eReader Coming to the WebOS 41
E-book readers are a must-have for each smartphone platform. And while the WebOS has been able to use legacy PalmOS e-book readers in Classic, it's just not the same as a native WebOS.
Well, on top of Shortcovers and the in development work of rboatright (see also Simple Big Book), it appears the guys at eReader.com have their eyes set on an official eReader WebOS application as well.
When we contacted eReader about a WebOS version of eReader, we were told:
We are currently in the process of porting our reading software to the Palm Pre platform, webOS. However, we cannot announce a release date at this time. Any announcements about new releases of our software will be in future issues of the eReader.com Newsletter.
It's a pretty vague answer, but we'll take it. A similar answer was given to RWood of the Mobileread forums. Of course it was revealed back in June that eReader was eventually coning to the WebOS, so it's good to hear that wasn't an empty promise and they're actually currently porting it, and not just saying they're going to port it "eventually".
Personally I'm excited and wondering is eReader will use the standard API or if Palm will be given additional deeper OS access, like with what happened with Classic. Time will tell.
Update: As ianscottgraves reminds me in the comments, there is another e-book reader already currently on the App Catalog, Shortcovers.
41 Comments
I'd like to see the Kindle software ported, like they did for iPhone. Seems like a natural, since Kindle uses Sprint's network for delivery. It's nice to have a secondary copy to use!
Ditto this, I am waiting for a Kindle app. I've already e-mailed Amazon's Kindle support about this. I think they might be motivated if they hear from more users.
I'm with you on that. I want the books I purchased via Amazon on my Pre.
Would love a kindle app.
'Shortcovers' is an e-reader and that's been in the app catalog since launch basically. The idea is cool, but I'll have to schedule an eye exam in the near future if I start reading my books on a
This is good news. I am still using the classic eReader and one nice feature is that double tap will high light a word and copied, and I can quickly open a dictionary app to look it up.
I also hope there will be an offline dictionary, so I can use on an airplane.
I used eReader on my treo 680 all the time, but decided not to buy Classic (since that would have been the only app I used it for).
Tried Shortcovers, and was able to load one book, but when I tried to buy and download another one, it wouldn't work. Just downloads blank pages. I contacted the Shortcovers people about it, and they were very apologetic, but I haven't actually seen a fix.
I contacted eReader about a WebOS version and they gave the same story that is mentioned above. But that was over a month ago. Until I see some more concrete information, I'm not getting my hopes up!
This makes me happy. The majority of my ebooks are in ereader and while classic works, the screen is unnecessarily small.
I'd LOVE a Kindle app for when I don't want to use the Kindle itself. It's pretty much the only app I use w/ any frequency on my Touch.
Kindle Reader or nothing for me. I own a Kindle 2, it would be nice to have my books available on my Pre.
The small screen will make it difficult to read, but if (or when) we can get a pico projector to interface to the Pre you could project the eBook onto a reasonable size format to read.
How big do you want it ? !
Its a mobile phone for Pete sakes !
I think his point was that a cell phone in general isn't the optimal reading device. I personally prefer my Kindle for pleasure reading, but I'd use my Pre if I wanted to keep something handy for reference (programming reference, language dictionary, etc.)
I think a cell phone is fine for reading, have been reading all of my books through phone for a few years. Not any problems. I want as many tools as possible through my phone, I think it is useless to have a device for everything (phone, mp3 player, kindle book reader, etc.) All on one device please! I like to read when ever I have a few minutes to spare and I certainly can't carry multiple devices everywhere or an actual book everywhere, cell phone works great.
Excellent !
This should've been a standard issue !
I think with Palm keeping its cards so close to their chests a lot of Palm "Friends" are have been left in the dark....wonder if DateBk guys are plotting something ?
My eyes hurt already.
I cannot wait! please hurry ereader!
anyword on mobipocket.com?
I used the mobipocket reader on my treo and liked it, but dont get your hopes up on it. Mobipocket is now owned by amazon which has the kindle. From what I have read, they are not porting the reader program because that might take away a few sales of the kindle.
That might be why they aren't porting Mobipocket, but I don't see that as a good reason. Reading on the Kindle is a lot different from reading on a cell phone. They target two different types of readers. Someone serious enough about reading to spend at least $200 on a device (taking into account Ebay and used Kindles in general) isn't going to be dissuaded by a cell phone reader. The quality of the experience is just a lot better on the Kindle. I've read books on at least 4 Palm devices, and the Kindle is just a superior experience. The people that the Mobipockets of the world are geared towards aren't being pulled away from buying Kindles.
I'm still waiting for a good ereader that lets me load my own books. Shortcovers is ok but I don't want to have to purchase a bunch of stuff through them. I have a ton of ebooks already that I would load if there was support for them.
I can only think that if a story like this hits the home page that there may be something appearing shortly in the app catalog.....
As long as the ereader can switch to side view like the web browser the screen is plenty big. I really hope they have this mode. And, yes shortcovers is useless to people who already own books that they want to read.
YES!
Like others, I've running eReader on Classic, and while it works, I don't like throwing away half my screen for the emulated buttons.
I tried Shortcovers, but for me, it was a non-starter. Can't read if you don't have a data connection. Can't read my existing ebook library. Can't use a dictionary. Shortcovers is a book streaming application, which just seems kind of brain dead to me. YMMV.
@ksom: Assuming the WebOS eReader works like the Treo version, you can buy a dictionary as just another ebook. You can set eReader to automatically lookup words when you select them. I love this feature.
