Ebooks have gained lately a lot of popularity especially due to the numerous portable devices that support them. There are also several applications that bring the same features to desktop computers and one of them is Microsoft Reader.

The first thing users notice after installing the application is that it requires computer activation to enable purchase and download of commercial ebooks. This step is not mandatory and it can be skipped without it affecting the functionality of the software.

Users have the possibility to test the features of Microsoft Reader using its Help file, which is offered as a sample file which can be explored without any limitations.

Once they start reading an ebook, users can add bookmarks that enable easy navigation to specific pages. This can be achieved by simply selecting a string of text and choose the corresponding option from the displayed context menu.

The same right-click menu can also be used to highlight important words or phrases that need to emphasized and be easily noticeable on the page.

Additionally, users get the possibility to add freehand drawings to their files whenever they want to illustrate an idea or a concept. To the same purpose, one can insert text notes that are accessible from the sides of the page.

Entire passages can be copied the traditional way (copy and paste using keyboard hotkeys) or by selecting a paragraph and using the "copy" command available in the context menu.

Last but surely not least, Microsoft Reader comes with a text-to-speech function, meaning that it can read aloud the text on the current page; it automatically moves to the next one when it reaches the end of the page. This can be useful for users that would rather listen to the information than read it; or if they are multi-tasking.

Overall, even if Microsoft Reader might take some time to get used to at the beginning, it is worth the trouble as its comprehensive customizations can make reading an ebook an entertaining and educative experience.