E-Books and E-Book Readers

(1)

E-Books and E-Book Readers

(2)

E-Book Readers

Key Points to Remember

Not all e-book readers will read all e-book file formats. Some e-book readers are limited to specific e-book stores.

Some e-book readers double as music players, and can run other applications.

A Selection of Popular E-Book Readers Amazon Kindle 2

Price: $259.00 Storage: 2 GB

Features: Paper-like 6” E Ink display, books can be downloaded anywhere reception is available using free 3G wireless, text-to-speech audio, does not require a PC, 400,000 e-books available from Ama-zon.com, access to Wikipedia, built in dictionary, basic web browser, MP3 player.

Amazon Kindle DX

Features: Paper-like 9.7” E Ink display, books can be downloaded anywhere reception is available using free 3G wireless, text-to-speech audio, does not require a PC, 400,000 e-books available from Ama-zon.com, access to Wikipedia, built in dictionary, basic web browser, MP3 player.

Barnes and Noble Nook

Features: Paper-like 6” E Ink display, books can be downloaded anywhere reception is available using free 3G wireless, Wi-Fi, 3.5” color touch screen control display, ability to “lend” some books to other Nook and Barnes and Noble eReader users, user replaceable battery, storage expansion via microSD card slot, MP3 player.

Sony Reader Touch Edition

Price: $265.99 Storage: 512 MB

Features: Paper-like 6” E Ink display, storage expansion via SD Card slot .

Sony Reader Pocket Edition

Price: $169.99 Storage: 512 MB

(3)

E-Book Readers

Apple iPad (available in April)

Price: $499.00 - $829.00 Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB

Features: 9.7” color LCD multi-touch touchscreen display, Wi-Fi, paid 3G available on some models, MP3 players, video player, 140,000 third-party applications, full web browser, email client, virtual keyboard.

Interead COOL-ER

(4)

E-Book File Formats

Not all e-book readers will read all e-book file formats.

Some file formats are proprietary, and can only be read by specific e-book readers.

EPUB, PDF, and plain text file formats are the most widely supported formats by both publishers and e-book reader manufacturers.

A Selection of the Most Popular Open Standard E-Book File Formats EPUB

Short for electronic publication, EPUB is an open standard for e-books created by the International Digital Publishing Forum. It is widely supported by publishers, and e-book reader hardware manufactures. Additionally, free software is available to read EPUB format e-books on most computers. The EPUB format can support images, and text is re-flowable, meaning the text size can be resized without compromising word wrap around images and at page margins.

PDF

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is file format created by Adobe Systems. It is a well established open standard that can be read by most computers, and is supported by most e-book readers. Like EPUB, it can display images. However, unlike EPUB, it does not support word wrap.

Plain Text

Plain Text is the “lowest common denominator” of open standard text files. It can be read by virtually all computers, and most e-book readers. It however does not support images, or digital rights management, making it a poor choice for publishers who wish to block users from making unauthorized copies of their works.

A Selection of the Most Popular Proprietary E-Book File Formats Kindle

The Kindle file format can only be read by Amazon Kindle, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX e-book readers. Software is available from Amazon to read the Kindle format on PCs, as well as iPhones and iPod Touches. Mac and BlackBerry versions of the Kindle software is currently being developed.

eReader

eReader is a file format created by Palm Media. Note that eReader (the file format) and e-book readers (the physical

device), sometimes referred to as just e-readers, are two different things. The eReader format is used in conjunction

with the EPUB file format by Barnes and Noble’s online e-book store. Software is available to view eReader formatted books on PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPod Touches, and BlackBerry.

BBeB

Short for Broad Band eBook, BBeB was created by Sony and Canon for Sony e-book readers.

Key Vocabulary Terms to Remember

Open Standard: A file format that can be used by any company without paying royalty or licensing fees.

Proprietary: A file format that can only be used by the creating company, or, if the creating company permits,

third parties that have purchased a usage license.

