November 25th, 2009

Sorry Kindle owners, the new firmware still doesn't support local public libraries

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 10:05 am

Categories: Kindle, ebooks

Tags: Amazon.com Inc., Firmware, Amazon Kindle, E-books, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

A few months ago I wrote about the fact that the Amazon Kindle did not support local public library offerings through Overdrive while the Sony Reader did. Since then we have seen the Barnes & Noble Nook and other ebook readers appear that all support local public library content. Local libraries provide books through Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) DRM that allow you to check out ebooks for a period up to 14 days. After hearing about the Kindle firmware update provided yesterday for the 2nd generation Kindle devices with PDF support I was hoping Amazon was finally opening up a bit. That hope was quickly dashed though after doing a bit of research and finding out that ADE is still not supported on the Kindle.

With ebook readers like the Nook, Sony Reader, Astek PocketPro, and others moving towards supporting the same content types, including ADE, I am starting to wonder if the Amazon Kindle can continue to stand alone with proprietary content. I am thankful for the Kindle because it drove down new books to a reasonable price and showed others how you could wirelessly browse for and purchase books. Others have now surpassed the Kindle with WiFi and 3G wireless access, the ability to share books across platforms, the ability to read ebooks across platforms, and the ability to let you read unlimited ebooks through your local library system for free. Everyone, but Amazon, seems to be standardizing on ADE PDF and EPUB file formats for a cross platform experience.

November 18th, 2009

Sony Reader Daily Edition now available for pre-order

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 11:11 am

Categories: Sony, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Sony Reader, E-books, 3G, Wireless And Mobility, Personal Technology, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Matthew Miller

Back in August Sony announced the Reader Daily Edition with WiFi and 3G wireless support, along with a touch interface. Today, Sony announced that the Sony Reader Daily Edition can be pre-ordered over on the Sony Style store for $399.99 with shipping scheduled for December through January.

Highlights of the Sony Reader Daily Edition include WiFi and 3G access (via AT&T), 7-inch touch screen display with dictionary and annotation support, 16 level grayscale display, aluminum body with integrated cover, and expansion card slots along with internal memory for more than a thousand books. The press release also states that newspaper and magazine content providers will be announced within a month. With this device, Sony now has a family of three ebook readers spanning across a broad price range and usage pattern.

Thanks to Mobile Tech Review for the heads-up on the news. Anyone planning to order this ebook reader? 2010 is shaping up to be the year of the ebook.

November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: E-book readers

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:21 pm

Categories: Gadgets, Holiday Gift Guide, Kindle, Sony, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Amazon.com Inc., E-book Reader, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, Wireless, eInk, Ebook Reader, Kindle DX, Professional Document

In the second half of 2009 we saw some major updates to the market leading ebook readers, followed by announcements of new products coming at the end of 2009 and into 2010. We now see wireless and touchscreen functionality being added to these electronic readers, as well as access to more content. With some of these readers you can now check out electronic copies of books from your local library and have access to thousands of books for free. Adobe Digital Editions PDF and ePub are becoming content standards that are rolling out across most of these readers so you won’t be limited by access to content and can look for a reader that you find functional and priced right.

I personally ordered the new Barnes & Noble Nook that is scheduled to ship at the end of November. The interesting aspects of this device include the dual displays (one small color one for library browsing and a larger 6 inch eInk display for reading), ability to loan books to others for 14 days, connectivity via both AT&T 3G and WiFi, and ability to sync bookmarks, annotations, and last reading location across multiple supported platforms. Sony also has their wireless Daily Edition PRS-900 coming out before the end of 2009. In 2010, we will see more of these readers, including the Plastic Logic QUE also powered by the B&N eBookstore.

Ebook readers are a convenient way to carry several titles with you in a small package and are perfect for the business traveler. Prices of new ebooks are now less expensive than hardback titles and in many cases can be downloaded and accessed within seconds of discovering them. Most all new releases are available in electronic format and 2010 should be an exciting year for ebook fans.

