The Product:
µBook is a simple and lean, yet powerful eBook reader for
Windows and Pocket PCs that can read HTML, TXT, RTF, PDB and PRC (not secure)
eBook files. It can read directly from inside ZIP files, and supports BMP, GIF,
PNG and JPG images. It offers many customization options including: Portrait and
Landscape display, Choice of font type, color and size, etc.... It Also has a
resizable/skinnable User Interface. µBook is improving on a regular basis and
best of all it's free!
Review Platform:
Tested on a
Hewlett-Packard iPAQ h2200 with a 400MHz XScale processor.
Review
Microsoft Reader, although a useful application for eBook reading on the PocketPC platform, has several flaws. These include not only the standard industry error of requiring a proprietary file format, but also serious functionality issues. Significant system slowdown is encountered whenever a document containing a high density of hyperlinks is accessed making Microsoft Reader unusable for large reference texts.
μBook is the eBook reader that Microsoft should have produced. This powerful application has an impressive feature-list and is fully customisable. Texts can easily be presented in full-colour illustrated form or in simple, pared-down text format. Whilst there is an initial delay for paginating purposes when opening a large text, pagination settings are stored on the PocketPC for rapid future access. No slowdown is observed with heavily hyperlinked documents and the simple, accessible interface facilitates the browsing of large, complex texts.
Of particular merit is the wide variety of non-proprietary file formats that uBook recognises. These include .txt and .html formats (which are reflowed to suite the Pocket PC’s smaller screen). The large Project Gutenberg archive of free texts is hence fully accessible without any complex file conversion steps.
One slight criticism is that the html-based options menu can be initially confusing for those used to drop-down menus. However, this quickly becomes second nature.
In conclusion this is the eBook software of choice for Pocket PC owners and is a recommended replacement for Microsoft Reader.
Screenshot
Feature list
· Renders .PDB, .PRC, .TXT, .RTF and .HTML files book-like.
· Displays PRC, RTF and HTML images.
· Displays JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF (in RTF) or BMP images.
· Opens text in ZIP files, decompressing, reducing memory required.
· Saves Pagination files to disk for quick reloading.
· Follows hyperlinks (on local computer only).
· Supports Bookmarks, Annotations and text copy to clipboard
· Font and Display colors are customizable.
· Multi-sized Normal (Sharp) or Smooth Fonts
· Contrast and method adjustment.
· Lets you associates Images and Text with Files.
· Creates a Slide Show of images in the same Directory.
· Allows Zoom and Pan images.
· Shows an image with same file name as a Cover image.