What is an eBook?
e-Books are novels in an electronic format. These are like files on your computer. Readers can read them on their computers or other readers (see information below for more details.) e-Books have beautiful covers, the same credits and dedications, etc, They contain everything you would find in a paperback.
You don't want to read a book on your computer? There is a wide variety of e-book readers. You can download your new e-books into a reader you've purchased. The process is like saving a file to floppy disk, except an eReader is a hand held gadget. Load the books and you can take your eReader wherever you want and read your novel. This is a convenient way to take several books with you in a compact package. How many of us take a tote bag of books to the beach? Do you have bookshelves that are overflowing with books. e-Books save storage space at home and on vacation.
Information about - Why E-books? Click here.
What does an eBook reader look like?
Where can you buy them?
Some e-book Reader Options
(All information correct June 2004, please check dealers for current prices.)
hiebook: Enjoy eBooks anytime, anywhere. With the hiebook you can take your library of titles with you. The backlit LCD display allows you to enjoy titles complete with graphics even in the dark! You can even create your own content and carry it with you. With OEB compatibility, you can be sure titles will look great, just as the publisher intended. Soon to be released... you can pre-order the highly anticipated hiebook reading device and receive a free 32MB SMC card ($49 value) bringing the unit's total storage space to 48 MB.
eBookMan? is a brand new eBook Reading Device. According to Franklin.com, the developer, you can read (or listen) to thousands of your favorite titles, enjoy your favorite music, and carry your important personal data wherever you go!
eBookman has a large, 16 level grayscale display that shows 87% more information than today's popular handheld devices. It can record your voice, take notes in your natural handwriting, or perform a multitude of organizer tasks. The MultiMediaCard slot allows you to add more memory - up to 64 MB at a time. Their unique Open and Secure platform and free SDK are an open invitation to future development, which will provide you with even more titles and content to choose from. And even though you get more, you won't have to pay more; eBookman is available in three models, with prices to suit any budget and lifestyle.
REB1100
REB1100 Portable device-- Carry up to a dozen ebooks in one little piece of hardware!
It also contains a backlight -- Read at night, on the train or in bed, without disturbing others.
Built-in Webster's dictionary -- No more scrambling for the dictionary; now you can look up words as you read.
Adjustable font size and orientation -- Controlling the direction and size of the text makes it easier to read.
"Search" function -- Lets you turn instantly to the section that interests you.
Highlighting and note taking -- Highlight important sections and make notes, just like you would with a traditional book.
Bookmark -- Mark as many areas of the text as you like.
Pocket PC
Compaq iPAQ 3635 Pocket PC Bundle , by Microsoft, is an example of the various handheld devices that are newly released using a Windows CE operating system. Intended to be a fully featured, pocket-sized computer capable of surfing the Web, sending and receiving email, and playing audio and video. Prices range from $299 to $899 depending upon features.
Palm HandHelds
Palm m500 Handheld (Monochrome Screen)
Another example of the family of Palm Handheld Reading Devices include the Palm IIIc organizer which is one of the smallest color handhelds on the market, and fits neatly into your shirt pocket or purse. A rechargeable lithium ion battery lasts more than two weeks with normal use, and recharges in your HotSyncŪ cradle in just minutes a day. Retails for $449 (others are lower in price.) Tons of software and a growing collection of ebooks.
Visor HandHelds
The award-winning Handspring Visor Deluxe is the first infinitely expandable handheld computer. It's fully Palm OS compatible and comes with 8 MB of RAM, giving you room for thousands of addresses and appointments. Plus, with optional Springboard expansion modules, you can transform your Visor into an MP3 player, digital camera, cell phone, and more.
The Visor such as the Handspring Visor Prismis a compact handheld that is compatible with PalmOS eBooks. Prices range from $149 (without cradle) and up for Deluxe models.
Cytale Reader from France
An electronic reader that will be available in France received a very warm welcome at the NIST e-book conference at the end of September, 2000. It will be retailing at about US$ 600 before tax, with a 10-inch SVGA color screen, a capacity of 20,000 pages and access to the Internet. Cytale's Electronic Book or CyBook as it will be called, accepts any digital documents that conform to the Open E-Book standard or the HTML format and uses Windows CE as the operating system.
Weighing 2 pounds, it is scheduled to be on sale in France at the end of November according to their site at Cytale.com with other countries to follow.
You also have the option of reading ebooks on a computer screen. This can be a laptop or desktop. It makes no difference. You can download a free reader file to a PDA and it also has a Reader program to use on your computer. It offers the features to change the font size and also has screen scroll feature. It's a wonderful free program from Mobipocket. Go to www.mobipocket.com
These are only some of the options on the market.
