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 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.

August 27th, 2009

Is wireless really even necessary in an ebook reader?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 3:30 am

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, On the road, Sony, ebooks

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

The has been a lot of ebook news this week with the new Daily Edition Reader added to the latest Sony Reader trio, the launch of the Sony eBook Store on the Mac, and the roll out of over a million free public domain books in EPUB format from Google. It is nice to see Sony go head-to-head with the Kindle devices in terms of wireless capability, but I actually just ordered a new Sony Reader Touch Edition for $299 instead of waiting for the Sony Reader Daily Edition and now wonder if the wireless capability is really a necessity for ebook readers.

There are a select few ebook readers with wireless capabilities, but the Kindle definitely leads in this area. Looking back at the last year or so when I have owned and used the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, I honestly spent just a few hours total being connected and only found it essential to get content onto my device because there wasn’t a super easy way to do so via cable. I rarely ever used the web browser because it wasn’t a pleasant experience and I think wireless connectivity isn’t as important as so many people make it out to be.

The cons of wireless connectivity include reduced battery life, tendency to buy more than you really need or can even read, and frustrations with weak connections. The pro is that you can get content to your device quickly and easily without a PC. I use my ebook readers to read books and have something like 30+ pieces of material on both my Kindle 2 and Sony Reader 505 and it would take a long time on a desert island alone for me to get through even just the titles I already have loaded up. I don’t see the urgency or need to be so connected to the network for ebooks and actually think as the economy struggles people are looking for way to be a bit more frugal. Spur of the moment purchases on the Kindle don’t help foster responsible spending habits.

The Sony Reader, and other readers like the EZ Readers, are more open to different content types and thus you have access to thousands of free ebooks that will take you years to get through. You can also find thousands of free books for the Kindle, but there are more for these other devices and the content is easier to get to the reader because of the more open nature of them.

I like to treat my ebook reader like a book and that means being free of distractions with a display that most closely matches a book. The Kindle 1 display was good, but the Sony Reader 505 sets the bar for devices I have tried out and the Kindle 2 actually has lighter, thinner fonts and is not as easy to read as the Sony 505. I worry that the touch screen on the new Sony Reader takes away some clarity and if that is the case I may not have my new reader too long, unless other features can overcome clarity issues.

Another benefit to using a PC (and now a Mac for the Sony Readers) is that you can have a local copy of your book content that you can backup to a DVD for storage and a distributor would have to physically come into your house to get that content back. It really is not a big deal to spend 5-10 minutes loading up an ebook reader with hours and hours of books once a month and in my experiences it will save you money by letting you think a bit more before making rash purchases.

Do you think wireless capability is essential in an ebook reader?

August 25th, 2009

The new Sony Reader Daily Edition may replace my Kindle and Reader 505

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 12:24 pm

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, E-books, Keyboards, Personal Technology, Hardware, Peripherals, Matthew Miller

I own both a Sony Reader PRS-505 and Amazon Kindle 2 and have experiences with older models as well. While the Kindle 2 is much improved over the original Kindle (see my latest article) I still find the Sony Reader to be a slicker piece of hardware and just miss the wireless capability found in my Kindle. As Andrew posted Sony announced a new addition to the latest series of Reader devices and it looks like I may just have to sell my Kindle 2 and Sony Reader 505 to pick up the Reader Daily Edition for a couple of reasons that I will detail below. The Reader Pocket and Touch Editions (announced a couple weeks ago) are also very attractive and for someone who doesn’t yet have an ebook reader they will appeal to them at lower prices than the Kindle. However, since I already have a couple of them I am looking to upgrade.

Wireless capability

The new Sony Reader Daily Edition has integrated 3G like the Amazon Kindle and Kindle DX, yet the Sony Reader service is provided by AT&T while the Kindle’s are supported by Sprint. I have very good data connectivity where I live and play with AT&T and extremely poor coverage with Sprint. I actually have to drive to the end of the road to get a decent signal to download books and content on my Kindle. I have mentioned poor AT&T voice coverage recently, but for data I have outstanding coverage and speeds so the Sony is more attractive.

I would really love it if these ebook manufacturers would include a WiFi radio so you could download content in areas with no 3G coverage and I was hoping Sony would do this with these latest models.

Keyboard

While Amazon made some changes to its keyboard, I find that I really only use the keyboard to help me search their store for titles and think having a keyboard that takes up so much area to be a bit of a waste. Sony makes the most of the viewing experience by implementing a touch screen display with touch sensitive keyboard that appears only when you need it.

Memory

The first Kindle had a memory card slot, but the current model does not include any expansion capability. There is still plenty of room on the Kindle to hold a ton of content, but the Sony Reader Daily Edition includes integrated memory and memory card expansion slots for even more capacity to hold content.

