Official Bookeen blog (English version)

Bookeen's blog gets a new home!

2010-06-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that our blog is getting a fresh look and a new home. From now on, follow all our news at this address : http://bookeen.com/blog/

Thank you for reading !

Best regards,
Bookeen Team

And as always, you can join the discussion on twitter and on facebook.

On May 7, Cybook OPUS comes in 7 new colours with upgraded features, for the ultimate in eBook democratization!

2010-04-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

Bookeen is happy to announce that the Opus in 7 new colours will be available in stores starting May 7.

It’s the same Opus so many of you know and love, but better. You can still carry up to 1000 books in a mere 150 grams, or up to 8000 more by adding an optional microSD card; enough to carry your entire library in the palm of your hand. The accelerometer means it’s equally comfortable in your left hand or your right hand, and lets you switch between portrait and landscape displays automatically. You still have the choice of 12 different font sizes, to suit everyone’s eyes and preferences. And it’s still compatible with most major online booksellers so you can easily load it up with any of the millions of classics available or recent best-sellers in a couple of clicks.

Now, improved battery life means up to 15 days or 8500 pages on a single charge. Go from “zero” to “reading” in 1 second thanks to the new sleep mode, and start reading instantly whenever you have a few minutes available; no more waiting 15 seconds to get back to your book. And of course, a bouquet of beautiful new colours to choose from. In addition to the classic white, on May 7, the new-look, enriched-feature Cybook Opus will come in 7 colours: black, silver, blue, red, pink, green and orange.

What’s your favourite colour?

Happy reading!
The Bookeen Team

The discussion continues on facebook and twitter.

Roses and books

2010-04-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

This article was first posted on MobileRead.com forums, it is re-posted here, slightly edited, with permission.

Today is World Book Day. This international event organised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) got its start in Spain in 1923, where the commemoration of Miguel de Cervantes' death by local booksellers combined with the celebration of St. George's Day to create a new traditional exchange of flowers and... books.

The intent of World Book Day according to the UNESCO:
By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.

According to the official site:

23 April: a symbolic date for world literature for on this date and in the same year of 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia where on 23 April, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold. The success of the World Book and CopyrightDay will depend primarily on the support received from all parties concerned (authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, public and private institutions, humanitarian NGOs and the mass media), who have been mobilized in each country by UNESCO National Commissions, UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations, Associated Schools and Libraries, and by all those who feel motivated to work together in this world celebration of books and authors.

Last year a member of the MobileRead forum proposed we try to think of ways to make ebooks part of the celebration: for example, going back to the original Catalan tradition of booksellers offering a rose for every book purchased, and florists giving a small book with every rose purchased, and men offering roses to women who reply with a book, he proposes that we might give virtual roses for ebook purchases, or perhaps we could send e-roses to authors we appreciate (provided their work is available as an ebook, obviously!). Sounds like a nice idea to me!

Here is one way of making a virtual rose that you can send in an email or on twitter:
--'--,--{@

Feel free to share in the comments if you have any other suggestions.

How will you and your Cybook celebrate World Book Day? Who would you like to send a rose to? Tell us all about it in the comments.

Continue the discussion on facebook. Send roses on twitter with the #WorldBookDay hashtag.

Happy reading!
The Bookeen Team

For more information:

World Book Day on the UNESCO site

World Book Day on Wikipedia

Join the discussion with Bookeen!

2010-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

To be closer to the Bookeen community, Bookeen is opening the dialog on new fronts. We are very happy to invite you to join us on facebook. Become a fan of the ebook-reader pioneers and join the discussion! Tell us where and how you like to read on your Cybook, what features are most important for you, stay up to date on the latest news, and exchange thoughts with your fellow “Bookeeners”!

In addition, “a little birdie” is tweeting the latest news from Bookeen on Twitter. Follow us to hear about what’s going on with Bookeen, in 140 characters maximum.

The pocket-sized Opus is so light that you can carry it absolutely everywhere with you. What’s your favorite place to read?

To celebrate, we’ve created a photo album just for you: the “Cybook Parade”! Share your photos of your Cybook out and about. The photos will be displayed in our facebook album; you can upload them directly, or email them to us at community@bookeen.com. Please mention “Cybook Parade” in the subject line.

