by Linda McLaughlin © 2004 by Linda McLaughlin ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We’ve all seen episodes of Star Trek, where crew members read data from their tricorders and other digital devices. Pretty futuristic, but the truth is that future is now.
What is an e-book?
A book in one of several digital formats that can be read on your computer, on a personal digital assistant (PDA) such as a Palm Pilot, or on a dedicated reading device like the eBookwise or the brand new Amazon Kindle.
Why would anyone want to read one?
There are several advantages to e-books. For one thing, portability. A dedicated reading device, or a PDA, can hold 40+ books, all in one package, a definite advantage for avid readers who like to travel. Also, the devices are often backlit, which makes them easy to read in dim light, such as on an airplane or in a darkened hotel room while your roommate is asleep.
E-books help unclutter your life: Since the books are stored on the hard drive of your computer until you’re ready to read them, storage is less of a problem than with print books.
Changeable fonts: Most formats allow you to increase the size of the print, something much appreciated by those of us who wear glasses.
Another reason is availability. For those who like to read “out of the box”, there are a number of small publishers that offer books that break the rules laid down by the marketing departments of the big publishers. Do you like vampires? Or futuristic romances? Do you miss historical romance set in North America? How about the traditional Regencies that are no longer being published in New York? Check out the offerings of the small e-publishers and you’ll find a lot of variety. You can also buy from publishers located in other countries, like Australia, pay by credit card and get an immediate download without having to wait for the interminable shipping involved with ordering print books from overseas. And there’s no sales tax on downloads.
Anonymity: Since there is no obvious book cover, no one can sneer at your choice of reading material. In fact, one of the hottest trends in e-books is romantic erotica.
How e-books work...
First you have to buy a download from the Internet and save it to your hard drive. Unless you own a Kindle, in which case you can connect wirelessly and have the book downloaded directly into your device.
E-books can be read on your computer in a number of formats: If you’re reading on a computer, you have a choice of Adobe Acrobat Reader (.pdf files), HTML to read on your internet browser, i.e. Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, or using Microsoft Reader (.lit files). Laptop and notebook computers keep getting smaller and more portable. Check out the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, a small computer with builtin wireless capability. There's no keyboard, just a stylus for the onscreen keyboard. Perfect for checking email and reading ebooks while on vacation. That is, if you can manage the $359.99 price.
If you have a PDA, you can read ebooks using Microsoft Reader (on a Jornada, for example) or using one of the Palm formats: Palm Reader, Adobe Acrobat for Palm, Mobipocket Reader, iSilo – there are a host of options for the Palm user.
Dedicated reading devices, like the eBookwise, the brand new Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader, have a proprietary software but most also have ways to display or convert other files so books can be read easily. Of the three, the eBookwise is the most affordable at around $130.00 US. The Sony and the Kindle are in the $300-$400 range.
Unlike most digital devices, the screen for the Sony and the Kindle is not backlit. Instead it uses "electronic ink" to create a black on white display, much like a page in a book. Some ebook readers will, no doubt, find the lack of backlighting a deterrant, though it's much easier to read in sunlight. For the first time I'm able to read ebooks in the car using my Kindle, though not when I'm driving, of course.
Books for the Sony Reader are only available Sony's CONNECT™ Store, though PDF files can also be displayed. Sony Readers are sold at some Borders stores.
While the Kindle also uses a proprietary format, the books are also available at Fictionwise and the device can display unprotected Mobipocket files. Most small e-book publishers, like Amber Quill Press and Ellora's Cave, publish their books in Mobi format. In addition, unprotected PDF, HTML, DOC and text files can be converted either by uploading to Amazon or by using the desktop Mobipocket Reader. This, in my opinion, makes the Kindle more versatile than the Sony.
The current reincarnation of the Rocket Book, the eBookwise-1150 costs $124.95, has a backlit screen, and can display or convert several formats, including OEBFF, HTML and RB, plus personal content in text, RTF, or DOC formats.
Does all this require computer literacy? A little, but once you get the hang of it, it’s well worth doing.
Where to find e-books....
In a nutshell, on the Internet.
Every e-publisher has its own website for selling downloads or ordering print books. There are other sites that sell books by different publishers, often in multiple formats.
The three largest e-book sellers are Amazon.com, Fictionwise.com and eReader.com. E-Reader (formerly Peanut Press) sells only Palm format, but Amazon and Fictionwise both offer a variety of formats. I personally prefer Fictionwise because of its large selection, including erotica, and its dedication to e-books.
Check here for a list of publishers and e-tailers.