Cheap with frontlight - Page 2

John F · 10-30-2019, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm not certain, but I'm guessing the OP wants to borrow eBooks from public libraries and the Kindle would be worthless for that use in Sweden.

FWIW, if the person is set on a Kindle, and still wants to use public libraries, DRM removal tools may be an option.

JSWolf · 10-30-2019, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

FWIW, if the person is set on a Kindle, and still wants to use public libraries, DRM removal tools may be an option.

But given that the OP has ePub eBooks, a Kindle is the worst choice (IMHO). I think a Kobo would be the best choice. The Kindle is like the Tolino with a very minimalist firmware. The firmware on a Kobo has a lot going for it.

danicca · 10-30-2019, 09:42 AM

I think that chapters will ship kobo to Sweden, or heck, maybe even amazon.co.uk or some other british retailers.

Quoth · 10-30-2019, 11:14 AM

Kindle is best if you buy many ebooks from Amazon.
Otherwise and especially if you annotate lots and want that in a PC, then Kobo + Calibre is best.
I have my cake and eat it, because I read LOTS and also use the Kobo to proof writing. So I have both.

Sirtel · 10-30-2019, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Kindle is like the Tolino with a very minimalist firmware. The firmware on a Kobo has a lot going for it.

The Kindle firmware has improved considerably from what it was a few years ago. You can sideload your own fonts, there's the weight adjustment slider, you can even install your own font sizes (true, they only work with the azw3 format). You can disable the default homescreen on a Kindle (that's a built-in option). True, Kobo has more options, but I wouldn't say the Kindle firmware is minimalistic these days. Now the Nook firmware is minimalistic. I have no experience with Tolinos.

4691mls · 10-30-2019, 01:14 PM

Per Kaboba's original post, it sounds like the top priority is low price. And per post #5, it sounds like Kindles are not readily available in his/her location.

I still say something used from ebay (or whatever similar type of marketplace is accessible to Kaboba) is probably the cheapest way to go.

Sirtel · 10-30-2019, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danicca

I think that chapters will ship kobo to Sweden, or heck, maybe even amazon.co.uk or some other british retailers.

I bought my Kobo from CameraNU.nl, they ship internationally. But that's hardly the cheapest option out there. If you want cheap, then yes, look for the used devices.

JSWolf · 10-30-2019, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The Kindle firmware has improved considerably from what it was a few years ago. You can sideload your own fonts, there's the weight adjustment slider, you can even install your own font sizes (true, they only work with the azw3 format). You can disable the default homescreen on a Kindle (that's a built-in option). True, Kobo has more options, but I wouldn't say the Kindle firmware is minimalistic these days. Now the Nook firmware is minimalistic. I have no experience with Tolinos.

True about the Kindle firmware. But there are some things that are fixed and some don't like what's fixed. The line height is fixed at a minimal height that some find too large. There is a way around the margins and the line height. To get around the margins, use negative margins of -45px in hhtml in the CSS on a 300DPI Kindle and for the line height read with the ChareInk font. The metadata for the font is set to reduce the line height some.

Though the one thing Kindles are lacking is the ability to have collections manage by Calibre. Amazon took that away way back when due to too many people messing up their Kindles.

Kobo can have collections manage by Calibre and you can get the comment sent to the Kobo for the eBooks. So you can have the description of the book and whatever else you put in sent. Also Kobo understand series. So you can sort by series if you like.

Kobo reads ePub and KePub so you don't get the gotchas you get from KFX.

Also, the OP is coming from a nook and the nook reads ePub.

JSWolf · 10-30-2019, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Per Kaboba's original post, it sounds like the top priority is low price. And per post #5, it sounds like Kindles are not readily available in his/her location.

I still say something used from ebay (or whatever similar type of marketplace is accessible to Kaboba) is probably the cheapest way to go.

The problem with buying a Kindle on eBay is that it's a crap shoot.You don't know if the Kindle is blacklisted or not until after you get it. I've read a number of posts here from people who have bought a Kindle on eBay only to find out it's been blacklisted.

A blacklisted Kindle these days means it's virtually useless for eBooks from Amazon. The current Kindle for PC/MAC downloads in KFX when available. And because the Kindle is blacklisted, eBooks from Amazon with DRM will not work. Syncing will not work and neither will collections.

It's not worth the risk of getting a blacklisted Kindle. Amazon will not remove the blacklisting so it's like that forever.

JSWolf · 10-30-2019, 04:28 PM

@Kaboba, there's a thread on MR from 2013 saying that Chapters Indigo on Canada will ship Kobo Readers internationally and the OP bought one and had it sent to Sweden.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=222041

Here is the link to Chapters Indigo where you can order a Kobo.

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca...y_KoboeReaders

Quoth · 10-30-2019, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem with buying a Kindle on eBay is that it's a crap shoot.You don't know if the Kindle is blacklisted or not until after you get it.