Best regards,

Bookeen Team

Interview with Bookeen on e-reader-info.com

2010-02-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

Hello,

A very nice and long interview of Michael Dahan (one of the two Bookeen co-founders). he talks about his company, his products and his vision of the business in the E-Reader-info.com blog resource.

Enjoy it's just below:

http://www.e-reader-info.com/interview-michael-dahan-co-founder-and-ceo-bookeen

Best regards,

Bookeen Team

Cybook Opus on Home Shopping Network

2010-02-16T04:19:00.000-08:00

Hello,

Cybook Opus is available on Home Shopping Network for a special USD $199.95 offer.

For the ones, who want to have a great demo of the product, check the video.

Enjoy http://electronics.hsn.com/bookeen-ereader-5-e-ink-screen-1gb-memory-with-preloaded-books_p-5917463_xp.aspx?web_id=5917463&ocm=sekw

Best regards,

Bookeen Team

2009-12-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

At last! Here is the long awaited Firmware Upgrade for Cybooks.

Thank you for your support and your patience!

All the Bookeen Team whishes you a Merry Christmas!

About the next firmware upgrade.

2009-08-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

Our Dev team will soon release the next firmware upgrade.

For all Cybooks (Gen3 and Opus), you will have a possibility to download 2 firmware.

Here are some of the new features that will brighten up your reading experience:

Firmware 1.5: Mobipocket.

- Support of Mobipocket prc files.

- Support of non DRMed prc and pdf files.

- Support of html, txt, jpeg, png, gif.

- 12 font sizes on all prc, html and txt files.

- Rotation of the page and Zoom from 50 to 100%.

- Browsing mode : new interface presentation.

- Possibility to create your own folders.

- Possibility to speed-up the page turn (in library-mode and in a book)

- Possibility to zoom / change font size by pressing + or – button (Cybook Gen3), by pressing simultaneously menu and one of the page forward/backward button (Cybook Opus).

- Possibility to delete files by pressing delete button (Cybook Gen3), by going through the menu (Cybook Gen3 and Cybook Opus).

Firmware 2.0: Adobe Digital Edition

- Support of Adobe Digital Edition epub and pdf files.

- Support of non DRMed epub and pdf files.

- Support of html, txt, jpeg, png, gif.

- 12 font sizes on all epub, txt, html files.

- Rotation of the page and Zoom from 50 to 100%.

- For pdf files: hyperlinks are now activated and the covers are displayed on the library page.

- Browsing mode: new interface presentation.

- Possibility to create your own folders.

- Possibility to speed-up the page turn by maintening the pressure on a page turn button (in library-mode and in a book).

- Possibility to zoom / change font size by pressing + or – (Cybook Gen3), by pressing menu and one of the page forward/backward button (Cybook Opus).

- Possibility to delete files by pressing delete button (Cybook Gen3), by going through the menu (Cybook Gen3 and Cybook Opus).

We hope that you will enjoy reading with your Cybook even more than before.

Best regards,

Bookeen Team.

Bookeen present at MobileRead meetup in Paris

2009-07-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hello,

As you may know, we are on the verge to release our new Cybook Opus and will introduce it to the MobileRead community during their French meetup in Paris. There will be some hands-on demos and Bookeen people will be there to answer your questions.

In parallel, we will propose (in avant-première and during the meet-up) to Cybook GEN3 possessors to upgrade their devices with the - long awaited - new firmware.

So don't forget your Cybooks!

For reminder, here is the information concerning the Meetup organized by Mobileread:

When : Saturday, 4 July 2009from about 18.00 (6.00pm)
Where : Le Décalé (previously "LA TROTTINETTE")
23, rue de la Fontaine au RoiParis 11th arrondissementMétro Goncourt (line 11)
or if you prefer Parmentier (line 3) or République (lines 3, 5, 8, 9, 11)

Best regards,

Michael

Adobe PDF and EPUB will be present in Bookeen products

2009-02-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

Bookeen has signed an agreement with Adobe to license the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK for its products.
The new software engine delivers support for reflowable PDF technology, Adobe’s content protection technology, as well as the EPUB file format, an XML-based eBook standard with broad support from the publishing industry.
The Bookeen products will be compatible with Adobe Digital Edition Desktop application (compatible both on PCs and Macs) enabling users to acquire and download their content from a variety of sources.
Both the PDF and EPUB support will become available through a software release scheduled in quarter 1 2009, more details will follow later.

