking Reader Digital Book™ by Sony.

Notice that among the companies planning to integrate this technology in 2009 are Bookeen, Plastic Logic, Polymer Vision... 2009 is off to a good start !

thanks to Guillaume for the tip.

Read the whole article here or download the pdf version attached.

12:47 PM by Nate the great in E-Book General | Deals and Resources (No...

This book is about the parental hysteria that has increased over the last 30 years. This is a social issue that worries me. The publisher is offering the book as a free PDF. I recommend you repay their generosity by buying a copy.

No Fear joins the increasingly vigorous debate about the role and nature of childhood in the UK. Over the past 30 years activities that previous generations of children enjoyed without a second thought have been relabelled as troubling or dangerous, and the adults who permit them branded as irresponsible. No Fear argues that childhood is being undermined by the growth of risk aversion and its intrusion into every aspect of children’s lives. This restricts children’s play, limits their freedom of movement, corrodes their relationships with adults and constrains their exploration of physical, social and virtual worlds.

from:
http://www.gulbenkian.org.uk/publica...cation/no-fear

06:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

Bite-sized MobileRead for your weekend pleasure:

E-Book General - News and Commentary

• Amazon Kindle 2 Hi-Res images
• Kindle 2 shows up at the FCC
• First official Kindle 2 Accessories (lots of Cole Haan bags)
• Kindle 2 Announcement on Amazon Front Page
• Could lack of piracy be the e-book's demise?
• Moto demoes Android-powered E Ink display
• The Economist: E-books are becoming popular
• Why there isn't a perfect e-book reader (Gizmodo)

E-Book General - Deals, Freebies, and Resources

• Free eBook - The Patriot Witch
• Refurbished Sony PRS-505 on sale, worldwide shipping
• O'Reilly "Best of TOC" free e-book

E-Book Software - Reading Software

• FBReaderJ 0.2.3 for Android released

E-Book Formats - PDF

• Reading PDF files on Windows or Linux

E-Book Devices - iRex Digital Reader

• iRex DR 1000SW release - sign up to be notified

E-Book Devices - Amazon Kindle

• Could this be the future of Amazon ebooks?
• K2: Just as Good as the Original

Portable Devices - Apple iPhone

• eReader V2.0 for iPhone out
• Stanza to add support for secured ePub and PDF

Miscellaneous - Lounge

• Paper Books - a DANGER to Children!

Miscellaneous - Announcements

• MobileRead Giveaway - Win a Kindle 2!