NZ e-books on the way

Reuters

COMING SOON: The Amazon Kindle e-reader.

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Kiwis could be reading electronic versions of their favourite New Zealand books by mid-next year.

The absence of readers in New Zealand for electronic books has delayed their debut here, says Digital Publishing Forum director Martin Taylor.

The forum, which aims to ensure New Zealand authors and publishers aren't left behind in the move to electronic books, originally hoped to have locally published electronic books available by next month.

Digital books can be downloaded, either via the internet or special kiosks, on to PCs, mobile phones or special e-book readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader.

Amazon and Sony are yet to sell their readers and electronic books in New Zealand, but Vodafone has said it is in discussions with Amazon to bring the Kindle here.

Computer manufacturer Asus has also tipped it will release a reader shortly, Mr Taylor says.

The forum plans to have 1000 New Zealand electronic books ready for download by the middle of next year.

"By then there should be opportunities to read these books on mobile devices here in little old New Zealand."

Thirty publishers have so far agreed to digitise 300 books, including Whale Rider and The Penguin History of New Zealand.

New Zealanders will be able to buy, sample and rent electronic books, for example, from libraries and book retailers, but publishers are yet to confirm distributors, he says.

Publishers will provide electronic books in the Epub format, which is compatible with all readers except the Kindle, and the Kindle's own format. Most have chosen to use digital rights management software to stop electronic books being repeatedly copied, he says.

New Zealand publishers will be eager to sell digital books through Google's electronic book store – due to launch in the first half of next year.

Google spokeswoman Annie Baxter says it has not yet teamed up with any New Zealand publishers, but plans to make the service "as widely available as possible".

The e-books will be able to be read on any device with a web browser, and Google will initially have about half a million e-books for sale, according to Reuters.

Mr Taylor says New Zealand publishers have joined together to buy software to store, manage and distribute electronic books.