FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 14, 1999 — Today at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Penguin Books Ltd. and Microsoft Corp. announced they will create and distribute an eBook CD for the English-language market. The CD, which will be available from computer software retailers and bookstores, will feature Microsoft® Reader and a selection from Penguin Classics, the internationally renowned, 1,000-strong series published by Penguin worldwide.
Microsoft Reader is a new software application designed to deliver an on-screen computer reading experience that for the first time provides a highly compelling alternative to paper. Microsoft Reader is the first product to include ClearType TM display technology, a Microsoft innovation that greatly improves font resolution on LCD screens for users of Windows® operating system-based desktop or laptop PCs and dedicated reading devices. In addition to incorporating the latest ClearType technology, Microsoft Reader adheres to the traditions and benefits of fine typography. It provides a clean, uncluttered display and powerful annotation tools. It includes a library that can store and manage a large collection of eBooks and a built-in dictionary.
“We at Penguin are tremendously excited by the potential offered by Microsoft Reader technology. We are delighted to be working with Microsoft to provide the best in world literature from the Penguin Classics series and to make available the very first titles to be published in this format,” said Andrew Rosenheim, managing director of Penguin Press.
“Penguin is a tremendous publishing brand in the English-language market, with great consumer awareness,” said Dick Brass, vice president of Technology Development at Microsoft. “We are excited to work with Penguin to deliver an immediate and compelling eBook reading experience.”
Microsoft Reader is scheduled to be available early next year in English, with support for other languages expected soon thereafter. Pricing for the Penguin Classics CD has not yet been announced.
Penguin Books is a Pearson company. Penguin is ranked the tenth most powerful media brand in the world.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, ClearType and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. For more information about Penguin, please visit http://www.penguin.com/ or http://www.penguinclassics.com/ .
