eBooks and ebook readers


Evilmerlin

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2002
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Woodlands
Are any of you guys using ebooks? I'm considering switching over to ebooks rather than buying physical books once the Samsung Galaxy Tab is released locally. I know there are ebook readers out there now but I prefer to get a multi-use device.

My main question is am I being held hostage by the hardware/software with regards to the ebook formats? What format does ebook stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble use? I've got an android app that reads the .epub format.
 

Are any of you guys using ebooks? I'm considering switching over to ebooks rather than buying physical books once the Samsung Galaxy Tab is released locally. I know there are ebook readers out there now but I prefer to get a multi-use device.

My main question is am I being held hostage by the hardware/software with regards to the ebook formats? What format does ebook stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble use? I've got an android app that reads the .epub format.

Amazon has an Android app so it shouldn't be a problem. In any case, epub format is very popular I think. Not very experienced with ebook formats but yeah if there is an Amazon ebook app for Android, they can't be so dumb as to let you download something you can't read on your device.
 

Are any of you guys using ebooks? I'm considering switching over to ebooks rather than buying physical books once the Samsung Galaxy Tab is released locally. I know there are ebook readers out there now but I prefer to get a multi-use device.

My main question is am I being held hostage by the hardware/software with regards to the ebook formats? What format does ebook stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble use? I've got an android app that reads the .epub format.

I'm a big fan of books. Currently using kindle on iPad and loving it. Kindle can run on multiple platform such as Android on the Galaxy. The problem is the app is not available outside of US.
I think vendor lock-in is kinda unavoidable for now.
 

I use a Sony PRS-600 ereader. It can read various formats including epub and pdf. epub is the defacto standard and shld help you avoid vendor lock-in. I considered the Kindle but find it too proprietory.

There are thousands of free ebooks out there and I haven't stopped reading since getting the reader some months back. I prefer a dedicated device as it's smaller, lighter, less complicated and much cheaper compared to, say an ipad. What's important to me is crisp text, long battery life (up to 2 weeks), font size increase without messing up the layout (getting harder to read small prints these days) and good organisation & categorisation. You may want to take a look at the latest Sony PRS-650 touch screen.

For more about ebooks, check out this website http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/forumdisplay.php?f=118.

Have fun :)
 

Note there is difference in the display used on tablets like Galaxy Tab, iPad vs dedicated e-book reader like Kindle, Nook.

I believe reading long hours on the screen, the e-paper screen on ebook readers are better, but at the moment, most are only black and white, and slower screen refresh.
 

Note there is difference in the display used on tablets like Galaxy Tab, iPad vs dedicated e-book reader like Kindle, Nook.

I believe reading long hours on the screen, the e-paper screen on ebook readers are better, but at the moment, most are only black and white, and slower screen refresh.


Most novels are in black and white. So therefore e-readers featuring e-ink shouldn't be too much of a difference from paperback.

The lower refresh rate shouldn't be too much of a factor unless you can read 30 pages a second. Given a fast reader, the current refresh rate of the e-ink shouldn't pose too much of a problem.
 

I did consider getting a proper eReader but the thought of buying another device just for ebooks is kinda off putting.

I presume the Sony reader reads .epub by default? Where do you get the books from? The Sony store?
 

For regular readers who has a book in their bag of the time, the kindle is actually a space and weight saver.

plus, one dun have to fumble when flipping pages. I always have this problem when I'm reading while standing in public transport. It will take 2 hands to flip a page. The Kindle kinda allows for one hand operation.

:)
 

personally i prefer the kindle as it allows me access to the newly published books (paperbacks) via the Amazon stores. I am not sure does publishers publish their books in other ebook format via other stores?

i also like its non reflective screen meaning i could read it outdoors like when waiting for a bus or at a outdoor cafe. I did not bring along my charger during my recent 6 days trips and yet it allows me to read 2 full length papersback on a single charge.
 

Oh boy are there a lot of options out there! I think the Kindle is out for me as it seems to read only the Amazon propriety format. I need one that reads ePub as that's what Black Library publishes their books in. The Sony PRS-650 and the Nook looks really good though.
 

Oh boy are there a lot of options out there! I think the Kindle is out for me as it seems to read only the Amazon propriety format. I need one that reads ePub as that's what Black Library publishes their books in. The Sony PRS-650 and the Nook looks really good though.

Kindle does accept pdf and a few other formats as well. not a lot though compared to other readers.
 

There are a number of ebook readers available and many of them support multiple formats. E.g. Aldiko (http://www.aldiko.com/).

When your collection of ebooks grow, you will probably find that it is not easy or convenient to store and manage all of them on a tablet. The alternative is to use an application such as Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/) which can run on Windows, OS X & Linux. Besides ebook management, it also does conversion among quite a number of different formats.
 

Although Kindle support PDF...do note that it does not have text re-flow...