eBook Locator search database

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.pocketpcmag.com/karpencolumns/karpen08.06.02.asp">http://www.pocketpcmag.com/karpencolumns/karpen08.06.02.asp</a><br /><br />Ebooks are steadily gaining popularity but shopping for an ebook is more like shopping for a car than a real book. Just like when shopping for a car where you have to visit various dealerships to find what you want, you have to visit an increasing number of ebook etailers to find the ebook you want. Worse actually, because when you buy a car, you know it will work on your roads. With an ebook you might find exactly what you want but in the wrong format! Well, Jim Karpin at Pocket PC Magazine has found a great link to help you search for an ebook. The eBook Locator.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20020809-ebooklocator.jpg" /><br /><br />Overdrive, the company that has various ebook compilers for the Microsoft Reader .lit format, has put together an ebook search library. "Their new eBook Locator service offers up-to-the minute information on thousands of eBooks from over 400 publishers worldwide. They specifically cover the three most popular formats: Microsoft Reader, Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader (PDF) [yuck], and Palm Reader." My first visit when doing an ebook search is usually at <a href="http://www.peanutpress.com">Peanut Press</a> because I like their reader and friendly digital rights management implementation, but I can assure you if I don't find the ebook there, the eBook Locator is my next stop.

[disconnected]

I think this is a great idea, but they need to add a few more options to the search. There is no way to find, for instance, mysteries published in the past month. If you just select a category (mystery), even if you narrow it down to one format it will return an error message saying that there are too many results so you must narrow the search. It's not too practical to do individual searches for every author you've ever heard of. I sent them an email last week and they wrote back that they were looking into more options, so I hope they'll add this capability.

[aBrentk]

Very cool! 8) Thanks for the tip.

I ran a test by searching for an author's name, and I was amazed at how many places there are to get eBooks. I was also surprised that Fictionwise was not listed as a source for one of the books that was found by my search, because that's where I got that book.

[PlayAgain?]

:( What no Mobipocket?

[dochall]

Excellent. We have really needed something like this. Trying to find whether a favourite author has any ebooks out is a nightmare ATM. WE could do with them adding to their retailers though.

[juni]

I did a search on Stephen King and it only came up with three results - now, I know there are more out there since I've bought king-ebooks other than the listed ones.

I agree though: It is a great idea.

[dochall]

I did a search on Stephen King and it only came up with three results - now, I know there are more out there since I've bought king-ebooks other than the listed ones.

I agree though: It is a great idea.

I was so disturbed by this I decided to have a look. Barnes and Noble (supposedly one of their sources) have at least 6 in MS reader format but you're right it only comes back with 3 (and B&N isn't mentioned)

Hmmmmm.
:?

[dwswager]

:evil: I always check the NY Times Bestseller List for reading ideas. So I checked their number 1 non fiction and the paper price at Amazon is $15.97 and the ebook price is $22. Duh! Which way did they go? Which way did they go?

Besides the idiotic pricing and DRM issues, the non-fiction that I read never really seems to be released in ebook format. Most of what I read comes from small and independent publishers and they haven't caught the wave of ebooks either. Looks like I'll be lugging books on dead tree for quite some time. Too bad, because most of what I read would be perfect for ebooks.

[dochall]

:evil: I always check the NY Times Bestseller List for reading ideas. So I checked their number 1 non fiction and the paper price at Amazon is $15.97 and the ebook price is $22. Duh! Which way did they go? Which way did they go?

Besides the idiotic pricing and DRM issues, the non-fiction that I read never really seems to be released in ebook format. Most of what I read comes from small and independent publishers and they haven't caught the wave of ebooks either. Looks like I'll be lugging books on dead tree for quite some time. Too bad, because most of what I read would be perfect for ebooks.

Exactly the type of publisher that should be embracing ebooks. There margin must be higher if they follow the ebook route, plus the possibility of selling direct.

Maybe you send them a letter.