Barnes & Noble's Worst Nightmare - Wirelessly Enabled eBook Enthusiasts [Archive]

Ed Hansberry

06-15-2003, 03:30 AM

I was in the local Barnes & Noble tonight perusing. I love the atmosphere in there, plus ours has a Starbucks in it and lots of cushy chairs. I picked up Dan Brown's <a href="http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/book.cgi/0385504217">The Da Vinci Code</a> and started flipping pages and reading the inside cover. Someone walked by and said he'd just finished it and highly recommended it. I decided to purchase it right then and there. From <a href="http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com">Palm Digital Media</a>. 8O It took less than 5 minutes to connect to Hotmail, grab this weeks discount code from their weekly emails, connect to their site, search for "Da Vinci" add it to my cart and make the purchase. I downloaded it right there and unzipped it using Resco's File Explorer 2003's built in zip support. Total cost - $10.75 after using the 10% discount code. Barnes & Noble's price was $14.97 for the hardback version, which I had no interest in anyway. Hardbacks are just too large. I'll wait for the paperback any day. Or, I could buy the DRM5 encrypted .LIT from bn.com for $12... Nah. I'll stick with Palm Digital Media's user friendly protection scheme, but that is another rant. :wink: I am just wondering how many of you have become addicted to reading on your Pocket PC? The ebooks at Palm Digital Media encompass an incredible spectrum. You can get the California Civil Code, Hillary Clinton's new "Living History," just about every Star Trek book written, including many out of paper print, westerns, etc. There are also dozens of other sites to get ebooks from, and yes, there are alternative ways to obtain ebooks too, ways I only resort to after 1) verifying there is no ebook legally available and 2) purchasing the paperback book so the author gets a few pennies out of it. I asked this question <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=973">a bit over a year ago</a> and I wanted to see if the trend was the same or if more and more are reading ebooks.

jd4science

06-15-2003, 03:39 AM

A little off topic, nut I just finished The DaVinci Code and really liked it. Another recomendation for the book. :)

Justin

`helios

06-15-2003, 03:42 AM

I just subscribed to Pocket PC Magazine, and I ordered the .lit version. A lot of my family critisized me for doing it, but it's amazing! I can carry 3 years of back issues with me, and it takes up no more space than my iPAQ. I would consider buy entire novels/books in .lit format. I actually enjoy curling up with my iPAQ to read a good book or magazine. A lot of people have said they prefer phyiscally having a magazine, but I would rather (in some cases) have a digital version than a hard copy...

Janak Parekh

06-15-2003, 03:50 AM

I now try to avoid buying print media. ebooks are just so much more convenient! I try to make everything electronic -- I'll also avoid printing webpages, and will instead RepliGo them to my Pocket PC.

--janak

Ed Hansberry

06-15-2003, 03:53 AM

I'll also avoid printing webpages, and will instead RepliGo them to my Pocket PC.
:way to go: I have 33 .RGO files in my Pocket PC's My Documents folder right now of various manuals, online articles, etc. that I want to read. Man that is one flat killer application!

achille

06-15-2003, 04:04 AM

R K

06-15-2003, 04:13 AM

Books are great for reading in electronic format, because you can almost never go wrong with text. I don't know how much I'd enjoy reading magines in that format though since people do different things with images when changing formats that may ruin the original presentation that the original author was trying to achieve.

Ed Hansberry

06-15-2003, 04:22 AM

* Actual research has prooven that hearing audiobooks helps adult brains develop, concentrate or understand beter.
But doesn't do much for their spelling capabilities, eh? :wink: :lol:

I listen to Audible Mon-Fri but it is the daily issue of the Wall Street Journal. I only get 2-3 abooks a year, usually for trips.

DuaneAA

06-15-2003, 04:24 AM

I got my pocket pc mainly to use as an e-book reader. Seems like whenever I had a few minutes to kill, I would by a magazine. At three or four newstand magazines a week, the math in my head said I could breakeven on the cost in six months. I have had my pocket pc a little over six months and my magazine consumption has actually fallen almost to zero, which has surprised me a little.

What really has surprised me is that I have only purchased about 5 e-books in that time. My current addiction is a free website: fanfiction.net
I admit I am sort of a TV junkie. My favorites being Buffy, Highlander and Smallville. Anyway, this website has thousands of stories by fans. The writing quality varies all over the map, but the cool part is there are no requirements to conform to the 'canon' of the series. I mean, you buy an official e-book of 'Buffy' and you know before you start that the story is going to end exactly where it started, none of the main characters are going to have life changing events. But in fan fiction, anything goes. So you never know what is going to happen, which can be a lot more fun.

