Adobe Digital Editions for Surface RT

[Cara_Hart_42]

I would like to purchase a Microsoft Surface tablet to replace my netbook. The Surface runs the Windows 8 RT operating system, which is different from Windows 8. Executable files (such as the Adobe Digital Editions installation EXE) cannot be run on RT -- apps must be downloaded from the Microsoft Windows App Store. Will Adobe make a version of Adobe Digital Editions that will run on the Surface RT?

Thanks,

Cara

[Jeffrey_A_Wright · Accepted solution]

Cara we do not currently support Windows RT with Adobe Digital Editions.  You can find the current system requirements listed at http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/supported-devices.

You may also want to reference Digital Editions Supported Devices - http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/supported-devices for a list of supported devices and applications.

[Cara_Hart_42]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, you did not answer my question. I am aware that Adobe Digital Edition is not currently supported on Windows RT.

My question is, does Adobe plan to support this platform?

Thanks,

Cara

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

We would have to completely rewrite the software to work on an ARM based processor.  We are always continually evaluating additonal platforms to release for Adobe Digital Editions.  I would recommend looking at the supported devices page as was previously offered in message #1.

If you have not already purchased your Windows RT device you may want to hold off as I believe a version running the full version of Windows 8 will soon be available.

[Cara_Hart_42]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your response.

My Sony Reader is on the list of supported devices, and I do not intend to stop using it. I have been using Adobe Digital Editions on my netbook (a PC running Windows 7) to download eBooks and transfter them to my Sony Reader.

If Adobe Digital Editions will not be available for Surface RT, I will need to explore using other software for my DRM books on that platform, or using ADE from a different computer.

(While it is true that the Surface Pro is coming out soon, the RT has some advantages over it, such as longer battery life and lower weight.)

I do hope that Adobe will take into consideration porting ADE to the Surface RT. It is great software and I'd love to be able to use it on that platform.

Thanks,

Cara

[Rachel363]

Hi Cara,

I have been doing a little research on this sort of topic. I am in college at the moment for web developing and was planning to buy the Windows surface tablet in 2 weeks. I wanted a tablet that I could carry around with me and work on school stuff. Thing is I need it to run Adobe software's such as Photoshop and Fireworks. From what I can tell Surface RT will not do this. My plan is to either hold off until Windows surface pro comes out or find a different tablet that has a Windows 8 OS and not RT. I don't really know much about the question you are asking, but if you are going to spend a good chunk of money on a tablet, you might as well just wait and gather a little more money and buy one with a Windows 8 OS. This way you know without a doubt anything that can run on a Windows 8 OS or below will run on that tablet. Clearly I am not telling you what to do, but I don't want you disappointed either. I am really glad I found out about the things Windows surface RT can't do before I bought it.

[Cara_Hart_42]

Hi Rachel,

My plan would be to use the Microsoft Surface the same way I've been using my netbook -- for light tasks that can be accomplished despite a small screen and lower resources, because it is so portable. Aside from ADE, I haven't thought of an application that would require Pro rather than RT, so that's why I'm considering the Surface RT. For me, it's a question of weight, battery life, and availabilty, not cost. For example, the RT already has a version of Office built-in, and most of the rest of the work I would do on it would be through web connections.

As for your plans -- I wouldn't be surprised if you found that the performance of any tablet, Surface or others, is not up to the task of running Photoshop. Be sure to check into how much RAM and disk space you'll need!

Cara

[Rachel363]

I see what you are saying now Cara. I can see how the Surface RT would fit your needs just fine. I know what you mean about checking out tablets to see if I can find one that will do what I need it to do. I already have a laptop and a desktop that work just fine. I really just wanted a tablet that would be able to do a few things as needed if I am say not at home to work on stuff. I would never make it my main editing source. I really can't explain what my intentions are with a Windows 8 OS tablet. I make a monthly payment to Adobe for their creative cloud so I can have whatever software I need at my fingertips. I really like the cloud so that way no matter where I am I can access my work and send it in or make a few small changes before submitting it. I pretty much really need the comforts of all Windows OS features, yet in something smaller than a laptop that would say fit in my purse!

Sorry if I misunderstood what you were asking in your first question. I guess you can say I am trying to do my homework before I spend a good amount of money on something so tiny.

[Declan_Foster]

so your sayiing that it wouldnt be worth spending the time making adobe products for the surface rt, yes you would have to rewrite the software, however you did basically did this for the iOS and android versions of photoshop, so why not on the RT???

[sjpt]

so your sayiing that it wouldnt be worth spending the time making adobe products for the surface rt, yes you would have to rewrite the software, however you did basically did this for the iOS and android versions of photoshop, so why not on the RT???

Two things. 

Adobe does make some software for iOS and Android, but not Digital Editions; third parties make compatible programs.

