The question "can you really read something like a book effectively on a smartphone screen, isn't it too small?" would seem to one Fabien Hertschuh of Mobipocket is no stranger to. "A smartphone screen has very similar dimensions to a column of newspaper text," says Fabien. "People read newspapers everyday without worrying that the columns are too narrow or the type too small. At first users may find reading eBooks on their smartphone a little odd, but we have found that they soon get used to it. They no longer notice the device, they just read. The huge improvements we have seen in screen quality over the last few year has helped too, making text crisp and more legible."

Mobipocket is one of the initial twelve application that have been chosen by Sony Ericsson to be included in the try and buy software shipped with its new UIQ 3 smartphones, due out later this year. Mobipocket has no particular technology allegiances, the Mobipocket reader is available on all the main smartphone platforms. However, support for Symbian OS devices, which currently includes UIQ, S60, and Series 80 devices as well as the Nokia 7710 widescreen smartphone, is an important part of Mobipocket's overall strategy.

It is therefore important to Mobipocket to have its reader available on UIQ 3. The transition from UIQ 2.x to UIQ 3 was not without its challenges. "There have been many changes in UIQ 3 and the main ones for us were Platform Security and the new UI," says Fabien. "The UI was perhaps the biggest challenge. It has changed a lot since UIQ 2, to allow both touch screen and single handed use from the same code base. Adapting to these changes was our biggest challenge."

Fabien acknowledges that support from Sony Ericsson has been important in helping Mobipocket create the UIQ 3 reader, so it will be available when the first devices ship. "Working with Sony Ericsson first gave us access to early beta versions of the UIQ 3 SDK," says Fabien. "Later we were able to get access to early prototypes of Sony Ericsson's UIQ 3 phones, which, coupled with development support from Sony Ericsson, have been vital in allowing us to get the reader ready to ship on the first devices."

Platform Security had less of an impact on Mobipocket's development than the UI changes, mainly because the reader does not need to access any of the extended or manufacturer approved capabilities. However, the use of basic capabilities does mean that Symbian Signed will be a necessity for the reader, as a quality commercial application can not prompt the user to assigned capabilities during installation. Fortunately Mobipocket are familiar with the Symbian Signed process. "We have obtained Symbian Signed status on some of our currently shipping readers and found the process to be quite straight forward," says Fabien. "Our biggest issue is that it takes time, so we have to make allowances in our development schedules."

Mobipocket's solution has three principal software components, an on-device reader, a PC companion application and a PC based publisher.

The on-device application provides a bookshelf listing and the reader. A book's text can be orientated in any direction and an autoscroll feature reduces the amount scanning the reader's eyes need to do to while reading the text. Images in the text, which are scaled to fit the screen, can be opened in a viewer for more detailed examination. In addition to reading, Mobipocket reader allows text to be altered and highlighted as well as bookmarks, drawings and notes added. It is also possible to share files with other Mobipocket users, subject to rights.

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Development examples of Mobipocket Reader screens for UIQ 3.

The second component, which is shipped with the PC download version of Mobipocket, is a desktop companion. This allows a user to manage their eBook library, read eBooks and connect to their eBookstore. In addition, users can create an eBook from an existing document in text, Microsoft Office file or PDF format. These documents are converted to Mobipocket format by dragging them into the PC application. The desktop companion also provides access to eNews. Built dynamically from a website's current content, eNews documents are eBook versions of several hundred popular web sites.

The third facet to the Mobipocket solution is an eBook creator. This PC based applications allows the user to create eBooks for uploading to an eBookstore, as well as creating eNews from RSS feeds or websites.

Simple conversions using the PC companion application shows the eBook format is at least as efficient as PDF for large files with many images. Using the eBook creator files can usually be compresses to at least 50% of the source size (assuming HTML is the source) down to as little as 20%.

Mobipocket has a dual challenge in encouraging the adoption of eBooks on Symbian OS devices. "As Symbian OS devices are so phone like, many users simply don't realize that they can add additional applications to them," says Fabien. "This has meant that, while there are a very large number of Symbian OS phones in use, the rate of uptake for Mobipocket has been slower than with the more traditional PDA platforms. Our inclusion in Sony Ericsson's try and buy program is therefore very important to us. By having our application on the phone when it ships we hope that Sony Ericsson users will realize what Mobipocket can achieve for them, in the same way user of other platforms have."

Getting noticed by potential users is a step in the right direction, but only half of what Mobipocket needs to achieve. Converting users from paper to the small screen is the next. Fabien points out that there are several advantages to reading eBooks, such as the ability to look up words in a dictionary directly from the document. Similarly, texts such as dictionaries are much easier to use on a eBook reader. Features such as find and bookmarks allows the reader to easily find key information or favorite passages. "One fairly obvious way in which eBook can be made more attractive than paper books is by making them cheaper," says Fabien. "Publishers don't have the printing and distribution costs with eBook, so this is one very tangible benefit we want to pass onto Mobipocket users. We are working hard to encourage publisher to do this."

While price could be an obvious draw card for eBooks, it will only work if users are able readily to buy books. Mobipocket's applications addresses this challenge in both the handheld and desktop companion versions. The handheld software provides link to the Mobipocket store through the devices browser, while the desktop software offers integrated access to the users chosen eBookstore.

Software is a means to an end for Mobipocket, selling eBooks is the core of its business. To do this effectively Mobipocket needs its applications on key mobile devices as they ship. Working with Sony Ericsson has allowed Mobipocket to achieve this goal for the first UIQ 3 phones expected to market. Inclusion in Sony Ericsson's try and buy offering will help make the purchasers of these new devices aware that they can also become a mobile library, in addition to a phone, messaging device, camera, games machine and music player. While video may have killed the radio star, smartphones are poised to breath new life into the printed word.

For more information on Mobipocket's eBook solutions visit www.mobipocket.com. The SymbianOne shop also stocks the current readers for UIQ, S60 and Series 80 devices as well as the Nokia 7710 widescreen smartphone. The trial download is a PC application which allows you to select your device.