Adobe Press Release

First comics in Cybook bundle.

2009-01-21T04:20:00.000-08:00

From now on you can find 5 eBooks demo from Foolstrip in your Cybook.
Foolstrip is a French comic’s publisher coming from the web and going imprint with some best seller. For this latest bundle, Foolstrip has worked directly to adapt their comics to the Cybook format.
This is just a beginning in exploring the comic’s e-reading performance.

We also add a little helper for those who are seeking for a Cybook demonstration. As you can see on the right part of the screen is a map which may help you to find where to buy a Cybook in the nearest brick-and-mortar shop. If you are looking for a complete resellers’ list, you will find it here.

Software Upgrade for the Cybook Gen3: Ver. 1.2 Build 796

2008-09-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Cybook User,

This utility updates the Cybook Gen3 (CYBGEN310B) system software to version 1.2.
Happy e-reading…

Sincerely,
Bookeen Support Team

What's New in Version 1.2 (Build 796)

New: user interface now available in 6 languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian & Dutch).
Improvement: reduced power consumption.
Improvement: reduced memory usage.
New: zoom menu for PDF files.
Improvement: fast panning within PDF files.
Improvement: general stability and performance.
Fix: SD card detection.
Fix: last page saved for files with UTF8 (non ANSI) names.
New: possibility to restore factory settings (also deletes personal data in internal memory). To do so, press volume- while switching off.

What was New in Version 1.1

New: hyphenation support in Mobipocket files.
Improvement: new button management (faster and buffered key detection).
Improvement: new event management (previous versions could miss events).
Improvement: reduced power consumption.
Improvement: table support in Mobipocket files.
Bug fix: large covers in PRC files.
Bug fix: Asian characters are now displayed properly in PRC files.
Bug fix: PDF viewer memory management (to be continued).
Bug fix: TrueType font detection (“Fonts” directory).
Bug fix: various user interface items (to be continued).
Bug fix: detection of MP3 playback frequencies.
New: in the “Library”, a lock symbol is visible when a read-only SD card is inserted.

How to Download

From your computer, visit http://www.bookeen.com/support.
Login and download the upgrade file.
Extract the content of the downloaded zip file.
You should get a single file “update_kernel”; this is the firmware upgrade utility.
Copy the file “update_kernel” to the root of an SD card.

How to Install

Make sure your Cybook has enough power to operate.
Switch off your device.
Insert the SD card into your Cybook.
Switch on your device.
When the boot image is visible (Cybook & Bookeen logotypes), press the center key of the navigation button and keep it pressed for a few seconds until the screen flashes.
When the screen flashes, you can release the key; the upgrade process is launched.
Only the needed sections are updated. The upgrade should be completed after a couple of minutes.
When the upgrade is completed, the Cybook starts normally.
Delete the file “update_kernel” from the SD card and from your computer. This file will not be useful anymore.
Congratulations! Your Cybook has been upgraded with version 1.2.

How to Check my Cybook Version

Open the contextual menu.
Open "Advanced…", then "About…".
"Boo Reader" section shows "Version: x.y (build z)".

How to Send Suggestions

Your feedback is very much welcome.
Please avoid using blogs, forums or mailing lists.
Simply send an email to support_at_bookeen.com.
All suggestions are taken into account as much as possible in our development schedule.

What's Next

New directory view.
Improved Mobipocket, HTML & TXT support.
More languages.

Bookeenvibes : All you want to know about the Cybook

2008-07-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a new way to find news, photos, videos and review about the Cybook and Bookeen:
Bookeenvibes
We will insert more articles and specialise the tabs to provide you a better view on our ebook reader and its Universe. Share with us your url, just keep in mind that the place need to stay clean.

