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SoftBook
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<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2> <p>The SoftBook, designed by <a href="/facts/IDEO/HIjyqQzY">IDEO</a> and <a href="/facts/Lunar_Design/sIocNj4W">Lunar Design</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> featured a brown <a href="/facts/Leather/kvQtwHPH">leather</a> cover which flipped back to give the device a more book-like feel, and was notable for its large 6 × 8 inch (15.2 × 20.3 cm) <a href="/facts/Touchscreen/zpSKDFpe">touchscreen</a> display which allowed you to navigate the <a href="/facts/HTML/sSc3fT78">HTML</a>-based pages as well as highlight and draw simple notes on the pages. It could store approximately 1,500 pages (expandable up to 100,000), and claimed that the <a href="/facts/Rechargeable_battery/A6zUkPkW">rechargeable battery</a> allowed up to 5 hours of reading time. </p><p>Use of the SoftBook did not require a <a href="/facts/Desktop_computer/edFPINdK">desktop computer</a> or an <a href="/facts/Internet_service_provider/dUacAxef">Internet service provider</a>; it had an <a href="/facts/RJ11/FJIzzlpD">RJ11</a> telephone jack and internal 33.6 kbit/s <a href="/facts/Modem/9H0Xwtq0">modem</a> to connect with the "SoftBookstore" to <a href="/facts/Download/qN7fWmyI">download</a> books. Publishers included <a href="/facts/HarperCollins/HHLz5lk5">HarperCollins</a>, <a href="/facts/McGraw-Hill/oG8VpKJT">McGraw-Hill</a>, <a href="/facts/Simon_%2526_Schuster/pESq8Dxl">Simon & Schuster</a>, <a href="/facts/Warner_Books/ENrCGYcE">Warner Books</a>, and others, and subscriptions to periodicals such as <a href="/facts/Newsweek/ClFEs5So">Newsweek</a>, <a href="/facts/Time_(magazine)/N4FXc99l">Time</a>, and <a href="/facts/The_Wall_Street_Journal/9Pkf2cYK">The Wall Street Journal</a> were available (which could be downloaded automatically overnight if users kept the device plugged into a phone jack). Users could upload their own documents via SoftBook's Internet <a href="/facts/Website/SAsjJnca">website</a> for downloading to their SoftBook.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>The SoftBook was the first device to comply with the <a href="/facts/Open_eBook/rF0N9l32">Open eBook</a> specification, which was "based primarily on technology developed by SoftBook Press".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="specifications">Specifications</h2> <p>Technical specifications printed on the back of the product box: </p> <ul><li>Weight: 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)</li> <li>Display: 9.5 inch (24.1 cm) diagonal, greyscale, backlit, <a href="/facts/Touchscreen/zpSKDFpe">touch-sensitive LCD</a>, built-in protective cover</li> <li>Capacity: 2 <a href="/facts/Megabyte/RBF4XpWb">MB</a> (1,500 pages), expandable to 64 MB with Flash miniature card (50–100,000 pages)</li> <li>Modem: Built-in 33.6 <a href="/facts/Kilobit_per_second/Nv9VoT7T">Kbps</a> <a href="/facts/Modem/9H0Xwtq0">modem</a>; download approximately 100 pages per minute</li> <li>Power: <a href="/facts/Rechargeable/A6zUkPkW">Rechargeable</a> <a href="/facts/Lithium-ion/3L22xFhB">lithium-ion</a> <a href="/facts/Battery_pack/zElWKqCQ">battery pack</a>. Up to 5 hours reading time (less than two-hour recharge). <a href="/facts/AC_power/EXsaw0B9">AC power</a> adapter. Optional recharge cradle.</li> <li>Reading tools: Sophisticated searching, bookmarking, <a href="/facts/Hyperlinking/LqNsa84e">hyperlinking</a>, text markup, <a href="/facts/Stylus/71P3StMj">stylus</a> for marking and highlighting.</li> <li>System requirements: <a href="/facts/Analog_signal/xDbb4uB5">Analog</a> <a href="/facts/Telephone/P7uEgWQX">telephone</a> connection. AC power outlet for battery recharge.</li> <li>Price: $599.95 <a href="/facts/USD/naEEDUhC">USD</a> (original <a href="/facts/Suggested_retail_price/BWeABkuk">MSRP</a>), or $299.95 plus $19.95 per month for a 24-month "content package" contract (totalling $778.75)</li></ul> <p>SoftBook utilized the <a href="https://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US4597058">US 4597058</a> and <a href="https://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US4725977">US 4725977</a> patents. </p> <h2 id="softbook-press-inc">SoftBook Press, Inc.</h2> <p>SoftBook Press, Inc. was founded by James Sachs and Tom Pomeroy in 1996,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> and located at 1075 Curtis St., Menlo Park CA, 94025. Book conversion was managed by <a href="http://www.lmgroup.com">The Lowe-Martin Group</a> of Ottawa ON.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>In 2000, SoftBook Press was acquired by <a href="/facts/Gemstar-TV_Guide_International/P8WuLIIE">Gemstar-TV Guide International</a>, who also acquired its competitor, <a href="/facts/NuvoMedia/c5MnWRAW">NuvoMedia</a> (creator of the <a href="/facts/Rocket_eBook/c5MnWRAW">Rocket eBook</a>), and merged them into the Gemstar eBook Group.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/19991012020437/http://softbook.com/">"SoftBook.com"</a>. Archived from <a href="http://www.softbook.com">the original</a> on 1999-10-12.</li> <li><a href="https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Softbook_Reader">SoftBook at MobileRead Wiki</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>eBooks: 1998 – The first ebook readers. Retrieved 5 February 2015. <a href="http://www.gutenbergnews.org/20110716/ebooks-1998-the-first-ebook-readers/" target="_blank">http://www.gutenbergnews.org/20110716/ebooks-1998-the-first-ebook-readers/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Joan O'C. Hamilton (June 7, 1999). "Downloaded Any Good Books Lately?". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. <a href="https://archive.today/20120730192751/http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_23/b3632029.htm" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20120730192751/http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_23/b3632029.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Chvatik, Daniel (2000). "Review: SoftBook Reader". APTM. <a href="http://www.atpm.com/6.05/softbookreader.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.atpm.com/6.05/softbookreader.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Judge, Paul (1998-11-16). "E-Books: A Library On Your Lap". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on 2000-02-08. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000208053039/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/46/b3604010.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20000208053039/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/46/b3604010.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"SoftBook's James Sachs: A New Page for a Gadget Guru", BusinessWeek, 1999-07-28[dead link] <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/cgi-bin/ebiz/ebiz_frame.pl?url=/ebiz/9907/em0728.htm" target="_blank">http://www.businessweek.com/cgi-bin/ebiz/ebiz_frame.pl?url=/ebiz/9907/em0728.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"E-book Production". lmgroup.com. Archived from the original on 2000-10-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20001026004915/http://www.lmgroup.com/on-line/e-book/index.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20001026004915/http://www.lmgroup.com/on-line/e-book/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Greg Sandoval. "Gemstar buys two e-book makers". CNET. January 20, 2000. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. <a href="http://news.cnet.com/Gemstar-buys-two-e-book-makers/2100-1017_3-235851.html" target="_blank">http://news.cnet.com/Gemstar-buys-two-e-book-makers/2100-1017_3-235851.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>