Pocket PC eBooks Watch - eBook and beyond  
 http://cebooks.blogspot.com 

Great Article!
Three eBook Revenue Streams for Periodicals Publishers (Ann's Column):
a. eBooks are an untapped ancillary revenue source. For example many newsletters and Web sites can bundle old "evergreen" content into eBooks, or create new eBooks, for sale to their audience.
b. eBooks are a great tool to raise Web site and email newsletter subscription sales (i.e. "You'll get this special $45 eReport for FREE with your paid subscription!) The print newsletter world, in particular, has relied on this type of offer to raise subscription sales for 30 years now, so there's no reason why it wouldn't work online as well.
c. eBooks are a potential sponsorship sales tool. Sponsors may not be as excited about special "micro-sites" any more. However they might be interested in an advertorial supplement eBook that you email to your opt-ins, and make available for download on message boards, etc.
For a complete article click here.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Expecting Harry Potter to publish its ebook (using DRM 3 or in Peanutpress), so we don't have to line up dept.
Harry Potter and the publicity stunt
The fan sites have been working themselves into a frenzy of expectation for weeks. And yesterday, with a fanfare worthy of another Pearl Harbor, the latest Hollywood spectacular was launched. The cause of the excitement was the release, on the official Warner Brothers Harry Potter internet site, of a second trailer for a film which is still five months from the cinemas. A full glorious 150 seconds of Harry Potter the movie, and a cast including Maggie Smith, Zoe Wanamaker and John Cleese, could be seen, dimly, through clouds of smoke, owls and broomsticks.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Handhelds Expanding Usage
New gadgets are converting handheld computers into telephones, voice recorders and cameras. Handhelds are storing electronic books, driving directions and maps and serving them up with voice commands. Most new handheld add-ons are being built for Palm Inc.'s dominant Palms and the rival Handspring Visor line, which run the Palm operating system. But developers are also tinkering with adjuncts to the Microsoft-based Pocket PC format used by Compaq, Casio and Hewlett-Packard.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Quill Professional Beta Testing Invitation:
A hearty group of individuals is invited to test the newest program from Elegant Solutions Software and Publishing Company. Electric Quill Professional is a giant step up from Quill Basic. The program will be released on July 14th. If you would like to be a beta tester write to ken@esspc-ebooks.com before, or on, Sunday July 1st.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Tired of reading only old and free ebooks in your Pocket PC with MS Reader?
A new Palm Reader 1.05 for Pocket PC just went up a few minutes ago. You might want to check it out. There are a few neat features on PocketPC that you might like.
Peter Fry explained the new things, "Much more stable (especially during installation of books), roughly twice as fast at installation and rendering pages, a more PocketPC consistent user interface for PocketPC's, and a bunch of new tags for book producers. Oh yeah, I added ClearType, too."
Peanut Press Right On! Now there is no reason of not downloading the Palm Reader for Pocket PC anymore :-) and buying the NEW commercial books without worrying those EVIL DRM level 5

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/28/2001

Writers Aren't Cashing Checks Yet By Kendra Mayfield
The Supreme Court handed a victory to freelance writers this week when it ruled that publishers must compensate authors when they republish their work electronically without permission.
But some writers are concerned that while the ruling is nice, it won't pay the rent.
"A major problem for writers is that many publishers, anticipating a loss in the Tasini case, have begun demanding that freelancers sign away all rights to their articles, including electronic rights, for no additional payment," said freelance writer Miriam Raftery in an e-mail.
"This sign-or-else mentality forces freelancers to choose between short-term survival and long-term stability." ...
Major writers' organizations would likely concede a portion of the monetary damages owed members whose works were infringed in the past if in exchange publishers would treat writers with respect and offer modest payments for e-rights in the future, she said.
Publishers should try and negotiate for fair e-rights agreements "instead of trying to grab up broad rights for no additional payment in order to create sweatshops in cyberspace."

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Spook Magazine is made available in the Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF)
Featuring celebrity interviews, entertainment news, film and book reviews, The Spook is all that and more. With “spooky” new fiction by such great authors as Poppy Z. Brite, Dominick Cancilla, Ramsey Campbell, Jonathan Carroll, Dennis Etchison, Graham Joyce, Jack Ketchum, Norman Partridge and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro on a monthly basis.
The Spook is fully downloadable at the privacy of your home computer, without cost, obligation or membership. If you choose to subscribe for free will we notify you from time to time with Spook news and release dates and subscriber privileges including monthly drawings for neat prizes.
It is an advertisement based e-magazine. Let's tell them to publish it in MS Reader format, or Pocket PC users need to buy Primer PDF Reader to read it

posted by Jerry permanent link

DRM 5 Is Everywhere Dept.
Microsoft's XP: Hardware changes a turnoff
The company's new product-activation technology, which locks Office XP or Windows XP to a particular PC hardware configuration, can deactivate unexpectedly, rendering the software useless until a code number is obtained from Microsoft. The feature could present the biggest headache to people that frequently upgrade or change components on their PCs.
Microsoft introduced product-activation technology with an update to Office 2000 but made it standard fare with Office XP, released in late May. It will also be standard with Windows XP, the new version of the operating system set to launch Oct. 25.
In the case of Office XP, people can open the software programs 50 times before activating the product by phone or over the Internet. The process "locks" the software to the user's specific PC configuration.
Users unite!, don't upgrade to XP whatsoever and Don't buy DRM 5 ebooks which also use hardware activation technology

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Wall Street Journal Online Now Available for Franklin's eBookMan
Highlights from The Wall Street Journal Online will be available to users of Franklin's eBookMan® multimedia content reader. This content, which is optimized for mobile devices, will consist of top news summaries of the day plus selected news features.
BTW try to subcribe Wall Stree Journal with Avantgo to compare.
Let's hope this trend will be toward Pocket PC too, so tell Microsoft rather than promoting their DRM 5 technology it is better to attract content provider to fill Pocket PC ebooks.

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (ESSPC)
The Inferno, the opening section of Dante Alighieri's epic theological poem La Divina Commedia, is one of the indispensable works of the Western literary canon. The modern concept of hell and damnation owes everything to this work, and it is the rock upon which vernacular Italian was built. Its influence is woven into the very fabric of Western imagination, and poets, painters, scholars, and translators return to it endlessly.

posted by Jerry permanent link

For those of whom read PDF files in Pocket PC:
Reducing the size of your PDFs
Author offers tips on where to look for the hidden 'calories' and what to do
There's a persistent myth that PDF files by their very nature are large in size; the fact is that in the majority of cases where file size is a legitimate issue, the result is due to poor authoring techniques, a lack of sufficient user knowledge about pitfalls and/or about what steps can be taken. Shlomo offers some valuable pointers.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/27/2001

Ojster just get a reply from CyberRead and it seems like they will have LEVEL 5 as well as some LEVEL 3 eBooks:
"As an eBook Bookstore, CyberRead does not set the encryption level of the books it carries. Our publishers and authors make that decision. Many of our smaller publishers are choosing level 3 while our many of our trade publishers are choosing level 5 for certain books. We are very aware of the complaining about the encryption scheme. I happen to do the majority of my reading on my Jornada. I can appreciate your suggestions. I make similar, yet more diplomatic, suggestions to our publishers and authors. I do not "guarantee" more or less sales based on encryption levels. This industry is growing as well as technology is advancing. Perhaps in the future DRM level 5 will be accepted and preferred if we, the technology side, can make it transparent to the end user. That will be determined at a later date."

