OT: e-Readers

[Andy Smith]

What's the script with e-readers these days, as in are there any to avoid because they're too controlling?

Must confess that I only know of the Amazon 'Kindle' or the Barnes & Noble 'Nook' readers - anything else/better out there?

Many, many years ago I got a B & N Nook and it's been brilliant. I didn't go for a Kindle because I heard horror stories of Amazon being able to delete your books from the Kindle, even though you'd paid for them and they were your books! Do Amazon still have such control?

Barnes & Noble closed down their UK book store a long time ago but the Nook still allows you to read almost any e-book from any location. Does the Kindle allow that or do you have to buy from Amazon?

[Andy Burns]

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.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Download and install FBreader onto your smartphone

[Andy Smith]

Cheers Andy

[Andy Smith]

Thanks but no, I want a proper reader device.

[Jeff Gaines]

+1 from me for the Kobo, mine is waterproof as I do most of my reading in the bath!

[Chris Green]

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

[Joe]

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.

[Sam Plusnet]

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.

[1] I was given 3 months free access to Kindle Unlimited (sic!) when I bought my latest Kindle so I downloaded a number of books during that time.

[Andy Burns]

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

[Colin Bignell]

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

[Rod Speed]

Andy Smith [e-mail] 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.

[Robert]

+1 for Calibre and use any e-reader you have. The local library is a good source of free modern book titles and with Calibre and an appropriate plug-in they can be read on Kindle, Nook, Kobos etc.

[Bob Eager]

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

[S Viemeister]

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

[The Natural Philosopher]

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

[Andy Burns]

Your eyes might not thank you ...

[Rod Speed]

Its actually better for my eyes on a smartphone.

[RJH]

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.

[Pancho]

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.