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About
the Mapletree EBook Store
In order to meet the needs of our customers, we
have decided to provide all of our titles in eBook format.
One issue that has hampered the widespread
availability of e-books from publishers has been the
economics of the market. There are a number of eBook
formats, and developmental costs are high. This drives up
the price of eBooks which, in our opinion, removes one of
the attractive features of this format and that is the
cost savings. Since we don't need to print or ship eBooks,
the cost should be low. To address that, we at
Mapletree have elected to confine our eBook publishing to
the Palm eReader format. This is the fastest-growing
format, and has several features that make it economical
to produce and market. Since the reader is available for
free and is so versatile,
it also makes it economical for the customer. Palm reader
can be installed on a home or laptop computer (either a
Mac or a PC) or a Palm PDA or Pocket PC.
Below, we have answered several common
questions about eBooks that will hopefully help you take
advantage of this 21st-century technology.
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eBook Basics |
What is an eBook?
eBooks are your
favorite books in an electronic format that you can download and read on your
computer, laptop, handheld computer, PDA, or portable
eBook device.
Why choose an eBook?
eBooks
are: Portable -- Now you can have an entire digital
library of books and magazines with you on your portable
eBook device.
Convenient -- You download eBooks from your home computer and
read them anytime, anywhere!
Easy to use -- Turn the page with the click of a
button, set a bookmark, search for a specific phrase, or
use the built-in dictionary to find definitions.
Great value -- Our eBooks are priced below
our print books and there are no shipping charges!
What is an eBook reader, and where can
I get one?
A reader is the software that must
be installed on the handheld device to which you
download your eBook in order to read it. The Palm Reader is available for free
(find it at
www.palmdigitalmedia.com).
The Adobe Reader is also available for free (at
www.adobe.com).
You must have the reader installed on your organizer before you can
read your eBook.
There is another free program called Palm DropBook
that you can download
(click here) that will enable you to convert any
document in a text file into a format so that you can
also read it on your Palm Reader. What is a
license?
When you "purchase" an eBook, what you are actually
purchasing is a license, or the right to use the eBook.
The eBook itself remains the property of Mapletree
Publishing Company. The license entitles you to use the
eBook on your personal computer and one portable
device—either a laptop computer or a handheld device
such as a Palm organizer. You may not transfer it to
another party, copy, print, or sell it.
Can I print out my
eBooks?
Printing or copying any of our
eBooks is forbidden, due to copyright restrictions.
Can I copy or loan my
eBooks?
eBooks may not be copied or "loaned"
due to copyright restrictions.
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Ordering eBooks |
Can I order
eBooks by phone?
Yes. You can call our
toll-free number (800-537-0414) to order your eBook and we
will then e-mail it to you.
Why do I need special software to read
eBooks?
Mapletree's
eBooks are available in two popular formats.
One format is Palm eReader. This software is available for free
download at www.palmdigitalmedia.com in formats that enable you to read
your eBooks on handheld devices, pocket PC's, or home computers.
In order to keep our eBooks inexpensive, we have
limited our development efforts to these two platforms, because
they are so versatile, convenient, inexpensive, and popular.
Adjusting the font, turning the pages, and making annotations are easy
with either the Palm eReader or the Adobe Reader. Can I send an
eBook as a
gift?
While other publishers have eliminated
this option, Mapletree's system allows you to purchase a
gift eBook for anyone who has the capacity to receive
the book as an e-mail attachment. Simply provide that
person's e-mail address when you order your eBook.
Does Mapletree accept returns
on eBooks?
No. Due to the digital nature of
the product, we cannot accept eBook returns. If you are
having technical difficulties, however, or are unhappy
with your order, you may contact us by email or telephone for assistance..
How do I order an
eBook?
Simply go to our
eBook catalog, find
the eBook you want, and proceed through the ordering process. Normally, you
will receive your eBook as an attachment to a response e-mail within a matter of a couple
of hours. You can then save it on your computer and from
there download it to your handheld device and/or read it
on your computer. Can I order without a credit
card?
No. You can only make a purchase with a
credit card at this time.
How do I cancel an
order?
Once you have clicked the submit
button, the order is complete. You can try calling us at 800-537-0414,
and if the order has not been processed yet, we will cancel it for you.
