Microsoft retiring Reader software

A long time ago before the pixies at Amazon had come up with the Kindle, Microsoft had its own eBook technology called Microsoft Reader. This was one of the first eBook technologies I came across and can remember happily sitting reading books on a Pocket PC (might even have been a Palm Sized PC). It was also where Microsoft first introduced the sub-pixel rendering technology called ClearType which has since become almost ubiquitous on Window’s Laptops.

That was then and this is now. We have moved on. Reader never really moved the market as an eBook format and most electronic books tend to be read in Kindle or ePub formats. Microsoft have seen the writing on the wall, or more the lack of writing on the iPad and have moved the Reader Application to end of life. The reader .lit file format will live on however and if your reader supports the format you will still be able to read the files. So not the end of the world but still feels like an old friend is leaving.

From the Microsoft Reader site:

Microsoft is discontinuing Microsoft Reader effective August 30, 2012, which includes download access of the Microsoft Reader application from the Microsoft Reader website. However, you may continue to use and access the Microsoft Reader application and any .lit materials on your PCs or devices after the discontinuation on August 30, 2012.