Franklin announces new relationships and more content

June 26, 2001

The competition in the world of eBook devices and content is again hotting up with Franklin Electronic Publishers announcing a series of growing relationships with AlexLit, MobiPocket.com S.A., St. Martin's Press Prepare, The Wall Street Journal Online and Reciprocal -- all related to its recently released eBookMan device.

"It's been clear from the beginning that the availability of content is key to widespread adoption of eBooks," said Barry J. Lipsky, president and chief executive officer of Franklin. And it appears the company behind the eBookMan has started to deliver to its users on what it has been promising. After a shaky start and with the release delays now a fading memory, the company will be optimistic that its latest news will encourage readers to try out the eBookMan device and the eBooks available for it.

St Martin's Press content, including Robert Ludlum eBooks, heading to the eBookMan

One of the United States' ten largest publishers, St. Martin Press, is working with Franklin Electronic Publishers to make its large library of electronic content available for Franklin's eBookMan device. Many of the hundreds of St Martin's Press titles already in electronic form will be converted and secured for eBookMan users over the coming months. (See a full list).

"We're very excited about Franklin's new product," said Jeff Gomez of St.Martin's Press/Tor. "And as one of the leaders and pioneers in the emerging eBooks industry, it makes perfect sense that SMP/Tor team up with Franklin in order to make our titles available to customers today, as well as to a whole new generation of readers in the future." According to Franklin's announcement, coming eBooks include those by best-selling author, Robert Ludlum. See press release...

Franklin's DRM integrated by Reciprocal

Reciprocal is to integrate Franklin's DRM technologies into its own Reciprocal Digital Clearing Service which already handles technologies by (among others) Microsoft and Adobe. The result is that eBookMan users will be able to access content from a wider variety of source.

"The new relationship between Reciprocal and Franklin will further open the options for people who want to read electronically," said Gregory Voynow, senior vice president, general manager, iPublish.com at Time Warner Books.

"Franklin's eBookMan is quickly becoming an important destination for today's growing inventory of electronic books," said John Schwarz, president and CEO of Reciprocal. "By working together, we are extending the reach, power, and benefits of electronic books for publishers, authors and readers worldwide." See press release...

Franklin and MobiPocket S.A. announce alliance

Franklin and MobiPocket S.A. have entered an agreement that will expand the content available to eBookMan users. More content, such as eBooks and Web-based information services, will become available to users through the use of MobiPocket Reader sofware, which currently is in beta stage. The deal looks set to encourage more early-adopters to purchase an eBookMan from Franklin and eBooks from MobiPocket.

Additionally the announcement means that eBookMan users will gain access to a large selection of eBooks currently offered at MobiPocket's Web site -- according to the press release, "more than fifteen hundred electronic books in English, French, German and Spanish from publishers such as Vivendi Universal Publishing and Taylor and Francis." See press release...

Franklin and AlexLit begin relationship

Franklin Electronic Publishers and AlexLit have announced the first phase of their recently announced relationship with the exclusive electronic distribution of Bruce Rogers' award-winning story 'The Other Side.' Fans of Rogers will be available at AlexLit and affiliated Web sites. This promotion marks the first phase of a broader relationship between Franklin and AlexLit.

"We're very excited for Bruce Holland Rogers and the Showtime movie," said AlexLit CEO, Dave Howell. "Although Bruce's work is consistently high quality, many of his titles aren't in print."

The companies recently agreed to a relationship that will see AlexLit using Franklin's Content Developers Kit to convert its 700+ book library to an eBookMan compatible format. According to the release the titles will be available at Franklin's Web site this summer. See press release...

The Wall Street Journal Online goes to eBookMan

Franklin and Dow Jones & Company have announced that highlights from The Wall Street Journal Online will be available to eBookMan users free of charge. According to the announcement this content will consist of top news summaries of the day, plus selected news features. See press release...