Duane

disconnected

06-15-2003, 04:28 AM

There wasn't an option for "I buy about 25% of my books as ebooks, and would buy 50 to 75% of all my books as ebooks if only they were available". :(

My husband bought the Da Vinci Code at Palm Digital Media a while back. They were having a special where for the same 10.75 I think, you also got one of the author's earlier books thrown in for free.

rcecme

06-15-2003, 04:28 AM

Palm Reader is much easier to use than MS Reader.

I can hardly bring myself to purchase a print book anymore.

I am dissatified with the amount of business and religious books that I can ONLY find in print. But I simply pass up the purchase since I know I will only read the book if it is in my IPAQ.

davidspalding

06-15-2003, 04:37 AM

Been reading more and more on my PDA. Started with the "gateway drug," AvantGo and IE Mobile Favs. MOved on to MObipocket, Mobipocket News, and ebook references.

Finally, Crystal turned on to Fictionwise.com. I took the plunge with the great deal on CRYPTONOMICON as a first attempt to strip DRM5 with, um, that tool. Worked fine. Next attempt, to decompile it to OEBPS (one hopes) files,and republish as a Mobipocket .PRC. Worked okay, but took some serious editng to fix the publishers bad HTML/XHTML coding. Most .LIT books from pros decompile just fine, though.

Now I buy secure .LIT files in confidence, knowing that I can read them on my PDA. Fictionwise (like Baen and a few others, I hear) offers "treats": free stories, novellas, excerpts (like an enticing preview of William Gibson's latest) to regulars, with rebates and discounts to registered users. Free Hugo Award nominees every week, so I've been well stocked with novellas. I've hardly touched my dead tree library books.

Told my wife about this, that you can buy a short story for < $1, and get rebates on other cheap ebooks, and she sighed, saying Doesn't everyone get that that's the way the Internet will work? That small payments and easy value will bring the customers in? I just wish that my eBook tool (PDA) was a big bigger, somewhere between this Casio and my small HP Omnibook. Something the size of that ill-fated Sony VAIO picturebook thingie would do the trick....

shawnc

06-15-2003, 05:11 AM

Paragon

06-15-2003, 05:17 AM

Since I picked up a Palm (sorry, very quickly switched to PPC :)) some 3-4 years ago. I have not picked up a paper book. I refuse to, unless it is for non entertainment and there isn't an ebook option.....BTW Dan Brown ROCKS....Angels and Demons :way to go:

Dave

jonlien2003

06-15-2003, 05:38 AM

plam digital media is a pretty cool website. i want to try reading my first ebook.

what ebook reader should i use?

thanks.

Paragon

06-15-2003, 05:46 AM

Their own reader is free, and very effective. You can by their pro version which gives you a few more options to chose from. For your first book I would try the free version. If you like it and become hooked you can upgrade to the pro. For basic reading purposes both versions are the same. The pro allows you to scroll, add in a dictionary, and I think a wider selection of fonts.

http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/product/reader/browse/free
http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/product/reader/browse/pro

Dave

Gremmie

06-15-2003, 06:03 AM

I can't stand ebook's, too little is on the screen to cover. Free books are fine, but I don't think I could get myself to buy an ebook.

Regardless, another thing was brought to a point, anyone could stand in a b&n and do some comparison shopping (ebook or paper) online to make sure they are getting a good price.

Lday

06-15-2003, 06:58 AM

I rarely read a dead-tree book anymore, I have a very big library of Palm e-books. I tried Palm Reader, but since I found uBook Reader (microBook) www.gowerpoint.com, it has so many options and best of all is Freeware. I only use MsReader if I can't get it in any other format than .LIT

cmlpreston

06-15-2003, 07:12 AM

Just bought my first book from palmdigitalmedia.com because of this post. Thanks, Ed. Thanks very much (for giving me another reason to use my VISA!) :wink:

It's a bit disappointing that palmdigitalmedia.com doesn't render too well on PIE - but it's not the only website to suffer now, is it?

cmlp

bucho

06-15-2003, 07:31 AM

Another recommendation for the book! /\ \/ ;-) Bought it last month and couldn't put it down until I finished it - it's like one giant puzzle.

On the topic... I still prefer hard copy books though. I stare at a computer screen all freakin' day anyway, last thing I want to do is read a good book that way.

felixdd

06-15-2003, 08:44 AM

Newbie question: what are the file extension for Palm Digital Media ebooks? Do they work on MobiPocket?

