Adobe Digital Editions vs Alfa Ebooks Manager

2023. Alfa Ebooks Manager is available in Microsoft Store



Popular ebook collection software Alfa Ebooks Manager is now available in Microsoft's Windows Store. It brings two advantages for the users. First - is easy installation with one click (the drawback is that you can't change the installation folder, but if you need it - you can still download the regular setup file from Alfa's website). The second, and more import, this guarantees the security of the software because every program is tested by Microsoft specialists before adding to the store. In particular they require the strong security certificate SHA256 to be applied. Taking into consideration Calibre's recent security flaws this is an important step for Alfa.


2019. Alfa 8: New UI and Faster performance



Amazon has released a firmware update (version 5.10.3) for several Kindle e-Ink e-readers, including the Oasis 2, Paperwhite 4, and Voyage. While the update's official description mentions improved performance without specific details, I have observed significant enhancements in page turn speed through swiping or tapping. This improvement will be particularly beneficial for avid ebook readers. Additionally, ebooks now open more quickly with this update. The firmware update is expected to be distributed via Wi-Fi over the next few days, reaching Kindle devices automatically.


2017. Alfa Ebooks Manager 7 adds Web reader



Alfa.NetSoft released the new version of its popular ebook management software Alfa Ebooks Manager 7. The new version features advanced Web Reader, that is available in software's web interface. It allows to open and read pdf, epub, mobi, fb2, djvu, txt ebooks in browser in your local network. It supports also mobile browsers, so you can read from your phone. The Web Reader bookmarks the last opened page for each book in browser's cookies. It also provides familiar options like text size, font, line height and others. And TOC is also available. The other new features include new Web interface and Autoupdate.


2017. Older versions of Adobe Digital Editions are no longer compatible with Overdrive



Ebook catalog software, Adobe Digital Editions, offers the functionality to transfer borrowed e-books from libraries or other bookstores to your e-reader, smartphone, or tablet. However, users of older versions of Digital Editions have been encountering numerous errors recently. This can be attributed to the updates made by Google Play, Overdrive, and other online retailers to the Adobe Content Server, resulting in compatibility issues for those relying on outdated versions of Adobe Digital Editions. To address these problems, it is crucial to update to version 4.5 of the software, which currently appears to be functioning without major issues.


2016. Adobe Digital Edition patches critial security flaws



Adobe Digital Editions, a program utilized for acquiring, managing, and reading e-books, has unfortunately become a target for hackers, much like other Adobe software. Cybercriminals exploit this software as a means to distribute viruses and malware onto users' computers. Recently, four critical vulnerabilities that allow for arbitrary code execution were discovered in Adobe Digital Editions. Considering that the software relies on the internet for updates and acquiring books, this poses a significant risk to your computer's security. To address these vulnerabilities, Adobe is promptly releasing a security update. It is crucial that you update your Adobe Digital Editions software as soon as possible, especially if you use it for managing your e-books.


2015. Adobe Digital Editions app for the iPad released



Adobe has introduced an iPad version of its personal library organizer, Adobe Digital Editions. This app is compatible with ePUB, including ePUB3, and PDF formats. While the app may appear utilitarian in design, lacking an exciting demonstration of its capabilities, it offers a straightforward guide to reading ePUBs and PDFs once installed. Adobe is not alone in facing criticism for its own eBook products, as even Apple's iBooks Store rarely showcases the potential of its own iBooks Author, suggesting a certain disconnect in Apple's publishing efforts. Nonetheless, Adobe Digital Editions proves useful for readers seeking access to eBooks from their local library.


2014. Adobe’s e-book reader tracks readers’ data



As per a report from Ars, it has come to light that Adobe Digital Editions, the widely-used e-book and PDF reader in numerous libraries, keeps track of and records the activity of patrons accessing electronic lending libraries. Disturbingly, this includes logging every document added to the local "library" and monitoring users' interactions with those files. Adding to the concern, these logs are transmitted over the Internet without encryption, meaning that anyone capable of monitoring network traffic (such as the National Security Agency, Internet service providers, cable companies, or individuals sharing a public Wi-Fi network) can easily observe users' actions. This raises significant privacy and security issues, as unauthorized individuals can essentially peer over the shoulders of readers, infringing upon their privacy and potentially accessing sensitive information.


2014. Alfa Ebooks Manager 5 adds Web Server, Audio Palyer, LoC integration



Alfa.NetSoft has released the new version of the popular ebook library organizer Alfa Ebooks Manager 5. The main new feature is OPDS Web Server that allows to browse, search, view and download your books via LAN or Wi-Fi from any computer or mobile device. You can use a browser or one of ereading apps that support OPDS standard. Besides, the program now supports linking multiple files per book, editing metadata for PDF, EPUB, FB2, MOBI, AZW ebooks. Audiobook lovers will be pleased to see inbuilt audioplayer and 3D audiobook models. Largest US book library Library of Congress now can be used to update book data. The book card in Alfa now contains 3 fields dedicated to LoC. Alfa's interface was already translated to 17 languages (Create covers from any ebook page (PDF, DJVU), Retrieve ToC from file, New version autocheck, New interface languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Czech, Turkish, Greek, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Arabic and Farsi). BTW they provide 50% discount #rightnow.


