Hachette Book Group Publishes Nextville in Interactive ebook Format

NEW YORK, 29th of May, 2008 - DNAML Pty Limited and Hachette Book Group USA announced today the publication of "Nextville," by Barbara Corcoran with Warren Berger, in DNAML's interactive DNL ebook format. Nextville —subtitled Amazing Places to Live the Rest of Your Life— identifies the top eight trends that are changing where (and how) boomers are retiring. Corcoran helps readers figure out what's most important to them in their next place—whether it's pursuing their passions, living green, finding community, living young in a city or college town, or even staying right in their old home town.

DNL is a multimedia book format, combining text, images, and various forms of multimedia; the DNL version of Nextville, contains [the text from the original print version a video of the author introducing the ebook and her ideas, and an interactive quiz that helps readers figure out the best place for them to "Live Happily Ever After." Readers make selections from multiple-choice answers, and the ebook responds with suggestions.

The DNL ebook version of the title is an attractive, easy-to-read product. Unlike typical PDF ebooks, or ebooks displayed on small ebook-reading devices, the DNL version looks like a book, with legible text and "turning" pages. (DNL ebooks can be read on computing devices that can run Microsoft Windows applications, a market of around 1.2 billion devices.) Readers can add notes to the ebook, and highlight areas, and even email notes and highlights to other people reading the ebook; the recipient can then import those notes and highlights into their copy of the ebook.

A search engine built into the DNL ebook assists readers in finding exactly the information they want. Rather than taking the reader from page to page in search of the correct match, the search system displays "snippets" of information, so the reader can quickly select the area of the ebook he or she is looking for.

The ebook is protected using an advanced DRM (Digital Rights Management) system that allows the ebook's purchaser to open and read the ebook, but prevents "file-sharing" piracy. However, unlike most DRM systems, the mechanism built into DNL ebooks is unobtrusive and easy to use for readers. "We believe complicated DRM has slowed the adoption of ebooks," said DNAML CEO Adam Schmidt; "it irritates users, turning them off the whole idea of purchasing and reading ebooks on UMPC's, Laptops and PC's. DRM has to be simple to be viable."

Furthermore, Nextville is being distributed in an innovative Try Before You Buy format; the consumer can download the first two chapters for free. If the consumer wishes to continue reading, he or she can purchase the ebook from within the ebook. There's no need to go to another Web site, the transaction is all done very quickly and simply (The free Try Before You Buy version of Nextville can be downloaded from hachette.ebook.com/Nextville ).

"We're excited to work with Hachette," stated DNAML CEO Adam Schmidt. "There's an ebook revolution underway, and Hachette is at the forefront; they are first out of the block in converting to the new ePUB document format and that makes Hachette a digital pioneer." The ePUB format is a standard, promulgated by the International Digital Publishing Forum ( IDPF.org ), intended to facilitate and simplify the conversion of publishers' titles into multiple ebook formats.

"We continue to look for innovative ways to distribute our authors, reach new markets, and enhance content for consumers. The DNL format gives us an easy way to do all three things at once. We are thrilled to be working with DNAML and applaud them for adopting the .epub standard," Neil De Young, Director of Digital Media, Hachette Book Group.

About DNAML Pty, Ltd.

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, DNAML Pty Limited is a developer of e-publishing software. For ten years DNAML has created innovative products in the in the field of electronic publishing, based around its document-authoring system, Desktop Author. Desktop Author can be used to create multi-media, interactive and secure ebooks in the DNL format. For further information please visit DNAML.com .

About Hachette Book Group USA:

Hachette Book Group USA is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest publisher in the world. Hachette Book Group USA's product lines include adult, illustrated, religious, children's and audio books under the Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, Yen Press and Hachette Book Group Digital Media imprints. Its bestselling authors include Ansel Adams, Sherman Alexie, Marc Brown, David Baldacci, Jimmy Buffett, Michael Connelly, Nelson DeMille, Malcolm Gladwell, Lisi Harrison, Robert Kiyosaki, Brad Meltzer, Joyce Meyer, Stephenie Meyer, Walter Mosley, James Patterson, David Sedaris, Anita Shreve, Nicholas Sparks, and Cecily von Ziegesar.

For more information, contact Adam Schmidt: , +61-417-077-770, or +61-2-8248-5111