Tokyo, Japan, July 4, 2012 - ACCESS CO., LTD. a global provider of advanced software technologies to the mobile, beyond-PC and digital TV markets, today announced that it has contributed technology from its multi-platform eBook viewer NetFront™ BookReader EPUB Edition to the Readium open source initiative sponsored by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). A Macintosh OS/X version of Readium EPUB3 Reference Platform, which integrates NetFront BookReader technology is now available.

EPUB 3 is the latest EPUB open standard for distribution and interchange format of digital publications and documents. It can accurately reproduce complicated Japanese-language layouts, and support rich content that includes audiovisual items and JavaScript™. To promote the spread of this specification, IDPF started Project Readium in February, with the support and cooperation of industry organizations worldwide, beginning with the development of an EPUB 3 Reference Platform. ACCESS supports this project as a member and contributor, and has been collaborating on the development of a Macintosh version of Readium by offering its technical expertise to the project.

Specifically, ACCESS has modified and provided part of the core engine of its WebKit-based EPUB 3 viewer, NetFront BookReader EPUB Edition, for the Readium Platform. ACCESS also plans to provide a user interface that supports the Japanese language. Going forward, ACCESS will incorporate open-source technology, enabling the platform to evolve further, and align it with mainstream WebKit development norms and procedures.

“For the eBook market to grow further, it’s essential to ensure that the industry can build on a truly global standard, which means supporting global languages,” said Bill McCoy, Executive Director, IDPF. “ACCESS’ contributions to Project Readium have enabled a Macintosh version of the Readium EPUB 3 Reference Platform that shows the full power of EPUB 3 as a global solution. Based on this platform, we hope to inspire developers worldwide to fully implement these features, which will contribute to energizing the eBook market and ultimately expand CSS and browser-native support for high-quality global typography.”

“ACCESS is focusing on the development of advanced software solutions that combine our technologies and open source to swiftly provide readers with rich viewing experiences for eBooks,” said Kunihiro Ishiguro, Senior Executive Officer and CTO, ACCESS. “We are pleased that our WebKit-based EPUB 3 viewer technology, a market forerunner, has been utilized in IDPF’s reference platform. We are committed to further collaboration with IDPF to accelerate the spread of the EPUB specification.”

To learn more about Readium including the new Macintosh configuration, please visit http://readium.org/

In addition, Asia’s first EPUB 3 conference is being held at the 16th eBook Expo Tokyo (July 4 – 6 at Tokyo Big Site). On July 4, ACCESS demonstrated the Readium EPUB 3 Reference Platform during an opening day keynote address by Marcus Gilling, CTO, IDPF/DAISY Consortium. For details, please visit http://www.ebooks-expo.jp/en/Home/.

About NetFront BookReader EPUB Edition
NetFront BookReader EPUB Edition is a multi-platform eBook viewer incorporating the technological capabilities of Japanese characters and page layout and expertise of ACCESS mobile software. NetFront BookReader EPUB Edition, which supports EPUB 3 in addition to EPUB 2.0.1, reproduces complex page layouts and Japanese characters, including vertical layouts and logographic kanji characters by incorporating furigana annotation. The viewer is based on the WebKit browser engine and supports a wide range of HTML5 and JavaScript content. NetFront BookReader EPUB Edition enables users to enjoy rich eBook content embedded with video, audio and applications.

About ACCESS
ACCESS CO., LTD. is a global provider of advanced software solutions and services to the mobile, embedded, Connected TV, Connected Home, automotive, digital publishing and networking markets. ACCESS’ product portfolio including its NetFront™ Software Series provides customers with solutions that enable faster time-to-market, flexibility and customizability. The company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operates subsidiaries and affiliates in Asia, Europe and the United States. ACCESS is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers’ Index under the number 4813. For additional information, please visit www.access-company.com.

© 2012 ACCESS CO., LTD. All rights reserved.
ACCESS, the ACCESS logo, and NetFront are registered trademarks or trademarks of ACCESS CO., LTD. in the United States, Japan and/or other countries. EPUB is a trademark of the IDPF. Java, all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks, logos and trade names mentioned in the document are the property of their respective owners.