Jonathan1

06-15-2003, 09:33 AM

What I've found I've been doing as of late is go to B&N and write down the books that sound interesting along with their price. I then go home and do some comparison shopping for the lowest price at online stores, brick and mortar stores, and e-book stores. Unless there is a book that I really want with me, read: e-book version, I usually go for what is the cheapest. Sorry I don’t go for e-book unless it’s a book I really like. I think there is something RIAAish with the price structure of e-books.
I just don’t see e-books being the same price, OR MORE!, as paperbacks.

Then again my e-book collection has seriously slowed since my Jornada got dropped a month ago. Since then I have a nice dust storm in it. Hence the reason my PDA is gathering another type of dust since that happened. I can’t do work on it let alone read e-books with VERY annoying specks scattered all over my screen. I know there are cleaning services at pocketpctechs but I’m so close to getting a new device. A few more weeks…just a few more week *hugs his legs as he rocks back and forth in his chair muttering a few more weeks* ;)

bjornkeizers

06-15-2003, 10:25 AM

I create my own Ebooks, and I read for an hour every day in bed late at night. I love Ebooks. I haven't read an actual paper book in five years :D

yunez

06-15-2003, 11:01 AM

i dont like ebooks, they are uncomfortable to read. Its like reading novels on a laptop, the screen starts to hurt your eyes.

denivan

06-15-2003, 11:23 AM

Literature in Dutch is hard to find in e-book format, so I mostly buy this in paperback format for writers as Lannoye, Geeraerts, etc. Reading classics is more comfortable to me in e-book format...I like the smell of my paperback format of Kafka (the trial), but at the moment I'm reading 1984 (Orwell) and it's just so much more handy to add comments or bookmarks without ruining the actual book. Furthermore, reading on a PocketPC screen is much more comfortable than reading on a PC or laptop screen imo.

Rob Alexander

06-15-2003, 11:24 AM

I love ebooks, but won't 1) touch anything with DRM5 or 2) pay more than a paperback. I really like Palm Digital Media for all the reasons Ed has mentioned, but lately I've been doing most of my reading at the Knowbetter Lending Library (http://library.fictionwise.com/knowbetter/). I paid $9.95 for a year's membership (it's $19.95 now) and have had no lack of reading options since. There are a few things I wish they'd do differently, but it works well and I've read dozens of books for the price Ed paid for just one. Of course, I don't own them for reading later, but at that price, who cares?

Busdriver

06-15-2003, 01:28 PM

I'm afraid I can't read extensively from my PPC screen either. I guess the constant scrolling is distracting. I WANT to be able to do it, and I'll try again in the future. But for now I'll stick to real books.

BTW, some clever programmer should come up with an app that can take any e-book and read it to you through the PPC's headphones, so one would have the choice to either listen or read. Or is there something like that out there already, assuming it's even possible?

Paul Martin

06-15-2003, 01:29 PM

I use a mixture of both e-book and paper, but honestly, don't buy that many books. Mostly it's either old enough I can get it free from Project Gutenburg (http://www.promo.net/pg/) or for religious texts, Christian Classics Ethereal Library (http://www.ccel.org/). I make an ebook from the source text. For the newer stuff, I just head to the library. Most of my electronic text reading is from Avantgo and Mazingo. Such is ebook reading on the cheap! :)

If I've really got to have the paper version, I generally go with a used book (http://www.abebooks.com/).

Kevin C. Tofel

06-15-2003, 01:35 PM

When given a choice between print and "e", I usually go for "e" based on the convenience factor of carrying a small "library" of materials. Has anyone seen any magazine subscriptions available in an "e" format? Other than some audio-magazines through Audible.com, I really haven't found many magazine subscriptions that could be delivered electronically.

:?:

Thanks!
KCT

pocketpcdude1024

06-15-2003, 01:38 PM

Newbie question: what are the file extension for Palm Digital Media ebooks? Do they work on MobiPocket?
I believe they are *.pdb files meant to be installed on a Palm handheld via Hotsync. Instead of making a different file extention, Palm simply decided to offer transplatform compatability with the same file extention. So now you can read your *.pdb file on your Palm, PPC, PC, or Mac without changing the extention or running it through a converter. How convenient! :wink:

EDIT: The Palm anti-piracy feature is also very convenient - you can have the file on as many machines as you want. The catch? In order to open the document you have to put in your credit card # - not something you give freely to people ;)

Ed Hansberry

06-15-2003, 02:11 PM

Just bought my first book from palmdigitalmedia.com because of this post. Thanks, Ed. Thanks very much (for giving me another reason to use my VISA!) :wink:
:way to go:
It's a bit disappointing that palmdigitalmedia.com doesn't render too well on PIE - but it's not the only website to suffer now, is it?
Yeah, the site works but there is a lot of scrolling in PIE. :roll: But what can you expect. It isn't like any PalmOS devices have really been online that much. :lol: Maybe the Tungsten C will prompt Palm Digital Media to sniff for mobile browsers.

davidspalding

06-15-2003, 03:01 PM

plam digital media is a pretty cool website. i want to try reading my first ebook.

what ebook reader should i use?

