Comments on: For e-book novices: Some leading stores for reading books in popular formats http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:29:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Karl http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-683308 Karl Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:18:33 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-683308 <a href="http://cranial.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/elegant-design-from-the-evil-empire/" rel="nofollow">I wrote about my impressions</a> of various ebook readers for the PC. People new to ebooks might find it useful. I wrote about my impressions of various ebook readers for the PC. People new to ebooks might find it useful.

]]> By: cranial escape http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-683306 cranial escape Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:12:23 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-683306 <strong>Elegant design from the evil empire...</strong> I’ve been interested in ebooks for a while and am convinced that eventually they will become common. People will get used to reading books on portable devices with screens that look better and cost less than the screens we have today. I don&#8... Elegant design from the evil empire…

I’ve been interested in ebooks for a while and am convinced that eventually they will become common. People will get used to reading books on portable devices with screens that look better and cost less than the screens we have today. I don&#8…

]]> By: BooksForABuck http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679255 BooksForABuck Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:57:47 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679255 Just to add to Alan's comment, Fictionwise has been aggressive in adding new formats--including Kindle format--to their multi-format option. Baen is not the only publisher who offers multiple formats directly. BooksForABuck.com supports PDF, Mobipocket, Palm DOC, Microsoft Reader and HTML (which is about as universal a format as you can get). Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com Just to add to Alan’s comment, Fictionwise has been aggressive in adding new formats–including Kindle format–to their multi-format option.

Baen is not the only publisher who offers multiple formats directly. BooksForABuck.com supports PDF, Mobipocket, Palm DOC, Microsoft Reader and HTML (which is about as universal a format as you can get).

Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com

]]> By: Alan Wallcraft http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679124 Alan Wallcraft Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:17:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679124 Both Fictionwise and Baen Books (for science fiction from a few publishers) have DRM-free Multi-format e-books. You don't specify a format, you just buy the book and get to download which ever formats you want. If you get a new device later, you can download another format if necessary. Selection is limited, because many publishers (and it does mostly seem to be publishers, rather than authors) require DRM. Fictionwise sells both DRM-free e-books and e-books with DRM in several popular formats, so it is a good place to start looking for e-books. Both Fictionwise and Baen Books (for science fiction from a few publishers) have DRM-free Multi-format e-books. You don’t specify a format, you just buy the book and get to download which ever formats you want. If you get a new device later, you can download another format if necessary. Selection is limited, because many publishers (and it does mostly seem to be publishers, rather than authors) require DRM. Fictionwise sells both DRM-free e-books and e-books with DRM in several popular formats, so it is a good place to start looking for e-books.

]]> By: Brad http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679043 Brad Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:32:40 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-679043 David, you did a great job explaining that. I was showing a friend of mine my new Cybook and trying to explain ebook formats, DRM vs non-DRM and ebooksellers. I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job. I find it easier to show them at the computer, but even then it is a lot of info for people to absorb. Frankly, I usually only recommend one ebookseller (usually Fictionwise) to novices just to keep it simple. Amazon did a lot to cut through this confusion with the Kindle because they knew the Tower of eBabel would be the kiss of death for their reader. Everyone else other than Sony seems to be adopting Mobipocket as a commercial format so maybe the marketplace will eventually settle on fewer formats. David, you did a great job explaining that. I was showing a friend of mine my new Cybook and trying to explain ebook formats, DRM vs non-DRM and ebooksellers. I’m afraid I didn’t do a very good job.

I find it easier to show them at the computer, but even then it is a lot of info for people to absorb. Frankly, I usually only recommend one ebookseller (usually Fictionwise) to novices just to keep it simple.

Amazon did a lot to cut through this confusion with the Kindle because they knew the Tower of eBabel would be the kiss of death for their reader. Everyone else other than Sony seems to be adopting Mobipocket as a commercial format so maybe the marketplace will eventually settle on fewer formats.

]]> By: Brad V. http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-678964 Brad V. Sun, 30 Dec 2007 23:40:56 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/30/for-e-book-novices-some-leading-stores-for-reading-e-books-in-various-formats/#comment-678964 I think the one issue really holding ebooks back right now is the "proprietary" ebook formats that companies like Sony and Amazon continue to insist on. Last Spring I bought the Sony Reader, and while it's a great device, I'm limited greatly to using the Sony ebook store. While they claim the device can also be used for PDFs, the quality is so terrible that it's a pretty useless feature. I think many more people would be open to ebooks if their format, and the devices to read them on, weren't tethered to just one company/website. I think the one issue really holding ebooks back right now is the “proprietary” ebook formats that companies like Sony and Amazon continue to insist on.

Last Spring I bought the Sony Reader, and while it’s a great device, I’m limited greatly to using the Sony ebook store. While they claim the device can also be used for PDFs, the quality is so terrible that it’s a pretty useless feature.

I think many more people would be open to ebooks if their format, and the devices to read them on, weren’t tethered to just one company/website.

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