EPub is a relatively new but extremely popular format for creating and reading digital books or eBooks as they’re usually called. The acronym EPub stands for Electronic Publication and has become a buzzword in digital publishing and for good reason. It is an open-source platform and offers a plethora of advantages over other formats, which include readability, audio-visual features, and compatibility, among others. Sound like a winner?
It certainly is and its list of benefits only gets bigger. We take a closer look at how EPub has made life easier for all stakeholders in digital publishing – readers, publishing houses, authors, and more recently, even mobile learning developers.
In comparison to other formats, EPub software is comparatively easy to both create and edit. It’s a dynamic format comprised of XHTML files, style sheets, and JPG for images. However, if you’re not into coding, you can create an EPub by using any of the available software. For eBook conversions too, there are many open-source and paid software options to convert a file to the EPub format.
Similarly, EPub books are also easy to edit by making changes in the HTML codes, as opposed to PDF files for instance, which can be edited and modified only if one is a paid subscriber.
An important consideration of any digital format is no doubt its readability, regardless of whether you’re using a smart phone, computer, or tablet. After all, what good is a format that doesn’t lead to a good reading experience for its users? This is where EPub scores big yet again, thanks to its reflowable content that allows text to automatically rearrange and realign itself according to the screen size of the reading device.
In fact the success of EPub can be attributed mainly to its maximum readability experience. Its ability to fit the document perfectly across any screen eliminates the need to make zooming or scrolling adjustments for an optimal reading experience based on the screen size. What’s more, users can enjoy the same reading experience even if they switch from one device to another, providing uniformity in their reading progress.
Another advantage of the EPub software is that in case authors do not want to use reflowable content, they can always use the fixed layout option that doesn’t realign the content according to the screen size.
Using the EPub format, authors can add various types of multimedia elements like images, audio, video, hyperlinks, and metadata, which can help make the eBook more engaging and visually appealing. The inclusion of interactive features can add flourishes to the content while enriching the overall reading experience.
Moreover, considering the idea that visual learning helps retain audience’s attention as well as learning, the capability of EPub software to include multimedia content can have a tremendous impact on the eLearning industry. This partly explains why EPub is the most preferred format of major digital publications.
A number of companies that wanted to capitalize on the widespread adoption of eBooks developed their own eReaders. While this is a good practice for ensuring competitive pricing, it led to a plethora of eReader platforms that were different from one another, creating a challenge unto itself. However this is where the EPub software stole the show, emerging as the standard eBook format.
The beauty of the EPub software format is that it is compatible with a variety of eReaders like Nook, Kindle, and iBook and an array of reading devices like tablets, computers, and smart phones. Furthermore, EPub offers a fairly straightforward eBook conversion process for transforming fixed-file formats to reflowable ones, further increasing the ease of use for both EPub formats. In contrast, PDF files cannot be read on all eReaders.
While we’re on the subject of eReaders, it would be worthwhile to add that Neat Reader is an eReader that is specifically designed for the EPub format. To enjoy its easy-to-use app, open the Web app and further enhance your reading experience.
As discussed before, the easy compatibility of the EPub software makes it the most widely supported format across all reading devices and eReaders. Quite understandably then it is the singularly most preferred format of all major eBook stores and distributors like Apple, Kobo, Amazon, and Nook. This has made it considerably easy to find EPub eBook files online.
On the other hand, it’s hard to buy or sell PDF files on retail sites. This is because PDF document formats are first required to be transformed to an EPub or another acceptable format via an online converter before they can be made available on retail sites.
The security and protection mechanism of the EPub file format is more sophisticated than that of PDF files which use a relatively simple password lock system. The former uses a Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection system that restricts sharing of eBook files without permission. Plus there are other access limiting methods like allotting a time period in which a file can be accessed or allowing users to open a file with an access key.
DRM helps keep a check on unauthorized copying and sharing of eBooks, helping publishing houses get rid of the piracy menace once and for all. Minimizing piracy helps encourage authorized sales, which in turn ensures that authors, publishing houses, and other concerned parties get their due. This provides an additional incentive for major stakeholders in the digital publication industry to encourage use of the EPub format on a wider scale.
The EPub software is a boon for everyone – readers, authors, mobile learning developers, digital publishers, retailers, and distributors alike – thanks to its multifarious benefits. In conclusion, it makes sense to use the EPub format to make your life easier, whether you intend to use it for writing, reading, or distributing.
Along the same lines, Neat Reader is a free EPub viewer as well as eBook management software that allows you to not only read but also manage your online book library. It has been developed specially for the EPub software format, so you can use it to enjoy EPub eBooks without any hesitation.
It offers a secure cloud storage for your eBook files, notes, and reading progress. Download the EPub Neat Reader now and enjoy unparalleled readability, regardless of your reading device.