E-books turning over a new leaf (FT)

Electronic books always seem to have a good story to tell but have so far failed to produce a happy ending. So travellers are still hauling hefty paperbacks around on holidays and business trips.

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Netherlands-based Philips spin-off iRex Technologies will also launch an “electronic ink”-based ebook reader this spring, targeting content publishers in the news, education and professional markets who will, it is hoped, use it to distribute content to their customers, says Hans Brons, iRex chief executive.

But the historical problems with reading devices is not the only reason ebook sales have been relatively sluggish, argues the Mr Bogaty of the IPDF. The organisation’s 2006 ebook user survey revealed three significant concerns among customers.

First, they were too expensive. Second, the selection available was too small. Third, and perhaps most important, proprietary file formats and the digital rights management (DRM) technology, used to protect the ebooks from piracy, have created problems. Users are worried about the lack of interoperability between reading systems, the longevity of formats, and lack of flexibility of files once purchased. Microsoft, for example, uses its .lit format, while others include Palm Reader, Gemstar, Mobipocket and Embiid, and Adobe has its PDF format.

The IPDF developed the Open eBook format. Publishers can create ebooks in this format, which would then be easily convertible to the proprietary formats. That helps publishers by reducing the number of formats they have to support, but it doesn’t help consumers. The IPDF is hoping to update the format to be used directly by consumers, says Mr Bogaty.

But poorly handled digital rights management continues to pose a problem. For example, Adobe’s latest e-book publishing system requires users to enter passwords over the internet when they want to read a book. And you need to re-authenticate online. “If you’re not online, you just get a warning telling you that you have so much time left,” says David Stevenson, senior sales engineer at Adobe.

Open Source Portale im Vergleich (opensourceportale.com)

Open Source Portale im Vergleich

Der positive Trend für den Einsatz von Open Source Software (OSS) ist ungebrochen. IT-Analysten des Marktforschungsinstituts Gartner kürten OSS gar zu einem der fünf wichtigsten IT-Themen für 2005 und 2006. Viele Unternehmen erwägen den Einsatz von Open Source Software, stehen jedoch dem vielfältigen Angebot der Möglichkeiten hilflos gegenüber.

EMC Joins the Move to Integrated Content Archiving Platform (Gartner)

Two new offerings from EMC are a sign of growing activity in the market for integrated archiving products. Companies will need such products to help them manage growing archives of e-mail and other content.

STELLENT INTRODUCES VERSION 7.6 OF ITS SARBANES-OXLEY SOLUTION (Stellent)

Version 7.6 offers new capabilities to further expedite financial compliance initiatives across the global enterprise

Red Hat agrees to buy open-source upstart (FT)

The fast-growing open-source software industry took a big step towards the mainstream on Monday as Red Hat, the biggest distributor of the Linux computer operating system, agreed to buy upstart JBoss for up to $420m.

The acquisition creates the first open-source company able to offer a broad array of the so-called “infrastructure” software on which corporate IT systems are based. As such, it could pose a long-term challenge to companies like Oracle, IBM and Microsoft, all of which sell traditional commercial alternatives, said Rick Sherlund, software analyst at Goldman Sachs.

Microsoft readies searches to rival Google (InfoWorld)

Microsoft confirmed through its public relations firm Friday that it is readying two new searches -- Windows Live Product Search and Windows Live Academic Search

Windows on Macs (Line56)

Apple now lets you dual-boot Windows XP and MAC OS, but Gartner says it's a cumbersome user experience

Build Your Own Knowledge Base (PortalsMag)

If you think Wikipedia rocks, build your own; tapping the power of self-correcting content creation

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Bericht von Forrester Research zitiert Stärke von FatWire bei Web Content Management (contentmanagement.de)

FatWire Software, Anbieter von Content-Management-Lösungen zur Implementierung von Websites und inhaltszentrischen Anwendungen, gab heute bekannt, dass das Unternehmen von Forrester Research in dessen Bericht "Forrester Wave: Content-Centric Applications" zum alleinigen Marktführer für überzeugende inhaltszentrische Anwendungen ernannt wurde. Die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse dieses Berichts stimmen mit der FatWire-Strategie überein, es Organisationen zu ermöglichen, ihren Kunden, Partnern und Mitarbeitern durch die Nutzung von Inhalt ein ganz spezielles und überzeugendes Erlebnis zu liefern.

Review: Microsoft's 'Kahuna' Falls Short (Forbes)

Enter Microsoft's Hotmail overhaul - code-named "Kahuna," so-named to reflect what the company considers a big wave of innovation. For now, though, Kahuna falls short.

Google aims to track users with wi-fi (FT)

Google aims to be able to track its users to within 100-200 feet of their location through new wireless networks in order to serve them with relevant advertising from local businesses.

A Free Portal (Line56)

Liferay's open source portal isn't only free, it's flexible and backed by options like service and training download

IBM Updates Portal (Line56)

6.0 edition of WebSphere Portal hands more customization power to individual users, integrates more tightly with Microsoft

Building on Search (Line56)

Teragram offers "practical solutions to monstrous amounts of information"; it's all about the metadata

Apple Offering Lets Users Choose Their Operating System (Gartner)

The Boot Camp program will offer a safety net for consumers running Windows XP on Intel-based Macs. But dual boot is not the experience most users want. A hypervisor-based Windows offering would be more useful.

Apple plugs into the world of Windows (FT)

Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple Computer, is famous for making biting comments about his rivals. And since the 1980s, no rivals have loomed larger than Microsoft and its founder, Bill Gates.

The UPS PR Portal (Line56)

How UPS used a portal to help unify corporate communications with the media and add internal productivity

SAP Portal Integration der Imperia AG erfolgreich zertifiziert (contentmanager.de)

Die SAP Portal Integration der Imperia AG, die erstmalig auf der Systems 2005 präsentiert wurde, ist von der SAP AG zertifiziert worden. Das Imperia Produktangebot wurde um ein entsprechendes Business Package erweitert.

Stellent's Agents Improve Records Management and Retention (Gartner)

Stellent Universal Records Management provides comprehensive management of electronic and physical records. Its use of connector agents will help address broader demand for automated retention management of all content.

Interwoven Eyes User Content (Red Herring)

Content management company introduces system to automate marketing and services for customers.