Help with Reading App for iPad

Big Kev · 11-23-2013, 05:29 PM

Hi all

I know a lot of you just love the new iBooks flat page format and that's great. But for me it's just turned my ebook reader (iPad) into just another ebook reader.

I just like to read books and really enjoyed the book look-alike interface so can anybody suggest another App for iPad that has a similar look to previous versions of iBooks.

Failing that any suggestions of an android App or alternative Reader that will do the job. Can't really afford to replace the iPad but will if it's the only way I can retrieve the enjoyment I got out being able to make my own decisions rather than have apple run my life.

Thanks
Kevin

Quexos · 11-23-2013, 05:43 PM

You definitely should try Marvin it's one of the best reading apps out there with a lot of customization.
Personally I can't even read an instructions manual on I-books after having used Marvin.
But see for yourself if it is to your liking of course.

Big Kev · 11-23-2013, 06:12 PM

Hi Quexos

Thanks for that. Have tried Marvin but it has a flat page appearance just like the new iBooks. Unless I'm missing something of course and there is a setting that I haven't found that allows me to make the pages look like a book.

Regards
Kevin

MeSue · 11-23-2013, 08:26 PM

Eventually Marvin is going to get customizable backgrounds, so when that comes you should be able to get your book-look background back. And while you wait, I'm sure Marvin will win you over. :-)

Quexos · 11-23-2013, 08:37 PM

Oh I see what you mean now. The page turn that looks like a real book. Probably in my opinion the only good thing about Ibooks. But one good thing was not enough for me. The huge wasted and non customizable margin space did not compensate for the nice page turn.

In any case with Marvin you can slide pages which is a nice transition into getting to the next page. (With my Kobo reader the next page just pops in and I always feel that it could have turned a couple pages at the same time thus giving me the impression I missed one)

Unfortunately I do not know any other reader with advanced animation in page turning. But to me, while looking nice, this was not essential to reading itself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Kev

Hi Quexos

Thanks for that. Have tried Marvin but it has a flat page appearance just like the new iBooks. Unless I'm missing something of course and there is a setting that I haven't found that allows me to make the pages look like a book.

Regards
Kevin

sumguy · 11-23-2013, 09:09 PM

Kindle and Google Play Books apps both have page-turn animations, not sure about on iOS 7 though...

JSWolf · 11-23-2013, 10:30 PM

A flashy page turn does not a good reading app make. iBooks is not great on an iPad and it's really lousy on an iPhone.

sumguy · 11-24-2013, 12:13 AM

Different people want different things. I want to be able to read & annotate seamlessly between my Mac and my iPhone. I like the simplicity of iBooks, and I like the page flippy thing. Marvin, for example, can't do any of those things. iBooks is by far the best reading app on the iPhone.

kyteflyer · 11-24-2013, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumguy

iBooks is by far the best reading app on the iPhone.

All that means is that its the best for you. The rest of us find it annoying for varying reasons.

kyteflyer · 11-24-2013, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Kev

I just like to read books and really enjoyed the book look-alike interface so can anybody suggest another App for iPad that has a similar look to previous versions of iBooks.

I found Apabi reader similar to iBooks but in many ways more attractive in the reading interface. It doesn't pretend to be a book, but it *might* do the job. Worth a look, anyway.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/apab...377594275?mt=8

JSWolf · 11-24-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumguy

Different people want different things. I want to be able to read & annotate seamlessly between my Mac and my iPhone. I like the simplicity of iBooks, and I like the page flippy thing. Marvin, for example, can't do any of those things. iBooks is by far the best reading app on the iPhone.

Oh hell no. iBooks is awful on an iPhone. The iPhone is too narrow for those extremely overly wide margins. iBooks is flash and little substance.

JSWolf · 11-24-2013, 05:47 PM

I have tried Apabi and unless it's gotten a serious revamp, it did not display well.

Now Marvin does display well on screen and has a number of options for customizing how you want your eBook to look.

sumguy · 11-24-2013, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

All that means is that its the best for you. The rest of us find it annoying for varying reasons.

If JSWolf wants to go to the trouble of posting just to tell Big Kev and me that we're stupid for liking iBooks, or page flip animations in general, then fine, but I'm not really sure what it accomplishes. An actual suggestion, like you gave for Apapbi, might be a bit more helpful and friendly. Just saying.

