Books on smartphones gain momentum –  Shortcovers has added the Palm Pre to the supported platforms for its limited set of e-books. Titles include Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, a three-second download for 10 bucks. Wattpad, which distributes public domain and Creative Commons-licensed titles for free, has announced an app for Android gadgets. The e-books are more readable than you might expect. The only roadblock to reading John Grisham on your Pre is that book publishers are still reluctant to release large portions of their catalogs in a widely-readable digital format.

Comcast to roll out WiMAX in Portland, Oregon — For years, WiMAX technology has promised to provide wireless Internet access at up to 70 megabits per second. Engadget reports that Comcast, which bought into WiMAX tech maker Clearwire in 2008, will soon give Portlanders first crack at it.

Malcolm Gladwell reviews Wired editor Chris Anderson’s new book, Free, in the New Yorker – Ten-word version: “He’s forgotten about the plants and the power lines.” Anderson wants businesses to accept and embrace the downward pressure on prices created by digital distribution. Gladwell says that makes sense only to a blogger. Still, the New Yorker has already embraced Anderson’s core concept by letting you read Gladwell’s review for free. Update: Anderson just posted a response: “Dear Malcolm, why so threatened?” Anderson has been defending himself for not marking portions of the book that were republished from Wikipedia.

Windows 7 pre-order is an Amazon top-seller — CNet’s Ina Fried reports that, contrary to conventional wisdom on Windows, consumers are lining up to buy.