Electronic Readers (Ebook Readers)

An electronic reader (or ebook reader) is a device used to display e-books. It may be a device specifically designed for that purpose, or one intended for other purposes as well. The main advantages of these devices are portability, readability of screen in bright sunlight, and long battery life. Any Personal Data Assistant (PDA) capable of displaying text on a screen is capable of being an e-book reader, but without the advantages of e-ink displays.

Some Popular Ebook Readers:

* COOL-ER eReader by Coolreaders (July 2009)
* Samsung Papyrus by Samsung (June 2009)
* Kindle DX by Amazon (June 2009)
* Kindle 2 by Amazon (February 2009)
* eSlick by Foxit Software (2009)
* PRS-700BC Reader Digital Book by Sony (October 2008)
* Digital Reader 1000 by iRex Technologies (2008)
* Kindle by Amazon (2007)
* Cybook Gen3 by Bookeen (2007)
* Sony Reader by Sony (2006)
* iLiad by iRex Technologies (2006)
* Librié by Sony (2005)

1. Plain text files - Published as .txt
2. Hypertext Markup Language - Published as .htm or .html - HTML is the markup language used for most web pages.
3. Amazon Kindle (AZW) Format - Published as .azw - Because the eBooks bought on the Kindle are delivered wirelessly over EvDO (the system is called Whispernet by Amazon), the user does not see the AZW files during the download process.
4. Open Electronic Book Package Format - Published as .opf - OPF is an XML-based e-book format created by E-Book Systems.
5. TomeRaider- Published as .tr2 or .tr3 - The TomeRaider e-book format is a proprietary format. Any TomeRaider ebook can be browsed on all platforms.
6. Arghos Diffusion - Published as .arg - The ARG format is an XML-based proprietary format developed by the French firm Arghos Diffusion.
7. Flip Books - A "Flip Book" is a type of E-Book distinguished by virtual pages that actually "flip", much like turning pages of paper in a real book or magazine.
8. NISO Z39.86 Format - Commonly known as DAISY - DAISY is an XML-based e-book format created by the DAISY international consortium of libraries for people with print disabilities.
9. FictionBook - Published as .fb2 - FictionBook is a popular XML-based e-book format, supported by free readers such as Haali Reader and FBReader
10. Text Encoding Initiative - TEI Lite is the most popular of the TEI-based (and thus XML-based or SGML-based) electronic text formats.
11. Plucker - The format is a compressed HTML archive, somewhat like Microsoft's CHM.
12. CHM Format - Published as .chm - Also known as Microsoft Compressed HTML Help
13. Portable Document Format (PDF) - Published as .pdf - A file format created by Adobe Systems, initially to provide a standard form for storing and editing printed publishable documents
14. PostScript - Published as .ps - PostScript is a page description language used in the electronic and desktop publishing areas for defining the contents and layout of a printed page
15. DjVu - Published as .djvu - DjVu is a format that specialises in and particularly excels at storing scanned images. It includes advanced compressors optimized for low-color images, such as text documents. Individual files may contain one or more pages.
16. Microsoft LIT - Published as .lit - DRM-protected LIT files are only readable in the proprietary Microsoft Reader program, as the .LIT format, otherwise similar to Microsoft's CHM format, includes Digital Rights Management features. Other third party readers, such as Lexcycle Stanza, can read unprotected LIT files.
17. eReader (formerly Palm Digital Media/Peanut Press) - Published as .pdb - eReader is a freeware program for viewing Palm Digital Media electronic books.
18. Desktop Author - Published as .dnl or .exe - Desktop Author is an electronic publishing suite that allows creation of digital web books with virtual turning pages.
19. DNL Reader - DNL format is an e-Book format, one which replicates the real life alternative, namely page turning Books.
20. Newton eBook - Published as .pkg - Commonly known as an Apple Newton book; a single Newton package file can contain multiple books (for example, the three books of a trilogy might be packaged together).
21. APABI - Published as ".xeb" or ".ceb". - APABI is a format deviced by Founder Electronics. It is a popular format for Chinese e-books
22. iPod Notes - Notes is a feature of iPod that allows short text notes to be displayed on the iPod screen.
    
23. Libris - Published as .lbr or .bin. - Libris is a Java based eBook reader for mobile devices such as cell phones.
24. Mobipocket - Published as .prc or .mobi. - The Mobipocket e-book format based on the Open eBook standard using XHTML can include JavaScript and frames.
25. IDPF/EPUB - Published as .epub - The .epub or OEBPS format is an open standard for eBooks created by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF).
26. Broadband eBooks - Published as .lrf or .lrx - The digital book format used by Sony Corporation
27. Multimedia Books - A Multimedia EBook is media and book content that utilizes a combination of different book content forms.