posted by Jerry permanent link

e-writerpreneur :)
How to Pre-Sell a Best-Seller by MJ Rose
The pre-sell for American Gods began before the manuscript was finished when Gaiman talked to his editor, Jeffiner Hersey, about putting up a website for an online journal about the writing and publishing of the book...

posted by Jerry permanent link

Think ahead before implementing DRM 5!
CyberRead wanted to join Pocket PC WebRing and Ojster checked out their page and saw they are prepairing .lit downloads, but that they are not yet available, so he e-mailed them asking whether these books will be PocketPC compatible since this is a must in order to join the ring. He got the following reply:
"Our .lit line will be live within the next few days. We are in the final stages of integrating the DRM level 5 coding with our Adobe eBook Reader coding. We look forward to being added to your web ring."
And Ojster responded as follows:
"If you add DRM level 5 to your MS Reader eBooks they will NOT be PocketPC compatible. I think this is a bad idea - people are complaining a lot about this protection scheme and if possible I would suggest you to use lower security. I saw you have books like: "At All Costs" and " Beyond Recall" - these are also available at B&N and they do not have level 5 security. I can guarantee you won't sell many of these - because most readers want to read their books on the go and they will purchace the same title from B&N since their version is PocketPC compatible."

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/26/2001

BEWARE OF BARNESS AND NOBLE POCKET PC EBOOKS, NOW THEY ARE USING DRM 5
BN silently changed their pocket pc ebooks to be DRM level 5.
AN EXAMPLE THAT I FOUND IS Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes which is used to be DRM 5 then Pocket PC compatible now the devil is BACK.
Another example is Bill Gates' Business @ the Speed of Thought which was a Pocket PC compatible which then made it as one of the current best seller. But after it became best seller, BN changed it again to DRM level 5, but they forgot to take it off from Pocket PC store. BUT if you click the title, there he goes again, "** This eBook is available for only your desktop or laptop computer.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Regarding Orpheus Emerged by Jack Kerouac at FictionWise
I got the answer from Scott stating: "It does work on PocketPC but all the multimedia is stripped out (just like it is on the palm version, etc.). Only the versions for the computer have the multimedia. At Fictionwise, you are allowed to download in multiple formats."

posted by Jerry permanent link

Believe it or not continued:
This is Ken Mattern's posting from newsgroup regarding David Swager's price comparison on Hardbook, Paperback and unreadable ebook in Amazon titled The Educated Child.
"I've been thinking about this since I saw David's comments posted at Jerry's site yesterday. Here is what I think the idiocy is all about.
In the United States (for those reading this who don't know about Katel and all the rest) you will often see advertisements on television for music albums, such as "Singers and Songwriters of the 80s". These albums are available on either cassette tape or CD - not available in stores ;-}.
The tapes almost always sell for $12.95 while the CDs sell for $18.95. We all know that the cost for reproducing a cassette tape is significantly higher than that for reproducing a CD, both in time and money. So why do they sell the CD for so much more?
The answer is in the perceived "advance in technology". CDs are more technologically advanced, therefore they must cost more to manufacture. Or so the consumer is lead to believe.
Of course the profit margins for this advanced technology are so much greater as well. (wink, wink)
Now take that marketing idea to eBooks:
eBooks are really advanced technology. Gutenberg invented his printing press back in the 1500s (I think) and the technology has not changed significantly. It doesn't matter that the cost of reproducing 10,000 paper bound hard cover books is high enough to justify the selling cost. It doesn't matter that by removing the hard cover and reducing the page size that it costs significantly less to publish the same number of paper bound books. These are both OLD TECHNOLOGY. And, of course the technology for eBook publishing is BRAND NEW and to publish a quality eBook is prohibitively expensive (Believe me, I know. I am only able to publish 5 myself every Saturday - between mowing the lawn and doing my shopping). So naturally it costs so very much more to support this cutting edge and still emerging technology. New high technology simply costs more. So you have to pay more. Not to mention the profit motive - er margin.
So the unsuspecting purchaser is again duped into thinking that eBooks MUST be worth every penny that they charge. And they must be really special and hard to reproduce because they haven't figured out how to do it so that you can read it on more than two computers, and even more so because they haven't figured out the technology to move them to these new Pocket PC thingies - whatever they are. So I must shell out more money for more quality. After all I am a cutting edge consumer.
The problem is, my friends, that we are a lot more savvy about things like paper books vs eBooks than the targeted market for "Singers and Songwriters of the 80s"."

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/25/2001

G.E. Nordell's eBooks
Do you like detective novels? If you do you will love this tip: you can download an entire detective novel in .lit format written by Rick Walker for FREE for a limited time.
Thanks to Ojster.com for the information

posted by Jerry permanent link

Next Trend for Pocket PC eBooks: e-Comics
Digital, Print Comics from ComicsOne
Currently ComicsOne offers licensed and translated Japanese and Korean manga in e-book format, only for the Adobe reader. The firm sells its digital titles for $2.95 for a 200-page b&w comic; $4.95 for the color e-books; and $9.95 for the print titles. Click here for complete article.

posted by Jerry permanent link

False Prophecy Dept.
Better Than Books? by Kiplinger Magazine
Electronic readers hold thousands of pages, but they are clunky and costly, and the choices are limited.
Should you spend hundreds to read a novel on a hand-held, battery-powered, electronic reader when you can just, well, pick up a book? E-books do offer some compelling features, such as allowing you to carry a shelf-full of books in one hand. And if you're determined to be on technology's cutting edge, there are few devices cooler right now. But so far, only 43,000 of the most curious among us have bought the devices, though researchers predict anywhere from 2.6 million to 28 million in use by 2005.
Sometimes, I could not believe these smart people just talk with limited research inputs. Don't they realize that majority of ebook readers will be using PDA? And by giving advice of only 43,000 ebook devices readers sold, this can be really misleading the industry.
Original links comes from eBookAd.com

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/24/2001

So Funny, this thing should belong to Ripley's Believe it or Not?
While looking for a copy of "The Educated Child: A Parents Guide from Preschool to Eighth Grade", David was suprised to see it available in eBook format. Of course, you can't read it on your Pocket PC and pick the best value:
Hardcover: $28.98
Paperback: $15.20
Unreadable eBook: $30.00
Thanks to David W. Swager who keeps asking himself "are these folks that stupid?" and the answer keeps coming back YES!