I believe that Peanut Press/Palm Digital Media only develops for their own reader (?). :( My 2¢: try www.Fictionwise.com, grab one of their free ebooks. They are available in multiple formats. ;) (www.Baen.com also has freebies, if you like sci-fi.)

I'm very partial to Mobipocket (www.mobipocket.com)'s reader for PPC and PC (other platforms available as well). There are secure and open ebooks for the reader. Fully supported at Fictionwise.com. Registering the reader unlocks advanced features, but the basic (freeware) reader is fine for most users, and doesn't require purchase for secure ebooks (particularly the wide selection of dictionaries and references) to work. They have discounted bundles on Oxford Press references ... very handy, I strongly recommend the Oxford Pocket Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Dictionary of Foreign Terms in English.

Other features include: custom colors (you can invert the default screen colors), orientation (90°, -90°, 180°), autoscrolling, annotations, custom categories in the "Library" screen, fast search, Clearfont support (sub-pixel rendering).

The Mobipocket Reader also reads HTM and TXT files with the same bookmarking/annotating features, so I use it to read downloaded web pages and e-mail zines. Not to mention rendering Project Gutenberg books. (I have Ghisler.com's Total Commander CE set to launch files in Mobipocket Reader from the "View" command.) You can also quick-publish .PRC ebooks from files with the Mobipocket Web Companion (installs on the desktop with the PPC reader), and they have a shareware Publisher program for making ful-featured eBooks of your own.

My understanding is that a) Palm Reader doesn't use the full PPC screen (lame) and b) dictionaries only work with the Pro version of the reader (lame). Correct me if I'm wrong here, guys. I read in an interview last year that they're working on full screen mode.

I love ebooks, but won't 1) touch anything with DRM5 or 2) pay more than a paperback.
I felt teh same way, and have participated in some heated debates about ebook pricing on ppcpassion.com (I think; or it was Brighthand). Fictionwise has enough incentives and discounts to sway me. But ... Amazon and SimonSays and BN.com ... don't get me started ... they just don't get it. $20 for an ebook when the paperback is $12?! ... As for DRM5,... hurray for Convert Lit. ,)

davidspalding

06-15-2003, 03:12 PM

I've got 6 ebooks (MS .lit) but it seems as though everytime I purchase one I have problems with getting it to my PPC and functional. I usually download to my PC then copy to my SD card. There always seemed to be something different, copy issues, or something. I just got fed up with the whole process. Maybe I'll try Palm Reader. From what I've heard, there doesn't seem to be the DRM issues that the .lit books have.

Palm Media seem to have the "killer app" answer to DRM. The wrapper is secured with your credit card number. Since that's pretty darn portable (excepting things like my AMEX which changes numbers every 4 years), the book is yours no matter how many times you hard reset your PDA, or get a new one.

Mobipocket is relatively painless, you simply register your PID code on the site, and re-download books as necessary. For big references, a fast memory card reader comes in handy. ,:}

Microsoft's buggy Passport scheme (aside from repeated privacy issues) just causes users too much trouble. I don't know anyone who actually likes it.

06-15-2003, 03:22 PM

Since getting my Axim I have not bought a "paper" book. I have a pretty good collection of .lit classics and have enought to keep me going for months.

I'll have to check out Palm Reader, looks to have some nice advantages over MS.

Kevin C. Tofel

06-15-2003, 03:55 PM

Another alternative to the e-book \ paperback \ hardcover debate (and I'll admit in advance, this isn't completely the same type of content \ delivery model):

If you are specifically looking for books relating to IT \ Technology \ Business \ Management, you might want to check out Books 24 x 7 (http://www.Books24x7.com). This is an interesting model that my company is looking at for 90 days. I just got added to the 125 person pilot where I work two days ago, so I've only given it a high level look...so far, I'm very impressed with the content.
These are the full text versions of many resources that you read through your internet browser. Again, I will reiterate: these are not novels, but more on the business \ technology side for personal development \ studying \ etc....

There are roughly 4,000 books in the library and once you have a subscription, you can view as many as you like. They are fairly pricey also, but maybe your companies want to take a look at a site license and you can "latch on"......(note: I'm in no way affiliated with the site, so this is not a sales pitch, just trying to provide an alternative for folks looking for these kinds of resources).