What he says!

EXCEPT

Apart from a couple of ebay sellers that sell blacklisted Kindles!
I guess older models still let you copy by USB/Sideload, but no books bought from Amazon unless DRM free and no connecting to Amazon.
No 3G at all.
Do some later models get blocked from WiFi or even bricked?

I nearly bought a Sony T2 off ebay, some guy in USA had a bulk lot. Unfortunately USPS has priced USA out of the market for Europe compared to China (or Germany to Ireland), so price more than doubled and came above threshold for 23% import VAT on top of price including shipping.

Beware of that in Sweden from outside EU. Likely the threshold is equivalent to about €20 / $20 / £20 approx. I don't know.

S/H ereaders are risky unless you can try it, or the seller has honest multiple photos as unlike LCD/OLED the screen can show an image when reader is dead, or sometimes even when screen cracked.
I was lucky with a Sony PRS350 and unlucky with a iRiver cover story. My other S/H ereaders are all locally sourced. I got a few from CEX locally and had to take back the last one, a Sony T1 that would "freeze" if annotation attempted. I think a Dictionary issue, unclear if a SW bug or needing internal memory re-partitioned. They refunded with real money! Though they wanted me to take a credit note. I decided since then only to take free S/H models and buy new, locally if possible. Local Argos is mysteriously cheaper than Amazon for Kobo and same price for Kindles, except all Argos Kindles have the adverts.

barryem · 10-30-2019, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm not certain, but I'm guessing the OP wants to borrow eBooks from public libraries and the Kindle would be worthless for that use in Sweden.

I added "Get a Kindle" as a joke since it contradicted my advice to avoid brand suggestions.

Barry

rcentros · 10-30-2019, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

I added "Get a Kindle" as a joke since it contradicted my advice to avoid brand suggestions.

Sorry. I guess I was skimming a little too much. (I do that sometimes.)

4691mls · 10-31-2019, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem with buying a Kindle on eBay is that it's a crap shoot.You don't know if the Kindle is blacklisted or not until after you get it. I've read a number of posts here from people who have bought a Kindle on eBay only to find out it's been blacklisted.

A blacklisted Kindle these days means it's virtually useless for eBooks from Amazon. The current Kindle for PC/MAC downloads in KFX when available. And because the Kindle is blacklisted, eBooks from Amazon with DRM will not work. Syncing will not work and neither will collections.

It's not worth the risk of getting a blacklisted Kindle. Amazon will not remove the blacklisting so it's like that forever.

There are other kinds of used ereaders besides Kindles.

I bought my used Tolino from an ebay store (goodystore) recommended by rcentros and so far I have not had problems with it.

Maybe some other people here can recommend reliable ebay or other online stores they have bought used ereaders from?

BookCat · 10-31-2019, 12:08 PM

Maybe put a WANTED notice in mobileread's fleamarket. If you want to buy second hand, MR members are the best to buy from; there may be someone near you.

Otherwise, if buying new, take your pick between the basic Kindle or Kobo Aura (more expensive). Your current epubs can be easily converted to azw3 for the kindle, provided they're not drm'd; removing drm is possible.

10-30-2019, 09:42 AM	#18
danicca Addict Posts: 280 Karma: 517736 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: kindle	I think that chapters will ship kobo to Sweden, or heck, maybe even amazon.co.uk or some other british retailers.

10-30-2019, 11:14 AM	#19
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,045 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Kindle is best if you buy many ebooks from Amazon. Otherwise and especially if you annotate lots and want that in a PC, then Kobo + Calibre is best. I have my cake and eat it, because I read LOTS and also use the Kobo to proof writing. So I have both.

10-30-2019, 01:14 PM	#21
4691mls Wizard Posts: 2,776 Karma: 30081762 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: US Device: ALL DEVICES ARE STOCK: Kobo Clara, Tolino Shine 2, Sony PRS-T3, T1	Per Kaboba's original post, it sounds like the top priority is low price. And per post #5, it sounds like Kindles are not readily available in his/her location. I still say something used from ebay (or whatever similar type of marketplace is accessible to Kaboba) is probably the cheapest way to go.

10-30-2019, 04:28 PM	#25
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,758 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	@Kaboba, there's a thread on MR from 2013 saying that Chapters Indigo on Canada will ship Kobo Readers internationally and the OP bought one and had it sent to Sweden. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=222041 Here is the link to Chapters Indigo where you can order a Kobo. https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca...y_KoboeReaders

10-31-2019, 12:08 PM	#30
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Maybe put a WANTED notice in mobileread's fleamarket. If you want to buy second hand, MR members are the best to buy from; there may be someone near you. Otherwise, if buying new, take your pick between the basic Kindle or Kobo Aura (more expensive). Your current epubs can be easily converted to azw3 for the kindle, provided they're not drm'd; removing drm is possible.