eReader.com’s new mobile site
iPhone, Touch users and others can now browse a new, mobile-optimized size from eReader.com—less cluttered and probably faster(via jKOnTheRun, source of the iPhone screenshot).
From jkOTR: "The Fictionwise folks tell me that the new mobile site works with Windows Mobile, Palm and Symbian as well, so if we can get some reader reports from those devices, I know people would appreciate it. Integrating the browse and purchase process within the eReader application is a great move. By removing barriers, the entire mobile and reading experiences get even better.
I’ll be curious if eReader/Fictionwise works to make its library-related services more mobile-friendly. Same for OverDrive.
Hello, Steve P at eR/F? Give us a mobile-related briefing on the library front, if you’d like. Any changes ahead? Let me also extend the some invitation to OverDrive and others.
Related: Past TeleBlog items on eReader and the iPhone.
August 27th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Doesn’t Overdrive require ADE, which doesn’t run on iPhone (and probably not any frikkin phone!)?
Your overall question, however, makes me wonder if the NYPL has done an iPhone-friendly version of its site. http://www.nypl.org — can anyone try?
August 28th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
fictionwise stopped making new library sales a couple of years ago. We continue to support the 50 libraries we have. We found we were spread too thin to properly support that kind of specialized market.
August 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Mike and Steve…
MC: You, SteveP and I all agree: iPhone e-book sales could easily dwarf the Kindle’s–Steve might even say, “Already have.” So maybe OverDrive needs to adjust its approach if need be. OverDrive does do PDF right now without Adobe Digital Editions required (it’s just one Adobe client you can use). The real issue is DRM as is so often the case! Beyond that, OverDrive library sites seem to be presentation disasters even for non-iPhone users.
SP: Thanks for the update. Could the rise of the iPhone be an opening to you to step up your efforts in the library market? Here’s one idea. Offer books through the permanent checkout concept. Patrons could get a limited number of books a year to keep as long as they wanted for personal use. You could market this as an auxiliary service so people wouldn’t feel pressured to break away from OverDrive. I hate it when my e-books expire, even if I don’t have to pay a fine.
Thanks,
David