KCT

DVD

06-15-2003, 03:58 PM

Paragon

06-15-2003, 04:26 PM

My understanding is that a) Palm Reader doesn't use the full PPC screen (lame) and b) dictionaries only work with the Pro version of the reader (lame). Correct me if I'm wrong here, guys. I read in an interview last year that they're working on full screen mode.

David,

You are correct, Palm Reader doesn't have a full screen option. Last I heard they were considering a full screen version, but they decided against it because not enough people made enough noise about it. :( I don't know if that has changed or not. Dictionaries only integrate with the pro version of Palm Reader (tap and view within a book) Although they can be used on the free version, stand alone.

I have read my last couple of books on Mobipocket. It is a great reader. It has several standard functions that PDM doesn't have. Full screen for one, no margins, dictionaries integrate on the free version, and you can change font size on the fly. If you purchase their Pro version it includes news downloads much like Avantgo, and the likes.

It is my understanding that Mobipocket will open .prc files, but not .pdb (Palm Reader). If I have missed something, or if someone knows a way of doing this I would love to know. I have a ton of Palm Digital books and at the moment I personally think that Mobipocket's reader is much better.

Dave

Palmguy

06-15-2003, 04:39 PM

First e-book that I read I bought because I realized that I had to have a certain novel for my college lit class and forgot about it until the morning I had to have the book. Luckily I was able to find it online pretty quickly and bought it.

I have to say it was more enjoyable than I thought. Didn't have to carry anything else around with me, just my iPAQ as usual. Didn't have to remember what page I was on either, just turn it on!

Haven't read one since that, but after seeing this thread I thought about how convienent it was and now I am going to go download another book to bring to work today. It's kinda boring at work :wink:

Lday

06-15-2003, 05:06 PM

I can't emphasize this enough- check out uBook!!! It uses full page, auto-scrolls, skins, uses ANY font, and is free. Go to www.gowerpoint.com there is also a desktop version, also free. It also reads html, txt, prc, pdb, even files in zip archives. So many options and features!

davidspalding

06-15-2003, 05:54 PM

I've only used M$ Reader, and it drove me to distraction having to "turn the page" every couple of seconds. I read about 1000 words/minute (if I don't suffer buffer under-run), and M$ Reader shows <100 words/page.
Reader 1.0 (Pocket PC 2000) offers Big and Bigger font sizes. ;) Lame.

I think most of the "real" ebook reader developers (Mobipocket, uBook, Palm Media, Adobe(?)) allow custom font sizes, so you can control how many words per screen appear. A tip from another user inspired me to install Comic Sans on my PDA (+ a few others: MS San Serif, Univers, Univers Condensed,...). It's very readable at a smaller size, so I get roughly 2+ paragraphs on a screen. Not as much scrolling. (BTW: a jog dial/thumbwheel makes paging a lot easier. Separate thread....)

If you purchase their Pro version it includes news downloads much like Avantgo, and the likes.
You don't have to buy the Pro version for the eNews function. The Web Companion (which syncs up eNews files) installs with the PPC Reader, and plugs into ActiveStink. And you can hack the registry to put the eNews on your storage card instead of RAM, as you can with Avantgo.

BTW the "Pro version" that you download becomes the unregistered freeware version after the trial period ends. (IOW, you get a free taste of the full version, then if you don't register, you have the freeware version already installed. Nice.)

Just to reiterate, the Mobipocket dictionaries integrate regardless if you've registered the reader. Just buy the dictionary, put it in on your PDA, and the reader will use it for pop-up definitions (like MS Reader and the free Encarta Pocket Dictionary). This a common complaint about PDM, I think,... that you have to buy a dictionary and buy the reader to get this trivial function. :roll:

I can't emphasize this enough- check out uBook!!!
True, true. But it doesn't read secure Mobipocket eBooks, so for people like me with several secure Mobipocket books, it's pretty much redundant. For reading free ebooks, and Project Gutenberg texts, and .PDBs, sure, it's a great idea.

Paragon

06-15-2003, 06:00 PM

You don't have to buy the Pro version for the eNews function. The Web Companion (which syncs up eNews files) installs with the PPC Reader, and plugs into ActiveStink. And you can hack the registry to put the eNews on your storage card instead of RAM, as you can with Avantgo.

Whoops, my mistake. You are right about that.

