Barnes & Noble Working Closely with Adobe for EPUB Push

It looks like Barnes & Noble is hitting on staunch rival Amazon as it works closely with Adobe into pushing ebook format standardization using the widely accepted EPUB and PDF files.  Both companies are also reportedly working together on content protection standard based on Adobe and Barnes & Noble technology.What does this means from an electronic publishing perspective? Simple, Barnes & Noble which has released its Nook eReader recently wants to make sure that copy-protected ebooks can be read by users regardless of whether they are using the Nook, Barnes&Noble’s e-reader software for iPhones, PCs, BlackBerrys as well as other smartphones.

Users with other devices such as the Adobe Reader Mobile software will also be able to purchase and read ebooks from B&N’s store.

In short, Barnes & Noble is taking the route which Amazon did not take – that is not to restrict ebook reading access to a proprietary format which only the Kindle can read.

This move would definitely have an effect to Amazon’s otherwise restrictive ebook format policy.

via 901am