2014. Adobe Digital Editions 3.0 promises better DRM, layout support



Adobe has recently unveiled the latest iteration of its library organization software, Adobe Digital Editions 3.0, catering to both Windows and Mac users. The prominent highlight of this release is the introduction of an upgraded DRM Scheme. According to Adobe, this new scheme has undergone rigorous reinforcement to bolster its security measures, thwarting any unauthorized access to files protected by Digital Rights Management. Version 3.0 also brings notable enhancements to the search functionality when sifting through PDF files, enabling users to conduct targeted searches within specific text ranges. Additionally, the update incorporates improved support for vertical layout and orientation by incorporating limited compatibility with the "epub-text-orientation" CSS property. Adobe Digital Editions now grants access to four out of the property's six values: mixed, upright, sideways-right, and sideways. Moreover, it now accurately aligns special characters that serve as both full- and half-width representations. Users can readily obtain Adobe Digital Editions 3.0 as a freely available download for both Windows and Mac platforms. To utilize the software as a supported device for reading protected eBook files, users must possess an Adobe ID, which is necessary for signing in and authorizing their computer.


2014. Adobe Digital Editions 2.0 adds accessibility support



Adobe has introduced Adobe Digital Editions 2.0, a free software application designed for organizing ebooks on both PC and Mac platforms. This release marks the inclusion of accessibility support for the first time, along with the incorporation of cutting-edge mobile reader technology, facilitating seamless ebook management between computers and mobile devices. The standout feature in Adobe Digital Editions 2.0 is its enhanced accessibility functionality, which ensures a more convenient reading experience for ebooks. This encompasses provisions for high-contrast screens and assistive software such as Window-Eyes (Windows), VoiceOver (Mac), JAWS, and NVDA. Furthermore, Version 2.0 encompasses the latest advancements in mobile reader technology, including Vendor ID, Bookseller ID, and Japanese text support. These additions enable users to sign in using Vendor or Bookseller IDs from platforms like Google or Barnes & Noble, granting access to purchased content from these vendors. Adobe Digital Editions 2.0 can be downloaded free of charge for both PC and Mac systems. To transfer book purchases utilizing the program, users need a compatible EPUB-capable eBook Reader. A comprehensive list of compatible devices can be found here.


2013. Alfa Ebooks Manager 4: New design, Book details pane and other features



Alfa.NetSoft released the new version of its book management software Alfa Ebooks Manager 4. The list of new features includes new sleeker design, book details pane (that allows to view book details while browsing your library), new cooler 3D View with author photos,  File Finder (that allows to move library to another drive or computer), Kindle Integration (now you can manage your Kindle's library in Alfa), Import from Calibre OPF files, fast PDF parser (that allows to retrieve PDF metadata) and  DJVU full support (now you can retrieve metadata and covers from Djvu books).


2012. Alfa eBooks Manager is now compatible with Windows 8



In October Microsoft will launch the new version of its operating system Windows 8. Alfaebooks developers decided to play a proactive and rebuilt their book library software Alfa Ebooks Manager (current version 3) to make it compatible with Windows 8. They also claim the new version works much faster on Windows 8 than on the older Windows versions.


2012. Alfa Ebooks Manager 3: Audiobook management, Filter Builder and other 40 improvements



After the year of silence Alfa.NetSoft released the new version of its book collection program Alfa Ebooks Manager 3. The developers say that they added more than 40 improvements. The main new features include Filter Builder (allows to filter book library by any condition), full drag-n-drop support, autoscaling Thumb View, audiobooks (MP3) support, hot Keys, import from CSV, new cool Export to HTML, new Interface Languages (now Alfa is available on 10 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Czech, Turkish and Farsi), enhanced 3D View, new tool to create ISO images, parallel Scanning, web plug-ins autoupdate, calendar in Library Explorer, context Help, multiple book selection in lookups and more.


2011. Alfa Ebooks Manager 2.5 improves library management, adds Google Books integration



Alfa Ebooks Manager hits the new version 2.5. The most important new feature is completely rebuilt Library Explorer - the control panel for managing e-Library. Now it works like the MS Outlook sidebar: you can show or hide buttons, transform buttons into icons or vice versa. In the Authors pane you can now display authors without grouping - it looks very cool. Besides, right in the Library Explorer you can view the number of books (in each genre, series, etc), edit and delete items. The bonus is that the new Library Explorer works much faster. The second important update is import from Google Library. You can select any book list in your Google Library and import all book data and covers to your AEM database. Other new features include multiple book selection, File Manager now allows to automatically create folders and move/copy ebooks to them basing on any parameter. For example, you can create a folder for each author or genre and put the appropriate books to them, MD5-check for detecting duplicates (in the Scan and inside the database), optimized (faster) Wall View, Web Search.