Ojster

06-15-2003, 08:47 PM

I am also one of those who don't pick up a "standard" paper book anymore. Except for one I have not read a paper book in 3 years. I only read one recently - and my girlfriend was the cause of that :) It took quite some convincing before she got me to start reading and it felt awkward and there was no dictionary at hand... I needed an hour to get used to it and I must say I prefer eBooks.
I prefer MS Reader eBooks but only DRM3 or 3 which are hard to get though - so lately I've been mostly reading Palm Reader eBooks (PDB). I post my comments on my Interactive eBooks page (http://www.ojster.com/eBooks/) where you can also find best prices for titles I've already read - I also post paperback prices just for comparison and it's interesting sometimes when the price of an eBook is higher than paperback or even hardback edition. In most cases Palm Digital Media has the best price.

Best regards,
Peter

P.s.:And if you like reading you can now catch my 5USD Fictionwise gift certificate by posting an eBook review or a comment on my eBooks page.

Cypher

06-15-2003, 09:11 PM

I'm an avid reader, but now almost exclusively on my Pocket PC via PalmReader. I've currently got something over 50 titles on my Pocket PC. :shocked!: Albeit, I'm only reading four or five of them at a time, but the fact that I can carry all that with me in a device I'm already going to have with me all the time makes buying even a paperback a bit frustrating.

It's good that Dan Brown (who wrote the DaVinci Code and who is one of my favorite authors) publishes in e-book format. Too bad Tom Clancy won't. What's it going to take to make the hold-outs recognize the added value to both consumer and writer to publishing in e-book formats?

Gremmie

06-15-2003, 09:25 PM

dMores

06-15-2003, 11:55 PM

this thread is great.

i used to read a whole lot. but that was around 10 years ago. lately, i just read technical manuals, magazines etc.

but this thread has got me thinking ... i never used a calendar properly until i got an electronic one.
so maybe i just need to get me some ebooks so i pick up reading again.
it's really something that has bothered me. i noticed a lot of my friends read novels regularly, and i feel like i'm neglecting my brain somehow.

so, are there any free .lit books that might get me going?

and, is there anything microsoft reader actually CAN do? like bookmarks, comments, fullscreen, invertedscreen etc?
i'm not comfortable with the idea of installing 25 apps just to read something, i like to rely on one program only.

thanks.

Ed Hansberry

06-16-2003, 12:02 AM

so, are there any free .lit books that might get me going?
Legal and free - there are tons of classics at http://esspc-ebooks.com/default.htm
and, is there anything microsoft reader actually CAN do? like bookmarks, comments, fullscreen, invertedscreen etc?
i'm not comfortable with the idea of installing 25 apps just to read something, i like to rely on one program only.
bookmarks and comments (annotations) yes. Full screen and inverted, no.

I highly recommend you peruse www.palmdigitalmedia.com . I think theirs is the largest library available and IMHO, with MS Reader and Palm Reader installed, there just isn't too much ebook material you won't be able to read.

Crystal Eitle

06-16-2003, 12:13 AM

MS Reader has plenty o' functionality. Even though a lot of people hate it, I use it as my main reader. I just really like the way it looks - it has a nice clean interface that is reminiscent of a page.

Here are some good places to get .lit eBooks (as well as other formats):
Blackmask Online (http://www.blackmask.com/page.php)
ESSPC (http://esspc-ebooks.com/default.htm)
University of Virginia (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/ebooks/ebooklist.html)
Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html)
Baen Free Library (http://www.baen.com/library/)

All of these sites have free public-domain eBooks. Fictionwise also has a large selection of commercial titles at reasonable prices.

Janak Parekh

06-16-2003, 12:16 AM

MS Reader has plenty o' functionality. Even though a lot of people hate it, I use it as my main reader. I just really like the way it looks - it has a nice clean interface that is reminiscent of a page.
I agree. I find the typography in MS Reader to be excellent, as well. However, one problem bugs me: I find it slow when resolving things like bookmarks in very large books. Do you have that problem? It might be due to my anemic 32MB of RAM...

--janak

Crystal Eitle

06-16-2003, 12:18 AM

I usually don't add bookmarks, I just select "most recent page" from the menu.

But yeah, MS Reader is pretty sluggish....

Janak Parekh

06-16-2003, 12:21 AM

Dave Beauvais

06-16-2003, 12:22 AM

... The wrapper is secured with your credit card number. Since that's pretty darn portable (excepting things like my AMEX which changes numbers every 4 years), the book is yours no matter how many times you hard reset your PDA, or get a new one. ...
If you log into your account at PDM (http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/), you can assign a new credit card number to all your past purchases with a single button. Simply make any necessary changes to the credit card you have on file with them and click the reset button on the page to reset the unlock code on all your books. You would have to download them again, though...

