Is It Still Possible to Use the eBookwise From Fictionwise Today?

If you still have an old eBookwise reader from the Fictionwise era, you may be wondering whether it is more than just a forgotten gadget in a drawer. The good news is that the device itself may still be usable. The harder truth is that the original online ecosystem around it is gone.

So, is it still possible to use the eBookwise from Fictionwise today? Yes, but with limits.

If your eBookwise-1150 still powers on, the battery works, and you can load compatible IMP files, you may still be able to read books on it. What you cannot do anymore is use Fictionwise.com, eReader.com, or eBookwise.com the way early ebook readers once did. Those services were shut down by Barnes & Noble in 2012, and the old Fictionwise Bookshelf access is no longer available through the original site.

That means the eBookwise-1150 is no longer a smooth, store-connected reading device. Today, it is more of a vintage e-reader for collectors, hobbyists, and early ebook fans who enjoy keeping older reading hardware alive.

Can You Still Use the eBookwise-1150 Today?

Yes, you can still use an eBookwise-1150 today if the hardware is working and you have a way to add readable files.

The device does not need the old Fictionwise store just to display books already stored on it. If there are still books loaded on the reader, they may open normally. If you have saved IMP files from years ago, you may also be able to transfer them manually.

The challenge is not really the screen or the reading function. The challenge is the lost ecosystem. The original store, online account tools, and easy download path are gone. Barnes & Noble ended sales through Fictionwise.com, eReader.com, and eBookwise.com on December 4, 2012. U.S. customers later lost access to their online bookshelf through the site after December 21, 2012, while customers outside the U.S. lost access after January 31, 2013.

So the practical answer is this: the eBookwise-1150 can still work as an offline reading device, but it no longer works like it did when Fictionwise was alive.

What Was the eBookwise From Fictionwise?

The eBookwise-1150 was an early dedicated ebook reader from a time before Kindle, Kobo, and modern Nook devices became the normal way people read digital books.

It was not slim, fast, or cloud-connected by today’s standards. But for its time, it gave readers something exciting: a dedicated screen for ebooks, a library-style experience, and a way to buy and load digital books long before ebooks became mainstream.

The eBookwise name was closely tied to Fictionwise, one of the early ebook retailers. Fictionwise sold digital books in multiple formats, including older formats that later faded as ePub became more common. Publishers Weekly reported that Barnes & Noble cited the rising popularity of ePub and declining demand for other ebook formats when it shut down the Fictionwise family of sites.

That is why the eBookwise-1150 feels like a piece of digital reading history. It belongs to the era when ebook standards were still unsettled and every reader seemed to have its own format, store, and software.

What Happened to Fictionwise, eReader.com, and eBookwise.com?

Fictionwise, eReader.com, and eBookwise.com were all shut down by Barnes & Noble in 2012.

Barnes & Noble had acquired Fictionwise in 2009 for $15.7 million. At the time, Fictionwise was one of the better-known independent ebook retailers. But the ebook market changed quickly. Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Nook, and ePub became more important, while many older formats lost demand.

When the shutdown happened, some customers were offered a way to move certain books into a NOOK Library. But not every old purchase was easy to move, and not every format had a simple future. Shelf Awareness reported that transferred ebooks would be in ePub format, which reflected the larger shift away from older ebook ecosystems.

For old eBookwise owners, that shutdown was a major turning point. Once the official store and bookshelf were gone, the device became much harder to use for new content.

What Still Works on the eBookwise-1150?

Some parts of the eBookwise-1150 may still work surprisingly well if the device has survived.

You may still be able to:

Read books already stored on the device.

Open compatible IMP files.

Use a SmartMedia card to add content.

Use old transfer tools if you have compatible software and hardware.

Use the reader as a simple offline device.

The MobileRead wiki notes that purchased or downloaded content in IMP file format can be copied to an external SMC card using a card reader. The card can then be inserted into the device, and the reader can convert the file to its internal format when it powers up.

That is probably the most realistic path for many users today. If you can work with IMP files and have the right card or transfer method, the old reader can still have a second life.

What No Longer Works After the Fictionwise Shutdown?

The parts that no longer work are mostly tied to the old online services.

You should not expect the original Fictionwise or eBookwise buying experience to work anymore. The store is gone. The old bookshelf is gone. The easy account-based download system is gone.

Here is a simple breakdown:

The old eBookwise Bookshelf also depended on online services that are no longer part of the active ebook market. MobileRead describes how the eBookwise-1150 used a built-in modem or USB connection to access the old online Bookshelf system, but that system belonged to the earlier Fictionwise and eBookwise era.

Can You Still Access Old Fictionwise Books?

This depends on whether you saved your books years ago.

