08-30-2002, 03:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Interview with Palm Digital Media on eBooks and DRM
http://cebooks.blogspot.com/
Check out the August 28th blog entry of Jerry Justianto's "Pocket PC eBooks Watch" blog. He has an interview with Peter Fry and Lee Fyock of Palm Digital Media (PDM). You know that super cool Palm Reader you are using on your Pocket PC? That is Peter's handiwork. It is so clear that PDM "gets it" when it comes to ebooks.
The interview mentions that PDM's format and ever so friendly method of DRM is available at Fictionwise and WHSmith and has been licensed to several ebook creators. Normally, I am all for competition, but in ebook formats, I would like to see on standard emerge as the clear victor and right now, it seems there is no stopping PDM. They have a powerful combination of great software, top notch tech support (rarely necessary!), DRM that treats me as a valued and trusted customer, a growing library and more licensees. Keep it up PDM!
If you have any interest in ebooks, you owe it to yourself to stop by the Palm Digital Media site and of course, Pocket PC eBook Watch.
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08-30-2002, 04:33 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 298
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Agree--Palm Reader is great!
Just wanted to chime in and say that Palm Reader is definitely great, and having tried almost all the readers out there, my favorite; this is from someone whose initial reason for even getting a Pocket PC almost two years ago was to serve as an e-book reader--instead of the briefly tried and hugely disappointing Franklin eBookman. (The benefit to me of course, was finding out all the other great uses for my Pocket PC :wink:
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08-30-2002, 05:03 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 8
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ebooks on pocketpc
For me, the microsoft reader is the easiest e-reader I know, followed as a close second by mobipocket.com.
Or at least, that was my opinion untill this year.
Now, mobipocket is for me the best one.
The microsoft reader has failed me since the pre-pocketpc 2002 version (as supplied with a hp jornada 54x series) doesn't support the new format for the reader 2002.
Anyway, when I look for free e-books, I look at www.esspc-ebooks.com.
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08-30-2002, 06:18 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 10
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Standardization is actually one of the biggest issue with eBooks. There are way too many formats. Frankly I don't care which format wins,as logn as somebody does. It should be open so that others can create readers for that format.
Let the competition be about which reader has the best feature you like, instead of what format can it read. Right now my choice is based on what format the material I read is in, not really a choice.
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08-30-2002, 06:47 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 129
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MS Reader and Mobipocket are fine applications, but have one FATAL flaw: they both use device specific encryption method, the most user UNFRIENDLY method out there. You only have a very limited number of activations available and if you happen to reformat your hard drive, hard reset your Pocket PC or upgrade your hardware one time too many you loose access to all those ebooks you paid your money for.
This practically GUARANTEES that sooner or later your ebooks will turn into expensive collection of useless files.
On top of that Mobipocket failed to implement ClearType technology and employs the most obnoxious and unfrendly support personnel I have ever met...
Fortunately, Palm Digital Media (a.k.a. Peanutpress) chose to implement user friendly encryption method that is NOT device specific. You use your name and credit card number to initially unlock the book. If you ever replace your credit card with one having different account number, all you do is logon to your bookshelf, update credit card info and re-download the books. You can do it as many times as you want, no need to beg anyone for permission.
And of course you can read your Peanutpress ebooks on as many computers/handhelds as you want. No matter how many times you repalce, repair or upgrade them.
Also, Palm Reader was smart enough to offer ClearType support, which greatly enhances my reading experience on my HP Jornada 568.
Cheers,
George
HP Jornada 568 Aficionado
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08-30-2002, 07:29 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 713
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First time PDM'er
Positive:
OK, you talked me into it. I tried it and I've got to say that it's pretty good. There seems to be a really good selection of titles available. The copy protection seems reasonable, too. I hadn't bought an ebook before (being content with the frequent free books and short stories available from fictionwise.com, etc.), because of all of the negative talk about the MS Reader (problems with changing Reader versions, using the media on different devices, etc.). I finally took the plunge and bought a couple from PDM. I'm pretty happy, except...
Negative:
Everytime I turn off my e740 while reading an ebook the book closes when I turn on the PPC again. I get to see it for about 1/2 of a second and then I see "No Books Open" and a big Palm logo. If I reopen the book it is right where I left it (page-wise, I mean). Is this by design or am I doing something wrong?
I'm not real keen on the paragraph formatting either. Skipping a line instead of indenting eats up a lot of screen space. Is this configurable?
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08-30-2002, 07:36 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Re: First time PDM'er
Quote:
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Originally Posted by BwanaJim
Negative:
Everytime I turn off my e740 while reading an ebook the book closes when I turn on the PPC again. I get to see it for about 1/2 of a second and then I see "No Books Open" and a big Palm logo. If I reopen the book it is right where I left it (page-wise, I mean). Is this by design or am I doing something wrong?
I'm not real keen on the paragraph formatting either. Skipping a line instead of indenting eats up a lot of screen space. Is this configurable?
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You'd be surprised - indenting on a PDA isn't nearly as distinguishable as a line skip. No, it isn't configurable.
On the closing - your ebook on an SD card? Known bug. Put your ebook in RAM or a CF card and it won't do this.
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08-30-2002, 07:38 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 713
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Re: First time PDM'er
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Quote:
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Originally Posted by BwanaJim
Negative:
Everytime I turn off my e740 while reading an ebook the book closes when I turn on the PPC again. I get to see it for about 1/2 of a second and then I see "No Books Open" and a big Palm logo. If I reopen the book it is right where I left it (page-wise, I mean). Is this by design or am I doing something wrong?
I'm not real keen on the paragraph formatting either. Skipping a line instead of indenting eats up a lot of screen space. Is this configurable?
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You'd be surprised - indenting on a PDA isn't nearly as distinguishable as a line skip. No, it isn't configurable.
On the closing - your ebook on an SD card? Known bug. Put your ebook in RAM or a CF card and it won't do this. |
Actually, it's on a CF card already.
As for the line skips, I can live with that.
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08-31-2002, 05:02 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 17
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Another advantages of Palm Reader to MS Pocket Reader
Here are the list why I prefer Palm Reader over MS Reader for Pocket PC:
1. No memory bug problem.
2. Lighting fast in page jumping around the ebook
3. We can zoom in the picture
4. Can change the font
Thanks for posting my interview Ed!
Jerry
Pocket PC eBooks Watch
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08-31-2002, 06:00 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 5
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Ed, if it weren't for your many positive comments about PDM and Palm Reader, I probably would have never tried it. I got the Palm Reader Pro version and it's now my favorite reader, except for the almost useless dictionary that came with it. (I had read somewhere, maybe even you wrote it, that the dictionary was not useful, so I wasn't expecting much.) Its configurability is what I like most about it. I've changed the font and background colors, and have disabled ClearType (I was surprised that I could see the words more clearly without ClearType!)
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Linear Mode
