Overdrive partners with Palm Digital Media (Peanut Press)

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.ebookad.com/story.php3?storyid=153">http://www.ebookad.com/story.php3?storyid=153</a><br /><br />Overdrive is the maker of Readerworks, a Microsoft Reader .LIT compiler. Yesterday they announced a partnership with Palm Digital Media, formerly known as <a href="http://www.peanutpress.com">Peanut Press</a>, "outlining their intention to expand global digital distribution and retail marketing of eBooks in the Palm Reader(TM) format."<br /><br />"OverDrive plans to integrate Palm Digital Media's DRM technology and eBook catalog into its suite of eCommerce solutions, including MIDAS and Digital Kiosk -- turnkey retail systems for the secure distribution of eBooks through the Internet. OverDrive would be the first distributor to offer and support eBooks in the Palm Reader format through Content Reserve, OverDrive's B2B digital content network serving more than 400 publishers worldwide. Palm Digital Media currently has an inventory of nearly 5,000 titles from leading publishers, including HarperCollins, Random House, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin's Press and AOL Time Warner Book Group."<br /><br />Good news for ebook readers. Have I ever mentioned that I <i>really</i> like the Palm Reader DRM system? :-)

[dunneldeen]

There are a lot of DRM solutions out there, and I can't say I'm happy with any of them. What is special about Palm DRM?

[Ed Hansberry]

There are a lot of DRM solutions out there, and I can't say I'm happy with any of them. What is special about Palm DRM?

They put a hash of your credit card number in the ebook file (one way - you cannot extract the CC#) and to unlock a book, you just input your name and CC#. No device activation, you can move it from device to device, you can buy a new device each week and it won't care. It treats me like a person, not a thief.

[burmashave]

There are a lot of DRM solutions out there, and I can't say I'm happy with any of them. What is special about Palm DRM?


I second the above. The Palm DRM is simple and usable. Proof of its success lies in the amount of content they have available for sale and the amount of ebooks they are selling. Consumers and publishers seem to be happy with their system.