And why not the RT ... because the market isn't big enough to justify the cost. 

If Microsoft wants to push RT they need to get over that market threshold, so they had better write or persuade third parties to write the appropriate apps.

[ek1780]

I bought the surface RT some weeks ago. I am just a normal user, not an IT crack. I informed myself before buying and realized that there is an app for RT which is able to open DRM locked epubs. I admit I thought that the app will also open DRM locked pdfs.

Wrong! It took today several hours to find this fact. A normal user is not able to go into such details in your software before he buy anything.

Dear Adobe Team, please consider to develop an app for DRM locked pfds for RT. I am working at a university and we handle all day with DRM locked pdfs.

Please let me state, that I, as a consumer of articles and books, really don´t like being a victim of Microsoft product managing policies and Adobe product managing policies as they follow different aims... I am just a normal user who wants to read the article I bought - in a very simple way.

Hope to get an official feedback from Adobe!

[Roebü]

@ek1780:

> Dear Adobe Team, please consider to develop an app for DRM locked pfds for RT

The eBooks.de app allows you to read Adobe DRMed books and pdf files on the Surface (Windows RT).

[Guest]

This is all pussy-footing around a really serious issue. Windows TR Surface tablets are a mainstream device that is here to stay, and every Microsoft and Adobe customer has a reasonable expectation that mainstream e-products they have bought - such as Adobe DRM-protected e-books from mainstream e-book sellers/publishers - will NOT be locked out from being used on such a device. Having lumbered the world of e-books with the chastity belt of DRM, Adobe has a direct  responsibility to make sure that its much-touted universal solution to copyright protection on e-books DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST or DISADVANTAGE those of us who have a Microsoft Surface Tablet instead of an Ipad or an Android  device.

It is NOT good enough for Adobe spokespersons to tell us - as on this forum - that it is too expensive or too much trouble, or that we should not buy this mainstream device but go with that because they can't be bothered living up to the hype about Adobe Digital Editions that heas lured e-book publishers into using the platform.

Now I have to complain to certain e-book publishers that they have let down the customer by publishing only in DRM-PDF format instead of something civilised and truly transportable between a legitimate customer's portable devices, such as Epub. And I'm talking about expensive academic and technical e-publications at $50 or more each, not $2.99 bodice-rippers!

Shame on you, Adobe!

Associate Professor Neale Draper,

Australia

[sjpt]

Will the Overdrive app for Windows8 do the job of reading DRM eBooks.

It looks like it from the blurb.

http://www.overdrive.com/News/New-OverDrive-App-Taps-Power-of-Windows-8

iPads and android tablets don't run ADE. 

DRM and non-DRM files can be transferred to read on those tablets with appropriate app installed and registered on the tablet.

Assuming Overdrive does indeed work on an WinRT tablet, isn't that the same as for other tablets?

And I think Bluefire intend to make their app available.

You can't expect an RT to replace a laptop/desktop/netbook with full Windows/Mac OS, only to replace a tablet.

[Guest]

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I checked the Overdrive media console webpage, and the Windows Surface RT OMC app does not support Adobe DRM documents, sadly. I think the solution has to come from Adobe, who created this digital document platform and persuaded mainstream publishers to adopt it.

Yes, a device like a Surface RT is not a full laptop, it is a tablet - and one of the primary functions of a tablet is as a reader for digital documents!

Thanks very much though to sjpt for an inspired suggestion!

Assoc. Prof. Neale Draper

<Removed by Moderator>

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

NealeD I do want to confirm that we do not offer a version of Adobe Digital Editions for Android or iOS.  You can see the system requirements for Adobe Digital Editions 2.0 at http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions/tech-specs.html.

If a Windows 8 RT application does become available then it is likely it will be added to the list of supported devices and activations at http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalpublishing/supported-devices.

I also reviewed the page and from what I can see it does look like Sjpt's suggestion might be a viable option.  You can find more information about the formats supported at http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/.  In addition there is separate page which lists incompatible devices at http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/incompatibledevices.aspx.  If you have a specific URL which is stating that Windows 8 will not support Adobe EPUB and PDF can you please post it to the message thread?

[Cara_Hart_42]

Jeff,

Please make sure that these user requests for a Windows 8 RT version of Adobe Digital Editions are relayed up the line to the people who make development decisions.

Microsoft's new Surface device has only been out for a short time, and already you can see there is interest in running Adobe's software on this platform. Other companies are releasing tablets with RT on them, too. Adobe should consider whether they want to be left behind the curve!

Cara

[Guest]

Hi Jeff,

On the Overdrive Media Console site http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/ go to “See what formats you can use on your computer or device” halfway down the page – this takes you to the Device Resource Center page http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/ .

Scroll down to Microsoft Surface with Windows RT and you will see that only Kindle, Epub and MP3 are supported (which you can do with many apps for this device), and that PDF DRM files are not supported.