Have a good e-reading

Bookeen's team

Leather cover for an e-reading summer

2008-07-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

From the Bookeen website you can now order leather cover for your Cybook Gen3.
The Old Brown version has been discontinued. Those new covers, inspired from customers feedback, are easier to handle. From now, you are able to choose among 4 colors of leather cover plus the one that is now join to the Deluxe Pack.
Let's see what we got:
Black PU - Red Leather - Brown Leather - Shiny Leather - Camel Leather

Cybook Gen3 build release - battery life extension -

2008-06-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

The firmware 1.1 got a new build (708). It has been released today via our website: www.bookeen.com/support
The firmware 1.1 previous build had experienced some battery problems for several devices. Build 708 will fix that regression and also provide you with the whole version of firmware 1.1 with a little plus: hyphenation support in mobipocket files. Also, the author's name will now appear in the header of your book if indicated in the book's description.
The download modus operandi will be the same as for the last release.

Enjoy your reading experience.

Best regards,
Bookeen team

P.S.: you must be registered at bookeen.com to download the build 708.

Cybook Gen3 Firmware Upgrade - at last -

2008-05-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

The first Cybook Gen3 firmware upgrade (version 1.1) is now available, thank you for your patience. With this build you will be able to enjoy several improvements. Check the link below to discover the features of this new firmware and how to download it.

www.bookeen.com/support

We hope that you will enjoy this new reading experience.
Best regards,

Bookeen team

PS: you must be registered at bookeen.com to access the upgrade firmware utility.

Cybook is back in stock for its six-month anniversary

2008-05-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

It’s been 6 months that we brought the Cybook Gen3 to you. Even with being 4 time out-of-stock, we do continue to share with you the same passion for digital reading. Today, we are excited to announce that Cybook is in stock and ready for shipment within 14 business days.

With this new batch, Bookeen has introduced some hardware and software improvements in Cybook. These elements will be explained and developed in a future post.

Thanks for all your support during this first half of year!

Enjoy your reading with the Cybook.

Waiting for, the new firmware.

2008-04-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Our team is actually working on the development of the new firmware. We are late for that first official update, nevertheless we are doing all that we can to supply you rapidly with your new firmware, integrating a maximum of new feature and bug fixes.

A first hint about what will be integrated in this upgrade is that it will sensibly change the navigation button management.

Cybook in university library

2008-04-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

Angers’ university library (France), is now sharing a new idea: experimentation on process and use of the Cybook Gen3 for the students.

They just got equipped with a dozen of Cybooks. Daniel Bourrion (librarian in charge of the digital library) will put Cybooks in students’ hands, allowing a better understanding of the use of eReaders on campus. For more information please visit the blog of Daniel http://detoutsurrien.wordpress.com/ under the heading "Mon e-reader s’appelle reviens". Only in internal loan for the moment, the Cybook Gen3 will be available to students once system and uses be clearly established.

Le Cybook en bibliothèque universitaire

2008-04-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

La BU d’Angers vient de s’équiper d’une dizaine de Cybooks.

L’expérimentation menée par Daniel Bourrion (conservateur des bibliothèques responsable de la bibliothèque numérique) va permettre de placer dans les mains des étudiants les Cybooks Gen3 et de mieux comprendre l’usage des readers en université. Pour en savoir plus vous pouvez vous rendre sur le blog de Daniel, http://detoutsurrien.wordpress.com/ dans la rubrique «Mon e-reader s’appelle reviens». Pour l’instant en prêt interne seulement, les Cybooks seront mis à disposition des étudiants, une fois un système et des usages clairement établis.

Bookeen’s resellers network grows rapidly

2008-04-11T05:47:00.000-07:00

Bookeen is now close from gathering 18 dealers in 11 different countries.

You can find the Cybook Gen3 both on specialized online retailers like Justread in Germany or AppoloXXI in Spain, and generalist online sites as Bow.it in Italy, Develop-it in Belgium or Dicoland in France. Bookshops are also reselling the device. Now, you can find the Cybook Gen3 in physical stores like Feltrinelli in Italy and L’appel du livre in France but also on online eBook retailers like Elittera in Norway and Booksonboard for the North American territory.

