Microsoft Reader 2.0 Released, Ready for Download

By Planet eBook Editor
October 03, 2001

Microsoft Reader 2.0 Microsoft has just released two of the three eBook tools Planet eBook previewed last week (see below). Microsoft Reader 2.0 and the Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) 1.1 add-in for Word are now ready for download.

Stay tuned for our in depth look at Microsoft Reader 2.0 and Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) 1.1. In the meantime see our recent preview of Microsoft's latest tools, including the Dictionary Authoring Kit (DAK) 1.0 tool, which is not yet ready for download.

Microsoft Reader 2.0

It appears Microsoft is bringing feature parity to Microsoft Reader 2.0, with the simultaneous release of the new version for Pocket PCs and PCs -- Microsoft Reader 1.0 was only available on Pocket PCs and Microsoft Reader 1.5 was only available on PCs, with both having slightly varied functionality.

In a new article on Microsoft's Web site (Microsoft Reader Version 2.0 Heralds First Anniversary of eBooks with New Look and Feel) Dick Brass, vice president for Technology Development Relationships at Microsoft, discusses the past year in the life of Microsoft Reader and hightlights some the new things we can expect to see with the upcoming launch. According to the article, since the release of Microsoft Reader last year, more than 4 million copies have been downloaded.

The key features of Microsoft Reader 2.0, says Brass, "include a new user interface with design improvements that enhance how the reader interacts with the book, improved content availability across multiple devices, and the addition of text-to-speech features."

Microsoft Reader 2.0 Key Features

  • Riffle command and visual tool for improving navigation
  • Increase in the allowable clients from two to four when working with owner exclusive titles -- means you can access your secured eBooks on up to four computers
  • Improved accessibility with the new Text-to-Speech 1.0 Package that allows readers listen to non-Owner Exclusive eBooks. Additionally, there is a feature Microsoft calls an "optional verbosity" feature, which supports voice activate navigation.
  • Linking to external content from within Microsoft Reader eBooks
  • Enhanced "Lookup" feature that allows the reader to access multiple dictionaries

Dictionary Authoring Kit (DAK) 1.0

The new Dictionary Authoring Kit (DAK) 1.0 will allow publishers to create specialized eBooks for use with Microsoft Reader's "Lookup" tool (see image below), which lets the reader find the meaning of words in the eBook. For readers, this will mean they will be able to access a much wider, more selective group of reference books most suitable for them, instead of just the standard dictionary that is availble free. The press release describes the Dictionary Authoring Kit as "a collection of tools, data files, documentation, the build engine, and sample files and projects used by publishers to create dictionaries."

Lookup feature in action

Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) 1.1 Tool for eBook Creation

The Microsoft Reader 1.1 Tool for eBook Creation is an improvement on the Microsoft Reader add-in released last year at the same time as the release of Microsoft Reader 1.5. According to the press release the improvements come in a variety of ways.

Firstly, once installed, the add-in adds a "Read" button to the Word toolbar, which converts and then opens in Microsoft Reader -- essentially this feature is designed to encourage readers to convert longer documents for reading from the screen. Secondly, the conversion process has been improved by stripping out more font and formatting information that conflicted with the eBook created for Microsoft Reader by the old add-in. And finally, the press release says that the update "also includes an easy, new way to publish custom cover graphics for eBooks, giving them a more finished, professional look."

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