A TechFlash reader who commented on our E-Book Universe chart yesterday pointed out that we didn't include Microsoft Reader. That's the Redmond company's software for reading electronic books, which has been updated over the past few years about as much as Internet Explorer was in the early part of the decade.

The comment made me wonder about the status of Microsoft Reader, and it turns out that blogger Todd Ogasawara turned up something very interesting on that front this week. The Microsoft Reader team, apparently stirring to life, released a small update for the Windows Mobile version of Microsoft Reader. (It's for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 devices but not WinMo 6.5, which hits the market next month.)

Just how stagnant has this Microsoft product been? The release this week for Windows Mobile, Version 2.4.2, was a follow-up to Version 2.4.1 -- which came out in November 2005, nearly four years ago. Microsoft pays so much attention to the Microsoft Reader promotional page that it still bears the "Live Search" logo next to its search box, more than three months after the Bing launch.

Of course, this week's minor update to the Windows Mobile version doesn't exactly qualify as Microsoft Reader rising from the ashes. But with Amazon, Sony and others stirring new interest in digital books, you have to wonder if Microsoft doesn't regret letting its primary brand in the category go dormant.

Should be interesting to see if anything else comes out of Microsoft Reader in the coming months.