08:30 PM by Bob Russell in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Ever wish you could write on a pad of regular paper during a meeting without a laptop around, and then magically send the results to your computer?

Check out the NexConcepts Mobile Note Taker web site to see a flash animation and specs of a device that claims to do just that. It runs for about 100hrs of continuous note taking before the pen's battery needs to be replaced. And it has an LCD screen that shows you what you're writing as you write it, so you know it's being recorded.

Previous solutions have required a special tablet to write on, or a computer to attach a base unit to. Now you can do the same thing on the run with just a unit that clips to your pad of paper and a special pen.

One of these days, maybe tablet computers will be cheap and as easy to write on as paper. In the meantime, it's good to see alternatives.

Source: PC Magazine October 19, 2004

10:18 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book Software | Reading and Management

When we discussed Violano's (VP of eReader) view on digital right management (DRM) yesterday, I had the idea to make a flowchart of how eReader DRM appears to work.

You can find the chart attached. I hope it sheds some light...

Some important notes that I have also mentioned in the chart:
- the hash function applied is a one-way function: the generated output (hash value) is not dependent on the input (credit card number) in any discernible way. Plus, given a hash value, it is computationally unfeasible to find a pre-image (credit card number) that hashes to that value.

- the decryption process is continuous; the eReader software doesn't decrypt the entire e-book at once (this would take too long, and total memory twice the size of the e-book). Instead, only blocks of a fixed size are decrypted as the user turns the pages of his book.

- the flow chart doesn't show additional steps such as inflating (decompressing) of the e-book. eReader e-books are compressed to reduce the final file size. The inflating process happens on-the-fly after the decryption.

- the credit card number is not stored for later decryption; only the computed hash is needed since it is the actual key to the decryption process.

- even though the credit card number is not stored on your device, it is stored on ereader.com's database server. A potential hacker may thus obtain this number by hacking the server (in other words, your card number is not 100% safe!).

09:27 AM by Laurens in E-Book Software | Reading and Management

Just noticed there was a 0.5 release of Vade Mecum, the Plucker-compatible viewer for PPC.

I don't have a PPC so I can't try it out. I did look at the change log in the CAB file and for v0.5 it says "added support for continued text records". This means you can now view JPluck-generated documents, which rely on the viewer supporting this feature. It doesn't seem to support multi-images, though, but you can disable these in JPluck's Preferences. This way JPluck generates images that can still be viewed by readers that don't support multi-images.

Just wanted to let you know.

02:03 PM by JongJungBu in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

Medieval Folk Healer is undergoing a major upgrade requiring quality testing before being released to the public. Those who have purchased the original MFH 1.0 may Beta Test the update for free. If interested, please send your MFH reference order number to support@trisystech.com and register at the Trisystech forums so that you may post your comments. For more information, visit http://www.trisystech.com.

05:15 AM by Colin Dunstan in Miscellaneous | Lounge

DHL Express in Thailand has equipped its 200 couriers nationwide with wireless handheld gadgets to help the company and its customers better track packages. The "Global Courier Real-Time Handheld Device" features a mobile phone and a scanner function for the couriers to scan air-shipment bills and wirelessly transmit the data to DHL's global logistic network in the blink of an eye. This one goes to Microsoft: DHL's new gizmos are powered by the Pocket PC operating system.

04:54 AM by Colin Dunstan in E-Book Software | Reading and Management

eReader.com vice president and general manager Mike Violano shares his (perhaps slightly biased) views on digital rights management DRM in an article published at LocalTechWire.com.

First he explains how DRM works at eReader.com: Every ebook is encrypted and the unlock key is the credit card number the customer uses to purchase the title. This has proven to be a simple, elegent approach to the protection of content—and it is mighty effective since customers are not prone to post their credit card numbers on the message boards.

Compared to competing formats such as encrypted PDF or .LIT, one advantage of eReader DRM, he goes on, is that it does not prevent the customer from moving his e-book from one device to another. Plus, eReader books stay available for download in an online bookshelf for an unlimited time (unless eReader.com goes bancrupt or is sold to another company, I'd say).

What is most interesting about this article is its last part, on the future of DRM. Mr. Violano agrees that DRM is still a troublesome obstacle for customers, at least the way DRM is currently implemented:

The technology must be friendlier at every step along the way. We are constantly innovating to improve the customer experience and simplify the process while respecting the copyright owners.

Even the best designed DRM technology, rights expression language, or the most finely crafted standards will fail if the customer experience of the content is disregarded. Technology must be the enabler, guiding all the explorers—publisher, etailer and customer in the journey—the quest for content and enjoyment of that content in all digital forms.

Nicely put!

04:34 AM by Colin Dunstan in Miscellaneous | Lounge

Handango.com runs a hot discount until the end of this year.

You can save 10% on any software at Handango.com if you use the following promo discount code: 51F5FA75!

03:25 AM by Colin Dunstan in E-Book General | News

Today I read a lovely essay on the development of the e-book market by James Patrick Kelly from Asimov's Sci-Fi mag.

James first analyzes why e-books are not dead yet as many pundits would have predicted in 2001. His main argument is the jump in e-books sales experienced since 2003.

He then goes on citing authors why they generally prefer p-books:

Neil Gaiman: "(I like) The smell of paper, the way the book feels, the look of it, the heft."
Tanith Lee: "(I like) Everything. Touch, smell, appearance. Content, of course."

Well, you cannot sniff e-books. So what? It is only a question of time before some crazy hardware developer announces the first hardware e-book reader with articifical book fragrance.

The third paragraph of the essay is the strongest. Here James talks about the functionality of e-books:

Ebooks are almost infinitely mutable. You can turn them into webpages, send them to a publisher to be printed on paper, format them at home however you please (large print, double columns), have your computer read them aloud to you or send them to your cousin in Stuttgart. You can carry hundreds of them around on a flash memory stick the size of a Bic lighter. You can find any ebook in your elibrary at the tap of a few keys and search that book in an instant for a place or a character or a memorable quote.

He forgot at least one more benefit: You don't have to breath in anymore the toxic fumes of dusty paper books