Sony has entered the eBook retail market with the launch of Reader Store UK, a one-stop shop for the purchase of digital editions of old and new fiction and non-fiction books.

However, while it has an online presence to browse and search for books, purchasing is done through one of the applications the company offers for a variety of devices. There are desktop software clients for both PC and Mac, and Android client available through Google Play (Reader for Android). And, of course, the new store can be accessed through the manufacturer's own Sony Reader Wi-Fi devices.

All books are available in the widely compatible ePUB format, so can also be used with many other eBook readers, not just Sony's own.

As well as books, the Reader Store also offers newspapers, including the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, The Guardian and The Observer. Individual copies are available from 90p, while subscriptions run from between £8.99 and £9.99 a month.

Prices for bestsellers seem comparable to Amazon's Kindle Store. For example, Patricia Cornwell's latest, Red Mist, is £8.99 on both, but c- onsidering that it's only just launched - Sony's Reader Store is still getting up to speed on stock levels.

You can find out more and download the PC or Mac client from readerstore.sony.com/uk.

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