Digital Rights Management: Also known as DRM, is technology that limits the use and duplication of copyrighted

works. DRM may limit the number of times you may read, watch, or listen to a file, what type of device you can use the file on, the number of devices you can use the file on, or whether or not you can make a copy of the file.

(5)

E-Book File Formats Comparison Chart

Format Extension DRM Support Image Support Word Wrap Support Open Standard

Plain Text .txt No No Yes Yes

HTML .html No Yes Yes Yes

PostScript .ps No Yes No Yes

Portable Document Format

.pdf Yes Yes No Yes

DjVu .djvu ? Yes No Yes

FictionBook .fb2 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Mobipocket .prc, .mobi Yes Yes Yes Yes

Kindle .azw Yes Yes Yes No

eReader .pdb Yes Yes Yes No

BroadBand eBook .lrf, .lrx Yes Yes Yes No

EPUB .epub Yes Yes Yes Yes

Tome Reader .tr2, .tr3 Yes Yes Yes No

ArghosReader .aeh Yes Yes Yes No

Microsoft Reader .lit Yes Yes Yes No

(6)

E-Boo

k R

e

ader File F

or

ma

t

Co

mpa

tib

ility Char

t

E-Rea d er Pl ai n T e xt PDF EPUB HT M L M o b ip o cke t Fic ti o n B o o k Dj V u B ro ad b an d eB o o k eRea d er K in d le W OLF To me Rea d er Op en eB o o k Am az o n Kind le 2, DX Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No Yes No No No App le iPa d Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No Ye s* No No No Az b o o ka WI SEr ea d e r Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No B ar n e s & N o b le N o o k No Yes Yes No No No No No Yes No No No No C OO L-ER C la ss ic Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No Ha n lin e -Rea d er V3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes No No Ha n vo n WI SEr ea d e r Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No iRex iLi ad Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No No No No No No Ir iv er S to ry Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No N o kia N 90 0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes N UU Tb o o k 2 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No On yx B o o x 6 0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No Po cke tb o o k 3 01 P lu s Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No So n y R ea d er Yes Yes Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No V ie w so n ic VE B 6 1 2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No *i P ad wi ll n o t d isp lay Ki nd le f o rm at n at iv el y. It wi ll d is pl ay Ki nd le f o rm at if t he Am az o n Ki nd le a pp is do wnl o ad e d to t he iP ad. C ha rt inf o rm at io n f ro m W ik ipe di a. h tt p://e n.wi ki pe di a.o rg /w ik i/C o m pa ri so n_ o f_ e -bo o k_ fo rm at s

(7)

Digital Rights Management

Most e-books purchased through online stores come with some sort of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technol-ogy.

In order for an e-book reader to display an e-book, both the e-book file format and DRM must be compatible with the e-book reader.

DRM restrictions can be subject to change with little or no prior warning.

Key Vocabulary Terms to Remember

Digital Rights Management: Also known as DRM, is technology that limits the use and duplication of copyrighted

works. DRM may limit the number of times you may read, watch, or listen to a file, what type of device you can use the file on, the number of devices you can use the file on, or whether or not you can make a copy of the file.

*iPad is not compatible with Amazon DRM natively. It can display e-books protected by the Amazon DRM if the Amazon Kindle app is installed.

**iPad is not compatible with Barnes and Noble DRM natively. It can display e-books protected by the Barnes and Noble DRM if the Barnes and Noble app is installed. ***Windows PCs and Macs are compatible with these various DRM technologies once the proper software is installed on the computer.

A Selection Popular DRM Technologies ADEPT

Created by Adobe, ADEPT, or Adobe Digital Editions Protection Technology, allows users to download an e-book on to six devices at one time. E-books that are available through the Monroe County Library System and Overdrive are pro-tected by Adobe ADEPT DRM.

Amazon DRM

E-books sold through Amazon’s online store are protected by their proprietary DRM. Most books can be downloaded to six devices at a time, although for some titles that limit is less .

FairPlay

E-books sold through Apple’s iBookstore incorporate their FairPlay DRM.