If you downloaded and backed up your old Fictionwise purchases, you may still have usable files. If they are DRM-free, your chances are much better. DRM-free files can often be preserved, converted, or moved more easily than locked files.

If your books were only stored in the old Fictionwise Bookshelf, recovery is much harder. The original bookshelf access is no longer available through Fictionwise, and the old account migration window closed years ago. TechCrunch reported the customer access deadlines during the 2012 shutdown, which means the original download path is long gone.

This is the part that frustrates many early ebook buyers. A printed book on a shelf can survive decades. A digital book tied to an old account system may disappear if the store closes and the files were never backed up.

What File Format Does the eBookwise-1150 Use?

The key format for the eBookwise-1150 is IMP.

IMP was used by several older ebook readers, including the eBookwise-1150 and related devices. MobileRead describes IMP as an intermediate ebook format used most notably by the eBookwise-1150 and the REB 1200.

This matters because modern ebooks are usually found in formats such as ePub, PDF, MOBI, or AZW. The eBookwise-1150 does not behave like a modern Kindle or Kobo. You usually cannot just grab a current ebook file and expect it to work.

For today’s users, the main task is finding or creating files the device can read. That may involve old IMP files, old conversion tools, or community-supported methods shared by vintage ebook enthusiasts.

How Can You Load Books on an eBookwise Today?

If you want to try using the eBookwise-1150 today, start with the basics.

First, check whether the device powers on. Old batteries may be weak or dead, and chargers can be missing or unreliable. If the screen turns on and the device can open its menu, you already have a better chance than many old hardware owners.

Next, check whether books are already stored on the device. If they are, test a few files before trying anything complicated.

After that, look for saved IMP files on old hard drives, CDs, backup folders, or archived ebook libraries. If you have DRM-free source files in HTML, RTF, TXT, or other older formats, you may be able to convert them using legacy tools.

MobileRead’s review page notes that content could be added through the USB port using an MSWindows computer running eBook Librarian, which could import from HTML, plaintext, MSWord DOC, and RTF. It also notes reports of Linux users adding content by writing directly to the device’s SmartMedia card.

In plain English, your best options are likely:

Use existing IMP files.

Use a compatible SmartMedia card.

Try old software such as eBook Librarian or related tools.

Look through MobileRead community resources.

Avoid depending on the old Fictionwise store or bookshelf.

This is not a plug-and-play process anymore. It is more like restoring an old music player, camera, or computer.

Common Problems With Using an Old eBookwise Reader

The eBookwise-1150 can still be charming, but it comes with real problems.

The battery may not hold a charge. The charger may be missing. SmartMedia cards are old and not as easy to find as modern SD cards. USB transfer may require older software or older versions of Windows. Some files may be locked by DRM. Some conversion tools may no longer be maintained.

Another issue is screen comfort. The eBookwise-1150 used an older screen style, not the modern E Ink display people expect from a Kindle or Kobo. Some readers may still enjoy it, but others will find it heavier and less comfortable for long sessions.

The biggest problem, though, is content. A reader is only useful if you can get books onto it. Since Fictionwise.com, eReader.com, and eBookwise.com are gone, the device now depends on whatever files and tools you can still access.

Is the eBookwise Still Worth Using?

For most people, the eBookwise-1150 is not the best daily reading device anymore.

A modern Kindle, Kobo, or Nook will be easier to use, easier to sync, easier to charge, and easier to fill with books. Modern readers also support current ebook stores, library borrowing, better screens, and simpler file management.

But that does not mean the eBookwise is worthless.

For collectors, it is a fun piece of digital reading history. For early ebook fans, it can bring back memories of the days before Kindle dominated the market. For hobbyists, getting one working again can be satisfying. And for anyone who already has old IMP files, the device may still serve a real purpose.

So the answer depends on your goal. If you want convenience, use a modern e-reader. If you want nostalgia, experimentation, or a vintage reading project, the eBookwise-1150 can still be worth keeping.

Final Takeaway

Yes, it is still possible to use the eBookwise from Fictionwise today, but only in a limited, hands-on way.

The eBookwise-1150 may still read books if the hardware works and you can load compatible IMP files. However, the original Fictionwise, eReader.com, and eBookwise.com services are gone, and the old Fictionwise Bookshelf is no longer a reliable way to recover books.

The device is best understood as a vintage e-reader now. It can still be useful for readers who saved their files, enjoy old ebook hardware, or want to experiment with legacy formats. But for everyday reading, a modern Kindle, Kobo, or Nook will be much easier.

The eBookwise still has a place, just not the same place it had in the early ebook era. Today, it is less of a connected ebook store device and more of a small reminder of how digital reading started before the market settled around modern formats and platforms.