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Originally Posted by SlowRain
Hi. I'm not new to ebooks, but I've never had a dedicated ereader. I've always used my (Android) phone and tablet, using Moon+ Reader and Dropbox for my reading, note-taking, storage, and syncing. I'm now thinking of getting a Clara HD, so I'd like to know how I would theoretically set it up to manage my ebooks.
All of this is based on sideloading ebooks.
1. What software/apps will I need to install--on the Kobo, my phone, my PC--to set up an environment where I can store, install, read, and sync my reading progress and notes? (I'm not a software developer or extremely tech-savvy, so any "hacking" will have to be kept simple.)
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If you want to store, install, and read, I suggest Calibre. You don't
have to get it (it's free), but it is a fantastic organization tool. Otherwise you tend to get a jumble of book titles, which is only useful if you only keep a small number of books on your e-reader at a time.
To sync your reading progress, you would want to use books purchased from the Kobo store (not sideloaded). You don't need extra software for this, but you might find Kobo Desktop (for PC) useful. There is a Kobo app for the smartphone, but if you're not buying books from the Kobo store it will not help you.
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2. Is it recommended to use a finger or stylus on the screen? If a stylus can be used, what kind?
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1. Many people like using their finger, but some people (like me) hate using it to turn pages.
2. You only need a stylus for notetaking. Note that a stylus is not free, and unfortunately (due to capacitance/electric charge issues you can't just use a stick). If you're not taking notes, don't bother buying one.
3. Page turn buttons! You have to use your finger for features such as picking out a book you want to read, but I find using the page turn button to be vastly superior for actually reading a book.
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3. Is the SleepCover useful? It seems bulky.
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It depends on how strong your memory is. I use one, because otherwise I'll forget to set the e-reader to sleep. But if you don't want one, just set your e-reader to go to sleep after a short period of time (which I have done in case I forget to use the sleep cover). The sleep cover, well, covers the screen, which is a useful property in of itself IMO, but you only need a cover for that function, not a sleep cover.
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4. Do I need a credit card to set it up? I can't see myself buying from the Kobo store very often.
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Unlike a Nook, no, you don't need one.
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5. How good is it at searching Google and Wikipedia/Wiktionary? I often look up words, places, people, items when I'm reading, but I don't know how good the built-in browser is. (At least I *think* there is a built-in browser.)
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It has a primitive browser. I would suggest using something else. Note that you can use Kobo's own dictionary to look up words, and get dictionaries in other languages, etc.
There's some info on that here:
https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-Kobo-eReader