With the slew of new eBook devices being released with almost daily announcements, it would seem that our digital literary utopia is near at hand. However, I’m concerned that every one of these ebook devices uses a different format, none being compatible with each other.

I’ve been reading ebooks since 1999 on various Palm and PocketPC devices. I’ve had a Sony Reader PRS-500 since 2007, and upgraded to the Sony Reader PRS-505 in 2008.  I’ve acquired, tweaked, converted, and uploaded just about every ebook format available in the search for “one format to rule them all.”

prs505

One Format to Rule them All

The problem with more new devices on the market is that each one wants to be the “winner” with their format.  On the Amazon Kindle, we have the Kindle proprietary format, which of course doesn’t talk to the Sony Reader lrf format, which of course, neither will talk to the new BN “nook” Reader which has its own format. Each device is focused on purchasing the content directly from their store, and only reading that content on that device.  But in doing so, they’re limiting a huge, tech-savvy market that would love to read books on more than one device.

As a Sony Reader owner, I would love to purchase books from BN.com or Amazon.com and read them on either my Reader or my iPhone. I love reading ebooks on both devices. In order for me to do that, however, I have to acquire an open format (txt, rtf) and convert it to epub. With Stanza on my iPhone and epub support on my Sony Reader, I’m able to read the same books on both devices.

Epub Makes it Possible

Epub format (via Adobe Digital Editions) is currently being used by libraries across the United States. I can log onto my local Phoenix library account and immediately download a book to load onto my Sony Reader.  None of the other new ebook handhelds can do that, including my iPhone. Allowing me to also have that same content on my iPhone (or Kindle, or Nook, or iRex) would be tremendous!

Buy Anywhere, Run Anywhere

I’m looking forward to an ebook future where I can purchase digital content from any of the “Big Three” (Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon) or borrow from my library and download it to my Sony Reader *and* my iPhone 3G. Epub format is an open format that I’d love to see adopted by the new devices, giving us the ability to read the books we purchased where, how, and when we want. Having one common format available to all units is the path to success for all of us ebook enthusiasts.