posted by Jerry permanent link

Polling #12 Result: If possible, who will share your ebooks that you purchase?
(of 571 respondents)
40% None, no one will share it
30% My family
11% My best friends
4% Only when Barter with other ebook
9% Anyone
6% I don't know/no opinion

posted by Jerry permanent link

Orpheus Emerged by Jack Kerouac
FictionWise vs. Amazon.Com ebooks comparison
This is very interesting on how stupid Amazon (can anybody check the Amazon stock price for me please ;-) really is...
If you buy Orpheus Emerged from Amazon here is what you get:
- Format: Microsoft Reader
- File Size: 1039K Jeff say it Le Big Mac!
- Handheld Compatible: No, This title is not compatible with Pocket PCs, PDAs, or other handhelds.
If you buy Orpheus Emerged from FictionWise here is what you get:
- Format: Microsoft Reader
- File Size: 165K mmm , does Jeff Blackburn think that the bigger the ebook size, the more profit Amazon will make?
- Pocket PC Compatible: Supposedly Yes from their Reading Devices FAQ. I have sent them email to make sure about this. I will let you know soon.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Another proof that DRM 5 Sucks Dept. (read Jeff Bozos couldn't help Jeff Bezos)
How FictionWise Sells More eBooks Than Anyone Else, Including Amazon
Technically speaking, some of the obvious reasons are:
2. Support all formats: Unlike Amazon and BN.com, Fictionwise sells eBooks for every electronic format that's not easy to print out (the Predergrasts do not have printing rights to their stock) including Palm, Win CE, Pocket PC, Rocket, eBookMan and some PC-based formats.
3. No Download restrictions: Again, unlike many other eBook sellers, Fictionwise does not restrict the number of times a buyer can download the item they've purchased. In fact, Fictionwise keeps a personal "bookshelf" for each buyer to make additional downloads easier. Scott says, "What if your computer crashes and you have to wipe your hard drive? That shouldn't mean you've lost all your eBooks and have to rebuy them."
4. No encryption: Since there is no perfect, very-easy-to-use encryption format now, and several famous authors including Dilbert's Scott Adams have encountered significant backlash from Mac users (which most systems don't work on) and PC users who found de-encryption difficult, the brothers decided to spare themselves the extra customer service problems encryption would cause.
Please forward the complete article to Jeff "Bozos" Blackburn and his Boss. CC it to Bill Gates and any big publisher who ever dreamed of making lots of profit by selling ebooks and killing the customers.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pocket Manager.Com
Commercial Business Books and Software for the Mobile Manager
Receive a free business eBook by by registering your email on the left Psion/EPOC, Palm, PDF, MS Reader

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Interviewer's Pocketbook
Author John Townsend believes this is the best book he has written. Covers the skills necessary for good interviewing, and advice on how to conduct a range of different types of interview (recruitment, appraisal, counselling, fact-finding and disciplinary) with techniques and specific examples.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Greg's iPaq eBooks list has been updated.
Please take a look at it, you will find some surprises links over there.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/23/2001

The Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction (FREE)
Selected by Charles W. Eliot, LLD
The 20-volume Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction—the first Bartleby.com e-book offering—comprises works by 30 authors from 7 national literatures. Its novels, romances and short stories feature biographical and critical introductions by the great thinkers of the time. eBooks provided by Bartleby.com E-book Store.
Thanks to Raindew01 for uploading this link to Pocket PC eBooks Free eBook Directory

posted by Jerry permanent link

Business eMagazines for Pocket PC (with Palm Reader for Pocket PC):
Fast Company Magazine June 2001
In this month's special issue, The Next Agenda: Best Practices of the Best Companies, we ask, "What's on Your Agenda?" Ten senior executives and thinkers explain the most crucial item on their leadership agenda.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Quill Professional Coming Soon!
On Saturday, June 23, 2001, ESSPC will be announcing the upcoming version of Electric Quill Professional. The program will be made available to the public on July 14, 2001. Beta testing will begin soon. The retail price will be set at $69.00. Current registered Quill users will be able to upgrade for $24.95. This program looks to be the next major step in eBook preproduction.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/22/2001

Technology Watch:
New E-Mail Ad Service Gives Look, Feel of Print Magazines
E-Book Systems has distributed its monthly e-mail newsletter with a twist: It included a link to marketing messages on open-book advertising space that uses the company's FlipBrowser technology.
The FlipBrowser allows users to view content on a full Web page and gives them the ability to change pages -- through rich media -- by clicking on an icon at the bottom of the page. The format lays out two Web pages in the form of a book across a monitor.
Marketers can position their messages, photographs, rich media and multiple links to different pages on their Web sites on the book format. As with a traditional magazine format, they can place ads on multiple pages. For instance, a company can place a photograph of a product or service on the left-hand page and content on the right-hand page, with links splashed around both pages.
This interface is going to be the perfect solution for emagazine as well as the advertisers. Just cross youir fingers hoping it will appear in your Pocket PC, original link comes from eBookAd.com

posted by Jerry permanent link

Back to the old days of ebooks... take a look at this wasting money technology that they called ebook which actually is just another web pages.
The activebook experience is an online integrated learning environment. The activebook experience includes:
Online media-rich ebook
Integrated online study tools
"Need to know" print companion
Thanks to S. Liawatimena for the links

posted by Jerry permanent link

Department of Information Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. asked your favor to fill a questionaire on children ebook. The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect information regarding your reviews as an expert on the features and functions in Book Builder, an authoring program for children to create multimedia books. An apparent difference of this program compared to others is its feature which lets users create electronic contents and present them following book metaphor.
Don't forget telling them that children (actually their parents who will pay for the ebooks) hate DRM level 5

posted by Jerry permanent link

Feedback for Independent eBook Awards
The Executive Producer of the Independent eBook Awards, Sunny Ross, has made a call to eBook enthusiast for feedback saying, "[t]he Awards Committee is interested in comments and suggestions from the eBook community to help us continue to improve the Independent eBook Awards each year." According organizers, the Independent eBook Awards are "designed to recognize and reward talent in electronic books and digital storytelling from authors with independent publishers and self-published authors."

posted by Jerry permanent link

Remember Amazon's double standard regarding on eBooks with DRM 5...
Well, Jaroen received an email from Amazon yesterday finalizing their statement in this matter:
Dear Jeroen,
Greetings from Amazon.com.
I am extremely sorry for this situation. Both of these titles were intended to be compatible with Pocket PCs. However, there has been a mixup with the level of security encryption with these titles by Mike Resnick and they are not able to be read on the Pocket PC.
I have requested refunds for both of these titles. You should see credits on your next statement. Again, I am extremely sorry for this error.
In addition to our large selection, one of the benefits we try very hard to offer our customers is convenience, and we have not met that standard in this case. Please accept my sincere apologies.
Best regards,
M R

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/20/2001

Trivia: What is the most searchable word in Pocket PC eBooks Watch?
A: "Bible".
Actually King James Version of New Testament is the number one best seller in BN, and its Old Testament is the number 5 best seller list.
For Free Bible download you can get it from:
The Holy Bible by Various This text of the Douay-Rheims Version of the Holy Bible was translated from the Latin Vulgate. The Old Testament was originally published by the English College at Douay in 1609-1610. The New Testament was originally published by the English College at Rheims in 1582. This is not the King James Version. Size is 2.2 MB. Courtesy of ESSPC-Books
King James Bible - The straight HTML of this text is approximately 8 megabytes in size. Courtesy of Blackmask.

posted by Jerry permanent link

SUPPORT NON DRM 5 ebooks Dept.
Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes: This ultimate anthology of anecdotes, revised to include more than 700 new entries, is a must-have reference for every personal library. From Hank Aaron to King Zog, Mao Tse-tung to Madonna, Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes is the best source of anecdotes on the market. Featuring more than 2,000 people from around the world, past and present, in all fields, these short anecdotes provide remarkable insight into the human character. Ranging from the humorous to the tearful, they span classical history, recent politics, modern science, and the arts. Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes is a gold mine for anyone who gives speeches, is doing research, or simply likes to browse. I DON"T KNOW WHAT'D HAPPENED BUT NOW IT IS USING DRM5 AGAIN, THUS IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH POCKET PC ANYMORE! (6/26/01)
I remember this ebook used to be using DRM level 5, now after it change to Pocket PC Compatible it entered as number 2 ebook best seller list in Barnes and Noble

posted by Jerry permanent link

For those of you who are interested in Polling #1 - #12 results can download the text file from cebooks group.
Click here to direct download the text file , (you can unregister after you download it).

