 - An eBook is an electronic version of a traditional print book that
can be read by using a personal computer
or by using an eBook reader. (An eBook reader can be a software application for use on a computer, such as Microsoft's free Reader application, or a book-sized computer that is used solely
as a reading device, such as Nuvomedia's Rocket eBook.) Users can purchase an eBook on diskette or CD, but the most popular method of getting an eBook is to purchase a
downloadable file of the eBook (or other reading material) from a Web site (such as Barnes
and Noble) to be read from the user's computer or reading device.
Generally, an eBook can be downloaded in five minutes or less.
Although it is not necessary to use a reader application or device
in order to read an Ebook (most books can be read as PDF files),
they are popular because they enable options similar to those of
a paper book - readers can bookmark pages, make notes, highlight
passages, and save selected text. In addition to these familiar
possibilities, eBook readers also include built-in dictionaries, and
alterable font sizes and styles. Typically, an eBook reader hand-held
device weighs from about twenty-two ounces to three or four pounds and
can store from four thousand to over half a million pages of text and
graphics. A popular feature is its back-lit screen (which makes reading
in the dark possible).
Some eBooks can be downloaded for free or at reduced cost, however,
prices for many eBooks - especially bestsellers - are similar to those
of hardcover books, and are sometimes higher. Most eBooks at Barnes and
Noble, for example, are comparable in price to their traditional
print versions.
| LAST UPDATED: |
09 Sep 2003
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