What's currently the best non-Amazon e-reader?
November 27, 2024 5:00 PM Subscribe
I read exclusively on screen. I've had a bunch of kindles but now I read on Samsung tablet and phone. I usually buy the books on Amazon and read on the kindle app.
I'd like to buy a dedicated e-reader, but want to stop using Amazon because [waves at the world]. What device and/or service would be the best/easiest/most cost effective to switch to?
This is not just about hardware but also about ease of buying books, ability to read on my phone as well as on the tablet or a dedicated device and have them keep in sync, how much money the authors get, etc.
This is not just about hardware but also about ease of buying books, ability to read on my phone as well as on the tablet or a dedicated device and have them keep in sync, how much money the authors get, etc.
Depending on your preferred size, something from Boox. It will run Kindle, Kobo, Moon Reader, Google Books, Libby, Audible, Libro, and pretty much anything else.
posted by dobbs at 6:43 PM on November 27 [1 favorite]
posted by dobbs at 6:43 PM on November 27 [1 favorite]
One option to look at for syncing is the Pocketbook ereader, which offers cloud storage for various file types and reading apps for other devices that allegedly let you sync your reading with the ereader. I’ve used their iOS app, which is fine, but not the ereader or cloud service so can’t speak to that.
posted by yarrow at 6:47 PM on November 27
posted by yarrow at 6:47 PM on November 27
I love my Kobo and find it very easy to keep in sync, but then I am not generally trying to sideload anything - 95% of my reading is from the Kobo store or library ebooks and it works great for that. But yes, if you want to put your own files onto the Kobo, there are multiple ways to do that but none of them are going to give you a seamless syncing experience across devices.
posted by Stacey at 6:59 PM on November 27
posted by Stacey at 6:59 PM on November 27
I have a Kobo and use Calibre to load and sync everything, super easy.
posted by fimbulvetr at 7:30 PM on November 27
posted by fimbulvetr at 7:30 PM on November 27
For just reading fiction or mostly-not-technical non-fiction, Boox Go Color 7. It's very small, has an SD card slot in addition to internal memory, is color, runs Android and has the Play store, so you can use the Kindle app as well as a bunch of other closed ecosystem stuff, plus readers for open formats.
If you want to read technical stuff, comics, etc, and also use it as a note-taking device, one of Onyx Boox's bigger lines might be better. But in terms of "e-ink device roughly the size of a paperback", Go Color 7 is by far the best combination of features + openness on the market, by which I mean it's literally the only thing that even begins to approach that.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 7:52 PM on November 27 [1 favorite]
If you want to read technical stuff, comics, etc, and also use it as a note-taking device, one of Onyx Boox's bigger lines might be better. But in terms of "e-ink device roughly the size of a paperback", Go Color 7 is by far the best combination of features + openness on the market, by which I mean it's literally the only thing that even begins to approach that.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 7:52 PM on November 27 [1 favorite]
Was coming here to also recommend the Boox Go Color 7.
Especially if you already have Kindle books and don't want to go through the hassle of converting them all to a different format.
And especially if you live outside the US and notice that the Kobo store can be more expensive than other retailers.
(It's my Kindle replacement now that the Kindle has phased out physical buttons.)
posted by Umami Dearest at 9:11 PM on November 27
Especially if you already have Kindle books and don't want to go through the hassle of converting them all to a different format.
And especially if you live outside the US and notice that the Kobo store can be more expensive than other retailers.
(It's my Kindle replacement now that the Kindle has phased out physical buttons.)
posted by Umami Dearest at 9:11 PM on November 27
if you have a big library of books from different sources, Calibre is absolutely brilliant. I keep all my books pulled into Calibre and on an iCloud folder so I can sync to whatever device in whatever format. It's a little bit of work to get set-up but SO worth it.
Libby matters a lot to me so I have a Kobo, although I mostly read on my phone. I'm getting a Kobo Elipsa for Christmas because I can also scribble notes on it.
If you're serious about reading anything in vivid colour like comic books or detailed medical diagrams, the only real answer is an iPad. All the colour e-ink devices are still washed out in comparison.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 9:49 PM on November 27
Libby matters a lot to me so I have a Kobo, although I mostly read on my phone. I'm getting a Kobo Elipsa for Christmas because I can also scribble notes on it.
If you're serious about reading anything in vivid colour like comic books or detailed medical diagrams, the only real answer is an iPad. All the colour e-ink devices are still washed out in comparison.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 9:49 PM on November 27
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I don't think there's an easy answer here. Apple and iCloud give a great sync experience, especially if your books are, ahem, free of DRM. You can buy books through Apple, but I have no idea how their bookstore is and they have no dedicated reading device. Other cloud services on other phones/tablets may work seamlessly as well. Kindle is a bit better with books that are sent to its service via email, at which point they are (in my last experience, which was a year ago) seamlessly part of the Kindle sync system. Kobo has what appears to be a decent and competitive bookstore, but only syncs with other Kobo devices and apps.
If you have your own personal library of DRM-free books, I'm afraid it borders on impossible to keep a dedicated device, phones and tablets all in sync.
posted by lhauser at 5:31 PM on November 27