Lately, you can also find the Cybook Gen3 in outlets 5sur5 Powerstore, French network dedicated to new communication technologies, as well as on the Polish and Czech specialist stores eMedia and Acomp.

Finally, the Cybook made a noticed entry in the famous Brentano’s bookstore, located in the heart of Paris.

Le réseau de revendeurs de Bookeen se développe

2008-04-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

Bookeen compte aujourd’hui près de 18 revendeurs dans 11 pays différents.

Vous pouvez trouver le Cybook Gen3 aussi bien sur des sites de vente en ligne spécialisés comme Justread en Allemagne ou AppoloXXI en Espagne, que sur des sites de ventes plus généralistes comme Bow.it en Italie, Develop-it en Belgique ou Dicoland en France.

Les librairies sont aussi présentes, de manière physique avec Feltrinelli en Italie et L’appel du livre en France, ainsi qu’en ligne avec Elittera en Norvège, Booksonboard pour le territoire Nord-américain.

Depuis peu, vous pouvez aussi trouver le Cybook Gen3 dans les points de ventes 5sur5 Powerstore, réseau français dédié aux nouvelles technologies de la communication, ainsi que sur les sites polonais et tchèque des magasins spécialisés eMedia et Acomp.

Enfin le Cybook fait une entrée remarqué dans la célèbre librairie Brentano’s, situé en plein cœur de Paris, et est présenté au milieu des ouvrages anglais et français.

Venez nous rencontrer au Salon du Livre de Paris

2008-03-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

Bookeen est présent au salon du Livre de Paris. Notre stand A067 se situe dans l’espace « Lectures de demain » dédié au livre numérique. Nous serons très heureux de vous recevoir et de vous présenter le Cybook Gen3 en "live". Le Cybook Gen3 sera en démonstration et en vente sur le salon dans la limite des stocks disponibles. Voici quelques liens très utiles pour faciliter votre visite :

- un plan du salon, pour retrouver notre stand,

- les coordonnées exactes du salon du Livre dans Paris,

- les différents moyens de transport pour y accéder,

- notre fiche exposant sur le site du salon.

Visit us at the 2008 Paris book fair

2008-03-15T00:53:00.000-07:00

Bookeen is present at the Paris Book Fair in France from March 14th to 19th. Our booth A067 takes place in the "Lectures de demain" ("Tomorrow’s reading") zone. We will be very happy to meet you there and show you the Cybook Gen3. The Cybook Gen3 will be showcased and for sale on the show within the limits of available stocks. Here are some very useful links to facilitate your visit:

- A plan of the show, to find our stand,

- The exact coordinates of the Paris Book Fair,

- Different means of transportation to get there,

- Our detailed exhibitor file on the show website.

Best wishes 2008

2008-01-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

First of all, with almost one month late, best wishes 2008 to all of you.

This year 2007 has been tremendous for Bookeen. Against all odds, we have released our Cybook Gen3 almost on time and the device has met a smashing success. As already announced several times before, we have been overwhelmed by the demand and we all thank you for this success. The first reactions of our customers and professionals have been great obtaining a 9 out of 10 from TrustedReviews with a nice "Of all the dedicated eBook readers I've seen this is definitely the best".

We have also noted all the remarks of our first customers : folder support, delete key, better sound interface and our dev team is already working on them. Please note that, even if we are not very responsive, we always read all your emails and take in account your feedback.

Since our creation in 2003, Bookeen has always tried to keep in touch with its customers and to offer a reactive and efficient customer support. Concerning this part of our job, we clearly have not met our quality imperatives for the Cybook Gen3 release. We are now making all the necessary decisions to have a customer support department running properly.

In parrallel of our online store, a reseller network has grown much faster than expected and right now almost 11 stores (both web and brick and mortar) are selling the Cybook Gen3. This network is increasing every week and we invite everyone interested by selling the Cybook to get in touch with us.

We have also been part of several great initiatives like the NAEB buyer's club and the Cluster21 publisher pack. I will describe these two initiatives in future posts.

