Fictionwise Opens eBookwise

eBookwise has openned it's cyberdoors. It looks like it gives some Gemstar ebook reader owners a chance to update their bookshelves and buy new books from major publishers.

They are also selling ebook reading hardware devices for a stunning $99. That is a pretty good deal if you do not care about having the functions of a PDA. But any buyer needs to understand that buying this device pretty well locks you in to the Ebookwise format.

Information is sparse at the eBookwise site on how these devices work some unanswered questions:

How exactly do these devices download their ebooks?

I see there is a choice of telephone connection or USB - will the USB connection work with a Mac OS X machine?

It says you do not need to directly connect the telephone connection to the computer. So if you only connect to the internet via cable modem will this still work or do you need to be on dial-up?

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.