Can I read my eReader books using Team One's Reader?

[martin_ayton]

Since browsing this section encouraged me to get reading on my Blue Angel, I have been using eReader and buying their books. I now have 20+ books in the eReader protected pdb format.

I saw a post the other day in (I think) Raphael's thread about good, but relatively unknown software titles which recommended Team One's Reader. I liked the idea of a reader app that could handle several formats and took a look. Its a pretty good reader IMO, but it can't seem to handle the eReader encrypted pdbs. Does anyone know of a way of decrypting those files? I'm not really wanting to permanently decrypt them (though if that is the only way...) but if eReader can open them once I have put my credit card details in, then it must be theoretically possible for other readers to do the same.

I bought eReader because I thought that the DRM was nice and simple. I hadn't unfortunately really thought through the fact that it also appears to have permanently tied me to one reader app for those books :( . Any way out of that would be greatly appreciated.

[Jorgen]

There is unfortunately no way out. You are stuck with platforms that is supported by eReader. If you change to, say, a Sharp PDA or want to use one of the new lovely eInk book readers, you cannot read your books on it. Accept that you one day won't be able to read your books. If you can live with the selection, stick as far as possible to unencrypted ebooks, most notably the multiformat ebooks from Fictionwise.

DRM is a scam, in that the protected ebooks are not cheap and they bind you to specific platforms.

Jorgen

[martin_ayton]

I had suspected that this was the case. My fault: It would have been obvious if I had thought it through. Ho Hum. :grumble:

[Jorgen]

Well, depending on your taste in books, it is not possible to completely avoid DRM infested books. Chances are also that a big company like eReader will support all popular hardware so cross your fingers.

MS Reader ebooks can be made into HTML, but whether it is legal to do depends on which country you live in.

Jorgen

[martin_ayton]

DRM is a scam, in that the protected ebooks are not cheap and they bind you to specific platforms.Jorgen

I agree and disagree! I don't think that DRM itself is a scam, but when it is used to 'bind you to specific platforms' it most certainly is.

If eReader would get brave enough to licence their DRM technology to other developers, I would contend that they would make a lot more money: Publishers would be happier to put their books with eReader than elsewhere, because they would still be protected from mass copying, and readers would be happier to buy from eReader because their list of titles would be larger (because publishers would be happier) and because they could read those books in several different readers on a multiplicity of platforms.

Unfortunately, however, I can't see that happening...

[Jorgen]

DRM is a scam, in that the protected ebooks are not cheap and they bind you to specific platforms.Jorgen

I agree and disagree! I don't think that DRM itself is a scam, but when it is used to 'bind you to specific platforms' it most certainly is.

And it always is. You can only read Mobi, eReader and MS Reader books on the platforms that they support. In the world of music: which PDAs can you play iTunes music on? That's right: none. etc. etc.

Do you think Palm would be allowed to read MS Reader files if they asked? Or the new Sony reader?

Jorgen

[martin_ayton]

It almost makes sense for the hardware manufacturers to try this game / scam, since it appears to ensure that they sell more hardware. Where I really struggle to understand the motivation is with people like eReader. Is their business model really based on selling more copies of eReader Pro? Surely it must be based on selling their DRM protected books, in which case limiting the sale of those books to eReader Pro customers is limiting their primary market. That's just nuts!

[Jorgen]

There is a free version of their reader (that's what I use). Otherwise I doubt they could sell as many books as they do.

Jorgen

UPDATE: The free reader is not easy to find! I just checked - it is as if they don't wan't you to know: http://www.ereader.com/download/product/15004/eReader%20for...s%202.6.3%20(EN).zip