2011. Alfa Ebooks Manager 2.4 adds MOBI support



Alfaebooks developers continue to improve their book management program Alfa Ebooks Manager. Today they have launched the new version of the personal library software Alfa Ebooks Manager 2.4. The updated version adds MOBI books support (now you can parse all metadata from MOBI books) and provides the following new features: Dark Theme,  ability to delete book files in the program interface, new Metallic bookshelf view, enhanced List Views with Author links, new option to turn off instant search (because in large libraries instant search could be rather slow), optimized Scan, Parser and Web Update tools (faster, more stable), multilingual interface (English, Deutsch, French, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Czech), new e-Library Statistics Viewer,  new query "Books with " (it allows to detect books that have linked files, but these files where deleted or renamed or moved).


2011. Alfa Ebooks Manager launches the Free ebook manager


Alfa Ebooks Manager 2.0 on the fully rebuild platform have been released today. The new features include multiple genres per book, tags (that can be assigned to books), custom fields in the book card (up to 5 text custom fields), universal search, new Edit Books tool (that allows to edit almost any parameter in multiple books at once, including authors, tags, custom fields...), File Parser (allows to retrieve ISBN, parse metadata and create cover thumbnails for the ebooks that are already in the database). Besides, Alfa developers introduced the new pricing model. From now they provide Free version of Alfa Ebooks Manager. They say, the free version will be a good solution for book lovers, that want to create a beautiful e-Library of books that they have read or want to read.


2010. Alfa Ebooks Manager 1.9 - the most stylish eBook library manager



Alfa.NetSoft announced the release of the new ebook software version Alfa Ebooks Manager 1.9. It's not so revolutionary as the previous one but includes a lot of small improvements, requested by our customers. Besides, with this update we start adding new design themes, so that the software could better fit your style. The first is DARK THEME. The list of new features also includes multiple books selection using Shift (like in GMail), automated book site plug-in update, duplicates control (the new item in the sidebar tree), improved List View, improved Thumbnail View, improved Book card design, Web Update Options, book double-click options (now you can select to open Book Properties, Book File, 3D Book), improved File Manager (now it prevents duplicates and file overwriting), export books to CSV.


2010. Alfa Ebooks Manager 1.8 adds LRF, FB2, EPUB support, new beautiful e-library views



The developers of Alfa Ebooks Manager call their new software version "The new generation of ebook management software". They have implemented a lot of new features and dramatically improved the software performance. Here are the main new features: the new Table View with multiple sort and filter options (ideal for searching and organizing books),  the new scalable List and Thumbnail views (that are perfect for e-library browsing and demonstrating), improved 3D and Wall views), customizable thumbnail size, new Scan tool, that works faster and can parse ebook metadata,  File Manager that allows to copy, move and rename ebook files, the new Retrieve ISBN tool that supports PDF, EPUB, LRF, FB2, CHM, new Web Update tool that can be used to add books from the book sites, Google Images integration that allows you quickly update book covers, author pics and other images in the e-Library


2009. Alfa Ebooks Manager 0.7.5 optimizes PDF book catalog management



The new version of Alfa Ebooks Manager - v.0.7.5 has arrived. Unlin now Alfa Ebooks Manager used Adobe Acrobat Pro to render PDF ebooks, so that you could view them in 3D space. But as this software is quite expensive and some users can't afford it, the developers decided to provide another option - GhostScript. It's a free interpreter for PDF files. Besides, no you can import and export books between your Google Library and Alfa Ebooks Manager. To import the book list from Google Books save it as XML file on your computer. And the most impressive new feature is Virtual 3D-Wall View that turms your e-Library into interactive wall of books. The best way to understand what is it - is to give it a try. When scanning ebook files on your computer, Alfa Ebooks Manager tries to retrieve ebook ISBN from the file body. Of course, there is no standard, that defines exact ISBN position in the ebook file. That is why sometimes ISBN can be corrupted. Now you have an option to check if the given ISBN is valid using isbndb.com.


2009. Alfa Ebooks Manager adds 3D-book models, not free any more



Yesterday the new version of Alfa Ebooks Manager - 0.7 was released. And it's not free anymore, but it's really a greate improvement over the previous version. The software interface is totally redesigned, so you could impress your friends when showing them your e-Library. You can select the e-Library layout and color scheme that better fits your style. The most outstanding new feature is 3D book view. It's like a real book on your computer screen. It has realistic size, back and front covers. You can rotate it in 3D space, open it and to turn over the pages. The content for these pages is either downloaded from Google Books and Amazon (these two sites provide the rendered book previews) or rendered from the book PDF file with the help of Adobe Acrobat Professional. If you have a blog or a website, you can easily take the 3D book snapshot and post it online, so that your friends had a better image of the book that you recommend.