Amazon Kindle

At the beginning of 2009, Amazon updated the Kindle (often referred to as the jump from Kindle 1 to Kindle 2) with a much sleeker form factor, reorganization of controls, and more integrated memory. Amazon recently added an international Kindle to the mix with support for wireless access outside the US and then made all new Amazon Kindle devices the same US/international version to avoid confusion with multiple models. They switched from wireless access provided by Sprint to wireless access provided by AT&T in the US.

The Kindle has about a third of the front taken up by a QWERTY keyboard that you can use to look up words or search for books in your library and on the Amazon store and also enter in notes. The Kindle holds up to 1,500 books and is sleek at only 0.36 inches thick. Best sellers and new releases generally start at $9.99. Unfortunately, the Kindle has limited format support and does not support checking out ebooks from your local library. Native PDF files are not supported and must first be converted to be read on the Kindle.

The Amazon Kindle revolutioned the ebook market with the wireless capability and easy access to their content, but others have now caught up and surpassed the functionality and content access of the Kindle.

Price: $259.00 MSRP

[Check out my review and the ZDNet Reviews page for the Amazon Kindle]

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October 23rd, 2009

MobileTechRoundup show #187, Windows 7, B&N Nook, Nokia N900

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:39 am

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, Linux, Microsoft, MoTR podcast, Mobile software, Netbook, Nokia, Ultra portable PC, ebooks

Tags: MobileTechRoundup, Nokia Corp., News, Microsoft Windows 7, E-books, Microsoft Windows, Personal Technology, Operating Systems, Software, Matthew Miller

Listen here (MP3, 30.4 MB, 33:05 minutes)

Subscribe to the show with this link (RSS)

Windows 7 was the big news of the week and James, Kevin, and I started off MobileTechRoundup show #186 talking about this latest Microsoft operating system. Hopefully James doesn’t really go try to eat a Burger King Whopper 7 today. I talked a bit more about the Nokia N900 now that I have had this mobile Linux computer for almost 2 weeks. The other big news of the week was the Barnes & Noble Nook and James sounds like he is as excited as me, although I am the only one who placed a pre-order so far. Amazon didn’t want to be left out of the ebook news and also announced Kindle for PC this week.

October 22nd, 2009

Kindle for PC application revealed at Windows 7 launch

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:32 am

Categories: Kindle, Microsoft, ebooks

Tags: PC, Microsoft Windows, Amazon Kindle, Microsoft Windows 7, Desktops, Hardware, Matthew Miller

One of the weaknesses of the Amazon Kindle is the inability to read books on anything other than a Kindle or iPhone/iPod touch. That will be changing soon though as Microsoft showed off an Amazon Kindle reader on Windows PCs at the Windows 7 launch event. I still think the B&N Nook beats the Kindle for a number of reasons, but this is one less advantage the Nook has over the Kindle.

Dedicated ebook reading devices can’t be beat in terms of reading and impact on your eyes, but reading on a PC can also be a good experience due to the backlighting, presence of a Windows PC, and cross platform access. The beta for the Kindle for PC software will roll out in November and I am signed up to try it out since I still have Kindle content I purchased and read on my iPhone 3GS.

October 21st, 2009

B&N Nook beats Amazon Kindle & Sony Reader, here's why

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:35 am

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, Open Handset Alliance, Sony, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Barnes & Noble Inc., Sony Reader, Loan Technology, Adobe Digital Editions, E-books, Wireless LANs, 3G, Wi-Fi, Wireless And Mobility

I posted yesterday about the Barnes & Noble Nook and then read Mitch’s post where one of his four points about the Nook not being revolutionary focused on the apparent limited use of WiFi. I just posed a couple of questions on the Nook press call and have to now tell Mitch he is wrong about the WiFi access, but he should actually be quite pleased since there are no limits. I confirmed that you can access and purchase books via both WiFi and AT&T 3G from any place where you have access to a network, including your home WiFi network. One point of clarification regarding travel overseas. You can download books from you current library collection via WiFi overseas, but due to licensing issues you cannot browse the store and purchase new content when outside the US (yet). The Barnes & Noble store experience is just an enhanced experience that presents you with free content and also allows you to browse through books, just like you can physically in the bookstore. As I said yesterday, I think the Nook is a revolutionary product in the ebook market for a number of reasons.

