One ereader for all reading apps.

Hi,
Greetings to all.

As most e-readers are android based(If I'm not wrong), Why can't companies make e-readers where in one can install e-reading apps of amazon, nook etc... on it? Thereby giving more flexibility to the consumers.

[eschwartz]

Because depending on where you are the majority of ereaders may be Kindles, which I know are linux but not android.

Also because choice is bad for the distributor. Choice leads to customers wanting value for their money.

You can hack a number of android-based ereaders and install apps...

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You can hack a number of android-based ereaders and install apps...

And the first app to go up is Kindle.

That's why most android-based readers ship locked: the vendors don't *want* open readers.

[EndlessWaves]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

As most e-readers are android based(If I'm not wrong), Why can't companies make e-readers where in one can install e-reading apps of amazon, nook etc... on it? Thereby giving more flexibility to the consumers.

That would be silly, what we actually want is as much separation between book files and readers as possible. Assuming we want to stick with a markup style format for books than the ideal situation is something along the lines of what Kobo does - selling books in a standard format that'll work in any reader but are also available with not yet standard-ised features in their own reader software across multiple platforms.

Unfortunately, with Amazon and their restrictive practices having such a big proportion of current sales the current situation may prove one that's difficult to change.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

As most e-readers are android based(If I'm not wrong), Why can't companies make e-readers where in one can install e-reading apps of amazon, nook etc... on it? Thereby giving more flexibility to the consumers.

Some readers are Android based, but others are Linux based.

It's not that they can't make such a device. Onyx-Boox (i63 and others) has done some work with this and the Earl reader is supposed to run Android when it comes out and there are others. It's that they choose not to because many people want/demand cheaper and cheaper devices. In order for it to make business sense for companies like Amazon, Kobo, B&N to sell these devices for as little as they do (at or near cost) they want you at least somewhat locked in to their ecosystem so they can make up for selling the device at cost by making a profit on selling you content for it.

[Tarana]

I'm confused about this. An ereader doesn't have apps. You are speaking of a tablet, aren't you? I have both a Nook HD tablet and a new Kindle HDX tablet which do use apps as well as an Ipod Touch. I can use the apps from Kobo, Kindle and Nook on all 3 of these devices without a problem.

For my ereaders, I simply remove DRM and it is a nonproblem. I can use the ebook on any device.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I'm confused about this. An ereader doesn't have apps.

A reader can have apps too, just depends on how it's designed.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

A reader can have apps too, just depends on how it's designed.

The older Pocketbooks have a variety of add-in apps and an sdk.
Kindles natively run games and hacked units can run epub reader apps like coolreader.

[rollei]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

Hi,
Greetings to all.

As most e-readers are android based(If I'm not wrong), Why can't companies make e-readers where in one can install e-reading apps of amazon, nook etc... on it? Thereby giving more flexibility to the consumers.

If you are talking about a phone or tablet, then you can have Kindle for Android, Kobo for Android, etc. You can read Amazon, Kobo, B&N all on one phone or tablet.

But if you are talking about an e-reader, then it will be cool to have an independent company make a e-reader that can read Kindle, Kobo or Nook all on one device.

[bla]

There are a number of apps for android that will get you close... I use moon reader plus for epub and mobi which covers 99 % of standard ebooks I also installed the adobe pdf reader only because I have a lot of graphic intensive tech manuals that need the native pdf reader... what we need, which I suspect we will never get is the content providers/publishers to agree on a standard format for e-books.....

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by bla

... what we need, which I suspect we will never get is the content providers/publishers to agree on a standard format for e-books.....

They did, and it's called EPUB. And you see how that worked out...

Format is not the problem. The problem is the lockin that is no way dependent on the format used.

[fjtorres]

Here's two eink readers that should run pretty much any android reading app:

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...-0/#more-67256

[kacir]

Originally Posted by arsingh1

As most e-readers are android based(If I'm not wrong),

You are wrong. The majority of readers run on Linux.
There are a few that run Android and all of them are locked down and you have to root them. Some of them haven't been rooted yet, such as Sony reader T2 and T3.
You can root Nook Simple Touch (the old model) for example, but you will be very disappointed, because it only runs Android 2.1 and has very limited memory for installing your own apps.

You might want to wait for Onyx Midia Inkphone - an android phone with front-lit e-ink with Android 2.3 (lets you install aps on SD cards) and 140Eur price tag. I think it is going to be released "real soon now" ;-). Look it up. This is closest to your ideal.
EDIT: their page https://onyx-boox.com/coming-soon-e-...nk-smartphone/ says it is comming in May. This year, I hope ;-).

Originally Posted by arsingh1

Why can't companies make e-readers where in one can install e-reading apps of amazon, nook etc... on it?

because they want you to buy books from THEIR store not at competition store.
There are a few notable exceptions from companies that do not have their own ebook store, such as PocketBook. There are third-party applications you can install on PocketBook and they open natively lots of formats.