Comments on: Improvements to the German e-book portal libreka!—plus the first official iPhone e-reader running Adobe-DRMed ePub

By: gewappnet

gewappnet — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:25:48 +0000

@asphalt: No, most of the current bestsellers are offered in Adobe Digital Editions only. And the alternative is not “print on demand”, these are just the normal books.

Libreka started as a full text search for (digitized) German books – a desperate attempt of the German publishers to have something similar to Google Books in place. The idea was to offer a full text search for “normal” books and give you an idea what to buy at your local book store. Then they added the possibility to buy a few books also as e-books. But Libreka is still made by book stores. If you want to buy an e-book you will have to input the posting address of a (physical) book store that will get part of the money you pay for the e-book. Yes, you have to name a book store to be able to buy an e-book! Very strange.

By: Clint Brauer

Clint Brauer — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:36:59 +0000

Hmm..wish I read German. Where do you find the download? I didn’t see it from my US version of IPhone store…

By: asphalt

asphalt — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:59:16 +0000

Thanks for commenting about the iPhone app Martin Jenny. I hadn’t thought about that wrinkle at all; but will remain hopeful. I can’t help wondering whether GoodReader on my iPod touch mightn’t handle a mobile-pdf file; but I’m not too game to risk it at present…

I just did some digging around on libreka. The formats offered are, as noted above, all Adobe: PC-pdf, mobile-pdf and Adobe Digital Editions. All can be read on a Sony Reader, or using the Adobe Digital Editions app on one’s pc. Not sure whether the availability of mobile-pdf indicates readability on any existing smartphones with pdf readers installed, but maybe. I couldn’t really tell whether all titles are available in all 3 formats — have only browsed around there long enough to get my most superficial questions answered; have to browse a bit more.

The selection available electronically still appears to be somewhat limited, but includes a lot of current bestsellers. Some titles are available as ‘print on demand’ only. Be sure to pay attention when seeking literature. There is some literary criticism cataloged at libreka according to the title and author of the work being analyzed — not the name of the scholar/critic.

Have to wait and see how the e-book thing shakes out for them. And for us. I’ve created a customer account with them, and can find no means of adding a title to my ‘shopping cart’. Whether that’s because the title’s not available as an e-book, or whether it’s because I’m accessing from a U.S. domain, is ambiguous. No idea whether there will be geographical limitations to purchasing. I shall explore some more…

By: Martin Jenny

Martin Jenny — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:15:00 +0000

The announcement actually states, that the libreka app will be available in November. My impression is, that the approval process for the appstore is not very transparent, so the statement is better taken with a grain of salt. A truckload of salt, actually, because openinge the iPhone to Adobe DRM might not be in Apple’s best interest with the mythical tablet on the horizon. If the tablet is positioned as a reading device Apple will be pushing their own commercial solution and they don’t have a history of diversity.
Why then did they approve the Kindle app? Because that was a year or so ago and customers owning a Kindle are basically lost to them anyway.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the libreka app goes the same way as Google voice, as far as the iPhone is concerned.