Here is why I think the Nook stands out from the others and sets the bar. Some items are found in a Kindle or Sony Reader, but the Nook brings all of these together:

• Ability to purchase content via WiFi and AT&T 3G wireless connections from any location in the US
• Ability to lend ebooks to others for 14 days
• Ability to checkout and read local library ebooks for free
• Ability to browse full ebook content while connected in Barnes & Noble stores
• Sync across platforms and readers of bookmarks, annotations, last reading location
• 16-level grayscale display
• Small capacitive color touchscreen for ebook store browsing

My other question on the call pertained to what happens when you loan out a book and what happens after the 14 day loan period. The loan technology is modeled just like a real physical book so when the loaner gives a friend the book then the loaner has no access to that book. The loanee then has the book for 14 days, I forgot to ask if they can return it earlier, and when that loan period expires the license for that book is transferred back to the loaner. I am not sure if you can loan over and over, but imagine there are no limitations since it is as single license that is just being transferred around. The only requirement for the loanee is that they have to have an iPhone, BlackBerry, Nook, or other compatible device to read the content.

I found in the FAQ and wrote yesterday that you should be able to access and read local library books with the Nook and this was confirmed in another press release announcing the partnership between Barnes & Noble and Adobe. Adobe Digital Editions is supported, along with the ePub and PDF formats.

UPDATE: Mitch was able to speak further with some folks at Barnes & Noble and confirms what I was told on the call this morning in his latest blog post. Mitch also found out some good information about accessing Google Books and I have to say all of this information just confirms that my pre-order was a smart purchase that I look forward to receiving in November.

October 20th, 2009

B&N Nook ebook reader revolutionizes the ebook world with sharing between friends and more

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 12:19 pm

Categories: BlackBerry, Gadgets, Kindle, Linux, Open Handset Alliance, ebooks, iPhone

Tags: Nook, E-books, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

Rachel posted about the leaked details of the Nook and then I found that Engadget posted the full press release. After reading way down in the details and FAQs I saw that the Nook supports the ePub format so will work with local library ebooks so I just pre-ordered mine for $259. If you go to the pre-order page you can see all the details on this pretty amazing ebook reader that has me quite excited. You can also lend books to friends for up to 14 days at a time. This capability really turns the ebook world into a world almost the same as a paperback and is HOT!

Here are some of the specifications of the Nook:

• Support for AT&T and WiFi networks (free WiFi access at B&N stores)
• 2GB storage with microSD card slot
• 3.5 inch color touchscreen lower display
• MP3 player with integrated mono speaker
• Removable and rechargeable battery
• MicroUSB connector for charging
• Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches and 11.2 ounces
• Integrated Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary
• Ability to read content on iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC, and Mac
• Based on Android operating system

With the Android-based OS I wonder if developers will be able to customize the device to add even more functionality? I also wonder if there will be ebook clients for Google Android or other mobile phones beyond the iPhone and BlackBerry.

I was all ready to purchase this and just needed confirmation of all the formats and then found this FAQ buried deep down:

Can I put other files on my nook?
Yes, you can transfer files from your computer to your nook using a USB connection. You can transfer ePub and PDB files, as well as MP3s, PDFs, and JPGs.

Support for ePub sold me on the ebook reader so stay tuned for my full Nook review as soon as it arrives, hopefully in November.

BTW, there is some great reading buried down in the FAQ support page where you can see you can redownload your content as many times as you like from your library.

