ebook for the Pocket PC - where are they? [Archive]

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GreenBoy2

10-05-2003, 06:12 PM

Hi
Ive been trying to look for books for the Pocket PC 2003 but there seems a lack of them.

every book that I think would be good (mainly sci-fi) or helpful (medical for the wife - she has the brains - me the looks) they all state NOT fot Pocket PC's PDA's etc.

May are published in Adobe reader - so is there a converter available? from Adobe would be nice.

Any suggestions would be great.

Manythanks
GreenBoy

Janak Parekh

10-05-2003, 06:49 PM

There are many out there -- you might just be checking the wrong sites. http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18059 has a nice discussion of different places you can get ebooks.

--janak

10-05-2003, 09:21 PM

You can find many SciFi books for PPC in several different formats. I buy mine from www.fictionwise.com . I'm not so sure about medical ones.

Your PPC will have Microsoft Reader already installed in the ROM (although you will need to download an update from MS) so Microsoft's .lit format might be a good format to start with.

For books in Adobe format there is a version of Acrobat Reader for the PPC. I haven't used it, so can't comment on how it shapes up to the other formats.

Check out the threads here, there is a lot of discussion on the attributes of the different eBook formats and the readers for them.

Jolard

10-06-2003, 11:18 PM

hpf

10-07-2003, 10:30 AM

I found this on Mobipocket website about medical titles (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/medical.asp), this may be interesting for your wife.
For science-fiction, both Mobipocket and Fictionwise have a lot of titles.

davidspalding

10-16-2003, 08:09 PM

Adobe does have a reader version for Pocket PC, so you should be able to use that. Also Mobipocket will read most Palm format e-books. Microsoft reader will of course work with Lit format books.

Amazon has ebooks in both lit and pdf formats, and fictionwise is another good place.

Last I checked, they only had a Adobe PDF reader for Pocket PC, but not an Adobe Ebook Reader for Pocket PC. :|
____________

Edit: the Adobe Ebook format was a DRM format that had to be read in Adobe's Ebook reader. With the release of Adobe Reader 6.0, both PDFs and DRM eBooks can be read in the same Reader application -- except on Pocket PCs (see below).

Talyn

10-16-2003, 10:21 PM

davidspalding

10-17-2003, 03:32 AM

Last I checked, they only had a Adobe PDF reader for Pocket PC, but not an Adobe Ebook Reader for Pocket PC. :|

They are one-in-the-same. Check their website for the PC version of "Adobe Ebook Reader" and it takes you to the Adobe Reader site. PDF is PDF.

Ummmmm ... my statement is still correct. The Adobe Ebook reader was (operative word there) a separate program, for which there was no Pocket PC version. And isn't now. (See FAQ link below, page 6.)

... The new Adobe Reader 6.0 that I guess you are referring to now supports Adobe Acrobat PDF and Adobe EBook formats.

=> http://www.adobe.com/products/ebookreader/main.html
With the release of Adobe® Reader® 6.0 software, Adobe has united Acrobat eBook Reader and Acrobat Reader in a single application. You no longer need to install Acrobat eBook Reader to enjoy eBooks. All of the eBook reading features formerly in Acrobat eBook Reader are now available in Adobe Reader.
Adobe Reader 6.0 is the newest version of the familiar Adobe Acrobat® Reader software. It also replaces Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader, software for viewing high-fidelity eBooks on your notebook or desktop computer.

But wait. Guess what -- it is only supported on Windows, Mac, and to some degree Palm OS. NOT Pocket PC.

=> http://www.adobe.com/products/ebookreader/pdfs/faq.pdf
Q: Can I view eBooks on PocketPC?
A: eBooks are not currently supported on Adobe Reader for Pocket PC since it does not include the Adobe DRM system. Adobe may evaluate Pocket PC support for a future release if there is enough demand from consumers.

So if you buy an Adobe eBook to read on your Pocket PC, you're still out of luck. :|

davidspalding

10-17-2003, 03:45 AM

BTW, Greenboy, shame on us for not sending you to the Baen Free Library (http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm). That should keep you happy for a while. And the books there are in formats that will work on a PPC. ;)

PetiteFlower

10-17-2003, 04:49 AM

BTW, isn't the other thread about ebook locations supposed to be "sticky"? Does the Sticky feature not work right?

Kati Compton

10-17-2003, 06:06 AM

BTW, isn't the other thread about ebook locations supposed to be "sticky"? Does the Sticky feature not work right?

Correct. "Sticky" is currently broken.

PetiteFlower

10-17-2003, 06:09 AM

Ok, at least it's a known issue :) Hope that gets worked out soon...ish!

maikii

10-21-2003, 05:20 AM

Adobe does have a reader version for Pocket PC, so you should be able to use that

See other thread. Adobe reader for the PPC WILL NOT read copyrighted Adobe-formatted e-books, as it cannot activate, as you must do with the desktop versions, in order to read such books.

Therefore, a large percentage of e-books (copyrighted (DRM-protected) Adobe-formatted e-books) CANNOT be read on a PPC.

Sad :cry: but true.

I only found out about this after purchasing such a book, with the intent of reading it on my PPC, and now find I cannot do so, and "no returns allowed".

maikii

10-21-2003, 07:29 AM

Last I checked, they only had a Adobe PDF reader for Pocket PC, but not an Adobe Ebook Reader for Pocket PC. :|

They are one-in-the-same. Check their website for the PC version of "Adobe Ebook Reader" and it takes you to the Adobe Reader site. PDF is PDF.

Not completely true ("PDF is PDF"). DRM-encrypted PDF is not normal PDF, but can only be read if the Adobe Reader program is "activated". Adobe Reader 6 for Windows (same with most Os's) can be so activated, but the version (1.0) for PPC cannot.

davidspalding

10-21-2003, 04:20 PM

thanks for your clarifications, Maikii.

Adobe does have a reader version for I only found out about this after purchasing such a book, with the intent of reading it on my PPC, and now find I cannot do so, and "no returns allowed".

Depending on the site, I would hope that a download in a different version at least, if not a return, should be granted. Obviously, Adobe's scheme for "eBooks" (using the term loosely in their case) is confusing to consumers and a detriment to eBook publishers. (I had to dig through 4-5 pages on Adobe's site to confirm the new non-PPC status of the new "combined" Adobe Reader.) An Adobe "eBook" is not really as portable since it does not support Pocket PCs and other eBook readers (e.g., Mobipocket Reader), just Palm OS devices. >:( I'm usually an Adobe fan (use 2-3 of their apps), but this and their backing of the Skylarov arrest a year or two ago really makes me want to vote with my wallet for "the other guys" .