Mac iPhone Ebook Reader Software Rocks, Says Wired

Charlie Sorrel reviews, in Wired's Gadget Lab, the Stanza, a free version of the Mac ebook reading software, and gives it high marks. Read "how to turn your iPhone into a mini-Kindle."

"I really like this application," writes Sorrel. "It means you can quite literally carry a small library in your pocket. The one problem is that, unlike the Kindle, you can't buy new titles direct from the iPhone. Stanza supports most e-book formats, so if you buy a .mobi book, for example, you'll be able to read it. But imagine if you could browse Amazon and buy things directly. It might kill the Kindle, but Amazon would sell a lot of e-books."

When asked in January 2008 why he hadn't built e-reads software into v. 1 of the iPhone, Apple CEO Steve Jobs sneered, "People Don't Read Anymore." Anybody think he'll sing a different tune now?

RC

Fictionwise Hits the iPhone, E-Books Hit the Big Time

Along with today's release of Apple's 3G iPhone and the new iPhone application store, found in iTunes v. 7.7 and iPhone 2.0 software, Fictionwise has become the first major e-book retailer to offer free e-book software for Apple's iPhone.

We all know Fictionwise as the world's largest e-book retailer, and now they have their e-books ready for the world's most famous touchscreen device. Before today, you had to hack your iPhone to run unsupported e-book software that was both risky and limited. Also, there were no stores that promoted the use of such software for your purchased e-books. But now Fictionwise is set to conquer the iPhone with their eReader software, which lets you carry your Fictionwise library everywhere you take your phone.


The best part is that it's a free download through the iTunes application store. The next best thing is that all of E-Reads' Multiformat e-books at Fictionwise are supported by the application!

There are other ebook options and more coming soon for the iPhone. In the future, Adobe and Mobipocket will be hitting the iPhone in a powerful way and hopefully that will bring even more digital e-book content to the world's fingertips. Until then, Fictionwise is your best and safest bet for good reading on the iPhone.

- Michael