We will definitely be more active on this blog and give you fresh news about Bookeen and Cybook Gen3 in the next few days.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Michael

PS: The Cybook is currently in stock. Shipments have restarted, the current average delay between order and shipment is 5 business days

Cybook Gen 3 more reviews

2007-11-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

Gigi loves book and she has a Cybook gen3. Following our precedent post, here is the second part of the previous review by Gigi from eBooks About Everything.
"All in all – this has been a good experience and I am a happy customer. Sure there are a few changes and/or improvements I would like to see, but they are relatively minor and do not impact my overall satisfaction. Good job, Bookeen! "

If you look for another point of view, another review on Mobileread by Barcey who have made a comparison between a Cybook and a PDA.
"Buy it you won't regret it. You know you want it."

And also another review on Mobileread too by Bob_ninja with many pictures and many test on different kind of ebook files.
"In summary this device met all my expectations and exceeded others. I would gladly recommend it to others. I am looking forward to software updates to clean up the minor issues I found."

Regards,

Bookeen team

Cybook Gen 3 review

2007-11-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

Gigi from eBooks About Everything has received its Cybook Gen3 and has decided to share her first impressions on her blog. So if you want to know her thoughts about the Cybook Gen3 follow the link.

User's guide for Cybook Gen3

2007-11-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

Most of the first Cybook users did notice that the Cybook Gen3 user's guide was not in the Cybook as described in the Quick Start Guide.

With some days late, here is the Mobipocket version of the Cybook Gen3 user's guide.

Download the eBook file here.

For those who have a Cybook:
- Switch on your Cybook.
- Connect your Cybook Gen3 to your computer using your USB cable.
- Let the device mount as an external mass storage device.
- Drag and drop the file in the eBooks folder..
- Unplug the Cybook.
- On the Cybook, choose the user's guide and press the OK button.
- Read.

For those who have not yet a Cybook, download the file and double-click on it. If Mobipocket is installed on your computer, you can read it. For the others install Mobipocket first(*).

(*) Only available on PC

Cybook Gen3 now on sale at Bookeen.com

2007-10-29T01:39:00.000-07:00

Bookeen is proud to announce the availability of the Cybook Gen3 for sale directly on http://www.bookeen.com/.

We invite you to visit our shop section to discover the Cybook Gen3, the Deluxe Pack and its accessories.

The Bookeen website has been updated with many information about the device and its features.

Best regards to all,

Bookeen Team

Packaging pic

2007-10-21T03:53:00.000-07:00

We will very soon open our online shop (and by the way add much more info concerning the Cybook Gen3 on the site). Here is a pic of the packaging of the Cybook Gen3.

Stay tuned, we will send a newsletter to announce the shop opening.

Don't hesitate to subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.bookeen.com/ .

ePaper art on Expo in Paris

2007-10-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

The first ePaper Artwork has been presented during "les Elysées de l'art" a famous art exhibition in Paris. It's our friend and artist Gilles Guias who proposes his artwork.
During the exhibition , most of the people who were looking closely at the artwork are litteraly stuned when the image changes.

Here is a video which shows the artwork in situation.

E-paper art exhibition, Paris.
Uploaded by olivier_nouvellet

Beta Mobipocket Desktop Reader supports Cybook Gen3

2007-10-09T07:45:00.001-07:00

The Mobipocket team has just released a new beta version of the Mobipocket desktop reader for XP and Vista. This new version supports the Cybook Gen3.

Once pluged to your computer, the Cybook Gen3 will be automatically identified and registered as one of your reading devices. After your ebooks have been downloaded from any of the Mobipocket ebook retailers (Mobipocket, Fictionwise, etc.), your books are directly transfered to your Cybook.

The eNews feature will aslo allow you to synchronize your Cybook with feeds chosen among hundred thousands of RSS and eNews sources just by connecting your Cybook to your computer.

Additionally, you can import Office, Pdf, Html, Txt, Chm & Ocf documents.

PS: Currently, the Mobipocket ebook catalogue contains almost 55,000 titles and proposes more than 340,000 feeds.

