Cybook delayed slightly—but PDF will be on it from the start
The Cybook Gen3’s launch has been delayed slightly from late this month to early October—but Bookeen has added PDF to the list of formats the E Ink machine will start out with.
Other formats will be “encrypted Mobipocket ebooks and display HTML, Text, PalmDoc and finally PDF files.”
In full, here’s the company’s announcement:
“The launch of Bookeen’s awaited Cybook Gen3 ebook reading device has been delayed until October 2007. We have already delivered several engineering samples and are making slight adjustments in the final steps of mass production.
“As a benefit, the PDF format will be supported on the Cybook Gen3 directly with the first product release. We are using this delay to enhance our software offer. PDF support was a major step for Bookeen and was planned as being part of a next upgrade. The new timing allows us to have PDF up and running for the release.
“For its first release, the Cybook Gen3 will support encrypted Mobipocket ebooks and display HTML, Text, PalmDoc and finally PDF files. A new version of the Mobipocket reader for desktop will be also released in the next weeks by Mobipocket.com. This new program, which runs on a PC host, will detect and synchronize automatically with the Cybook Gen3. Buying, downloading and transferring an ebook file to the Cybook Gen3 becomes a child’s game.
“In parallel, Bookeen has opened its own corporate blog to provide hot news and start discussions. We really see this blog as a place to exchange and communicate with the ebook community. It will also be the place to get some hints and insider information about Bookeen developments. To illustrate this credo, a first video clip showing off the Cybook Gen3 in action has been released on the blog.”
September 27th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I can’t tell from the video demo whether there’s a real search function included or not. Also, I see a lookup for specific words, as well as coming MobiPocket support. I wonder if I will be able to use my existing MobiPocket version of Webster’s 3rd International to look up words in text, as I now do with the Palm TX? Have you heard anything that would relate to this, David?
September 27th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Paul: Great quetion re use of existing dictionary. I thought I saw a ref to Webster’s, and my guess is that the existing files for the product will work out. Like you, I don’t know about the search function. But I can easily enough imagine a virtual keyboard using a mix of cursor movements and “push down the center button” to identify the letters you want. It wouldn’t be the most convenient interface for searches but would be much better than none. What’s more, as I’ve written, a USB port for a keyboard would help—for searches and other functions. Thanks. David