Regards,

Neale

Assoc. Prof. Neale Draper

Chief Executive Officer & Principal Heritage Consultant

Australian Cultural Heritage Management P/L

446 South Road, MARLESTON, SA, 5033	t (08) 8340 9566	f (08) 8340 9577	m 0408 657 544
Level 7, 524 Hay Street, PERTH, WA, 6000	t (08) 6211 5300	f (08) 9221 5961
108 Powlett Street, KILMORE, VIC, 3764	t (03) 5782 0268	f (03) 5781 0268
e neale.draper@achm.com.au<mailto:neale.draper@achm.com.au>	www.achm.com.au<http://www.achm.com.au/>

Associate Professor

Department of Archaeology,	Flinders University of South Australia
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/archaeology

[sjpt]

H'mmm. 

I just checked out the Windows8 Metro (what are we meant to call it?) specific version of Overdrive.

I didn't check it on a tablet but on the Metro side of full Windows 8; I guess it should be the same, but ???

I did manage to register it with my AdobeID (charms-Settings-Accounts).

I then found that it would not open DRM .epub files from the main part of the PC (library or bought).

However, when I opened a .acsm file for a library DRM ebook, it did work

Trying to open my (only) bought DRM ebook using the .acsm file,

it keeps saying 'system busy, this title will be added after the current process has finished'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other advice indicates that it is meant to be able to ... eg from http://www.koorong.com/info/ebooks/deviceadvice.jsp

Windows 8 RT Tablet:

Getting Started:

You will need to install an app capable of reading DRM-protected ePub files on your Windows 8 tablet device. We recommend Overdrive Media Console available for free from the Microsoft App Store.

You will also need to enter your Adobe ID into Overdrive which can be done through the 'Accounts' option in the Settings menu. Swipe in from the right of the screen to open the menu and select 'Settings'. Select 'Accounts' and then 'Authorize'. Enter your Adobe ID and password.

[Cara_Hart_42]

Neale,

I couldn't agree more. Adobe should be working on porting the Adobe Digital Editions software to platforms that customers want to use.

Perhaps Adobe wants us all to switch to Kindle???

Cara

[sjpt]

As far as I am aware, Adobe has not ported Digital Editions software to Android or ios.

There are Adobe DRM capable apps on those devices; but these apps are not supplied by Adobe.

(I assume the app vendors have some agreement with Adobe on the DRM details.)

It will be interesting to see if the WinRT Overdrive App really can read DRM books other than Overdrive Library books on Windows RT.

I guess that there will be a Bluefire app for WinRT pretty soon as well.

Then an RT tablet will be in pretty much the same situation as an android or ios tablet.

Meanwhile, there are apps such as epubee http://epubee.com

There are arguments on both sides about the legality of using such software;

as long as it is not used to circumvent the intent of the DRM it seems morally completely justified in cases there is no alternative solution.

[Cara_Hart_42]

Update for those interested:

• The Kobo app can be used to read eBooks -- including DRM -- acquired through Kobo.
• The Overdrive app can be used to download and read eBooks -- including DRM -- acquired through Overdrive, which includes those I download from my local library. (It will not open my Kobo books or Google eBooks.)
• I have not yet found an app in the Microsoft Store that will allow me to put DRM books onto my Sony Reader.

I would still love to see Adobe port Digital Editions to this platform. It is my favorite applications for consolidating my eBooks, as well as copying them to my Sony Reader.

Cara

[Guest]

I have found that the best way to manage content for my sony e-reader is to install the sony reader software (which is on the reader) onto my laptop (just connect them and it wants to do it) and purchase content (including Kobo etc) via the laptop, and keep the library there (sony reader software opens a my books folder in my documents) and load them / delete them on the e-reader as desired. If the laptop has your DRM registration, all content transfers just fine, I have found. Still waiting for equivalent sony app for surface tablet on Windows RT, and their is a Kobo app, but it has limited functionality, though they say they are working to improve this.

Regards,

Neale

Assoc. Prof. Neale Draper

CEO,

Australian Cultural Heritage Management

Archaeology Department, Flinders University of South Australia

<Removed by Moderator>

[trainmore]

I found a basic reader, DL Reader, which uses your Adobe ID.No highlighting, bookmarks,etc. Only other way is to purchase a program which remoes the DRM restriction.

Hopefully DL reader will be uograded at some time.

[sjpt]

DL Reader does not appear to run on Windows RT, only a full Windows 8 system.

Only other way is to purchase a program which remoes the DRM restriction.

epubee is free and does a good job.

DRM stripping should only be used where legally permitted,

or in some cases, where clearly ethically justified because the absurdities of Adobe's inept ADEPT DRM infrastructure prevent use within the intended ts&cs.