06:10 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

Until now, I have always bought eReader e-books directly when I wanted to read copyright-protected material on my Palm using eReader.

My worry is that I don't know what to do with my purchased books if I might switch to another platform one day, for which eReader is unavailable (for instance Linux-based PDAs). Trust me, I would hate losing my previously bought e-books!

So I was thinking about alternative DRM solutions. Mobipocket Reader is available for several PDAs, including Palm, PocketPC and Smartphone. That is perhaps better than eReader, but it still misses some platforms that might become important in near future (Linux).

Worse, both DRM formats, eReader and Mobipocket, force me to stick to the original reader software. What if I bought my e-books in eReader format, but actually prefer Plucker or iSilo to read them?

My solution to this dilemma is to purchase e-books in Microsoft's .lit format from now on. Yes, you have heart me right, evil Microsoft can also be a friend! DRM-protected Microsoft Reader e-books are the only ones I know that can be reversed to non-DRM-protected HTML code by using publicly available tools such as Dan Jackson's MS .Lit Cracker.

Is it legal? That probably depends on which country you are living in. But I think as long as you do it for your own personal use with e-books that you have also personally purchased, you are on the safe side ("fair use").

Please correct me if I am wrong!

04:48 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

According to a ABC News scoop we assumed that Skype would be introduced to PalmOS-based PDAs next month.

Unfortunately, it turns out that porting Skype to Palm is extremely difficult because the platform is completely different from the platforms Skype runs on today.

So if you want to use Skype, you have to either wait, or switch over to the 'dark side' (which looks even lighter to me day by day).

Skype Forum Thread 1
Skype Forum Thread 2

12:25 PM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Announcements

I am happy to announce that we have two new staff members!

Most of you know Craig alias cbarnett, who has been a loyal contributor (with a focus on PocketPC-related discussions) for almost one year.

To make sure Craig isn't feeling lonely, we also like to welcome Jess alias divajess. Jess just joined us recently, and is, like Craig, a true heart PocketPC user.

Welcome and enjoy you two!

12:10 PM by Francesco in Miscellaneous | Lounge

I always wanted to have my own Gmail giveaway.

You can have an invite, just answer this:

Mine are:
Nostromo, by Conrad (memoware.com)
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce (gutenberg.net)
Diary of a madman and other short stories, by Lu Hsun (blackmask.com)

09:58 AM by Colin Dunstan in Miscellaneous | Lounge

When handheld devices are involved in a crime or other incident, forensic examiners require tools that allow the proper retrieval and speedy examination of information present on the device.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has now published the paper "PDA Forensic Tools: An Overview and Analysis". This report gives an overview of current forensic software, designed for acquisition, analysis, reporting of data discovered on PDAs, and an understanding of their capabilities and limitations.

A VERY interesting technical 60+ pages read. I find it amazing what they can find out about you and your PDA with present day forensic software tools.

09:31 AM by Colin Dunstan in E-Book General | Deals and Resources (No...

Today I stumbled over BookCrossing. Part book club, part behavioral study, part note-in-a-bottle experience, BookCrossing encourages people to experience what it terms "the karma of literature" by registering books at the site and then depositing them in public places, like coffee shops, airplane seat pockets and park benches.

Has anyone of you actually tried if this really works? Somehow I would feel strange leaving my books behind in the wild...

07:04 AM by Bob Russell in E-Book General | Deals and Resources (No...

PDA 24/7 is reporting a free eBook giveaway from Fictionwise

From the fictionwise site...

Fantastic Free Fall eBooks from Fictionwise!

We've arranged with our publishers to give you free eBooks for fall! From Science Fiction and Fantasy to Romance and Mystery, you'll find something free to leaf through this autumn at Fictionwise. But don't wait --these titles are free for a limited time.

06:03 AM by Colin Dunstan in Archive | Handhelds and Smartphones

eWeek features an interesting article which tries to explain why palmOne has been losing considerable market share in the European market.

At least in Europe, the Treo has been a failure. Officially, palmOne is trying to fend off the problem. According to a report on forbes.com, "Mark Hodgson, PalmOne's UK smartphone channel development manager, said: 'Because of the success of the Treo 600 in the US, our supplies have been limited. The smartphone is a mass-market device, but the Treo appeals to business.'"

What is Hodgson trying to tell us? That people in Europe are not interested in business, or that palmOne is simply lacking the resource to expand? Either way, this is definitely not a good sign!