07:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

Another week, another steady stream of e-book goodness here on MobileRead. Our authentic roundup of what's been going on:

E-Book General - News and Commentary

• How do you read PDF files?
• Adobe to release Content Server 4 and Digital Editions 1.6
• Plastic Logic Announces Their New Reader
• 100,000+ Sony Readers sold in UK?
• Sony's new chapter in digital reading: October 2nd

E-Book General - Deals, Freebies, and Resources

• Secret 15% off sale at eReader

E-Book Devices - Sony Portable Reader

• New Chapter on Digital Reading

E-Book Devices - Bookeen Cybook Gen3

• Cybook source code released (kernel and busybox)

E-Book Devices - Amazon Kindle

• Kindle exclusive content: Bios on Mrs. McCain and Mrs. Obama

11:06 AM by Bob Russell in E-Book General | Deals and Resources (No...

Thanks to Sammy McLoughlin at Palm Addicts for sharing the news about a secret (well, perhaps not *that* secret, see replies below) eReader sale giving 15% off on any e-book purchase through Sep 16, 2008. The discount code is "ROM15".

02:05 PM by zelda_pinwheel in E-Book General | News

The new Sony : the old one with wifi on top, or an e-reading revolution ?

The answer in New York on the 2 October...

http://www.actualitte.com/actualite/...e-New-York.htm
(article in french)

Very mysterious indeed ! So what do you think ?

The speculation has already begun over here.

Thanks to Bellonius for spotting the french article !

01:52 PM by dottedmag in Bookeen | Gen3 Developer's Corner

Some of the Cybook Gen 3 source code has been released by Bookeen:

Bookeen is pleased to make available to you for download an archive file of the ebook reader source code ("Source Code") corresponding to modified software packages used in the Cybook device.

Available here: http://www.bookeen.com/support/ebook-gpl.aspx.

Related: GPL violation?

05:51 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book Readers | Amazon Kindle

From the WSJ today:

Amazon.com Inc. struck a deal with a midsize publisher to offer separate biographies of the two potential first ladies on an exclusive basis to users of Amazon's Kindle electronic-book reader. The two titles, "Cindy McCain: Elegance, Good Will and Hope for a New America," by Alicia Colon, and "Michelle Obama: Grace and Intelligence in a Time of Change," by Elizabeth Lightfoot, are being published as e-books by Lyons Press, an imprint owned by Morris Communications Co.'s Globe Pequot Press publishing unit, based in Guilford, Conn.

Link: Full article

Question: How much of an impact does exclusive content have on your decision to buy a particular e-book reader?

05:21 AM by igorsk in E-Book General | News

New versions to be released on September 22.

Adobe Content Server 4 improves file security and flexible permissions, as well as retail and library lending support, which directly benefits aggregators, online distributors and publishers of eBook content through copy protection. eBook files can be hosted in existing Web infrastructures and business processes, providing easy and seamless integration with media servers, databases and e-commerce systems. The software features a pay-as-you-go pricing model for content distribution, and quick downloads for consumers.
Adobe Content Server 4 is fully compatible with Adobe Digital Editions 1.6 software, a free, lightweight desktop application that allows users to manage and read documents and rich, interactive digital content in an intuitive user interface created using Adobe Flash® software. The software delivers enhanced flexibility through named activation and enables users to move content across platforms and supported mobile devices like the new Sony Reader Digital Book.

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2008/09/0...books-for-all/

05:20 AM by rhadin in E-Book General | News

According to Sara Lloyd's blog at panmacmillan,

Anecdotally, Waterstones store staff report a great deal of interest from customers, and the rumour mills (or well-planned leak??) put a 6 figure number on the Sony Readers sold by the morning of Thursday 4th September.

She also wrote:

As I’m sure all of those working in the digital publishing departments of trade publishing houses will agree, it’s nice finally to have a major high street bookselling brand pitch itself into the ebook ring so wholeheartedly – and the Sony device is the most compelling (and competitively priced) there is of the dedicated devices so far available here in the UK. I must say it did make my heart leap just a little bit to see huge POS displays promoting the Sony Reader and the associated ebook catalogue from Waterstones in the Tottenham Court Road and Picadilly branches, and it was fun to go in and do some underground detective work to discover that the Waterstones staff seemed quite clued up about it all.

There has certainly been an uplift on direct sales of ebooks from our own web site over the weekend, although this may well have something to do with our our promotion of eight non-drm’d SF books which started last week.

Lloyd's The Digitalist blog is available here: http://thedigitalist.net/?p=220

Related: A UK publisher is happy with Waterstones ebook sales, Waterstones Ebook store to Launch midday 04/09/08

02:28 PM by RWood in E-Book General | News

According to an article in TG Daily, Plastic Logic has formally announced their new flexible screen 8.5" x 11" reader. About the size of a pad of paper, the new reader the unit "can withstand getting hit with a shoe." It also features a wireless interface.

Here is the link from their website.