Friday, August 15, 2008

Reader Digital Book By Sony Opens a New Chapter on eBook Formats

Sony's Reader Digital Book will be the first eBook reading device to support the EPUB format, the International Digital Publishing Forum's XML-based standard format for reflowable digital books and publications.

Starting next month, new Readers model PRS-505, will be able to access and accept secure and non-secure eBooks in the EPUB format. EPUB has gained acceptance among major trade book publishers, many of whom have committed to begin publishing forthcoming eBooks in the format.

Additionally, the device will support Adobe eBooks with digital rights management and have the capability to reflow standard text-based Portable Document Format (PDF) eBooks for improved flexibility and readability. These enhancements are now made possible with the support of Adobe Digital Editions 1.5 software, which is available as a free download at www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions.

"The Reader is an open device and we will continue to explore formats that will provide the widest variety of content for Reader users," said Steve Haber, senior vice president of consumer product marketing for Sony Electronics. "This upgrade opens the door to a whole host of paid and free content from third-party eBook stores, web sites and even public libraries."

Reader users can transfer these documents to their devices using Adobe Digital Editions software, or via the updated Sony eBook Library software that comes packaged with new Readers. Current owners of the PRS-505 model can upgrade their units now from the Sony support site: http://esupport.sony.com/.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I've actually already downloaded the firmware - available on Sony's website - and started downloading epub and pdf ebooks for my Sony PRS-505. Here is the BooksOnBoard press release that I found out about it from a few weeks ago. I'm pretty happy about the firmware upgrade... I can buy from stores besides Sony now!