October 19th, 2009

Barnes & Noble ebook reader named the QUE, coming 7 January

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:49 am

Categories: Gadgets, ebooks

Tags: Consumer Electronics Show, Plastic Logic, Barnes & Noble Inc., E-books, Keyboards, Personal Technology, Hardware, Peripherals, Matthew Miller

Back in July I posted on the Plastic Logic eReader device that would be coming in 2010 in partnership with Barnes & Noble. Today, Plastic Logic revealed a name for their ebook reader, the QUE, that will premiere at CES in January 2010. I will be covering CES for my ZDNet blogs so stay tuned for more coverage on this device. As I mentioned in July, Plastic Logic is trying to focus more on the business professional rather than the casual reader with their support for Office documents and other tools for managing your content.

As you can see in the images provided the QUE looks to be very sleek and is the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, with a thickness less than 1/3 of an inch. The press release states it will have the largest touchscreen display in the ebook field, touchscreen interface, shatterproof plastic display, and both WiFi and AT&T wireless support.The QUE store will be powered by Barnes & Noble. Full product specifications, availability and pricing of QUE will be announced on January 7, 2010 at CES.

September 29th, 2009

Sony helping independent authors get books on the eBook Store

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:57 am

Categories: ebooks, mobile services

Tags: Sony Corp., Sony Reader, E-books, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

As readers here know I am becoming more and more of a Sony Reader fan due to their continued support of open formats and public library checkout systems. I was reading some feeds this morning and stumbled upon some great news on Mobility Site that links to a new press release announcing even more support for ebook content. Independent authors and small publishers can now access the re-launched Sony Publisher Portal, powered by Smashwords, and get books out in EPUB format for Sony Reader owners to enjoy.

I love to write and have been thinking of writing science fiction books for years. This capability to get work out to the Sony eBook store may spur me to finally put pen to paper and create some original stories. Smashwords and Authors Solution will work with their existing authors to get their titles on the Sony store. Authors upload their manuscript to Smashwords in Word format, select a price, and then they manage the conversion and distribution. It will be interesting to see how discoverable these titles are, but I imagine this will greatly enhance the number of available titles for those with Sony Readers and other ebook devices that support the EPUB format.

September 14th, 2009

Shortcovers has ePub ebooks for reading enjoyment on several platforms

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 12:56 pm

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, Mobile software, Palm, Smartphone, ebooks, iPhone, mobile services

Tags: Shortcovers, ePub, E-books, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

While there are now thousands of applications for the Google Android platform, one area that has very few alternatives is the ebook reader category. Several months ago I did find the Shortcovers application and ebook store. At the time I tried it though you needed a connection to read books on the Android since only a certain number of pages were available. That has appeared to change now with downloadable books, but even better for me personally is that I read on MobileRead that you can now browse, purchase, and download books in ePub format for the Sony Reader and several other dedicated ebook readers. To compete with Amazon, Shortcovers even offers many of the latest and greatest books for just US$9.99 and I think I have found my new online ebook store to use across multiple platforms.

Their ePub books can be loaded onto the following devices using the Adobe Digital Editions free software from your Mac or PC:

• Sony Reader (PRS-300, 600, 505, 700)
• Asktak EZ Reader or EZ Reader Pocket Pro (see my review)
• BeBook (One, Mini)
• Bookeen (Cybook Opus, Gen 3)
• COOL-ER Classic
• Elonex eBook 600
• HanLin eBook (V3, V5)
• REX Digital Reader 1000S
• Neolux NUUT2

You can also read these ePub title on your PC or Mac using the same Adobe Digital Editions software that you use to transfer the books to your dedicated reader. As you can see the folks at Shortcovers want to enable you to read your ebooks on just about any platform available, unlike the Amazon Kindle format currently just for Kindle devices and iPhones/iPod touches.

In addition to the ePub formatted books for download and installation on your ebook reader, they currently have mobile clients for the iPhone/iPod touch, BlackBerry, Google Android, and Palm WebOS platforms with clients for Symbian and Windows Mobile under development.