First Cybook Gen3 review

2007-10-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

BAEN is a succesful and inspired science-fiction publisher in the US. They are very active in the ebook domain especially with their famous ebook webscription system (http://www.baen.com/).
They were among the first to receive and test Cybook Gen3 pre-engineering samples and now they release their first review.

Here it is:
"A couple quick qualifications before I start my review. I have never had a chance to use an eInk device for an extended period of time. I’ve played with the Sony PRS-500 in the store but that is about it. The unit I tested was an engineering sample with software version 0.98. I am a board member of NAEB (Not Another E-Book, LLC) and we are looking to distribute an eInk device.

The first thing I noticed unpacking the Cybook was how solid the unit feels. Unlike LCD devices eInk screens are all plastic. If you press in on any device with an LCD screen you will notice the screen distort, this does not happen with this reader. I’ve gone so far to pound on it, only with my fist, and seen no change. It’s taken a couple of minor spills from 4 feet or so onto both carpet and concrete with no damage. The only complaint I have is that both the USB port and the headphone jack are under a rubber cover. The headphone jack really should be exposed at all times. On that note, the headphone jack is 2.5mm, not 3.5mm.

The screen itself is excellent, if it wasn’t for the bezel you would have a complete 180° of viewing angle. As you can see from the pictures it isn’t perfectly white, the color can best be compared to newsprint. However during my usage that wasn’t an issue except in the lowest of light conditions. Just like a book, the display is 100% reflective. For this reason there is no backlight. The display at 166 dpi is as sharp as they come. The full specifications are at Bookeen (http://www.bookeen.com/specs/ebook-specs.aspx).

Software wise this unit is a mixed bag, with it still in beta, that is to be expected. However several earlier requests for features have made it into this version. Bookeen has stated that they plan on developing the software even further after release.

Moving books on and off of the device is as easy as drag and drop. Once you plug the USB cable into a computer the Cybook and an SD Card, if installed, show up as a standard USB drive. Bookeen is stating that the next version of Mobipockets reader software (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp?Language=EN) will recognize and sync with the eReader. This will allow you to use that package to manage content.

The reader currently uses a flat library structure. This means that no matter what folders you separate your books into once you load them onto it they all show up in the library display. The library can display 5, 10 or 20 items on a page, although at 20 unless you know the covers they are somewhat hard to read. Currently all items are sorted by title. There are also sort by author and size options that are currently grayed out and not usable. Is this library structure going to be a problem for you? It depends on how you use the device. If you plan on keeping just your current reading list on the device and your main library is elsewhere, there isn’t a problem. However if you plan on putting your entire library on the device it will take you some scrolling to find what you want. For example, Baen’s Free Library (http://www.baen.com/) currently contains 100 books. In .PRC format the entire library only takes up 55.3 MB. Looking through 100 books is easy, but how about 1800? Currently the it handles .TXT, .PDF, .PRC (secured and unsecured) and simple .HTML formats. Support for complex HTML will be coming later release. You can also store and view pictures; it does an excellent job of grayscale converting. The current version does not include the audio player so I was not able to evaluate that.

For controls there are 7 buttons, On/Off, Music, Menu, Back, Delete, Volume +, Volume -, and a Compass. The compass is on the front of the unit and seems to be the most confusing of the controls. Everyone I gave the Cybook to thought that it was just a fancy single button instead of five. (Left, Right, Up, Down, Enter) Hopefully Bookeen will add some graphics to the unit pointing this out. The On/Off button is at the top of the unit. It requires you to press and hold in order to power on or off the reader. All the buttons have a nice crisp feel. My only complaint is that the compass is somewhat small. I have a tendency to hit both the Up and Enter keys at the same time.

Like all other eInk devices Bookeen likes to quote battery life in page turns. I find this slightly misleading. I’m sure if you sat there and just flipped pages you would get close to the 8000 claimed. It has an 800mAh Li-Polymer battery. Unlike some other consumer devices the battery is easily accessible and user replaceable. The only tool need is a miniature phillips screwdriver. It is recharged from any standard USB port. Once turned on the Cybook never fully powers down, instead it goes into a sleep mode. I feel this is a reasonable compromise between extending the battery life and response speed. In mixed use I got about 3 to 4 days between charges. Others have reported about 1 week in sleep mode. Note that this is without using the audio player. Once you start driving headphones, battery life will decrease.

