Frustrated by eBooks
So I recently became interested in buying an eBook reader again. I've read eBooks on my laptop before, which mas a matte screen, so I know I'm comfortable with the idea. Barnes & Nobel just announced their Nook eBook reader, and tied with the Barnes & Nobel library I think this is the reader I'd be willing to take the plunge for. I'm using Terry Pratchett's "Unseen Academicals" as my use case, as this is the new book I'd most like to read right now.
But, then I tried to figure out what exactly I'm getting for my eBook purchase. Wikipedia has a really good comparison of the different eBook formats here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats. The feature I'm most concerned with is compatibility; DRM (Digital Rights Management) I can live with, but I need some assurances that if Barnes & Nobel stops making these devices or if the service stops for some other reason that I'm still going to have access to the books that I've purchased.
Barnes & Nobel sells their eBooks in the eReader format (extension .pdb, formerly known as Palm Media), with the DRM tied to your name and credit card number. The good news with the pdb format, as opposed to say the Kindle, is that it's an existing format; the site http://www.ereader.com provides a Mac compatible eBook reader that's, as far as I can tell, identical to the one Barnes & Nobel is providing. The bad news is that the Barnes & Nobel Nook is the only physical device that supports the format, the software is otherwise only available for the home computer. The big advantage of dedicated eBook devices is that they use eInk, basically electronic paper, which is the closest you can currently get to real books; it's selling point is that it's much easier on the eyes.
The next available format would be International Digital (extension .epub). Epub books are supported by the Nook, as well as a number of other physical eBook readers. You can't buy epub format books directly from Barnes & Nobel, but a little backtracking through the publisher and I was able to find an online retailer that could. Using "Unseen Academicals" as my test case, I went to Harper Collins website which led me to http://www.diesel-ebooks.com which sells the book in pdb, epub and Mobi Pocket formats. The bad news is that, while still less then the hard cover editions, these formats go for an average of $20 to $25; more then Barnes & Nobel or Amazon, which usually sell new releases for $9.99.
While I'm on the topic, another option would be the Mobi Pocket format (extension .mobi). This format, while popular, is currently owned by Amazon. Not surprisingly, Amazon's Kindle uses a modified version of this format. While the Kindle can read DRM free Mobi Pocket books, the only DRM books it officially supports are the ones sold through Amazon.com. You can, apparently, modify an existing Mobi Pocket book to get it working on the Kindle but it sounds to be treading into legal gray areas. So, basically, this eliminated both the Kindle AND the mobi pocket format from my consideration.
The only other format supported by all of the Kindle, Nook, and a variety of other physical eBook readers is pdf. Not surprisingly though, nobody sells eBooks in pdf format because there's no DRM available. Which is silly, because if somebody did I would't be making this post and they would already have my money.
- Jimbo
But, then I tried to figure out what exactly I'm getting for my eBook purchase. Wikipedia has a really good comparison of the different eBook formats here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats. The feature I'm most concerned with is compatibility; DRM (Digital Rights Management) I can live with, but I need some assurances that if Barnes & Nobel stops making these devices or if the service stops for some other reason that I'm still going to have access to the books that I've purchased.
Barnes & Nobel sells their eBooks in the eReader format (extension .pdb, formerly known as Palm Media), with the DRM tied to your name and credit card number. The good news with the pdb format, as opposed to say the Kindle, is that it's an existing format; the site http://www.ereader.com provides a Mac compatible eBook reader that's, as far as I can tell, identical to the one Barnes & Nobel is providing. The bad news is that the Barnes & Nobel Nook is the only physical device that supports the format, the software is otherwise only available for the home computer. The big advantage of dedicated eBook devices is that they use eInk, basically electronic paper, which is the closest you can currently get to real books; it's selling point is that it's much easier on the eyes.
The next available format would be International Digital (extension .epub). Epub books are supported by the Nook, as well as a number of other physical eBook readers. You can't buy epub format books directly from Barnes & Nobel, but a little backtracking through the publisher and I was able to find an online retailer that could. Using "Unseen Academicals" as my test case, I went to Harper Collins website which led me to http://www.diesel-ebooks.com which sells the book in pdb, epub and Mobi Pocket formats. The bad news is that, while still less then the hard cover editions, these formats go for an average of $20 to $25; more then Barnes & Nobel or Amazon, which usually sell new releases for $9.99.
While I'm on the topic, another option would be the Mobi Pocket format (extension .mobi). This format, while popular, is currently owned by Amazon. Not surprisingly, Amazon's Kindle uses a modified version of this format. While the Kindle can read DRM free Mobi Pocket books, the only DRM books it officially supports are the ones sold through Amazon.com. You can, apparently, modify an existing Mobi Pocket book to get it working on the Kindle but it sounds to be treading into legal gray areas. So, basically, this eliminated both the Kindle AND the mobi pocket format from my consideration.
The only other format supported by all of the Kindle, Nook, and a variety of other physical eBook readers is pdf. Not surprisingly though, nobody sells eBooks in pdf format because there's no DRM available. Which is silly, because if somebody did I would't be making this post and they would already have my money.
- Jimbo