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pocket PC eBooks Watch Review in Pocket PC Magazine
I get the impression that a lot of Pocket PC users enjoy using their device to read eBooks. Witness the fact that within a week of posting a free copy of the eBook version of our magazine, thousands of people had downloaded it.
If you're an eBook enthusiast, you'll want to check out Jerry Justianto's Pocket PC eBooks Watch. It's the best site I've seen so far for general eBook news, information, FAQs, and links. For a complete review click here.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Handheld map guide for tourists
Whether they are picking their way through the bustle of Auckland or the wilds of Tongariro National Park, tourists now have the option of high-tech handheld maps as their guide.
Both saw handheld computing as the new frontier - and in particular the Microsoft-based Pocket PC.
That was in part because Palm, the market leader in handhelds, was well catered for in city guides and maps, but also because the Pocket PC, with its minimum of 32Mb of memory and colour screen, was just the specification needed for the raster (as opposed to vector) maps developed by Mr Shields.
The handhelds made by companies such as Compaq, Casio and Hewlett-Packard can also take tiny plug-in GPS (global positioning systems) units which integrate with this software.
Thanks to eBookAd.Com for the original link

posted by Jerry permanent link

Microsoft Reader Style Guides
It's easy to publish your content for the Microsoft® Reader format. The three guidebooks below explain the tools, layout, and markup used in electronic publishing for Microsoft Reader.
After reviewing this material, you'll be ready to publish your own books for distribution over the Internet.
Layout Guide
This guide explains the various types of books that Microsoft Reader can handle and provides sample code for common layout features, from tables of contents to drop caps, and from poetry to cookbooks.
The Layout Guide also provides a full description of the supported ClearType™ font sets, special characters, code samples of the basic book types, and tips on handling images, covers, and pagelets for maximum impact on the screen.
Download Layout Guide (Microsoft Reader), 611 KB
Markup Guide
A complete reference work, the Markup Guide lists every tag, attribute, and CSS property available in Microsoft Reader formatted documents and Open eBook documents.
In addition to describing the entire range of available Reader markup, this guide provides examples of syntax and format, as well as lists of available color codes, image sizing, margins, CSS grammar, style sheets, and a comprehensive markup table describing what markup is supported on Pocket PC and laptop versions of Microsoft Reader.
Download Markup Guide (Microsoft Reader), 1,057 KB
Source Materials and Conversions
This guide provides an overview of how Microsoft Reader eBook conversion works, and explains exactly what source files you'll need to publish successfully.
Source Materials and Conversions also describes the required sizing and formatting for eBook covers, the differences between the Pocket PC and laptop versions of Microsoft Reader, the tools and other resources available for converting your existing books, a description of conversion restrictions, pointers to industry standards, and a glossary of terms.
Download Source Materials and Conversions (Microsoft Reader), 378 KB
Thanks for Ian Dolphin of University of Hull for the link

posted by Jerry permanent link

Books are here to stay
The fear of some people that books in printed form as we know them are on the way out because of the arrival of the Internet and ebooks may be largely misplaced.
Despite the onset of the dotcom economy, the popularity and proliferation of computers and their invasion of homes, offices and classrooms and the rousing arrival of the socalled e-books, printed books will continue to prevail as the principal tool for imparting knowledge and information.
The challenge in the meantime is for them to ensure quality in the content and material of the books and reading materials they are turning out in all levels and, as much as possible, make them accessible and affordable to all.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Ojster just posted a free eBook in PocketPC compatible .lit format from Karen Koehler titled Slayer. You can find more info about the author and original book on the following URL: http://www.ursamultimedia.50megs.com
To download a FREE eBook in .lit format visit his page at http://www.pocketPCstuff.com or http://www.ojster.com !

posted by Jerry permanent link

The eBook Community (TeBC) Archive: 1996-2001
The eBook Community (TeBC) Archive (formerly known as the eBook-List), an archive that includes all email posts since Jon Noring began the list in 1996.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/19/2001

Boycott DRM level 5 seems to work!
ALL of the Top 5 eBook Sales on Barnes and Nobles are non DRM level 5, means all are Pocket PC compatible ebooks.
If this trend continues, publishers will learn that Microsoft actually fooled them by promoting them to used MS DRM 5 method of selling

posted by Jerry permanent link

Slate Magazine Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary; The Best of Slate Anthology eBook to Be Sold on barnesandnoble.com
The Best of Slate will be available on barnesandnoble.com for $2.95 starting June 22. The anthology will include over 30 entertaining and informative pieces including ``Hookers.com: How e-commerce is transforming the oldest profession'' and ``Extroverted Like Me: How a month and a half on Paxil taught me to love being shy,'' along with greatest hits by such Slate regulars as William Saletan, Mickey Kaus, Jacob Weisberg, and Timothy Noah. Other special features include standout segments of the Slate ``Diary'' and ``Breakfast Table,'' and a poem by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky.
I hope it will be compatible with Pocket PC

posted by Jerry permanent link

The future of ebooks: will they or won't they?
But where Bullet was released through publisher Simon and Shuster for a flat per-download price of US$2.50, King had other plans for his tale of horticultural horror. Intrigued by the possibility of e-publishing becoming "Big Publishing’s worst nightmare," as he wrote on his Web site at the time of the release, King decided to go it alone with The Plant.
"People need to figure out the new technology and get comfortable with it before they’ll agree to pay out money for it," said Cook. "I think established writers can use (the ebook) to promote themselves and widen their audience. But the immediate benefit will be for new writers to establish an audience. As audiences become enamored with an author and their material, they’ll be more willing to pay for it."
"(Ebook technology) presents a phenomenal opportunity for keeping older books available – books that are out of print, that the authors have the rights to, or few copies exist in libraries – because of the reduced cost," he said.
"The issue of print and electronic publishing is not an either/or, it’s an additive thing."

