Choosing a frontlit ereader

[HarryT]

My problem, though, was that I bought it as an ePub reader, because I already use ePub on other devices. I really don't want to have to convert to a different format for that one device, hence it didn't work well for me personally. I'm sure it's fine for many others.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by OneiroDancer

There was a "g" missing from the domain as written by rizla, it is "banggood.com" (I simply googled it and I got corrected). Anyway, the boyue is out of stock. I had a look at it and it's very nice, I'll see if it can be found somewhere else.

The kobo glo HD is nice, but apparently it is difficult to buy it in Italy for less than 129 EUR.

@HarryT, I know I can read anything with a kindle, I just don't like their approach and their custom format and a lot of other things, so I have no intention of buying a kindle (though I gladly shop on amazon for paper books and other items - I would also buy another reader from them, if there was an interesting offer...)

I had a kobo glo hd and took it back because the page turns were very slow. The extra screen definition is no big deal IMO. Got an old Aura HD which is faster. Have to frick around to make it display epubs well, but it's all doable. Flexible device, biggish hacking community. The touch-screen might be a bit less sensitive, but it's okay. My rooted (android) Nook ST is superior IMO. I wouldn't swap a rooted Nook ST for any Kobo. But the Kobo font setting really are impressive, and you can install Cool Reader and Koreader. But android will always be more flexible. Banggod has the Onyx. Boyue on ebay.

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

My problem, though, was that I bought it as an ePub reader, because I already use ePub on other devices. I really don't want to have to convert to a different format for that one device, hence it didn't work well for me personally. I'm sure it's fine for many others.

So what about your Kindle?

Do you use calibre? With calibre it is relatively transparent (it will convert epub to kepub when you transfer it to your reader.)

[rem736]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Amazon is closed tight as a ducks ass.

i felt the same way up until the last year or so, when i decided to get a kindle for use with all the free books amazon was/is still giving out. to this day, i've only actually paid for 2 books from amazon (and one of them on accident). then i discovered that you could sideload on this device just like on most devices. well, with calibre to do the conversion, i got epubs converted to kf8 and i'm happily reading on my kindle (just recently upgraded to the voyage).

kindle's firmware, though closed, is a lot more bug-free and problem-free than kobo's. there are only a couple of things that are lacking on the voyage that i would like to see: 1. allow us to use custom fonts, like on the paperwhite 1, without the need to hack; and 2. allow the use of images for the standby screen.

kobo allows #1 and the now defunct sony readers allow for #2 without hacking. i just wish that amazon would allow for both on the voyage.

[dordale]

Originally Posted by HarryT

My problem, though, was that I bought it as an ePub reader, because I already use ePub on other devices. I really don't want to have to convert to a different format for that one device, hence it didn't work well for me personally. I'm sure it's fine for many others.

Not necessarily a solution for you Harry, but thought I'd mention this for others who might be considering a Kobo reader.

If you use Calibre and transfer books to a Kobo through usb, you can use the extended Kobo drivers--and set them up so they convert files to kePub as part of the transfer process. The book remains in it's original format in Calibre and the kePub is only on the Kobo device.

That's what I do with my Aura HD and it works well for me.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by John F

So what about your Kindle?

Do you use calibre? With calibre it is relatively transparent (it will convert epub to kepub when you transfer it to your reader.)

I can (and do) read Kindle books on multiple devices. It is not, therefore, a single-device format.

Yes, I do use Calibre, but I don't want the hassle of needing to a third format in addition to the Kindle and ePub formats I currently store my library in. Kobo really should fix the issues with ePub; I've owned many bookreaders over the years, and haven't come across any other on which selecting hyperlinks was as difficult as it was on my H2O.

[OneiroDancer]

Sorry, I know I am missing the basics, but... kobo uses another format yet? I wasn't aware of that! Then it would surely need some tweaking to read epub, I also don't want the hassle of dealing with a third format...

Also, I discovered that most Open Android devices have a ridiculous battery life, comparable to the ones of smartphones, which would be unacceptable for me.

So, I'd better rephrase my needs: a fronlit ePub reader comfortable for everyday usage as a reader, and allowing me to install a few custom apps (e.g., calibre companion). For the sake of discussion, let's say I remove the requirement of a low price.

I am beginning to think that there is no such a device, is it?...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by OneiroDancer

Also, I discovered that most Open Android devices have a ridiculous battery life, comparable to the ones of smartphones, which would be unacceptable for me.

So, I'd better rephrase my needs: a fronlit ePub reader comfortable for everyday usage as a reader, and allowing me to install a few custom apps (e.g., calibre companion). For the sake of discussion, let's say I remove the requirement of a low price.

I am beginning to think that there is no such a device, is it?...

There is no such device. If you want to be able to install apps, you're going to have to put up with the shorter battery life of an open Android device. The reason they have a shorter battery life is that, precisely because they're designed to run apps, their CPU runs constantly, like an LCD tablet. On a dedicated eInk reader, on the other hand, the CPU goes into a very low-power sleep mode in between page turns, because it has nothing to do.

The battery life of eInk Android devices is significantly better than that of LCD tablets, but not as good as that of eInk readers. When I had one myself (the Onyx T68) I got perhaps a week on a battery charge, compared to 2-3 days on my Nexus 7 tablet, and 2-3 weeks from an eInk reader.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by OneiroDancer

a fronlit ePub reader comfortable for everyday usage as a reader, and allowing me to install a few custom apps (e.g., calibre companion).
...

I am beginning to think that there is no such a device, is it?...

