Motorola DROID 2 Global, Manual

Page: 358 / 619

CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books
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E-Books
Unlike the iPhone, Android doesn’t come with a standard e-book reader. That doesn’t
leave you out of options, however. You can choose from a large selection of readers,
both for open and proprietary book formats. Keep in mind that there are several formats
for reading books, and some companies put Digital Rights Management (
DRM
) on their
e-books to prevent them from being illegally distributed or read in unauthorized readers.
Figure 16–3 shows just a sampling of available e-book readers for Android.
Figure 16–3. Android e-book readers.
If you have already begun creating a digital library, you’ll want to stick with an app that is
compatible with your content. If you’re just getting started, there are a few things to
keep in mind as you choose a reading app:
Proprietary formats : Epub is one of the most widely accepted book
formats, but even it comes in DRM and non-DRM varieties. Check to
see if the book you purchase is protected by DRM or an open offering.
Storage : Where are your books stored? Can you download a new
copy if your phone crashes? Can you pick up your book on one device
and finish on another?
Availability : How many books are available from your online
bookstore? If you can only buy a few books, and those books can only
be read on a single reader, it’s quickly a case of diminishing returns.
Price : What’s the average price for a book? Publishers are moving
from a model where e-book stores offer variable pricing, so look at
several titles.
Stability : The digital world is a very rapidly changing place. There are
no guarantees that your favorite store will stay in business.