Overall I have enjoyed using the Cybook. It is great being able to read my eBooks in bed without a heavy laptop or outside in the bright sunlight. It has a lot of nice software touches, like being able to adjust the font type and size on the fly. One of my co-workers loved the thought of no more reading glasses. It has an activity light in the upper right-hand corner that indicates when it is working on a command. As the screen is static this is enables you to know is it really doing something or ignoring me. Pages flips are fast, and if you accidentally hit the turn page button more then once, it will ignore the second one. I also appreciate the fact you are not locked into one store with the Cybook. Many places sell secure Mobipocket books. Even Harlequin (http://www.eharlequin.com/) recently added support for that format. That is not something we are seeing from Sony.

James B Franks
jfranks@naebllc.com"

Please note that NAEB stands for another Not Another EBook: a BAEN's initiative.
Visit http://www.naebllc.com/

PDF on tracks, design slight modifications and release date

2007-10-07T02:14:00.000-07:00

We have recently released the 0.98 version of the firmware. As announced previously, in this version we do support PDF format with some features as fit width, fit page, fit height and rotate 0°, 90°, 180°,270°.

The software will be ready on time and as already said the supported formats will be for this first release: Mobipocket (encrypted and unencrypted), HTML, PalmDoc, Txt and PDF. RTF and other formats supports will come on further firmware releases. The firmware update will of course be possible for every Cybook Gen3 possessor.

The Cybook final design has been slightly modified, the surface treatment is not glossy anymore but keeps its softtouch. The navigation button has also been modified to be easier to press on.

Concerning our release date, the Cybook Gen3 will be definetly available before end of october. We will send very soon an official release date via our newsletter (subscribe at http://www.bookeen.com/) and this blog. At this occasion we will also announce the opening of Cybook Gen3 pre-sales on our website.

Concerning the price we confirm a $350 for US territory and 350 Euros for Europe.

e-paper art experience

2007-09-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

This video shows art painting done with e-Paper (Eink technology) and particularly with our device (display quality especially dithering is Bookeen's work). From my point of view, this demo is very convincing.

8 portraits done by Gilles Guias(artist) with e-paper in september 2007.
website: www.gillesguias.com
blog: http://peinturenumerique.blogspot.com

e-paper art experience
Uploaded by olivier_nouvellet

Cybook Gen3 release delayed until october, PDF support added

2007-09-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

The launch of Bookeen's awaited Cybook Gen3 ebook reading device has been delayed until October 2007. We have already delivered several engineering samples and are making slight adjustments in the final steps of mass production.

As a benefit, the PDF format will be supported on the Cybook Gen3 directly with the first product release. We are using this delay to enhance our software offer. PDF support was a major step for Bookeen and was planned as being part of a next upgrade. The new timing allows us to have PDF up and running for the release.

For its first release, the Cybook Gen3 will support encrypted Mobipocket ebooks and display HTML, Text, PalmDoc and finally PDF files. A new version of the Mobipocket reader for desktop will be also released in the next weeks by Mobipocket.com. This new program, which runs on a PC host, will detect and synchronize automatically with the Cybook Gen3. Buying, downloading and transferring an ebook file to the Cybook Gen3 becomes a child's game.

Best regards,

Bookeen team

Cybook Gen3 Demo clip

2007-09-25T00:39:00.000-07:00

We recently shot this demonstration clip of the Cybook gen3.
In this video, the Cybook Gen3 shows a Vizplex screen and the books are in Mobipocket format. All the commands are done with the navigation button (except the library layout modifications). The images have not been specifically formatted for the screen : images are resized, converted to grey levels and dithered on the go.

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Welcome message

2007-09-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

We finally decided to have our own blog to give all the information concerning our developments but also to discuss directly with you and get your feedback and your thoughts about what is going on in the ebook world.

We will try to keep this blog as updated as possible. We will also try to give our analysis on the current market trends and some hints and explanations on the current and future technologies.

Don't hesitate to let us know what you think of this blog.