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/18/2001

Official Call for Speakers
eBook Day at Seybold Seminars San Francisco 2001, September 23- 28, 2001

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pocket PC Rules:
Compaq Computer will topple Palm from the top spot in revenue from handheld devices, research firm Gartner predicts in a report.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/17/2001

The Evil Empire Reign:
DRM Milestones for Microsoft
Microsoft announced that its DRM solution in the eBook industry, Digital Asset Server, is currently running more than 20 eBookstores worldwide. In just two years, both Windows Media and eBooks DRM have become essential foundations for Web services that offer consumers immediate access to their favorite music, video and books, says the software giant.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Ebook Technology Watch:
Compressed Data: Tags Could Help Keep E-Book Links Alive (NY Times, registration required)
Proponents of electronic books have been talking for years about the flexibility of digital information. They envision readers of e-books being able to click on a footnote or an offhand reference to another book and immediately view a copy of the citation in question.
It works by tagging each e-book or other piece of digital content with a number called a digital object identifier, or D.O.I.
The number acts like a bar code, enabling companies throughout the publishing industry to track material according to a standard format. When embedded in an electronic document like an e-book or a Web page, the identifier also functions as a hyperlink to other relevant material.
Dozens of book publishers — including large companies like McGraw-Hill, Random House and Houghton Mifflin — have started to tag their content with the numbers or have plans to do so, said Jacqueline LeDonne, marketing director for the International D.O.I. Foundation, the nonprofit standards group that developed the format.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/16/2001

Three New Great eBooks from ESSPC:
Great Astronomers by Sir Robert S. Ball D.Sc. LL.D. F.R.S.: Great Astronomers is a series of essays on the founders of modern science - specifically astronomy. This is a fascinating book which brings history and science together into one volume.
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer The Pursuit of God was the fruit of A.W. Tozer's spiritual exploration into the essence of God's nature. What resulted from the efforts of this obscure pastor from the south side of Chicago has left a profound mark on the evangelical church.
The Complete Angler by Izaak Walton One of the most popular works of the seventeenth century, The Complete Angler (1653) is an irresistible blend of practical advice on fishing, natural history, poetry, fabulous antiquity and song. Walton, nostalgic Royalist and friend of bishops, presents the modest angler's life as equal to the sport of kings.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/15/2001

There is ongoing discussion on DRM 5 in the future (long long way to go) Pocket PC ebooks by the "name-can-fool-you" site pocketpcpress.com (no need to visit it, since it is not compatible with pocket pc anyway). My opinions are:
1. Pocket PC Users prefer DRM 3 (with owner's name inserted in cover page)
2. My research in finding best seller non protected ebook of "7 Habits" in many warez sites finds no indication the buyers of original ebooks distribute them in newsgroup or FTPz sites. Most of the posting are scanned printed book. (You should threat buyers as honest customers)
3.Majority of buyers (still ongoing Poll) will not share their ebooks and some only share their ebooks within the family.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Interesting eBook from Blackmask:
Ismailia: A Narrative Of The Expedition To Central Africa For The Suppression Of The Slave Trade --by Samuel White Baker.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Data conversion activity remains high
A recently concluded survey conducted by the Digital Conversion Laboratory found that more than 80 percent of the 103 respondents are increasing or maintaining their data conversion projects despite the slowing economy. DCL interviewed 103 participants, of which 46 are in the publishing sector. Of that 80 percent, more than half are increasing their conversion work, while 60 percent are performing conversions in XML and/or SGML. In addition, 62 percent of those interviewed are outsourcing their conversion work. Most publishers feel that converting content into malleable digital formats like XML is the key to their future.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pocket PC for Dummies ebook by Dummies
When I got the CD I was so surprised and want to read the ebook and expect lots of information due to its whooping size of 1.9 MB. I previewed a little bit in Desktop MS Reader and saw lots of nice screen shot illustrations and then I save the best for last…
After reading it I know it is Real for Dummies and by Dummies for following reasons:
1. 1.9 MB size
2. Only 300+ pages in Pocket Reader
3. Illustrations can’t be readable viewed in Pocket PC due to un-optimized scalable pictures (used 50% size ratio Dummies!)
4. The explanation also stupid as stupid does, with awkward chapters structure.
Dummies, you should contact Ken Mattern on optimizing all those screen shots!

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/13/2001

Fictionwise.com announced today that it has secured electronic rights to several of Isaac Asimov’s most famous short fiction works, including two “Foundation” stories and a “Robot” story. None of Asimov’s fiction works have ever before been available in eBook format. (more story)

posted by Jerry permanent link

Special Radio Interview:
Glenn Sanders and Wade Roush to Launch eBookWeb On July 4th
Just a few months after eBookNet was closed down by Gemstar, Glenn Sanders and Wade Roush have announced their new eBook Venture, eBookWeb.org. Wade Roush, editor-in-chief of the new site, has stated that eBookWeb aims to be "a central source for news and information on all aspects of electronic publishing and a community center for eBook enthusiasts and industry professionals."

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pricing ebooks and print on demand books for maximum profit and sales
Figuring out the minimum is easy. But how do you define the maximum someone might pay? Well, that is different for every book, But here are some general rules to guide you:
1.) The harder it is to find the information contained in the book, the more it is worth. This is why romance novels sell for $6.95 and research reports sell for hundreds of dollars.
2.) If you have a "captured market" buying the book - a group of people that have to buy it to fulfill a requirement of some sort - you can charge more. This is how textbook companies get away with charging college students $50.00 for a book on American history.
3.) People won't pay more than the going market price for a particular type of book. The going market price is defined by what everyone else is charging for their books on the same subject.
(For The Complete Article Click Here)
Thanks to Mary E Tyler for the link

posted by Jerry permanent link

Nothing to do with Pocket PC but this is very interesting news:
Plagiarists Abound in A Cut-And-Paste World
Most recently, the University of Virginia was rocked by scandal when 122 students were found to have plagiarized term papers for a physics class.
After searching the Internet, Bloomfield discovered about 60 papers that perfectly matched online term papers and found 62 more that had several phrases that matched online resources.
The students, some of whom have already graduated from the university, now face the possibility of losing their degrees, and undergraduates may be expelled.
Angela Adair-Hoy, founder of the Maine-based e-publishing house Booklocker.com and publisher of the weekly newsletter WritersWeekly.com, says she has seen the scope of plagiarism broaden with the advent of the Internet.

posted by Jerry permanent link

What A Fool Believes Dept.:
Microsoft DRM Technologies Establish Foundation for Emerging Internet Music, Video and eBooks Industries
MS announced that its DRM solution in the eBook industry, Digital Asset Server, is currently running more than 20 eBookstores worldwide. Today's announcement illustrates how, in just two years, both Windows Media and eBooks DRM have become essential foundations for Web services that offer consumers immediate access to their favorite music, video and books.
``Nearly all the new media business models require a robust DRM solution to be successful,'' said Jay Samit, senior vice president of EMI Recorded Music. ``Microsoft's continued innovation and commitment to quality sound in Windows Media is helping us develop profitable new ways of connecting music fans with the artists they love.''
Hahahahaha Funny very Funny you Stupid Jay! You are just being Fooled by Microsoft! Many knowledgable customers will skip buying DRM level 5

posted by Jerry permanent link

Authors Guild Calls Ipublish.Com Contract 'Draconian'
"I don't want fame or fortune," says writer David Ruggeri of Anaheim, Calif. "I just want to get my name out there - I don't want my dreams to become regrets."
One writer's dream, it seems, is another writer's nightmare. Consider iPublish.com, the new e-publishing subsidiary of AOL Time Warner that opened for business May 1.
FYI iPublish ebooks are using DRM 5