--Dave

Ed Hansberry

06-16-2003, 12:32 AM

It's good that Dan Brown (who wrote the DaVinci Code and who is one of my favorite authors) publishes in e-book format. Too bad Tom Clancy won't. What's it going to take to make the hold-outs recognize the added value to both consumer and writer to publishing in e-book formats?
When they realize that those that don't e-publish get ripped off because someone somewhere will scan their book in with an OCR scanner and make it available on the web or usenet for free. Those that do e-publish rarely have this happen because no one in their right mind will scan in 300+ pages when you can just download it for $10. :roll:

Susquehanna

06-16-2003, 02:43 AM

I just purchased The Da Vinci Code for $9.60, no code needed, at Powells.com. They have it in both Palm Reader and MS Reader formats.

whydidnt

06-16-2003, 04:18 AM

I seem to be in the minority, I don't read e-books at all. I've tried them, but my thumb gets sore from the constant paging with the D-Pad. Maybe when a more ergonomic Pocket PC comes out I'll try again.

My other big issue-- I do a majority of my reading on airplanes and e-books prevent me from reading during both the first and last parts of the flight. I am one of those people who "need to be doing something" while on a plane so must have something to read.

davidspalding

06-16-2003, 04:59 AM

davidspalding

06-16-2003, 05:03 AM

this thread is great.

so, are there any free .lit books that might get me going?

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/ebooks/
http://www.memoware.com/
http://www.mslit.com/default.asp?mjr=FRE
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
http://e-asia.uoregon.edu/
http://www.dotlit.com/

davidspalding

06-16-2003, 05:06 AM

I usually don't add bookmarks, I just select "most recent page" from the menu.
I tried that too -- exactly the same thing (waiting 30+ sec sometimes!). This is actually with Cryptonomicon (which I recently bought from Fictionwise :D), which is a massive book. My current suspicion that Reader jumps very slowly on my Pocket PC Phone because, with it running, there's < 10MB of RAM available. (I'm planning on getting a 128MB Pocket PC next... ;))

--janak

I think it's Reader. (Granted I've got 1.0, on a 150 mhz MIPS pda.) But I created a .PRC version from the source files, and can jump to bookmarks, and most recent page much, much quicker. I've done other comparisons with identical source files, and found Reader to be the slowpoke.

Don't quote me on this.... ;)

Gremmie

06-16-2003, 05:18 AM

You know what would be nice; books that come along with the ebook version. I think those who prefer the paper version sees the nice aspects of an e version. I wish they would bundle both (at the price of 1 of course).

I've suggested this in the past and gotten raspberried for not being realistic. Heck, I'd pay $2 more for the ebook along with the paper book. Didn't CDNOW or someone do this for a while? Buy the CD, download the MP3s while waiting for your CD?

Pearl Jam, which is somewhat related to my name, lets you buy their soundboard bootlegs online the day after a concert where you can download the concert in MP3 format to hold you over until the CD is made and shipped.

achille

06-16-2003, 06:17 AM

ChristopherTD

06-16-2003, 09:30 AM

you can get that book ( and almost all other books which you don't usually find on estores ) in audio format at audible.com

I have a number of audible titles that I purchased and listened to on my iPod and greatly enjoyed them.

Recently however I have stopped using them because they have put their "non-member" prices up hugely, preusumably to encourage people to subscribe, and they have also barred sales of many titles to non-USA members. As an example, a Terry Pratchett title that I purchased for $12 now costs $45, and they will no longer sell it to me anyway! At least it remains in my bookshelf if I want to download it again.

The non-USA issue is clearly something Audible have to comply with emerging legislation and practice, but it needs work. If I visit the USA I can buy any number of "real" books at a bookstore and take them back to England, but while in the USA I still can't buy audible books because my credit card is non-US!

In any case I don't listen to enough books to warrant a subscription to one of the Audible packages, so I have been reading eBooks on my iPaq now and am finding that very convenient. I like having several books with me on a device that I would have with me anyway. One handed operation is easy on a crowded train.

dMores

06-16-2003, 11:17 AM

thank you Crystal Eitle and davidspalding for the list of links.
have done my first couple of pages of reading last night.

8)

rlobrecht

06-16-2003, 01:15 PM

Ed Hansberry

06-16-2003, 01:23 PM

I think this is one time when we Pocket PC lovers can say "Palm Rocks!"
Definitely - except Palm didn't come up with this. www.peanutpress.com did - Palm just purchased it in 2001 and has thankfully kept it going.

toml

06-16-2003, 03:42 PM

You need another option on your poll, I buy almost exclusively audio books from Audible.com. I don't buy e-books and seldom if ever buy paper books.

