ISO Free epub Reading App for Ipad? Or is conversion needed?

slammerkin · 07-10-2014, 01:38 AM

My Da asked me to get some ebooks for him, b/c he's got a 15 hour plane ride coming up. I thought he had the same tablet I do (Samsung Galaxy Tab 3), so I got about 20 epub format books for him, with the intention of just downloading the same reading app I use on mine to his (UB Reader).

It turns out he has an ipad- something I know nothing about it (Da knows even less than me).

I've been looking through the forums, and from what I can gather, epub format can be read on ipads ith the right app, right?

If so, can anyone recommend a free reading app for the ipad that is similar in features to the UB Reader I use? I've included some screenshots from the UB Reader to give you an idea, but basically, I'm looking for these features:

Free
Epub format friendly
Aesthetically, a bookshelf view and a list view (by title, author, date added, etc.) with all his ebooks, that he can switch between (see image #1)
A simple reading interface with:

Slide bar for moving pages back/forward
Text size options (he wears glasses; I'd like him to be able to increase text size to large)
Day/Night Background & Text Color options (white background/black text for day reading, black background/white text for night reading)
Bookmarking

Other options I'd like, but which aren't pivotal:

Ability to highlight & make notes while reading
The ability to look up a word in the dictionary or online, while reading the ebook (I know I'd need to also download a dictionary app for him to be able to look up a definition).

The most important thing is a simple interface though- he doesn't use tablets at all, so if it's too complicated for him, he's liable to just get frustrated and give up (he can be a bit ornery).

I know there probably isn't anything with those exact same things, but something close would be awesome. Also, I do have Calibre, so worst case scenario, I could convert the epubs to something else, but I'd really, really, really like to keep them in epub.

Any suggestions are hugely appreciated!

eschwartz · 07-10-2014, 02:21 AM

You could look at some of the bookstore apps. There is also the OverDrive app, which has an integrated reader, or Aldiko.

I don't know what features each has, though. (I am not an Apple guy.)

Marvin by consensus has the best ereader app for iOS, but it costs money.

AnemicOak · 07-10-2014, 02:29 AM

I'd maybe try BlueFire for him on his iPad. Marvin's great and really flexible, but doesn't support DRM if he ever needs that ability. There is a free version of Marvin if you want to try it out, but it only allows you to view one book at a time (you can add more than one book, but can't see them in the library).

meeera · 07-10-2014, 03:53 AM

Just tested with a sideloaded epub, and I'm pretty sure iBooks actually fulfils every criterion given.

AnemicOak · 07-10-2014, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

Just tested with a sideloaded epub, and I'm pretty sure iBooks actually fulfils every criterion given.

Actually I think you're right (unless they need Adobe DRM support). I just never think about it even though I have it installed on my phone.

FlorenceArt · 07-10-2014, 11:54 AM

iBooks is free and is a good basic reading app, and simple to use. I'd start with that and if he gets frustrated with some of its weaknesses, he can look for something more sophisticated later.

You don't need to get a separate dictionary app, but you do need to download the dictionaries before he gets on the plane, or at least check that there is at least one installed (maybe there is one installed by default, I'm not sure). To do this, open a book and select a word, select definition from the local menu, and download the dictionaries you want from the list.

Hampshire Nanny · 07-10-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

Just tested with a sideloaded epub, and I'm pretty sure iBooks actually fulfils every criterion given.

Hmmm... I have a couple of ePub cookbooks which are simply page scans. They're awful on my BeBook mini with its 5-inch screen, so I'd pretty-much resigned myself to just looking at them on the laptop. But if they can be sideloaded onto the iPad, that might be useful.

So my question is -- HOW do you sideload? All the book I have in iBooks have been downloaded from the Internet. Is sideloading done through iTunes?

eschwartz · 07-10-2014, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Hmmm... I have a couple of ePub cookbooks which are simply page scans. They're awful on my BeBook mini with its 5-inch screen, so I'd pretty-much resigned myself to just looking at them on the laptop. But if they can be sideloaded onto the iPad, that might be useful.

So my question is -- HOW do you sideload? All the book I have in iBooks have been downloaded from the Internet. Is sideloading done through iTunes?

Yes. You can also open from Dropbox or download from Safari.

jswinden · 07-10-2014, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Hmmm... I have a couple of ePub cookbooks which are simply page scans. They're awful on my BeBook mini with its 5-inch screen, so I'd pretty-much resigned myself to just looking at them on the laptop. But if they can be sideloaded onto the iPad, that might be useful.