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/12/2001

BEA 2001: Long Live the Book
It was the kind of trade show for which few people had superlatives. Yet BookExpo America 2001 worked well for most--and differed from its predecessors in ways that bode well for future shows. On the down side, rights activity lagged, fewer media members were in attendance, last year's buzz about e-books fizzed, exhibitor spending on booths and parties continued to decline, and some complained that they felt no urgency about the show.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Adobe thinks handhelds with PageMaker 7.0
With the new version of PageMaker, "you can actually publish PDF to a variety of PC devices, such as PDAs and wireless devices," said Joann Buckner, PageMaker product manager. The new feature could raise the stakes in the market for electronic books, where no company has yet to establish a strong foothold. While Microsoft Reader delivers crisp, clear text to Pocket PC handhelds, such as Compaq Computer's iPaq, Adobe's eBook reader 2.1 offers similar features for other devices. Palm, for one, ships the eBook software with its m505 handheld.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Pros and cons of electronic reading devices vs. books
ebooks:
1) It stores a shelfload of works - you can hop from Virginia Woolf to Naomi Wolf with the touch of a stylus. 2) It's back-lit - you can read in the dark. 3) It hooks up to the Internet - so you can download a book in the middle of the night and begin reading it immediately. 4) It can handle sound, moving images, Internet documents and heaven knows what else. 5) You can change the size of the text, and it is searchable. 6) It weighs 22 ounces - you won't break your back toting 10 books around.
Printed books:
1) It has pages and is easier to thumb through. 2) It has margins you can write in - without a ridiculously small keyboard. 3) It doesn't need batteries - or an electric cord. 4) It doesn't look like a purse. 5) It's unbreakable - if you drop it, it won't cost you $199 to replace it. 6) It's a book, damn it - we've been holding them and loving them and reading them for five centuries.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/11/2001

This ebook always reside in my Pocket PC:
"Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary"
Now you will know the definitions to those computer-related acronyms and terms that can't be found in most standard English dictionaries.

posted by Jerry permanent link

MicroSpeak: An Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Corporate Lingo
This unofficial guide to Microsoft Corporate culture offers you a glimpse into the minds and offices of Microsoft employees worldwide. Compiled by the staff of MicroNews, Microsoft’s weekly internal corporate newsletter, this eBook provides an overview of the vernacular of Microsoft employees, as well as a peek at the ongoing tradition of employee office pranks. Use it for reference on your next encounter with a Microsoft employee, and enjoy the results!

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/10/2001

CeBooks YahooGroups just passed 200+ members today. CeBooks at Yahoogroups is not a busy mail list but the main purpose is to build and sharing Pocket PC eBooks related directory (bookmarks).
Currently the bookmarks consist of following categories:
Commercial eBook Stores, Free eBooks, Good Sources for Conversion, software and readers directory, a***** ebook sources for conversion, eBook news, and Avantgo unlisted channel.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/09/2001

Highly Recommended Free eBooks to Download:
The Downloadable Van Gogh
Take an art-walk through the masterpieces of Vincent van Gogh, while learning about the painter's life and some history of his paintings.
The Downloadable Impressionists
Meet some of the personalities that stood out as Impressionist painters. In this beautiful eBook, complete with full-color renderings of the artists' works, you will learn about Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas and many of the other artists.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Previewport eBooks For Pocket PC:
60- ebook titles you can choose from, price ranges $3-$8

posted by Jerry permanent link

Previewport Bookstore:
FREE E-Book for Teens! It's the year 2011, and an asteroid the size of New Jersey is about to collide with Earth. What will you do? Read Remnants #1: The Mayflower Project by K.A. Applegate -- the first exciting volume in the new adventure series from the best-selling author of Animorphs.

posted by Jerry permanent link

eBooks & eTexts Available for Wireless Download! Anytime, Anywhere Access From Palm OS Devices Enhances eReading!
I think Palm Reader for Pocket PC users also can benefit with this system
SkipWire announces partnerships with key companies to provide palm enthusiasts with the unique ability to wirelessly build and access a personal library of online e-books and e-texts for anytime, anywhere reference from a Palm device.
Visitors can browse and select from SkipWire's large collection of free and purchasable eBooks found at: http://www.skipwire.com, and create a personalized library using a MySkipWire account and SkipWire's software program, DownStream to wirelessly download favorite files.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Children eBooks for Pocket PC by iPicturebooks
Pocket PC customers! Children's ebooks are now available for Microsoft Reader on the Pocket PC. These books can be downloaded and transferred to your Pocket PC for sharing with your child. The ebooks are available with pictures illustration.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Jeff "Bozos" Blackburn's Double Standard:
These are two emails from Amazon explaining eBook DRM level 5 refund policy to their Pocket PC customers:
email 1: rejecting refund
Dear Jeroen,
Thank you for writing to us at Amazon.com.
Microsoft Reader on the Pocket PC (version 1.0) is designed to work with free e-books and with e-book files you create with the "Read in Microsoft Reader" add-in for Microsoft Word (http://www.microsoft.com/reader/download/default.htm).
However, version 1.0 does currently support those ebooks that are specified on our website at the URL
http://www.amazon.com/ebooks/pocketpc
*Please note, to read the ebooks for the Pocket PC, you must have Microsoft Reader 1.5 installed on your desktop or laptop and Microsoft Reader 1.0 installed on your Pocket PC.*
I'm sorry, but e-books cannot be returned. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
Please let us know if we can be of additional assistance, and thank you for writing to Amazon.com
Best regards,
J. B."
email 2: accepting refund
Dear John,
Thank you for contacting us at Amazon.com.
I'm sorry to hear that you experienced trouble with your e-book Our technical staff is aware of this situation and is investigating further.
I have passed your information along to them to better help them as they work toward the swiftest possible resolution.
I've requested a refund of $5.84 to your credit card. This refund should go through within the next few days and will appear as a credit on your next credit card billing statement. We always value customer feedback like yours as it helps us continue to improve the services we provide.
I hope this is a satisfactory solution. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance. We value your business and look forward to serving you again in the near future.
Best regards,
L.J"
(I put only initials here cause I don't want to compromise people's privacy on a ng)
Thanks to Jeroen Verhoeven for sharing this with us.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/08/2001

The budding e-book controversy by Michael Mellin
Former Random House exec Michael Mellin warns that his former employer is stretching the definition of the word “book” in order to justify a grab of author’s rights. pull quote: You can be certain that Random House only claims these extraordinary "book" rights for the works of authors whose agents are too weak or naive to have already negotiated their own revised standard contracts with Random House.
I hope that Random House gets the trouncing in court that their hypocrisy and bullying so richly merit, but they probably won't. It's all a calculated risk, after all, and when you're nearly the only game in town what does it matter if you offend some mid-list authors and their agents.

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Interview with eBook Business Entrepreneur:
Kathy Sanborn sits down with author Angela Adair-Hoy, co-owner of WritersWeekly.com and owner of Booklocker.com. Adair-Hoy discusses her difficult rise from TV reporter to business owner, writer, and publisher.
"I predict that in 10 years, you'll be able to find any book you want as an ebook and available for instant download. However, you'll have to search to find it in print. Print on demand is also a huge factor in ecommerce. Traditional publishers are now realizing that they can completely eliminate those warehouses of unsold and destroyed books by going with print on demand. In five years, most major bookstores will have print on demand capabilities and readers will be able to walk into a bookstore and have the book of their choice printed in a few minutes while they wait."