Ed Hansberry

06-16-2003, 03:48 PM

You need another option on your poll, I buy almost exclusively audio books from Audible.com. I don't buy e-books and seldom if ever buy paper books.
But that competes with books on tape/cd, not paper. Really a different market IMHO. Besides, I wanted to compare to last years poll. :)

Crystal Eitle

06-16-2003, 04:23 PM

I seem to be in the minority, I don't read e-books at all. I've tried them, but my thumb gets sore from the constant paging with the D-Pad. Maybe when a more ergonomic Pocket PC comes out I'll try again.

I was window-shopping at CompUSA the other day and I played with the Toshiba 5xx (can't remember the number - the one with dual slots and wireless) just to look at it. I think this would be a perfect eBook reader. It was very comfortable to hold, with a well-placed jog dial. It's quite a bit bigger than my HP 1910, but I thought that actually made it easier to hold. The only thing disappointing about the Toshiba is that the screen had a definite blue cast to it.

The old Jornadas are also very comfortable, ergonomics-wise.

ale_ers

06-16-2003, 05:50 PM

I travel a lot and read a lot, which would mean bringing 2-3 books per trip. With a mix of paperback and hardcover...that just takes up too much space. E-books are great and offer many other advantages such as being able to read in low light, looking up words on the fly and not having the pages flip closed if you read while you are eating :D

I like the MS reader because of it's dictionary and overall look. I tried Peanut press and liked the availabilty of books, but I just didn't like the "look" of it. I might need to give it another shot (I'm sure they updated by now). I am very disapointed when I can't find a book I want in MS reader format.

TIP for all you 545x e book readers: Go Landscape has an option that will turn your volume button on the side into a jog dial. It makes reading sooo much better.

Gremmie

06-16-2003, 06:14 PM

I was window-shopping at CompUSA the other day and I played with the Toshiba 5xx (can't remember the number - the one with dual slots and wireless) just to look at it.

Probably was the Toshiba 750.

ucfgrad93

06-16-2003, 07:19 PM

I use both MS Reader and Palm Reader Pro on my 1910. I find with just these two formats, I can find plenty of books to read. I currently have 9 books in .lit format and 4 books in .pdb format on my 128MB SD card.

I love being able to carry that much literature around with me at all times.

Evee Ev

06-16-2003, 09:34 PM

right now i have 7 books, and 1 dictionary on my ipaq. it's a no-brainer for me to carry e-books.

and today... i saw a lady on the bus pull out 2 books. one a bible and another a daily devotional. then when she was finished reading she pulled out a huge 1990 walkman. but get this...she was checking her schedule on a dell axim! i wanted to scream!!!

Crystal Eitle

06-16-2003, 09:53 PM

and today... i saw a lady on the bus pull out 2 books. one a bible and another a daily devotional. then when she was finished reading she pulled out a huge 1990 walkman. but get this...she was checking her schedule on a dell axim! i wanted to scream!!!
Oh, that's sad. This is why there has to be more marketing for Pocket PCs, emphasizing *everything* they can do. When a PPC owner is not even aware that she can read and play music on her device, something is very, very wrong.

Ed Hansberry

06-16-2003, 09:58 PM

and today... i saw a lady on the bus pull out 2 books. one a bible and another a daily devotional. then when she was finished reading she pulled out a huge 1990 walkman. but get this...she was checking her schedule on a dell axim! i wanted to scream!!!
That is when you say, "Excuse me ma'am. Lets go get a cup of coffee. I'm buying. I want to explain www.laridian.com to you, and go through creating MP3 or WMA playlists."

davidspalding

06-18-2003, 01:34 PM

Palm Media seem to have the "killer app" answer to DRM. The wrapper is secured with your credit card number. Since that's pretty darn portable (excepting things like my AMEX which changes numbers every 4 years), the book is yours no matter how many times you hard reset your PDA, or get a new one.

PDM has an even cooler feature. If your credit card number changes, you just go in to your account settings and change it. It then gives you the option to reencrypt all the books in your library. Then when you re-download them, you can unlock them with your new credit card.

I think this is one time when we Pocket PC lovers can say "Palm Rocks!"

Well, Mobipocket and other ebook sites offer the same feature-- that is, updating your "registration/ID codes, and downloading new copies of purchased ebooks. ... It's just that PDM's books are, I'm told, limited only by your credit card number, adn not an artificial limit on the number of devices you can use the ebook on. THAT'S the killer feature.

Some of you PDM devotees should get out and around more. ;)