Palm and OverDrive to Expand Palm Reader Distribution

Posted on May 13, 2002

Palm Digital Media, a publisher and distributor of ebooks for handheld computers, and OverDrive, Inc., a provider of ebook commerce and conversion solutions, announced an agreement to expand global digital distribution and retail marketing of ebooks in the Palm Reader format. Palm Reader competes with other ebook formats including Adobe Reader and Microsoft Reader.

OverDrive plans to integrate Palm Digital Media's DRM technology and eBook catalog into its suite of ecommerce solutions, including MIDAS and Digital Kiosk. OverDrive would be the first distributor to offer and support eBooks in the Palm Reader format through Content Reserve, OverDrive's B2B digital content network serving more than 400 publishers worldwide. Palm Digital Media currently has an inventory of nearly 5,000 titles from leading publishers, including HarperCollins, Random House, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin's Press and AOL Time Warner Book Group.

"Content Reserve already supplies dozens of U.S. and international booksellers who are eager to offer ebook titles to their customers who use handheld devices," said Steve Potash, OverDrive chief executive officer. "We are delighted that we have the opportunity to explore adding eBook titles in the award-winning Palm Reader format to our growing digital content network."

"This would be an important step toward making eBooks widely available for handheld users, and as convenient to buy as print and audio books," said Jeff Strobel, director of Palm Digital Media. "Working with a trusted B2B retail network like Content Reserve would enable us to drive worldwide adoption of eBooks for handheld devices."

OverDrive and Palm Digital Media plan to work together to educate publishers, authors and booksellers about the Palm Reader format. In addition, OverDrive will provide broad conversion services for publishers who want to convert their titles into the Palm Reader format for use on handhelds.



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