Format support

The Sony models include suport for more native content formats than the Kindle, including Adobe PDF (with text reflow capability), EPUB, Word, BBeB, and more. The latest Kindle DX supports Adobe, but the Kindle requires a conversion first.

Library checkout support

A coworker asked me about any ebook readers supporting local libraries and now I can tell him this will be available soon. Sony will provide access to local libraries through their ebook store with the Library Finder application. You will be able to check out ebooks with a valid library card, download to your PC and transfer to your Sony Reader. When the lending period ends, the ebook disappears from your Reader with no late fees to ever worry about. My local library is pretty progressive so I think we may see them supporting this project soon.

Sony also supports public domain books from Google so there is no lack of available content.

Mac support

As stated on the Sony site, an updated version of the Sony eBook Library Software compatible with Mac OS X operating systems is available now will be available by the end of Summer 2009 for download to your computer to enable you to purchase, organize and download content to your Reader devices. I use a MacBook Pro as my main computer for writing and at home and look forward to managing my library on the Mac very soon. I can do some management of my Kindle via the Amazon website as well, but it isn’t the same as a full blown application on a computer.

The Sony Reader Daily Edition will retail for about $399 and I think I have found just what I need for Christmas. The Kindle and Reader 505 may be up on the chopping block very soon.

July 22nd, 2009

Dead Finger Tech: Amazon Kindle ebook reader

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 1:22 pm

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, On the road, ebooks

Tags: Mobile, Smart Phone, Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, E-books, Smart Phones, Advertising & Promotion, Cellular Phones, Handhelds, Personal Technology

You may have heard the term Dead Finger Tech before and if not, it relates to that piece of technology that you find essential or important enough to you that someone will have to pry it from your cold, dead fingers. The ZDNet technical bloggers are posting their DFT posts over the next week or two and for the Mobile Gadgeteer blog I had to think about the best piece of mobile gear (not a smartphone) that I treasure. So many pieces of my mobile gear (GPS, MP3 player, video player, portable gaming machine, ebook reader, etc.) can all be integrated into my smartphones so it came down to what one function do I like to perform off of my high end smartphone. Thus, my selected Dead Finger Tech gear is the Amazon Kindle device.

I can hear the screams of mobile gadget fans everywhere wondering why in the world I would select a black and white display large device with a high price tag as my DFT item. I grew up as an avid reader who actually used to pass on movie nights with my buddies to finish a good book I couldn’t put down. I moved to reading books on my PDAs back in the good old days of Palm and kept that up for several years while still diving into paper books. I then discovered the Sony Reader and it changed my reading preference as I found the eInk technology to offer a better reading experience than a paper book and would only read a paper book if someone gave it to me as a gift and it was compelling. I was slow to try the original Kindle since I was satisfied with my Sony Reader, but then gave it a try and was immediately sold by the ability to discover new books and download them with ease without the need for a PC. I rarely use the Kindle to browse the Internet using the browser and have little desire to read work documents on the device. I am primarily interested in book content and that is why the Kindle satisfies me.

Unlike a smartphone too, I enjoy the uninterrupted reading experience on the Kindle and find a book light to be an essential accessory for reading in bed or in poorly litte public transportation environments. I also commute by train 2 hours a day and travel by plane often for business so the Kindle is a welcome companion that always gives me an assortment of content to enjoy. I generally carry about 30 books (and the Reader’s Digest) on my Kindle so I have never run out of content to read. In the past I would finish a good paper book and then have to find a store to pick up something else, but this is no longer an issue for me.

Any other readers consider the Amazon Kindle their piece of Dead Finger Tech?

July 22nd, 2009

Plastic Logic Reader will connect via AT&T and WiFi

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:17 am

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, ebooks

Tags: Plastic Logic, AT&T Corp., Wireless LANs, Wi-Fi, Wireless And Mobility, Matthew Miller

Larry posted the news on the Plastic Logic eReader device that will launch in early 2010 in a partnership with Barnes & Noble. We received news today that the Plastic Logic Reader will also connect wirelessly to the Internet like the Kindle, but through the AT&T 3G data network. Unlike the Amazon Kindle devices, you will also be able to connect your Plastic Logic Reader through WiFi as well as this AT&T connection.

I love my Kindle 2 device for reading books and discovering new books on the fly, but there are several features of this Plastic Logic Reader device that are even more compelling than the Kindle and I am fairly certain one will end up in my hands. Some of the unique features not found on the Kindle are:

• Support for PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents with no conversion required
• International support for wireless connectivity through the AT&T network
• WiFi support, including AT&T’s hotspots throughout the world
• Larger display (smaller than the Kindle DX) in a 8.5 x 11 size
• Plastic, durable touch screen display technology

It looks like the Plastic Logic Reader is the electronic ink reader targeted more towards the enterprise customer with all the native file support and plastic display. The different wireless radios also make it a device that can be connected just about anywhere in the world.