Scribd's send-to-device function is a fantastic feature for consuming cloud-based docs on the go. Users can now send all Scribd documents to e-readers and smartphones for a mobile-friendly version on everything from the Kindle and Nook to iPhone and Android devices. Essentially almost any mobile device can now double as a gateway to consume files hosted online via Scribd.
The send-to-device feature is nice, but it's just a small part of Scribd's mobile strategy. Come March you can expect Scribd iPhone and Android applications that will bring a more robust version of the document service to smartphones with support for Scribd search, browsing and social media sharing. Plus the new e-reader and mobile device APIs will enable developers and device makers to further integrate and support Scribd's vast repository of online documents.
The company is also planning to make PDF documents available in EPUB format, a popular open standard for e-books and the same format that iBooks (on the iPad) supports.
Ultimately the idea is to make Scribd universally accessible. It's a smart strategy given the array and popularity of e-readers, the fact that smartphones are selling like crazy, and the notion that the mobile web is taking over the world.