Screen size is not a big problem. I've read many ebooks on my Centro.
We need to keep contacting ebooks.com I received an email response with the same story from them back in June.
I've got too big a collection of ebooks I've purchased to switch to another format. For now, I carry my ipod touch around mostly for the ereader.
I posted a message to the forum way back in June when I first got my Pre. The message that was received is exactly the same response that was posted in this article. This is no change. I'm hoping that they're working on it, but the truth is this is exactly the same response received back in June, so this is not new. (not meant to be rude in writing this response).
Shortcovers is not an eBook reader. As dwhitman states, it is a book streamer.
That it required an internet connection to do anything killed it from the start. As it was the only option I still gave it a try, but the software was never very good and frequently bad.
eReader will be welcome.
Just to be clear ... the latest version of Shortcovers allows you to download the books to your Pre. You need a data connection to get the books (and you can only get them from Shortcovers), but you don't need a data connection to read them.
There's still an odd bug where bookmarks don't work without a data connection, but the book itself is on your Pre.
Having said that, I would really love to have the option of a native eReader for the Pre. Unfortunately ebooks is such a morass of competing formats and DRM protection right now, that I hate to invest in any ebooks for fear of being tied to some specific company/format/reader. Hoping someone makes an epub, open format reader so we can control our own library.
Good to know, thanx.
That is one of the dangers of gimping your product too much at the start: How to inform previous users of key improvements.
I hated my Windows Mobile phone except for one thing. Microsoft Reader is more than adequate for an ebook reader. I have been reading books almost exclusively on a 3" screen for years. You can change the font size so eye strain isn't quite as big a deal as you might think. I typically have dozens of books in my phone at any one time.
I don't trust the DRM only book readers. Not to mention that many won't let you open other files like our own Shortcovers. That is the worst, lol.
I think our main hope is rboatright! Just something that can open files and remember what page I am on and I am all set. The features can take as long as they take once I get that basic functionality. Ebooks are the killer app for me.
thanks for listening to my $.02.
Is it "coning" or coming to webOS?
shortcovers is too limited in it's capabilities. A full feature ebook reader that can display multiple formats has been one of my top wishes for a long time - like mobipocket was on my blackberry. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that ereader will be out soon and be capable!
We got the same kind of "We will anounce when we are ready!" from audible.com for audio books too...
Come on companies...this is not rocket science here. Us users need to keep bugging these support people so they know there is a market.
Pre marketing people....please call audible/amazon/ereader and give them free pres or whatever is needed to get them to get this stuff going...
I read "Quicksilver" on the HTC Titan, which has a 2.8" screen, smaller than the Pre.
That book has 1000 REAL pages. The Pre is just fine for reading.
Decided to give ebooks a shot and have been using Shortcovers on the pre. LOVE it. It's great. I downloaded my book and have been reading it on the pre. What's great about Shortcovers though is that you can also read any books you've purchased online via a web browser. You can mark and save pages to continue reading from where you left off previously. As if that wasn't cool enough already, Shortcovers allows you to download an adobe ePub version of the file (DRM included) so that you can read it using your laptop/desktop as well.
1. So with one purchase you can read it on your pre and bookmark.
2. You can read it on shortcovers.com and bookmark.
3. You can download an ePub file and read it on your laptop/desktop and even make notes and bookmark.
That is an awesome value. While the pre reader is not perfect, I've found it to be useful and manageable, even despite the data connection issue (which I believe they've stated they are working on).
Folks should definitely give Shortcovers another look if they haven't done so recently.
Fantastic, wondering when Flash player will be coming to WebOS though...
Sorry, had to beat this horse again.
gosh, I hope never... or at least there's a way to block it from showing up/loading.
I couldn't agree with you more. Nothing will DESTROY my browsing experience more quickly than having Flash *forced* on me.
If we must have Flash, give users a choice of on/off/delay load!
This is good news. I've been waiting for it. I have a bunch of eReader books and look forward to more.
I hope we can download, browse, and purchase books directly to the phone without a computer. The PalmOS version never did that.
Just want to point out that ereader is owned by Barnes & Noble since March, 2009 and is clearly part of B&N's strategy to compete against Amazon and Kindle on multiple fronts. Competition=good.
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/plastic-logics-devic...
I've been reading ebooks on my mobile's for years as well. For the people that think reading a book isn't good on a phone but would use it for "reference" material, that makes no sense to me. I need to scan through reference books, look at diagrams, jump sections, etc. How would that be easier than reading an ebook linearly? I read on Shortcovers and just swipe the page to turn. Wash, rinse, repeat. I put it in "night mode" with white text on the black background.
I won't read a book unless its on my phone. Its just too easy to catch a chapter here and there.
I'm all for people having flexibility. I never liked reading books on my Zire - I just felt like the screen wasn't a comfortable size for reading anything lengthy. However, to each his or her own. :)
I hope this is true and not vaporware! And that we don't have to wait indefinitely. Currently, I have eReader installed in Classic, but it would be even nicer to have a native WebOS app, and to be able to use the full screen real estate.
It seems as every comment I read about ereader (or similiar program)that comes to palm pre it doesn't deliver like the real mccoy (eReader). I still own & use my palm centro to read my ebooks. This is the primary reason why I haven't migrated to WebOS. To be able to read anytime, anywhere with my cellphone is a blessing to me. Palm user since Palmpilot days. Palm Pre user when eReader comes around.