Librarian's eBook Newsletter

New eBook Options for Pocket PC Owners

Both Microsoft and Adobe have announced new products which will expand the rather limited ebook options currently available to Pocket PC owners. A Pocket PC is a mobile device which runs on a Windows CE operating system. Unlike other mobile devices, such as a Palm Pilot, Pocket PCs contain the "pocket" versions of many Microsoft applications, such as Word, Explorer and Outlook, which facilitates the updating of documents on the go. Casio, Symbol, Hewlett Packard and Compaq all produced models of the Pocket PC in mid-2000. eBook enthusiasts were initially very excited about Pocket PCs because they came loaded with Microsoft Reader software. We made the assumption that we could load ebooks in the Microsoft Reader format onto the Pocket PC and enjoy a good read on the go. We were met with great disappointment. Because Microsoft was unable to develop a digital rights management system that publishers were comfortable with on the Pocket PC, the Pocket PC version of the Microsoft Reader only displayed non-copyrighted content, such as public domain titles. All of the "premium" content was unavailable to Pocket PC users.

In October, Microsoft released version 2.0 of its Microsoft Reader. With Microsoft Reader 2.0, premium content can now be read on a Pocket PC. However, there is a catch. Microsoft Reader 2.0 will only support Pocket PC 2002 devices. Only the "legacy" Compaq iPac can be upgraded to handle the Reader 2.0. Those of us who own HP Jornada 540s or Casio Cassiopeias are out of luck! For further details about which Pocket PC models are and are not compatible with Microsoft Reader 2.0, go to Microsoft's website.

Improvements to the Microsoft Reader 2.0 include the ability to transfer content between up to four different devices and external web linking. By also downloading the Microsoft Reader Text-to-Speech Package, ebooks have a "verbosity" options. The ebooks can be read to you, but in a computer-like voice that is not always very clear. Drop down menus can also be read out loud and the user has the option to have the text highlighted while it is being read. However, this text-to-speech option only works with "non-Owner Exclusive" titles-- in order words, public domain titles.

An add-in for Microsoft Word 2000 and 2002 facilitates the creation of your own ebooks by adding a "Read" button to the Word toolbar, in a manner similar to Adobe's PDF button. For more information and the free download, go to Microsoft's Reader webpage.

In September, Adobe released the beta version of its Acrobat Reader for Pocket PCs. Please note that this is not a new version of Adobe's Acrobat eBook Reader, but of Adobe's Acrobat Reader. The free software permits a Pocket PC owner to read non-copyrighted PDF files, but not the several thousand copyrighted ebooks currently available in Adobe Reader format. However, since there are literally millions of non-copyrighted PDF documents available, Adobe's new software can certainly expand the functionality of the Pocket PC. The software is currently compatible with the following Pocket PC models: HP Jornada 520 & 540; Compaq iPAQ H3630, H3635, H3670 and H3135; and Casio Cassiopeia E-125, EM500 and E-115. The free download is available from Adobe's website.



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	New eBook Options for Pocket PC Owners Both Microsoft and Adobe have announced new products which will expand the rather limited ebook options currently available to Pocket PC owners. A Pocket PC is a mobile device which runs on a Windows CE operating system. Unlike other mobile devices, such as a Palm Pilot, Pocket PCs contain the "pocket" versions of many Microsoft applications, such as Word, Explorer and Outlook, which facilitates the updating of documents on the go. Casio, Symbol, Hewlett Packard and Compaq all produced models of the Pocket PC in mid-2000. eBook enthusiasts were initially very excited about Pocket PCs because they came loaded with Microsoft Reader software. We made the assumption that we could load ebooks in the Microsoft Reader format onto the Pocket PC and enjoy a good read on the go. We were met with great disappointment. Because Microsoft was unable to develop a digital rights management system that publishers were comfortable with on the Pocket PC, the Pocket PC version of the Microsoft Reader only displayed non-copyrighted content, such as public domain titles. All of the "premium" content was unavailable to Pocket PC users. In October, Microsoft released version 2.0 of its Microsoft Reader. With Microsoft Reader 2.0, premium content can now be read on a Pocket PC. However, there is a catch. Microsoft Reader 2.0 will only support Pocket PC 2002 devices. Only the "legacy" Compaq iPac can be upgraded to handle the Reader 2.0. Those of us who own HP Jornada 540s or Casio Cassiopeias are out of luck! For further details about which Pocket PC models are and are not compatible with Microsoft Reader 2.0, go to Microsoft's website. Improvements to the Microsoft Reader 2.0 include the ability to transfer content between up to four different devices and external web linking. By also downloading the Microsoft Reader Text-to-Speech Package, ebooks have a "verbosity" options. The ebooks can be read to you, but in a computer-like voice that is not always very clear. Drop down menus can also be read out loud and the user has the option to have the text highlighted while it is being read. However, this text-to-speech option only works with "non-Owner Exclusive" titles-- in order words, public domain titles. An add-in for Microsoft Word 2000 and 2002 facilitates the creation of your own ebooks by adding a "Read" button to the Word toolbar, in a manner similar to Adobe's PDF button. For more information and the free download, go to Microsoft's Reader webpage. In September, Adobe released the beta version of its Acrobat Reader for Pocket PCs. Please note that this is not a new version of Adobe's Acrobat eBook Reader, but of Adobe's Acrobat Reader. The free software permits a Pocket PC owner to read non-copyrighted PDF files, but not the several thousand copyrighted ebooks currently available in Adobe Reader format. However, since there are literally millions of non-copyrighted PDF documents available, Adobe's new software can certainly expand the functionality of the Pocket PC. The software is currently compatible with the following Pocket PC models: HP Jornada 520 & 540; Compaq iPAQ H3630, H3635, H3670 and H3135; and Casio Cassiopeia E-125, EM500 and E-115. The free download is available from Adobe's website.

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