Barnes and Noble DRM

E-books sold through Barnes and Noble’s online bookstore incorporate their proprietary DRM. E-books protected by Barnes and Noble DRM can be downloaded to one device at a time. However, Barnes and Noble e-books can be lent to another person for up to 14 days.

E-Book Reader Adobe ADEPT Apple FairPlay Amazon DRM Barnes and Noble DRM

Barnes and Noble Nook Yes No No Yes

Amazon Kindle No No Yes No

Apple iPad No Yes Yes* Yes**

Sony Reader Daily Edition Yes No No No

Sony Reader Pocket Edition Yes No No No

Sony Reader PRS-505 Yes No No No

Sony Reader PRS-700 Yes No No No

Sony Reader Touch Edition Yes No No No

Windows PC Yes*** No Yes*** Yes***

(8)

E-Book Reader Software

Virtually all e-book file formats can be read on a computer once the proper software is downloaded.

Many people may be unaware that they already own devices (computers, smart phones, PDAs) that can make use of e-books.

There are many free e-book reader programs available for computers and smart phones.

A Selection of E-Book Reader Software for Computers Adobe Digital Editions

http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/ Formats: PDF, EPUB, XHTML

PC and Mac

Lexcycle Stanza

http://www.lexcycle.com/download

Formats: PDF, eReader, EPUB, Kindle, Mobipocket, HTML, Microsoft Reader, FictionBook, plain text, and more PC and Mac

Barnes and Noble eReader

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks/index.asp Formats: EPUB, eReader

PC and Mac

Amazon Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311 Formats: Kindle

PC, Mac

A Selection of E-Book Reader Software for Smart Phones Lexcycle Stanza

http://www.lexcycle.com/

Formats: PDF, eReader, EPUB, Kindle, Mobipocket, HTML, Microsoft Reader, FictionBook, plain text, and more iPhone

Barnes and Noble eReader

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks/index.asp Formats: EPUB, eReader

iPhone, BlackBerry Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311 Formats: Kindle iPhone, BlackBerry Aldiko http://www.aldiko.com/ Formats: EPUB Android

(9)

Free E-Book Resources

ManyBooks

http://manybooks.net/

Formats: EPUB, Kindle, Microsoft Reader, Sony Reader, Mobipocket, Rocket, HTML, RTF, plain text Genres: fiction and non-fiction

Project Gutenberg

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page Formats: EPUB, Mobipocket, HTML, plain text

Genres: Out-of-copyright general fiction and non-fiction

Internet Archive

http://www.archive.org/details/texts

Formats: EPUB, PDF, Kindle, HTML, plain text

Genres: Out-of-copyright general fiction and non-fiction

Wikibooks

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page Formats: PDF, Open Document

Genres: Textbooks and how-to manuals

Mobipocket

http://www.mobipocket.com/freebooks/default.aspx Formats: Mobipocket

Genres: general fiction and non-fiction

Baen Free Library

http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm

Formats: EPUB, Kindle, Microsoft Reader, Sony Reader, Mobipocket, Rocket, HTML, RTF Genres: fantasy and science-fiction

Planet eBook

http://www.planetebook.com/ Formats: PDF

Genres: Out-of-copyright general fiction

Virtually all works of popular classic literature are in the public domain, and can be downloaded free of charge and without any DRM restrictions.

(10)

E-Book Reader Specification Comparisons and Reviews

Detailed comparisons of dozens of e-readers:

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix C-Net Reviews: E-Book Readers:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3508_7-0.html?tag=bc E-Book reader comparisons:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_e-book_readers Brief comparisons of a few popular e-readers:

http://technologizer.com/2009/10/26/the-e-reader-explosion-a-cheat-sheet/ E-Book file format comparison:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats

Articles

New E-Readers at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/08/ces.ereader/index.html?iref=allsearch E-Book Buyer’s Guide to Privacy

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/01/updated-and-corrected-e-book-buyers-guide-privacy

E-Books and E-Book Readers