However, if it has been processed and your eBook is mailed, it cannot
be cancelled.
Is my order secure?
If you
are using Netscape Navigator 3.0 and above, or Internet
Explorer 3.0 and above, you are able to place secure
orders. Be sure all the security features are activated
in the preferences for your browser. If you are still
worried about security, then telephone your order to
800-537-0414. When will I receive my
order?
After checkout, you will receive
your eBook as an e-mail attachment. The e-mail will contain straightforward
instructions on how to activate your eBook. If you have any difficulty opening the
attachment or following the instructions, call us at 800-537-0414
Do I have to pay shipping and handling
charges for eBooks?
There are no shipping and
handling charges for eBooks.
What if I accidentally delete my eBook or it gets lost
in a computer crash?
If you have any difficulties with losing your eBook,
please call us at 800-537-0414. We keep a record of all
our customers and can quickly verify that you are a
legitimate eBook customer so that we can help you out. |
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Getting more eBooks |
Where else can I buy eBooks?
Many major publishers have eBooks available on their Web
sites. In addition, Palm Digital Media features many
best-selling titles for purchase on its site. Here is a
list of links for purchasing eBooks in Palm Reader and
other formats:
Palm Digital Media
Simon & Schuster
Time
Warner BooksHarper Collins (their
eBook division is called "Perfectbound")
OmniRead eBooks
- has thousands of titles from various publishers in
various eBook formats
eBook locator
- sponsored by OverDrive, a leader in eBook conversion
technology - helps you track down that elusive eBook title
eBooks.com - choose from a vast range of popular,
professional and academic eBooks
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Downloading Palm eReader eBooks |
How long
will it take to download a Palm eBook?
The
download time depends on the size of the eBook you order
and the speed of the modem on your computer. Download
times for an average-sized eBook by connection speed are
as follows:
T1 = 2.3 seconds
DSL/cable
modem/ISDN = 30 seconds or less than 1 minute
56K =
62.5 seconds or a little over 1 minute
28.8K = 125
seconds or a little over 2 minutes
How do I get my Palm eBooks after I've
downloaded them?
Palm
Reader keeps a library of all of the
eBooks you have downloaded. To access your library,
simply click on the library button in the program.
We also suggest keeping a copy of your
eBook on a floppy disk or CD in case you have a computer
crash or you delete an eBook and later decide you want
to read it again.
How do I transfer my Palm eBooks from my
computer to my PDA?
Double-click on the file (it will have a .pdb
extension).
The Palm Desktop software will open.
Select the user.
Click "Ok".
Click "Done" when you are finished.
At the next HotSync, the title will automatically
be installed onto your handheld.
Transferring Palm Reader Titles to
Pocket PC's:
There are two ways to install Palm Reader titles on
your PocketPC. You can either use the palm reader
installer or manually move the title to your Pocket PC.
Use the Palm Reader installer:
Run setup.exe (this will be located where you
unzipped the Palm Reader Pro setup).
Click "Install Book".
Select the title you wish to open. If your title
does not appear in the window, select "Browse" and
navigate to the location of your title.
Select "Next".
Once your PocketPC syncs with your desktop, your
title will be available to read on your PocketPC.
Manually move title to your PocketPC:
Copy the file (it will have a .pdb extension).
Paste the file in your Active Sync Folder in the
Peanut Press directory.
Once your PocketPC syncs with your desktop, your
title will be available to read on your PocketPC.
What if I have trouble downloading or
opening my eBook?
If your Palm Reader titles do not open, you will
need to make sure that you have
the
latest version of Palm Reader installed on your Palm
Handheld or your Pocket PC.
For more information on installing the Palm Reader,
please click here. |
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eBook Hardware and Software
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Do you carry eBooks that I can read on
my Macintosh?
Yes. Palm Reader
and Adobe Acrobat Reader software
are available in Macintosh format, which makes our eBooks readable on a
Macintosh.
Do you carry eBooks that I can read on
my Linux-based system?
Palm does
not currently make any eBook reader software for
Linux-based systems.
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Palm Customer Support
If you
have technical questions about the Palm eReader software,
check out Palm's FAQ & Help page |
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