eBook Readers
eBooks are currently published in a number of different formats, here are the most popular and the software you need to read them!
At the moment the eBook market lacks any one standard eBook format. So eBooks are produced in a number of different formats, with the most popular being as a compiled .exe program, as an Adobe PDF file or in the Microsoft Reader format.
For more information on each type of eBook reader then please read on!
Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is developed by Adobe to be an open and totally protable file format, any document that is converted to the Portable Document Format maintains all of the original document's formating, this includes fonts, graphics, text and colour.
Provided that the user has the Acrobat Reader software installed on their computer, the PDF file can be opened and displayed as the author intended.
The PDF format is seen everywhere on the internet today, and is used by millions of businesses and individuals. The plus side is that the Acrobat reader is free to download and a link to the download area can be found below:
| To obtain Adobe Acrobat Reader click here: |  |
Palm PDF Reader
Abobe have now launched a PDF Reader for Palm OS. This application allows you to view unaltered PDF documents directly on your Palm device. If you have a colour Palm you can even see the PDF in full colour.
The Reader even scales down images in the PDF for you, and no alterations to the original PDF have to be made in order to view them on your Palm.
To download a copy of the Abobe Palm PDF Reader for Mac OS or Windows visit:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readerforpalm.html
Microsoft Reader
Developed by Microsoft the reader software is compatible with all types of Windows Operating Systems as well as being available for the Pocket PC and Tablet PC operating system.
The Microsoft Reader has been developeed with copyright protection in mind, and has the ability to protect the integrity of the contents of any eBook in a digital format from unauthorised alteration.
As reading an eBook on the screen can be very tiring, Microsofts Reader also has a Text to Speech facility which is an optional download that allows you to have the computer read the book to you.
The MS Reader download is about 3.5MB in size and can be downloaded from the link below:
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/pc.asp
.EXE eBooks
A lot of eBooks that are circulating the internet that are either free or sold are usually sent to you with a .EXE file extension. These eBooks could have been created from a number of eBook creation software titles that are currently available. Creating an eBook as a .EXE file allows the creator to give their eBook a certain feel and it can stop people copying the contents of the eBook.
A lot of internet savy people are scared to run the .EXE eBooks as everyone knows that you are not recommended to run any .EXE files that you may receive via Email, as the program may contain hidden or nasty code that can delete or ruin your computer in some way. This should never be that case with a .EXE eBook, all of these types of eBooks are created by professional people using professional eBook creation software.
.EXE ebook can only be used on computers that have the Windows operating system installed and no specific reader software is required to read them, maybe that's why this format is so popular.
If you want to know more about eBook creation software then please visit our Ebook creation software pages.
