Comments on: ‘CHT, Microsoft, HTC team up for Chinese e-book market’ http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:04:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tiffany Wong http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1130542 Tiffany Wong Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:28:09 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/#comment-1130542 Based on the info form the TDPF's website, the forum organized an event in June, gathering major publishers, content providers and hardware manufacturers. It seemed both content providers and hardware manufacturers expressed support for the epub standard. (http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/2009/06/blog-post_30.html) There was another event organized by the forum in July, gathering telcos in Taiwan. Some telcos appeared to be in favor of the epub format. (http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/2009/07/kindle-2009729-sprintkindle-hbo.html) The mission of TDPF is to promote ebook business in Taiwan and meanwhile it is a member of IDPF, maybe IDPF can work with TDPF to promote epub standard in Taiwan? Based on the info form the TDPF’s website, the forum organized an event in June, gathering major publishers, content providers and hardware manufacturers. It seemed both content providers and hardware manufacturers expressed support for the epub standard. (http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/2009/06/blog-post_30.html) There was another event organized by the forum in July, gathering telcos in Taiwan. Some telcos appeared to be in favor of the epub format. (http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/2009/07/kindle-2009729-sprintkindle-hbo.html)
The mission of TDPF is to promote ebook business in Taiwan and meanwhile it is a member of IDPF, maybe IDPF can work with TDPF to promote epub standard in Taiwan?

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1130430 David Rothman Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:38:02 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/#comment-1130430 Anthony: <em>Thanks</em> for your comments. I was mentioning mainland China in terms of potential markets--I didn't mean to move you across the strait. My bad for not being clearer about that, although the post does mention the announcement in Taiwan. As for ePub, it'll be wonderful if it indeed is used and without DRM when publishers allow this. Can you tell us more about ePub's role in regard to the announcement and in other respects? Perhaps that info is on the TDPF Web site, but for the sake of speed, it would be great to hear it from you directly. Keep in touch. David Anthony: Thanks for your comments. I was mentioning mainland China in terms of potential markets–I didn’t mean to move you across the strait. My bad for not being clearer about that, although the post does mention the announcement in Taiwan. As for ePub, it’ll be wonderful if it indeed is used and without DRM when publishers allow this. Can you tell us more about ePub’s role in regard to the announcement and in other respects? Perhaps that info is on the TDPF Web site, but for the sake of speed, it would be great to hear it from you directly. Keep in touch.

David

]]> By: Anthony Chien http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1130394 Anthony Chien Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:33:10 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/#comment-1130394 Dear David, This news is happened in Taiwan, not in mainland China. We have a Taiwwan Digital Publishing Forum (TDPF) to promote this new e-book industry. Also, TDPF have decided to support the ePub stanard. TDPF has already been the member of the International Digital Publishing Forum in June 2009. http://www.idpf.org/membership/currentmembers.asp Taiwwan Digital Publishing Forum (TDPF) website (Chinese Version Only) http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/ TAIWAN: Digital Publishing Forum launched New platform established for relevant parties to come together in developing high quality digital content http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=94466 The China Post Tuesday, July 8, 2008 By Dimitri Bruyas TAIPEI --- Several renowned publishers, Internet providers and Web portals joined hands together yesterday in establishing the Taiwan Digital Publishing Forum, aiming to foster research in the publication of digital content, such as eBooks and eMagazines. Vanessa Shih, chief of the Cabinet-level Government Information Office, who was attending the forum's opening ceremony of the company of legislators from the ruling and opposition parties, stressed that the government has long been urging publishers to implement a new platform for high quality digital content. "Within three to five years, the business model for book and magazine publishers could possibly change toward digital content," said Jane Chen, vice president of the Internet Department at Commonwealth Publishing. "You can't survive on your own in such an environment," she added, hinting at developing a standard platform for digital content for electronic devices in Taiwan. During the inaugural meeting, members of the forum then elected Ho Fei-peng, publisher of Business Next, as the first director-general, and Wang Jung-wen, chairman of the Yuan-Liou Publishing Company, as executive director. Also, Wang Li-Hsing, chairman of Commonwealth Magazine, Hau Ming-yi, chairman of Locus Publishing, and Arthur Lee, president of PC home Online, were selected as the forum's top standing supervisors. Date Posted: 7/8/2008 Dear David,

This news is happened in Taiwan, not in mainland China. We have a Taiwwan Digital Publishing Forum (TDPF) to promote this new e-book industry. Also, TDPF have decided to support the ePub stanard.