FlorenceArt · 11-25-2013, 08:34 AM

Just to be clear, the flipping page animation is still there in iBooks. What's missing (if you like that sort of things) is the "open book" look, and also the wooden bookshelf.

I made a quick search using AppZapp and came across an app called iBouquiniste. It has a bookshelf and open book design, implemented in a rather elegant way at a quick glance. There is a Lite version so you should be able to try it out for free. I haven't tried it myself but it seems to have good reviews.

bongorash · 11-25-2013, 09:40 AM

If the OP still wants to go back to the old iBooks layout all you need to do is see if you can find a copy of the old iBooks file (iBooks 3.1.3.ipa) on your computer, then delete iBooks from your iPad, delete the current iBooks ipa file from the itunes\Mobile Applications folder and then copy the iBooks 3.1.3.ipa into your iTunes\Mobile Applications folder. Then restart itunes, connect your ipad and reinstall iBooks. Of course you may have to do this everytime you get an iOS update on your ipad.

11-23-2013, 05:29 PM	#1
Big Kev Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 43 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle & Ipad	Help with Reading App for iPad Hi all I know a lot of you just love the new iBooks flat page format and that's great. But for me it's just turned my ebook reader (iPad) into just another ebook reader. I just like to read books and really enjoyed the book look-alike interface so can anybody suggest another App for iPad that has a similar look to previous versions of iBooks. Failing that any suggestions of an android App or alternative Reader that will do the job. Can't really afford to replace the iPad but will if it's the only way I can retrieve the enjoyment I got out being able to make my own decisions rather than have apple run my life. Thanks Kevin

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11-23-2013, 05:43 PM	#2
Quexos Member Retired Posts: 1,999 Karma: 11348924 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Limbo Device: none	You definitely should try Marvin it's one of the best reading apps out there with a lot of customization. Personally I can't even read an instructions manual on I-books after having used Marvin. But see for yourself if it is to your liking of course.

11-23-2013, 06:12 PM	#3
Big Kev Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 43 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle & Ipad	Hi Quexos Thanks for that. Have tried Marvin but it has a flat page appearance just like the new iBooks. Unless I'm missing something of course and there is a setting that I haven't found that allows me to make the pages look like a book. Regards Kevin

11-23-2013, 08:26 PM	#4
MeSue Geek in the Forest Posts: 399 Karma: 1077186 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: FL Device: iPad Air, iPhone 4s, Nexus 7	Eventually Marvin is going to get customizable backgrounds, so when that comes you should be able to get your book-look background back. And while you wait, I'm sure Marvin will win you over. :-)

11-23-2013, 09:09 PM	#6
sumguy Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 1186 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	Kindle and Google Play Books apps both have page-turn animations, not sure about on iOS 7 though...

11-23-2013, 10:30 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,468 Karma: 129668758 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	A flashy page turn does not a good reading app make. iBooks is not great on an iPad and it's really lousy on an iPhone.

11-24-2013, 12:13 AM	#8
sumguy Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 1186 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	Different people want different things. I want to be able to read & annotate seamlessly between my Mac and my iPhone. I like the simplicity of iBooks, and I like the page flippy thing. Marvin, for example, can't do any of those things. iBooks is by far the best reading app on the iPhone.

11-24-2013, 05:47 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,468 Karma: 129668758 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have tried Apabi and unless it's gotten a serious revamp, it did not display well. Now Marvin does display well on screen and has a number of options for customizing how you want your eBook to look.

11-25-2013, 08:34 AM	#14
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Just to be clear, the flipping page animation is still there in iBooks. What's missing (if you like that sort of things) is the "open book" look, and also the wooden bookshelf. I made a quick search using AppZapp and came across an app called iBouquiniste. It has a bookshelf and open book design, implemented in a rather elegant way at a quick glance. There is a Lite version so you should be able to try it out for free. I haven't tried it myself but it seems to have good reviews.

11-25-2013, 09:40 AM	#15
bongorash Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 13112 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kobo Glo, Kobo H2O, Kobo Aura 1, Kindle Voyage, Kobo Forma	If the OP still wants to go back to the old iBooks layout all you need to do is see if you can find a copy of the old iBooks file (iBooks 3.1.3.ipa) on your computer, then delete iBooks from your iPad, delete the current iBooks ipa file from the itunes\Mobile Applications folder and then copy the iBooks 3.1.3.ipa into your iTunes\Mobile Applications folder. Then restart itunes, connect your ipad and reinstall iBooks. Of course you may have to do this everytime you get an iOS update on your ipad.

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