E-Ink E-Reader W/ Google Editions / Web Browser Compatibility?

DocHolliday2006 · 11-10-2010, 06:03 PM

Hi.

I'm about to leave on a long trip and I'd like to bring an e-reader with me so I don't have to haul multiple printed books. However, I don't want to be trapped into the amazon vs Barnes and Noble proprietary hardware war that should be crashing to the ground in the next year or two. I want to buy books that I can use forever, whatever hardware I may be using at the time.

I realize that things like the Iphone, Ipad, Ipod, multiple phones, computers, etc, will all be able to access the open internet ebook sites that are launching soon, such as google editions.

Many more, like http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/Spot...wser-71107.asp Skyshelf, and the others that use libredigital, are soon to be out.

But it seems like all of the e-readers that have wifi and internet browsing capability use a digital screen, which I don't want.

What I need is an e-ink reader with wifi and open browsing capability (Not just the ability to access one store through wifi).

Can anyone suggest an e-ink reader that will work with these soon-to-be-launched ebook services? Thanks.

susan_cassidy · 11-10-2010, 06:16 PM

Most e-ink e-readers that are web-capable do not have a very fancy browser. I doubt that they are HTML5-compliant. They certainly can't handle the screen refresh rates for video.

I think you would be more likely to get this stuff to work on a netbook, or an iPad.

It's a little difficult to test a future web site on an existing device, to see how it actually will work. :-)

I don't think Amazon is going to be crashing to the ground in a year or two.

desertgrandma · 11-10-2010, 06:26 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, DocHolliday2006

Regardless of which device you decide on, if you are going to be buying books from major publishing houses or authors, you will be 'tied' to DRM......

As for web browsing, dedicated ebook readers, including my beloved kindle, do a lousy job. They are clunky and slow.

If thats your pleasure, consider the IPad, or netbook.

wallcraft · 11-10-2010, 06:44 PM

It is brand new, so its web browsing capabilities have not been widely reviewed, but the PocketBook 602 is likely the best for to your needs. For ebooks, it includes mobile Adobe Digital Editions of ePubs and PDF (with Adobe DRM) and in addition FBReader for many DRM-free formats (including ePub).

DocHolliday2006 · 11-10-2010, 07:24 PM

Actually, I could care less about web browsing on my ereader. I only want to read books on it.

But what boils my blood is the idea of buying an ebook for, say, the amazon kindle, but then wanting to buy a different company's ereader 5 years from now and having to lose my entire book collection because I can't move it off the amazon/kindle service.

I see the device agnostic google editions and these other services that allow web-based ebook access on any device that can use the service a move in the right direction.

I wish google would hurry up and announce what devices will be compatible so I can get one and start buying ebooks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Welcome to MobileRead, DocHolliday2006

Regardless of which device you decide on, if you are going to be buying books from major publishing houses or authors, you will be 'tied' to DRM......

As for web browsing, dedicated ebook readers, including my beloved kindle, do a lousy job. They are clunky and slow.

If thats your pleasure, consider the IPad, or netbook.

DocHolliday2006 · 11-10-2010, 07:24 PM

Hmmm. Sounds like a good one, but not available yet. I wonder if it would work for the web-based services.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It is brand new, so its web browsing capabilities have not been widely reviewed, but the PocketBook 602 is likely the best for to your needs. For ebooks, it includes mobile Adobe Digital Editions of ePubs and PDF (with Adobe DRM) and in addition FBReader for many DRM-free formats (including ePub).

JSWolf · 11-10-2010, 07:42 PM

Right now, it looks like ePub is the most widely used format and Adobe's Adept DRM is the most widely used DRM. So if you buy a reader that supports ePub via Adobe Digital Editions and do not buy eBooks from Apple or B&N, then your ePub should be usable a long time after you've changed readers.

DocHolliday2006 · 11-10-2010, 08:02 PM

You list apple and N&N but not Amazon? Why is that?

What sellers do you suggest outside of those?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Right now, it looks like ePub is the most widely used format and Adobe's Adept DRM is the most widely used DRM. So if you buy a reader that supports ePub via Adobe Digital Editions and do not buy eBooks from Apple or B&N, then your ePub should be usable a long time after you've changed readers.

Dulin's Books · 11-10-2010, 08:46 PM

Onyx Boox 60 has a webkit based browser that MIGHT support Skyshelf. But mind that it appears with Skyshelf that there is no offline reading so you would have to keep the wifi ON while reading.

With the browser on the Boox 60 you are able to purchaase and download drm'd content from ANY seller who sells normal Adobe DRMd epubs and pdfs. you can off course download and read any free content that is in a supported format.

Havent tried with the browser on the new PocketBooks yet.

Dulin's Books · 11-10-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocHolliday2006

You list apple and N&N but not Amazon? Why is that?

What sellers do you suggest outside of those?

Amazon doesnt sell in epub format so he didnt list it. Apple and B&N do sell epubs but with their own flavor of DRM.

boswd · 11-10-2010, 11:01 PM

hmmm a Kobo could do you well, it's platform Borders/Kobo books are epub and plus being able to buy from pretty much anywhere who sells epub.

or you could buy a nook and just buy your books from the internet at places like Borders, Kobo books, Fictionwise etc and just not buy from BN itself.

