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Sony Reader now works with OverDrive library books—plus other first reactions
July 24, 2008 | 4:12 pm
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By David Rothman
"Sony Reader now works with Overdrive!" librarian Jeff Scott reports. "The Digital Editions showed my PRS 505. I downloaded a title, and dragged and dropped. Awesome!!!"
Meanwhile Edwin Wisse found that that DE recognized the Reader, no problem—although reflowable PDF is apparently cutting words in two. That seems to be my experience. But perhaps I’m missing out on something. Maybe Jim Lester can fill us in.
Update, 4:42 p.m.: On another title, a Mencken bio from Wowio, the PDF reflowability feature works great! While the DE/PDF combo on the Reader is no replacement for something effortlessly reflowble like ePub, it’s a definite improvement.
Update 5:30: With the reflowability in action, there are pages cut short. But this is still better than the tiny type I suffered before when reading Wowio books. Meanwhile I’m wondering if there isn’t a pattern. The PDF I had a problem with was in a large font, while the Mencken bio wasn’t.
Also see Paul Biba’s positive comments.
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Comments:
The PDF format is not built to easily accommodate reflowability like ePub is. Although we can try clever hacks, it all depends upon how the PDF is authored. If the text for a word is split across separate text flows we will break there if needed. Another really bad reflow problem is when text flows run across columns instead of within columns. We much prefer using ePub for devices.
Oh yeah, the paging thing. We reflow pages, we do not reflow across pages. So if the content of your 6 page document with your current font size fits 2 1/2 pages per pages of reflowed text per reflowed document. That will reflow to 18 pages with 1/2 blank pages every 3rd page, instead of the more friendly 15 pages of content.
Jim, thanks for a good, honest depiction of the feature. I’m very glad it’s around despite the flaws. Later tonight we’ll most likely be publishing info for PRS-505 owners on how to enjoy OverDrive books from local libraries—many of them in PDF. That’s the bottom line. I’d never mess with them without the reflowabilty feature. As the old saying goes, some things are worth doing badly, if that’s the only choice. David
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