OT: e-Readers

I have a kobo "glow" don't use it much these days, you can copy PDFs or epubs to it without involving the mothership

I inherited mum's kindle, never used it.

Download and install FBreader onto your smartphone

Cheers Andy

Thanks but no, I want a proper reader device.

I and my wife have Kobo readers. Less locked in than Kindle. In particular they work with UK public libraries.

I have an old Kindle Paperwhite, which reads .azw and .mobi files. I have a lot of free Gutenberg books, which Calibre will quite happily put on the Kindle through USB, I've never enabled the Kindle's wifi. I've no idea if more recent Kindles are more 'controlling'.

Calibre is a general library application, it will store books and convert just about any ebook format to any other, and contains a reader. There are also pure reader applications which of course are much smaller.

I use (over-use really) a Kindle Paperwhite. I hardly ever buy/rent book from Amazon[1] & 'sideload' everything on the Paperwhite from Calibre.

None of my books have DRM, & Amazon can't access them.

There are lots of ebooks to be found in binary usenet groups, but you have to sort through a huge amount of chaff.

I've used "borrowing" from libraries, ISTR it required some proprietary Adobe software?

Although my local library didn't know they had that facility until I told them after getting my Kobo.

Andy Smith snipped-for-privacy@b.com wrote

Not clear what you mean by that last.

All decent smartphones and tablets can be used as e-readers and I prefer my iphone to my kindle paperwhite.

They can still do that but don't actually do that unless your return a particular book for a full refund because you don't like it etc.

No you don't have to buy from Amazon and you can even download ebooks using torrents and load them on your kindle.

I have a Kobo Aura. I buy books mainly from Google. Store them locally and upload them to the Aura myself.

I can borrow books from UK and US libraries with my Kindle. The Paperwhite is waterproof - good for reading in the bath.

On a smart phone, it is better than a 'proper reader device'

Your eyes might not thank you ...

Its actually better for my eyes on a smartphone.

I like the Kobo - much better than the phone, clearer and much bigger screen. But it is glacially slow scrolling etc.

Not on the Kobo - seems to be 'Overdrive', and the iphone app is Libby.

I don't really understand that one. I have used both a kindle and a tablet (10 inch), and my eyes didn't notice much difference. I know people who read all the time who are happy with a tablet device.