DocHolliday2006 · 11-11-2010, 09:02 AM

Can the Kobo Wireless eReader only access the kobo/borders book stores wirelessly? Is it good for anything else?

Quote:

Originally Posted by boswd

hmmm a Kobo could do you well, it's platform Borders/Kobo books are epub and plus being able to buy from pretty much anywhere who sells epub.

or you could buy a nook and just buy your books from the internet at places like Borders, Kobo books, Fictionwise etc and just not buy from BN itself.

ProfCrash · 11-11-2010, 10:11 AM

I am not worried about losing my e-book collection. If there are signs that Amazon is going to sink I will happily demove the DRM from my e-book collection and convert the files to something that can be read on another e-reader. I have choosen not to remove the DRM from my books right now because I don't need to, I am lazy, and I am still trying to work out the ethics of doing so. If I think I am going to lose my collection I will need to remove the DRM, I will no longer be lazy, and I will get over my slight (Very minor really) ethical dilemma.

paola · 12-18-2010, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

Havent tried with the browser on the new PocketBooks yet.

Dulin's, did you get a chance to try the web browser out?

Dulin's Books · 12-18-2010, 07:58 PM

i've surfed around a little and read a news site or two but havent tried to purchase any content. i'll try that soon.

11-10-2010, 06:03 PM	#1
DocHolliday2006 Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: None	E-Ink E-Reader W/ Google Editions / Web Browser Compatibility? Hi. I'm about to leave on a long trip and I'd like to bring an e-reader with me so I don't have to haul multiple printed books. However, I don't want to be trapped into the amazon vs Barnes and Noble proprietary hardware war that should be crashing to the ground in the next year or two. I want to buy books that I can use forever, whatever hardware I may be using at the time. I realize that things like the Iphone, Ipad, Ipod, multiple phones, computers, etc, will all be able to access the open internet ebook sites that are launching soon, such as google editions. Many more, like http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/Spot...wser-71107.asp Skyshelf, and the others that use libredigital, are soon to be out. But it seems like all of the e-readers that have wifi and internet browsing capability use a digital screen, which I don't want. What I need is an e-ink reader with wifi and open browsing capability (Not just the ability to access one store through wifi). Can anyone suggest an e-ink reader that will work with these soon-to-be-launched ebook services? Thanks.

11-10-2010, 11:01 PM	#11
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	hmmm a Kobo could do you well, it's platform Borders/Kobo books are epub and plus being able to buy from pretty much anywhere who sells epub. or you could buy a nook and just buy your books from the internet at places like Borders, Kobo books, Fictionwise etc and just not buy from BN itself. Last edited by boswd; 11-10-2010 at 11:04 PM.

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11-10-2010, 06:16 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Most e-ink e-readers that are web-capable do not have a very fancy browser. I doubt that they are HTML5-compliant. They certainly can't handle the screen refresh rates for video. I think you would be more likely to get this stuff to work on a netbook, or an iPad. It's a little difficult to test a future web site on an existing device, to see how it actually will work. :-) I don't think Amazon is going to be crashing to the ground in a year or two.

11-10-2010, 06:26 PM	#3
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, DocHolliday2006 Regardless of which device you decide on, if you are going to be buying books from major publishing houses or authors, you will be 'tied' to DRM...... As for web browsing, dedicated ebook readers, including my beloved kindle, do a lousy job. They are clunky and slow. If thats your pleasure, consider the IPad, or netbook.

11-10-2010, 06:44 PM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	It is brand new, so its web browsing capabilities have not been widely reviewed, but the PocketBook 602 is likely the best for to your needs. For ebooks, it includes mobile Adobe Digital Editions of ePubs and PDF (with Adobe DRM) and in addition FBReader for many DRM-free formats (including ePub).

11-10-2010, 07:42 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,998 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Right now, it looks like ePub is the most widely used format and Adobe's Adept DRM is the most widely used DRM. So if you buy a reader that supports ePub via Adobe Digital Editions and do not buy eBooks from Apple or B&N, then your ePub should be usable a long time after you've changed readers.

11-10-2010, 08:46 PM	#9
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	Onyx Boox 60 has a webkit based browser that MIGHT support Skyshelf. But mind that it appears with Skyshelf that there is no offline reading so you would have to keep the wifi ON while reading. With the browser on the Boox 60 you are able to purchaase and download drm'd content from ANY seller who sells normal Adobe DRMd epubs and pdfs. you can off course download and read any free content that is in a supported format. Havent tried with the browser on the new PocketBooks yet.

11-11-2010, 10:11 AM	#13
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I am not worried about losing my e-book collection. If there are signs that Amazon is going to sink I will happily demove the DRM from my e-book collection and convert the files to something that can be read on another e-reader. I have choosen not to remove the DRM from my books right now because I don't need to, I am lazy, and I am still trying to work out the ethics of doing so. If I think I am going to lose my collection I will need to remove the DRM, I will no longer be lazy, and I will get over my slight (Very minor really) ethical dilemma.

12-18-2010, 07:58 PM	#15
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	i've surfed around a little and read a news site or two but havent tried to purchase any content. i'll try that soon.

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