[HD2 General] brucegil:
Many users, like me, have used their PDAs and smartphones as readers for ebooks long before the Kindle, the Nook and other dedicated ereaders came along. As has been noted in other postings, the B&N reader that HTC or T-Mobile bundled with the HD2 has its problems and limitations. Also, The Microsoft reader has problems working with Windows Mobile 6.5. I will discuss MS Reader in another post. I want to summarize the issues with the B&N reader and offer an alternative solution that works for me.

The HD2 B&N reader is limited in that it will not recognize PDB format ebooks. That is the format used by several ebooks distributors, including eReader.com and Fictionwise.com, both of whom were bought by Barnes & Noble. eReader.com had its own ereader application. However, B&N has now replaced that with first the B&N Reader and now the Nook Reader app. The B&N Reader on the HD2 appears to be an early version of the new reader, built using Adobe code (see the startup screen). As such, it appears to work only with the newer ePub format and Adobe PDF files.

As poster Mknewman noted in another thread, the current version is 1.1.0.22. It resolves some of the stability problems the earlier version had. Tap the Settings icon and tap About B&N Reader. On the screen is a link to check for a newer version. Also, Mknewman found this link: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/PRe...r_1.1.0.22.CAB. (See the forum link below if this link does not work.)

Interestingly, B&N Support says that it is HTC's or T-Mobile's responsibility to support the product. On the B&N Nook webpage, there is no Windows Mobile app; only iPhone/iPad, Android, Blackberry, Win PCs or Macs. So, unless they have one for the new WinPhone7 OS, they appear to have abandoned the Windows Mobile OS.

The B&N Reader will allow you to purchase new books or download, in ePub format, books you have purchased recently through their online bookstore. The problem is that many of us have the older PDB format books that we bought over the years, as recently as a year ago, that can't be read in the new reader. Poster Camusa offered a workaround for renaming a PDB book that had been converted to the ePub format (see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=727371&page=2 ).

However, I had a copy of the eReaderPro installation file for version 3.0.3. (Go to http://www.ereader.com/ereader/software/browse.htm and download the WinMob installation file.) I was able to install the app and can now read my PDB format books. The installation should create a Peanut Press folder in the My Documents folder on the storage card. If not, do this manually and copy your PDB books to that folder.

Note that any DRM/locked (copyrighted) books have to be unlocked by entering the purchaser name and credit card number. eReader.com and Fictionwise.com still function as ebook distributors. I was able to log into my accounts and retrieve all the information concerning the many books I had purchased. Unlocking DRM books is necessary even if you want to convert the PDB books to ePub format. Most file format converters cannot open and convert locked books. I have not checked to see if there is an unlocking program for the PDB format as there is for the Microsoft LIT format. Of course, older, public domain PDB books can be opened immediately in the eReader app.

So, I now have two ereader apps. For me, that is easier than trying to convert a few dozen books. Other posters have suggested other ereader apps. The problem is that they will not open locked books. So, we are back to the decrypting and converting issue. If you have PDB format books, try the eReader 3.0.3 app from eReader.com.