If PDAs had been more lifestyle oriented rather than workplace oriented, people might be reading Google books on Pocket PCs. History had something else in mind. Cell phones, mp3 players, and netbooks made PDAs increasingly forgettable and redundant. When dedicated ereaders have long battery lives, eye-friendly electronic ink, and wireless access to books. However, Microsoft Reader still has a pulse, which will interest anyone who has some dusty .lit ebook files that need reading.
Using a Pocket PC PDA as an eBook Reader
Mobipocket Reader is almost a necessity for anyone wanting to use a PDA as an ebook reader, but Microsoft still supports its Reader software for in regular and mobile versions. The current versions are:
- Microsoft Reader for Pocket PC 2003 (Windows Mobile 5.0)
- Microsoft Reader for Windows Mobile 6.1.
Instructions and downloads for installing the files are available at Microsoft Reader for Windows Mobile. The site's installation instructions will help remind eager .lit file owners why so people trampled their Pocket PCs on the way to their Kindles. The Microsoft Reader Installation Notes hint at the frustrations of working with Windows Mobile.
If you already have an older version of Microsoft Reader installed, you'll need to uninstall Microsoft Reader, then install the new version. If your version of Microsoft Reader is installed in ROM, you cannot uninstall Microsoft Reader. You can install a RAM version of the program with your ROM version.
PDAs should have taken off. They are available as touchscreens, with wifi and wireless options, and the Microsoft Reader software has some cool features, like being able to draw on ebook pages. However, as Microsoft's installation notes illustrate, they are simply too complicated to be intuitive. If a device is not intuitive, it doesn't work seamlessly into the fabric of daily life.
MOBI and LIT eBooks for Pocket PC and Windows Mobile Devices
Because LIT files are usually protected and restricted by DRM, there are few circumstances where they can legally be converted. Most of the book searches on Microsoft's Reader bookstore lead to a Microsoft search page message saying that the page can not be found. One of the few online retailers that has a number of .lit ebooks is eBooks.com. It is easy to sort a search for just LIT ebooks.
It is also possible to create .lit files for those who know register a license to use the free Microsoft Reader Content Software Development Kit. Calibre can convert ePUB files to LIT, so unprotected ePUB files such as Google Books can be converted into PDA ebooks.
Mobipocket reader is another option to put on Pocket PCs. It can not read .lit files, but it can read the more popular mobi files, so many more books are available. The Mobipocket Reader for Pocket PC is free and greatly increases the odds of finding books of interest. Project Gutenberg books can be downloaded as MOBI files, so that is another option.
If parents have PDAs going unused, they might make good ereaders for kids. There is no additional expense involved if when public domain books are converted to ebooks. A few free .lit ebooks and a child can be happily reading for as long as the short battery life of the pda will allow. Most popular titles are available in mobi format. If a person has some old .lit files and wants to read them, finding a Pocket PC pda that runs Windows Mobile 5.0 will be easy enough by going to eBay or Craigslist.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