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Battle to Define the Future of the Book in the Digital World by Clifford Lynch
Commercial publishing interests are presenting the future of the book in the digital world through the promotion of e-book reading appliances and software. Implicit in this is a very complex and problematic agenda that re-establishes the book as a digital cultural artifact within a context of intellectual property rights management enforced by hardware and software systems. With the convergence of different types of content into a common digital bit-stream, developments in industries such as music are establishing precedents that may define our view of digital books. At the same time we find scholars exploring the ways in which the digital medium can enhance the traditional communication functions of the printed work, moving far beyond literal translations of the pages of printed books into the digital world. This paper examines competing visions for the future of the book in the digital environment, with particular attention to questions about the social implications of controls over intellectual property, such as continuity of cultural memory.
Excellent long article (convert it to ebooks and read it in your Pocket PC), thanks to Jon Noring of ebook community for sharing the link.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/07/2001

Discuss the Polling #12 topic about eBooks Sharing at Pocket PC Thoughts.

posted by Jerry permanent link

The BIOS Optimization Guide ebook by Adrian Wong's Rojak Pot:
You can now download this guide in the following formats
BIOS Features Setup (coming soon!)
Chipset Features Setup (coming soon!)
Integrated Peripherals (26,420 bytes)
PNP/PCI Configuration (coming soon!)
(thanks to Marlof Bregonje of PocketPCThoughts for the original link)

posted by Jerry permanent link

Download free eBooks at the Microsoft eXtreme Reader site:
(just updated today, 7 June 2001)
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/extreme.asp
eBooks available:
Star Trek's "The Belly of the Beast" by Dean Wesley Smith
ipicturebooks' "Scala Vision: The Downloadable Van Gogh"
ipicturebooks' "Scala Vision: The Downloadable Impressionists"
Microsoft Press' "After the Gold Rush" by Steve McConnell
Microsoft Press' "Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary"
Microspeak: An Unofficial Guide to Microsoft Corporate Lingo
Pocket PC magazine: July 2001
Thanks to Anali for the great link!

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/06/2001

VC can't kill an ebook star Dept.:
Dear Friends of eBookNet,
We're back!
The shutdown of eBookNet.com on April 2 didn't dampen our enthusiasm about the future of electronic books and electronic publishing -- indeed, it only clarified the fact that the eBook community needs an independent home on the Web.
In the eight weeks since the shutdown, Glenn Sanders and I have been working hard to line up support for such a next-generation eBook site. And now we're pleased to announce that on July 4, we will launch eBookWeb (http://www.ebookweb.org), a central source for news and information on all aspects of electronic publishing and a community center for eBook enthusiasts and industry professionals.
We've already published an introductory page at http://www.ebookweb.org where you can read the latest daily eBook news briefs, subscribe to our weekly email newsletter, and (as a special bonus!) read my inside account of eBookNet's demise.
Welcome back big brother!

posted by Jerry permanent link

Subjective Comparison between Palm Reader (PR) and MS Pocket Reader (MSR) (with the help of Ojster.com)
Cleartype
PR = No ; MSR = Yes (and I love it!)
Highlighted/Draw annotation
PR = No ; MSR = Yes (Yellowing all the paragraph is a snap)
Bookmark
PR = Yes ; MSR = Yes
Inverted text (white on black)
PR = Yes ; MSR = No
Drag and Drop File form Desktop to Pocket PC
PR = No (you have to install the book using the installation program)
MSR = Yes
DRM Security method
PR =The Best in the Market (Using Card number for the first opening of the page)
MSR = BAD BAD BAD! (Even when the new release support DRM 5, it is still a bad bad bad system, The Worst in the Market)
Choice of New/Commercial eBooks
PR = Very Good
MSR = BAD BAD BAD BAD!
Choices of Free eBooks
PR = Excellent
MSR = Very Good

posted by Jerry permanent link

Polling #11 Result:
What is the most preferred protection method for ebooks that you tolerate?
(of 344 respondents)
6% DRM 5, hardware protection (Blackburn)
26% Credit Card number to open (peanutpress)
24% Name and Password
31% Owner name printed in cover
3% Credit card printed in cover
10% Other way

posted by Jerry permanent link

June 2001 Top 5 ebooks:
1. ESSPC-Ebooks: Good collection, excellent conversion, nice ebook cover, and it is FREE!
2. PeanutPress: Used a good Palm Reader for Pocket PC software to read current books without DRM level 5.
3. eBookMall: new entry, looks good, please tell me your experience with this site.
4. BlackMask: lots of variety ebooks, but some conversion are not optimized for Pocket PC, Free Site.
5. Third Millenium Publishing: new entry, A cooperative of online writers and resources

posted by Jerry permanent link

Thanks to you who have sent me emails with praises, critics and questions.
But before you ask about links / sources on how to make ebooks, DRM, other reader programs and other basic questions; please give one minute glance on the left column. I have put some important links on FAQ, convertion softwares, reader softwares, top ebooks sites and others. For more links or bookmark join the CEBOOKS egroups and then click the bookmark section, you can add your site (as long as it is related to Pocket PC ebooks) too here.
Thanks, and I hope you enjoy reading this site.
JSJ

posted by Jerry permanent link

E-book signings by Palm
For some fun, as well as an interesting demonstration of potential e-book capabilities, Palm and Palm Digital Media Group (which, until its acquisition by Palm, was PeanutPress) staged an e-book author signing. According to Mike Seagroves, director of business development at Palm Digital Media, using a piece of code that is embedded in the Palm Reader running on any Palm OS-based device, the autographs will be permanently tied to the title and visible whenever it is opened.

posted by Jerry permanent link

MIT's Technology Review looks at ClearType and coming display technologies
In depth articles from MIT's latest Technology Review issue examine the the incredible array of new techniques that we may be using in the future to read, as well the brand new patent Microsoft has gained for its ClearType technology.

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Definitive Guide to Windows® 2000 Security
Security is the key issue in today's interconnected world of e-business. This highly informative eBook covers all the bases of a comprehensive security methodology for your Microsoft Windows 2000 environment. It's heavy into the detail of what goes into a great IT security system, and is specifically geared for Windows 2000 platforms.
Register now to get your first chapter of The Definitive Guide to Windows 2000 Security.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Word of Mouth Speculative Fiction Reviews will feature reviews of new science fiction, fantasy and horror books and e-books as well as those that have been on the shelf a while. In addition, the free email newsletter will feature recommended reading lists, contests, and letters from readers.
Word of Mouth Speculative Fiction Reviews will appear twice monthly. Subscription is free and available by sending a blank email to:
WOMSpecFic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/05/2001

Ken Mattern's advice on creating .lit from Palm document.
"Your best bet is to export the file to a .txt format and use ReaderWorks Standard to compile it into a .lit format.
If you want to get fancy with cover graphics I suggest that you use ReaderWorks Publisher. It isn't that expensive and will allow you to create tables of contents, covers and more. ReaderWorks standard and the Word plugin are rather limited.
Of course there is also a program called Electric Quill ... This program will help you in creating very nice looking and reading eBooks. Quill is the perfect companion to ReaderWorks."