Have a look at PocketBook Touch Lux.
I used to recommend them a lot, but recently the newest versions of firmware aren't what they used to be ... . Still a very decent device with some third-party apps available, lots of customization options (not as many as they used to have in their heyday ... sigh ...) and large number of supported formats.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by OneiroDancer

Sorry, I know I am missing the basics, but... kobo uses another format yet? I wasn't aware of that! Then it would surely need some tweaking to read epub, I also don't want the hassle of dealing with a third format...

Kobo has two separate renderers. They, like many ePub devices/apps, use the Adobe RMSDK for ePub. They also have their own kePub format which uses their own Access renderer.

There's really no third format to "deal with", or doesn't need to be. You can ignore the kePub format all together and just use ePub or what I do since all of my books are in Calibre is have it "convert" my ePub files to kePub files on the fly when sending to device. The Kobo gets a kePub, but no additional format is stored in my Calibre library or anything.

[OneiroDancer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There is no such device. If you want to be able to install apps, you're going to have to put up with the shorter battery life of an open Android device. The reason they have a shorter battery life is that, precisely because they're designed to run apps, their CPU runs constantly, like an LCD tablet. On a dedicated eInk reader, on the other hand, the CPU goes into a very low-power sleep mode in between page turns, because it has nothing to do.

I see. Still, with a decent firmware, the OS could simply tell the device to go into "very low-power sleep mode" when specific apps are running. But I understand that nobody implemented such a feature, so "there is no such device" is still the correct summary. Well, my most urgent need is that of a new ebook reader (I lost my faithful Sony PRS-t1 a few weeks ago), so I think I'll simply look for a good e-reader...

[OneiroDancer]

Originally Posted by kacir

Have a look at PocketBook Touch Lux.
I used to recommend them a lot, but recently the newest versions of firmware aren't what they used to be ... . Still a very decent device with some third-party apps available, lots of customization options (not as many as they used to have in their heyday ... sigh ...) and large number of supported formats.

You are right, it still looks like a very interesting device, it could become my choice... thank you!

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I can (and do) read Kindle books on multiple devices. It is not, therefore, a single-device format.

Yes, I do use Calibre, but I don't want the hassle of needing to a third format in addition to the Kindle and ePub formats I currently store my library in. Kobo really should fix the issues with ePub; I've owned many bookreaders over the years, and haven't come across any other on which selecting hyperlinks was as difficult as it was on my H2O.

Maybe it just semantics, but isn't the "Kindle Format" actually multiple formats (mobi, kf8, ?)? So why the hangup on epub/kepub.

In case you missed it, as dordale said (and I poorly eluded to) you never actually have to have the kepub stored in Calibre; the kepub can be generated on-the-fly when calibre is used to "put" the epub on the Kobo device.

I understand you do what is best for you, and your opinion and experience is valid, and with all the back and forth, the OP finds the epub/footnote problem unacceptable, but... why have a back and forth every time you post about "the touch screen on Kobos is poor and doesn't work well with footnotes". Why not be a little more specific, or give a disclaimer, or a link to other posts that discuss the issue. Wouldn't this be more productive to the MR community in general?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by OneiroDancer

You are right, it still looks like a very interesting device, it could become my choice... thank you!

Please notice that I haven't suggested that you buy PocketBook Ultra.
I have had an opportunity to review one of those when they came out and I was very disappointed with the 5.xy generation of firmware. Nowadays there are some third-party apps, such as Coolreader that make use bearable, but from what I have heard they haven't removed firmware features/bugs that I strongly disliked.

If you buy a PocketBook device, try to get one for which 4.xy generation of firmware is available. They did not manage to break too many features on 4.xy firmware - as compared to previous generations, such as legendary PB 360. Touch Lux 2 does have firmware version 4.4 available for download, Touch Lux 3 doesn't seem to have.

I dropped my PocketBook Touch Lux [623] and cracked the case. So I started to look for a replacement. The thing is, I am spoiled rotten by large number of configuration options and features that previous generations of PocketBooks offered. Every single device - Boyue, Energy sistem pro +, Kobo Aura H2O, Onyx Boox Lynx, ..., that I have had a look at, has shortcomings. So I have made a case that holds my broken reader together and soldier on reading book after book after book after book on my existing reader ;-).

I really do not know what I am going to choose after my current device breaks completely. I hope there will be something on the market in the meanwhile. Or I might try to borrow PocketBook Fashion with Kenzo cover and evaluate the state of software at that moment - hoping that there are third-party programs that alleviate the biggest shortcomings of the latest firmware.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by John F

Maybe it just semantics, but isn't the "Kindle Format" actually multiple formats (mobi, kf8, ?)? So why the hangup on epub/kepub.

Even though there are indeed indeed multiple Kindle formats, I only use one of them (KF8), so the fact that there are others is irrelevant to me. It's not a case of needing to use different formats on different devices. There's only one Kindle app that you can't side-load KF8 files to (the iOS one), but I don't use that.

I understand you do what is best for you, and your opinion and experience is valid, and with all the back and forth, the OP finds the epub/footnote problem unacceptable, but... why have a back and forth every time you post about "the touch screen on Kobos is poor and doesn't work well with footnotes". Why not be a little more specific, or give a disclaimer, or a link to other posts that discuss the issue.

Because until you pointed it out to me yesterday, I was unaware that the kepub renderer didn't have the issue with hyperlinks. How, as a matter of interest, does it solve the problem? Does it make the hyperlinks larger in some way, or does it just use a different algorithm for detecting whether there's a hyperlink in the vicinity of where you're tapping the screen?