iRex DR1000 series to get Adobe support for PDF, ePub and accompanying DRM
"iRex Technologies has reached agreement with Adobe® to license the Reader Mobile 9 SDK, which provides support for the PDF and EPUB file formats, plus support for Adobe’s content protection technology, which it will offer on its iRex DR1000 series." - iRex announcement.
The TeleRead take: iRex Tech, much stronger in hardware than software, should be an ideal candidate for Adobe’s software developers kit.
Meanwhile the news is another indication that e-book tech is becoming increasingly modularized, with Adobe striving to provide master modules in the software area.
This could hurt Amazon/Kindle if competitors can smoothly blend in the modules and avoid Amazon’s closed approach in regard to formats and in other areas.
Letting the Kindle format run on different hardware platforms—which Amazon plans to do—is a long way from what Adobe is up to.
An iRex news release follows.
19th February 2009
iRex Announces Adobe® Licensing Deal For iRex Digital Readers
Eindhoven, 19th February 2009 ‐ The world’s leading provider of e‐reading solutions, Netherlands based iRex Technologies (www.irextechnologies.com), has today announced that it has reached agreement with Adobe® to license the Reader Mobile 9 SDK which provides support for the PDF and EPUB file formats plus support for Adobe’s content protection technology which it will offer on its iRex DR1000 series.
Next quarter the DR1000 will offer reflowable PDF technology allowing text to adapt automatically to the screen size, thereby preserving layout integrity and enhancing the reading experience. The EPUB file format, an XML based eBook standard already has broad support from the publishing industry and is expected to accelerate the availability of eBook content on mobile devices worldwide.
As the digital reading choice for professionals iRex is pleased to be able to partner with Adobe® whose products provide the backbone of professional document portability for the business user. By supporting reflowable PDF technology iRex further enhances its credentials and applicability in the professional and business environment where Adobe products are already an integral part of digital document creation and management.
“Offering the Adobe PDF and EPUB with Adobe Content Server compatibility in conjunction with the iRex Digital Reader 1000 signals a real step forward for the professional who expects not just eBooks, but all their documents to be read with equal ease on their digital reader. Co‐operating with Adobe has enabled us to cater fully for professionals who want to make use of the richness of the Adobe solutions across all types of documents and also for the publishing industry.” said Hans Brons, CEO of iRex Technologies.”
The iRex DR1000 developed with the business market in mind offers the world’s largest display allowing full page PDF files and e‐newspapers to retain their original look and feel and layout thereby offering the reader an unparalleled digital reading experience. This announcement cements the iRex DR1000 in its position as the choice for the business professional. Now executives may have access to all their business documents anytime, anywhere plus access over 800 of their favourite business newspapers and key industry news at the same time as making a powerful positive contribution to the environment. With the world consuming over 300 million tonnes of paper annually the potential implications of digital reading for the environment are significant.
Note to Editors:
About iRex Technologies:
iRex Technologies BV have been instrumental in pushing the frontiers of digital reading since 2001 when their team developed the electronic paper display for the Sony Librié the first commercially available e‐reader launched in 2004. Following the formation of iRex Technologies in 2005 as a spin‐off company from Royal Philips Electronics their focus on open innovation and co‐operation has seen them become the world’s leading provider of solutions for reading written digital content with the ease and comfort of print on paper. This is combined with the interactivity, flexibility and up‐dating functionality provided by digital information. Located on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, the Netherlands iRex serves the B2B market as well as the consumer market and works closely with companies and publishers to enable them to offer their content (newspapers, books, documents) digitally to clients, subscribers and employees. www.irextechnologies.com
About Adobe Systems Incorporated:
Adobe revolutionises how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information visit www.adobe.com.
Media Relations
iRex Technologies
Stark Moore Macmillan PR
Kate D Adamson
T: +44 (0) 20 7 127 4262
E: kate.adamson@fmgroupltd.com
February 19th, 2009 at 11:29 am
If (or when) the Kindle format gets on to other mobile devices, it will probably look better than a reflowed PDF on the screen. I think that will be a major advantage.
Unless Adobe can truly retrofit the fixed-page format into a seamless reflow, the the PDF shouldn’t have a future in the ebook world. Sometimes things need to be thrown anyway and replaced, instead of fixed or patched.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I agree, Greg. That’s why ePub exists! D