E-readers (Kindle, etc.)

I wasn’t able to find a thread for E-readers specifically.

This can be a general thread, but I’m also currently looking for recommendations and experiences.

I want to try an e-reader because I like to read but I struggle to hold the book. I plan on propping it up with something or using a clamp in combination with a small bluetooth remote to turn the pages.

Ideally I would like to not have to use my computer to get the books and convert file types etc., but I can get help with this if needed.

Waterproofing is not a priority.

I’m quite sensitive to light, so I wonder if the different screen technologies matter?

Cost is not a priority - I assume it will last a long time.

Any suggestions?

 

I don’t have specific product suggestions but if you find something that works for you in every aspect except screen brightness, you can buy an adhesive screen protector that filters blue light even beyond what the device’s blue shift settings can do.

 

Thank you for that suggestion, I’ll keep it in mind!

 

Fundamentally E readers feel a lot more like just reading paper. There is no screen glow the light they have is what is available in the ambient room. Kindle's have changed that a bit as they now also have optional backlights for use in dark rooms that are small amounts of additional light but generally the advantage of e-readers is you aren't looking at light being push from the screen, just that reflected from it. The lower contrast in my experience isn't an issue but the difference between the background and the text is definitely less pronounced than paper.

It still doesn't help me read more however, the issue is one of my brain cells and eyes not wanting to do that exertion not so much the light coming off a normal screen.

 

Yes, I'd agree with @BrightCandle, they're different to iPads etc.

A friend has a battered old Amazon Paperwhite. I used it while cat sitting for her, and found it much more comfortable than reading on a conventional tablet.

 

If my kindle is representative...

It's 9 years old and still works. It was a present for Christmas 2016. I have about 650 books on it now. The main problem I have with it is that charging it is "a bit dodgy". It was plugged into a charging cable one day, and I forgot. I tripped over the cable and the place where the charging cable was plugged in is now rather temperamental. (A new cable might help, but I haven't invested in one yet.) But as long as I position the Kindle and the cable carefully it will still charge up.

I have mostly stuck to using Amazon to stock my library, but when my current Kindle dies I'm not sure what I'll buy. I really don't want to lose access to all the books I currently have, but Amazon made it impossible to back up my Kindle files in February this year. I only found out about it a few days before this change was made and I couldn't copy anything from my Kindle any more. (Amazon didn't advertise it very widely, surprise, surprise.) And so I have quite a few books I have no backup for so I'm tied into using Kindle and Amazon for ever now unless I buy those books again from elsewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK1ZZInYRHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynr4-iXrggc

One comment I saw was that any media which is digital never really belongs to you.

There are some free books on Amazon that you might want to search for. It used to be possible to connect a Kindle to a PC via a USB port, and transfer files from Kindle to PC in the appropriate format via a cable, but that feature was cut off quite recently.

I don't do it so much now but I did transfer quite a few books from Project Gutenberg websites (of which there are three that I know of).

Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg Australia
Project Gutenberg Canada

Different countries have different copyright laws and this might mean you can get a book from one gutenberg site and not another. There are options for which format to choose and you aren't restricted to just Kindle. You can even download stuff in text, HTML, and pdf (?) and read the books on a PC or other gadget without needing a Kindle or equivalent.

If you like old books e.g Charles Dickens or Shakespeare or Jane Austen, Amazon has compilations of the entire output of such authors and they might be free or cost only a pound or two. I'm sure the same options are available from other sources.

Another thing I've found that I like is the output of Wildside Press and their Megapacks. Many of them are under a pound or under a US dollar. There is more on their website that I haven't investigated yet :

https://wildsidepress.com/ebook-megapacks/

There are newer books from Amazon that are only 99p, and the selection changes every week. There is also a Kindle App which can be downloaded on to various gadgets which might be useful for reading ultra-cheap or free books now that backups are no longer possible. Search for "kindle app" and see if it might be helpful for you.

 

Thank you all.

I just saw that Boox released a new version yesterday. It’s called Go 7, has an e-ink display, uses android so all apps are available, supports SD cards, and you can write with a stylus.

I can’t order it in Norway yet, but it looks very enticing.

 

I have a phone with an ereader screen that dims really well. It's what i use to access this forum lately since my normal phone is too much.

it works great for reading although i can't read more than a page without couple min break in between because my concentration and short term memory is too low.

Boox Palma 2. Runs on android so i can do pretty much anything with it, but works great for reading comics and poems and articles. (i haven't tried books). Relatively cheap (for a phone). it's from a Chinese company. don't trust it for privacy but at this point i don't have the energy to care as much as i used to

the screen being phone sized is a big plus. a tablet sized screen would be too much for me. also it's lighter than my iphone

 

I’ll have to take a look at that one!