TDPF has already been the member of the International Digital Publishing Forum in June 2009.
http://www.idpf.org/membership/currentmembers.asp

Taiwwan Digital Publishing Forum (TDPF) website (Chinese Version Only)
http://www.dpublishing.org.tw/

TAIWAN: Digital Publishing Forum launched
New platform established for relevant parties to come together in developing high quality digital content

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=94466

The China Post
Tuesday, July 8, 2008

By Dimitri Bruyas

TAIPEI — Several renowned publishers, Internet providers and Web portals joined hands together yesterday in establishing the Taiwan Digital Publishing Forum, aiming to foster research in the publication of digital content, such as eBooks and eMagazines.

Vanessa Shih, chief of the Cabinet-level Government Information Office, who was attending the forum’s opening ceremony of the company of legislators from the ruling and opposition parties, stressed that the government has long been urging publishers to implement a new platform for high quality digital content.

“Within three to five years, the business model for book and magazine publishers could possibly change toward digital content,” said Jane Chen, vice president of the Internet Department at Commonwealth Publishing.

“You can’t survive on your own in such an environment,” she added, hinting at developing a standard platform for digital content for electronic devices in Taiwan.

During the inaugural meeting, members of the forum then elected Ho Fei-peng, publisher of Business Next, as the first director-general, and Wang Jung-wen, chairman of the Yuan-Liou Publishing Company, as executive director.

Also, Wang Li-Hsing, chairman of Commonwealth Magazine, Hau Ming-yi, chairman of Locus Publishing, and Arthur Lee, president of PC home Online, were selected as the forum’s top standing supervisors.

Date Posted: 7/8/2008

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1130317 David Rothman Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:45:19 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/#comment-1130317 Great observations, Felix, including that important little detail about Microsoft and e-books. Sooner or later Microsoft will do <em>something</em>. But when? Damn if I know. As for DRM being "essential" in China, I hope that'll change in time, even if it means different biz models such as ad-supported books. Actually, with amateur and semipro works, it already seems to be happening on the mainland. David Great observations, Felix, including that important little detail about Microsoft and e-books. Sooner or later Microsoft will do something. But when? Damn if I know. As for DRM being “essential” in China, I hope that’ll change in time, even if it means different biz models such as ad-supported books. Actually, with amateur and semipro works, it already seems to be happening on the mainland. David

]]> By: Felix Torres http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1130300 Felix Torres Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:21:57 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/08/21/cht-microsoft-htc-team-up-for-chinese-e-book-market/#comment-1130300 Alas, the Microsoft connection appears to be minimal. The format to be used is very likely proprietary to CHT, not LIT. So any expectations of MS finally getting serious about ebooks or even updating MS Reader are likely to be unmet. Essentially, they're a prop in the CMT photo-op as their reader software will be running on WinMo, Android, and 20 other linuxes. Seriously doubt they'll want to go with ePub and definitely not Adept-ePub. After all, they said they're looking to "develop Hamibook software to work on smartphones and other devices such as e-readers." And if there is a market where DRM-use is essential for commercial content, given the levels of commercial piracy, it is China. So, no; no open ePub here; just another wing for the tower of eBabel. Alas, the Microsoft connection appears to be minimal.
The format to be used is very likely proprietary to CHT, not LIT. So any expectations of MS finally getting serious about ebooks or even updating MS Reader are likely to be unmet. Essentially, they’re a prop in the CMT photo-op as their reader software will be running on WinMo, Android, and 20 other linuxes.
Seriously doubt they’ll want to go with ePub and definitely not Adept-ePub. After all, they said they’re looking to “develop Hamibook software to work on smartphones and other devices such as e-readers.”
And if there is a market where DRM-use is essential for commercial content, given the levels of commercial piracy, it is China.
So, no; no open ePub here; just another wing for the tower of eBabel.

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