So my question is -- HOW do you sideload? All the book I have in iBooks have been downloaded from the Internet. Is sideloading done through iTunes?

You can simply email the book to your iPad and choose iBooks to open it. Any file can be sent to the iPad via email and opened assuming you have a compatible app that can open the file. In the email app, press and hold on the attachement (ePub in this case) and a popup menu will appear. In the popup menu select iBooks with which to open the ePub.

Hampshire Nanny · 07-10-2014, 06:29 PM

THANKS to both responders. While I knew that I could download books into iBooks -- since I've done that before -- I had no clue what format they were in. With this approach, I should be able to use the Calibre content web server across the local (household) network. Avoiding iTunes is a big bonus! Thanks.

kyteflyer · 07-11-2014, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

THANKS to both responders. While I knew that I could download books into iBooks -- since I've done that before -- I had no clue what format they were in. With this approach, I should be able to use the Calibre content web server across the local (household) network. Avoiding iTunes is a big bonus! Thanks.

Its an excellent alternative to plugging your device in, to make the connection. When you download, it will offer to open in iBooks, or, if you have other readers on board, you'll also get the alternative "open in..."

192.168.1.1/8080 and done

(well thats mine, yours may be something else of course)

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07-10-2014, 01:38 AM	#1
slammerkin Star-gazer Posts: 20 Karma: 16700 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Tír na nÓg Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab3 (Retired Pandigital)	ISO Free epub Reading App for Ipad? Or is conversion needed? My Da asked me to get some ebooks for him, b/c he's got a 15 hour plane ride coming up. I thought he had the same tablet I do (Samsung Galaxy Tab 3), so I got about 20 epub format books for him, with the intention of just downloading the same reading app I use on mine to his (UB Reader). It turns out he has an ipad- something I know nothing about it (Da knows even less than me). I've been looking through the forums, and from what I can gather, epub format can be read on ipads ith the right app, right? If so, can anyone recommend a free reading app for the ipad that is similar in features to the UB Reader I use? I've included some screenshots from the UB Reader to give you an idea, but basically, I'm looking for these features: Free Epub format friendly Aesthetically, a bookshelf view and a list view (by title, author, date added, etc.) with all his ebooks, that he can switch between (see image #1) A simple reading interface with: Slide bar for moving pages back/forward Text size options (he wears glasses; I'd like him to be able to increase text size to large) Day/Night Background & Text Color options (white background/black text for day reading, black background/white text for night reading) Bookmarking Other options I'd like, but which aren't pivotal: Ability to highlight & make notes while reading The ability to look up a word in the dictionary or online, while reading the ebook (I know I'd need to also download a dictionary app for him to be able to look up a definition). The most important thing is a simple interface though- he doesn't use tablets at all, so if it's too complicated for him, he's liable to just get frustrated and give up (he can be a bit ornery). I know there probably isn't anything with those exact same things, but something close would be awesome. Also, I do have Calibre, so worst case scenario, I could convert the epubs to something else, but I'd really, really, really like to keep them in epub. Any suggestions are hugely appreciated!

07-10-2014, 02:21 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	You could look at some of the bookstore apps. There is also the OverDrive app, which has an integrated reader, or Aldiko. I don't know what features each has, though. (I am not an Apple guy.) Marvin by consensus has the best ereader app for iOS, but it costs money.

07-10-2014, 02:29 AM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I'd maybe try BlueFire for him on his iPad. Marvin's great and really flexible, but doesn't support DRM if he ever needs that ability. There is a free version of Marvin if you want to try it out, but it only allows you to view one book at a time (you can add more than one book, but can't see them in the library).

07-10-2014, 03:53 AM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,862 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Just tested with a sideloaded epub, and I'm pretty sure iBooks actually fulfils every criterion given.

07-10-2014, 11:54 AM	#6
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	iBooks is free and is a good basic reading app, and simple to use. I'd start with that and if he gets frustrated with some of its weaknesses, he can look for something more sophisticated later. You don't need to get a separate dictionary app, but you do need to download the dictionaries before he gets on the plane, or at least check that there is at least one installed (maybe there is one installed by default, I'm not sure). To do this, open a book and select a word, select definition from the local menu, and download the dictionaries you want from the list.

07-10-2014, 06:29 PM	#10
Hampshire Nanny Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 8064562 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3 KB, iPad2	THANKS to both responders. While I knew that I could download books into iBooks -- since I've done that before -- I had no clue what format they were in. With this approach, I should be able to use the Calibre content web server across the local (household) network. Avoiding iTunes is a big bonus! Thanks.

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