‘eBookMan’ launch in RP slated

First Convergent Communications Worldwide Inc. (FCC Worldwide), an innovative information technology firm, and Alemar’s Booklight Inc. have banded together to bring the popular electronic reader, eBookMan, to the Philippine market.

Created by Franklin Electronic Publishers Inc. of the United States, eBookMan is a multimedia reader and content player. Its advanced software allows one to read or listen to books, hear music, take notes, record messages, schedule meetings or synchronize functions with Microsoft Outlook.

GCC Worldwide and Alemar’s Booklight have acquired the local distribution rights for eBookMan which will be launched on May 10 at Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, with Education Secretary Raul Roco as guest speaker.

EbookMan has more advanced features than an ordinary personal digital assistant (PDA). It provides a significantly larger display with 87 percent more pixels than a PDA and its starting memory of 8 or 16 MB is expandable up to 64 MB using an industry standard multimedia card.

"It’s capable of recording your voice, taking notes in your natural handwriting, scheduling an appointment, or performing a multitude of organizer tasks," according to Benjamin Maynigo, FCC Worldwide president and CEO.

"This unique open platform reinvents the category of electronic books with technologies that invite future development," he said.

Maynigo added that eBookMan is the "most affordable" among all the electronic book readers in the world market, as well as the handiest, weighing only 6.5 ounces.

Franklin Publishers released eBookMan in the US late last year. This is the same company that brought the revolutionary Spelling Ace, Rolodex, and is one of the pioneers in the field of electronic book publishing. The company has sold over 22 million books in over 45,000 retail outlets worldwide.

Franklin designs its own powerful microprocessors and advanced software and thus, was able to reinvent the category of electronic books.

One of eBookMan’s unique features is its search and bookmark capability that allows one to look for specific words or phrases, as well as to mark the page where one stopped reading.

With an electronic reader like eBookMan, one needs only to download books, thousands of them for free, via the Free Library at www.ebookstoreplus.com, www.alemarsbooklight.com, www.fccww.com and www.franklin.com.

One can also download into the device English dictionaries from Merriam Webster, the Holy Bible, classic novels, mystery and suspense fiction, children’s books, travel narratives, medical references such as the 2001 Physician’s Desk Reference and the Franklin’s Advanced Thesaurus.

Philippine law books and other textbooks have also been converted for the Franklin device.

The eBookMan also plays audio files, audiobooks and MP3s. With the minimum 8 MB, one can store and play two to three songs, but if one expands the device’s memory to 64 MB using an ordinary multimedia card, the eBookMan might as well be called "EmusicMan."

For audiobooks, there is a selection of over 12,000 from Audible.com, ranging from bestsellers to radio programs to The Wall Street Journal.

"We are aware of the Filipinos’ love for books, that’s why we have brought the eBookMan to the local market at very affordable prices," Maynigo said.

The eBookMan will retail from P10,750 to P18,300. It will soon be available at all leading electronic shops, all Alemar’s outlets and via special delivery if ordered online through any of the proponent firms’ websites.

Maynigo noted that the gadget’s pocketable format and its "download and go" system would surely fit into the modern Filipino lifestyle.

"Anyone who loves books, music or information or just getting organized would find the eBookMan a very useful tool," he added.