 

probably not best quality like most boox products. i had to exchange it cuz the first screen had a defect. but atleast via the swiss retailer Digitec/Galaxus they replaced it easy no hassle or arguing or trying to blame me for the defect and ive had 0 problems with the replacement

 

I have found reading on e-ink screens really helpful, but, as @BrightCandle says, it doesn't help with reading more - just makes it more comfortable.

Wanted to mention that there are e-ink computer monitors (even in colour), so you could potentially move all your screen time to e-ink.

I have an old battered Dasung e-ink monitor in black and white that connects to my laptop through the HDMI port. Back when I fell ill in 2017, this was the thing that allowed me to stick to office work a bit longer (questionable whether that was a good thing). I haven't had a look at their current models.

Mine (their first model) definitely has its problems: The size and proportions aren't ideal (much squarer than a laptop monitor, necessitating scrolling sideways in some applications). Scrolling leads to ghost images that you need to erase by pressing a refresh button. You have to set your (Windows) computer to 'high contrast' mode or a lot of elements on your screen will become invisible in a haze of grey scale blur. Despite all of this, I am happy to have it.
The ideal application is writing and reading.
With that screen on a mount above my bed, I can do all my reading from files on my computer and do the navigation with a mouse that is next to me on the mattress.


If you plan to read a lot of scientific articles in pdf format, e-ink tablets may be better suited to your needs than e-readers. This article gives a good overview of how those devices compare: https://www.ereaders.org/best-e-book-reader-for-pdf-reading/
I haven't looked into turning pages with a bluetooth remote.
I remember that I liked the SuperNote tablets for their repairability (it seems you can easily exchange motherboards and batteries and, I think, even switch them between different models), but with my monitor setup, there never was enough of a need to spend all that money.


When it comes to ebooks, as evidenced by the recent Kindle disaster, lock-in into a manufacturer's ecosystem is a huge concern, as are ethical concerns related to the distributor. Here in the Netherlands, we have a cooperation of independent booksellers (libris), which cooperate with Tolino and support delivery of ebooks to Tolino devices, but also let you download your purchases in epub format (last time I checked).


Good luck!

 

@MatthiasRiem thank you!

E-ink monitors are not an option because I can’t use a computer anymore.

I’m leaning towards an android e-ink tablet or phone. I refuse to get into some kind of closer ecosystem and I need to be able to download apps to use the library.

The website looks interesting!

 

@Utsikt,

I use a Kindle Paperwhite and most of my reading on it is from books obtained through my local public library. Many libraries here in the USA offer ebook versions. The process of obtaining the loaned out book thru the Library system (and Amazon) seems to work well. I recently read Hilary Mantel's three volume set on Thomas Cromwell, etc.. It would’ve been very difficult for me to read a paper copy with the size of those books, but it was the same as reading any other book on an E reader…

Here is one review of Ebooks from the New York Times…

https://archive.ph/MCnhq

I also at times use this site…

https://www.bookbub.com/ebook-deals/

 

Thanks! I’m in Norway and most of the libraries have migrated to apps. And Amazon is off the table because I don’t want to lose access to things I’ve bought.

 

I get that feeling.

If I’m not getting the epub/pdf file, I’m not buying it. I don’t want to pay for access that can be revoked on the whims of the company/only be accessible through an ecosystem which limits customisation and accessibility etc.

 

You can turn a kindle into an android
eg How to Install Android on Kindle Fire (with Pictures) - wikiHow

various other youtube videos show you how.
I recently bought a cheap refurbished Kindle Fire on ebay for less than £30.

 

I has not thought of that! I don’t think I’m able to do it myself (can’t use a computer anymore), and I don’t know anyone that could help me. I’ll keep it in mind in case I get better or find a solution

 

My older neighbour asked if I could help her find an affordable e-reader that would load apps. I knew the older versions of the Fire OS could be rooted, but in secondhand listings no one ever gives the version number. And as I've never even used an Android device, I wasn't exactly confident about doing it!

As an afterthought, I added 'with Google Play' to my search term. I was surprised to see two listed, but neither had a charging cable. Finding the right one can be a pain when you're not familiar with a device, so I saved the search to see what happened.

The following week a rooted Fire 7 came up. Mains and USB cables, screen in good nick, £19 including postage. Neighbour's been happily using it for a couple of years.

 

It looks like I’ll be buying a new Boox Go 6. It’s half the price of the Palma 2 for the same functionality I want.

Both the new and used market is terrible in Norway (except for new Kindles) and I’m not able to root at the moment.