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Aportis eBook Library contains over 4000 free downloadable fiction and non-fictional books and documents in AportisDoc format that are arranged in over thirty categories like Adventure, Mystery, Novels, Religion, Entertainment, and Business. Some of the most popular titles being downloaded include 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll, 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, 'HTML Reference Guide', and 'NFL Football Schedules' for 2000-2001 Season. Many other Internet sites offer their texts in AportisDoc format, too.

posted by Jerry permanent link

AportisDoc Mobile for Windows Powered Handhelds Released
AportisDoc is an integral part of a wide variety of business and consumer applications, and has been an important enabling technology for devices based on the Palm Computing platform. AportisDoc Mobile can be used on dozens of devices, including the Pocket PC. AportisDoc Mobile contains all the essential functions for reading documents, plus the ability to find text, copy text, control preferences, add Bookmarks, use extra fonts, and more. AportisDoc Mobile does not expire and has no functional limitations, although it does require payment after 30 days.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Digital Island, Inc. (today announced it has delivered several thousand digital copies of ``Dilbert'' creator Scott Adams' latest book, God's Debris, in the first week of publication.
BUT However Unfortunately Bumma: Footprint accelerates the download of DigitalOwl's free TitleVision(TM) application, which is required to read Adams' e-book. With TitleVision, end users securely view licensed or proprietary information with a variety of standard readers, including Internet Explorer, Adobe Acrobat, and PalmOS-based PDA devices. In all cases, content is secured and managed with DigitalOwl's robust digital rights management infrastructure. (for a complete article click here)

posted by Jerry permanent link

Can't Judge E-Books by Words Only
"The National Book Awards folks are sadly confused. They do not want e-books but print books," said Connie Foster, publisher of Ebooksonthe.net. "To present digital content in print certainly negates all of e-text’s multiple possibilities."

posted by Jerry permanent link

test again blogspot is down

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/04/2001

From KnowBetter.com's E-Book Informer, I learned that majority of MS Reader new release ebooks are using DRM level 5. :-(

posted by Jerry permanent link

Fiction Wise starts selling its ebooks through Barnes and Noble:
Hot Times in Magma CityRobert Silverberg The Flowers of Aulit Prison Nancy Kress
Secret Sharer Robert Silverberg

posted by Jerry permanent link

E-Books Out of Print Already?
Meanwhile, Seth Godin, best-selling author of Permission Marketing and Unleashing the IdeaVirus, warned that complicated encryption methods are making e-books more cumbersome, in their own way, than print books. "If it's too difficult to download," Godin said, "people will just keep reading print books."
Have you noticed MJ Rose rarely (or never?) mention about the DRM level 5, it is either she is not an expert, or she is too shame due to all her ebooks are using DRM level 5. Do your ebooks sell well Ms. Rose? Please don't blame the customer not ready for ebooks, it is the cumbersome DRM level 5 that make people hesitate to buy.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Taking Exception to ContentGuard
A visit to the eContentSeller site in the past hour shows a "Coming Soon" message, but no content for sale.
Just because ContentGuard says it's so doesn't make it true.
The question is easy: "Why isn't the eContentSeller.com site live in light of the press release?"
(Content wire does not have the resources to verify that companies stick to their statements when reproducting facts from press releases, but readers feedback is vital to get the full picture.)

posted by Jerry permanent link

e-Magazine is really working!
Trust me, you MUST download the sample (actually, it is a full issue for free) of July Pocket PC Magazine MS Reader format. It was format to 800K with the help of ESSPC, the magazine looks nice and very ejoyable to read.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Update on the two Jeffs: Bezos and Bozos on reducing cost of shipping
While the debate rages about the best models for music and e-book sales, Amazon is forging ahead with its hybrid approach: free music, and books and software for a fee. Jeff Blackburn, head of Amazon's digital division, brushes aside any discussion of whether and how music customers will pay for downloads as largely irrelevant to the task he faces. In his quest to build the ultimate digital mall, he's ready to use any platform - whether Adobe or Microsoft's e-book format, for example - and business model that will work. "We have a pretty pragmatic view of it," he says.
Only few customers or potential buyers will buy your e-download as long as you are using DRM level 5, you can experiment all day with your software but it won't increase the sales.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  6/01/2001

Publishers all over the world, Clear Type!
The Genesis of these pages was Microsoft's Comdex announcement of their new breakthrough font rendering technology, dubbed "ClearType". This announcement gave the industry a much needed wake-up call. Although Microsoft mistakenly believed that they had discovered something new, they certainly deserve the credit for helping to bring years of prior display system research and development into the forefront of personal computing practice.
Why don't Tomeraider, Mobipocket, and Palm Reader for Pocket PC implement this technology to their readers?
Thanks to Mary E Tyler for the info via the ebook community egroups.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Creating TomeRaider Documents (TR)
As much as I like the excellent Tomeraider reader, I am still questioning their business model:
Firstly, they are selling multi platform ebook/database reader. As what they explain to me, "The reason each version costs money is that they are entirely separate products, and with TomeRaider, as opposed to pay for the texts to read with it, you pay for the reader."
Secondly, supposedly if the first one is true, they should persuade people to create as much as possible TR documents (like MS giving away its .lit engine via Word add in, overdrive, mobipocket publisher and others). However, to make a TomeRaider file all you need is TomeRaider for Windows for £10.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Two Things on new MS Pocket Reader from MS Reader egroups by Gary Merinstein
* I believe MS' "official" position du jour is that it will be released at the end of Q2 2001,so they still have a few days left to go. I asked for an update for the release of MS Reader 1.5+ for the PocketPC to handle DRM5. I was told that they were told that the "official" release is currently set for the Fall 2001...go figure. The relayed information was given to Gary Merinstein verbally without written confirmation
* I have an MS Premier service account and I called in a few weeks ago to help a customer reinstall MSReader on his laptop following a hard disk replacement. Apparently ithe Passport servers are incapable activating more than two MS Reader PC installations per email account used to create the Passport (what? you didn't know about that? MS doesn't talk about it much, but the Passport servers will only activate MS Reader a maximum of 2 times per email address regardless of which DRM level you require, and there is currently no way to reset the counter on the Passport servers. Once you hit the limit, you have to create a new Passport, with a new email address, and get your DRM5 ebooks re-activated for the new Passport....fun, huh?)
Thanks to Gary Merinstein for sharing the information.

posted by Jerry permanent link

eBook Distribution Goes Global
OverDrive Content Reserve Creates International and Multi-lingual Marketplace:
``Content Reserve is the first global, digital content distribution center that takes advantage of the Internet and the advances in Digital Rights Management,'' stated OverDrive CEO Steve Potash. ``Currently we are working with over 60 retailers to add secure eBook inventory to their businesses. Nearly one-third are outside of the US,'' Potash added.
Congratulation for spreading the evil DRM 5 Virus all over the world killing customer and potential ebook buyers

posted by Jerry permanent link

The Pocket PC magazine MS® Reader subscription and back-issue CD and a FREE SAMPLE
For the next year, they'll e-mail* you the newest Pocket PC magazine every other month. With the free bonus back-issue CD, you can start reading right away.

posted by Jerry permanent link