iPod How is the Ipod Touch as an Ebook reader? - Page 2

GlenBarrington · 03-23-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

I find my iPhone a little too small for reading e-books for more than 30 minutes. It just gets a little irritating scrolling so often.. It's INCREDIBLE for everything else though (TV/games/apps/movies/music). Why not get an iPad as a reader, it looks like it's a great size and has a better quality screen?

With autoscroll, you don't have to turn the pages. I figure if I can read on a Treo, I could probably read just fine on an iPod Touch!

I have no interest in the iPad, I want SMALLER than a Sony eReader not larger. I just don't understand why people would want larger.

Neil · 03-24-2010, 12:12 AM

The iTouch and iPhone are really not comparable to ereaders such as the Kindle and the iPad, Nook and so on. The rpoblem is the size of the screen. I personally, at least, find it very difficult to read on my iPhone's screen for a long period of time and get annoyed at how many "page" movements are needed. But it IS better than no reader at all.

clockworkzombie · 03-24-2010, 07:44 AM

I installed stanza and some books with Calibre for the first time this weekend and I am surprised at how good it is I enlarged the font a little and it was still good. I like the inverted colour for nighttime reading too.

I am looking to buy an iPad and I think I will give the touch to my mother as I introduced her computer to the Baen free library last week once the iPad arrives I will have it and a touch and the bebook.

I should only need two of these devices so the touch or bebook to my mother. I do like the small size of the touch when I am travelling it is more convenient than my laptop for email and IM and light web browsing.

Tamara · 03-24-2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

With autoscroll, you don't have to turn the pages. I figure if I can read on a Treo, I could probably read just fine on an iPod Touch!

I have no interest in the iPad, I want SMALLER than a Sony eReader not larger. I just don't understand why people would want larger.

If you can handle reading on a Treo, the Touch will be a joy to read on by comparison.

Solicitous · 03-24-2010, 08:49 AM

Well this thread is starting to answer some questions I had about considering an iPod. Using Stanza/Kindle/Ereader on the iPod, are books able to be downloaded via WiFi to the iPod? I ask as I only use Ubuntu and am not too keen on having to setup a WinXP machine just to use iTunes in the event I get an iPod.

Tamara · 03-24-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Well this thread is starting to answer some questions I had about considering an iPod. Using Stanza/Kindle/Ereader on the iPod, are books able to be downloaded via WiFi to the iPod? I ask as I only use Ubuntu and am not too keen on having to setup a WinXP machine just to use iTunes in the event I get an iPod.

You will need iTunes to do things like backup a Touch, apply updates as they are released, sync music, etc.

wayrad · 03-24-2010, 04:19 PM

Is it worth getting an iPod Touch if you don't have wireless at home? I'm in the same boat as the O.P.; primarily interested in a combination PDA and ebook reader (well, with a few games on the side

). Just getting a wireless router isn't a straightforward solution for me either (dialup!

But I travel enough so there are practical reasons to keep it). My attempts to set up an ad hoc connection on my laptop have been frustrating. Is ebook transfer easier with an iPhone?

badgoodDeb · 03-24-2010, 04:51 PM

No easier than an iTouch, I don't think. You usually have to do it via the iTunes sync process. However, the Kindle app for iPhone (and iTouch presumably) downloads books you have already bought, via WiFi and/or 3G.

Logseman · 03-24-2010, 04:54 PM

Stanza allowed me to download 200 books in less than one hour (being true that the wifi reception was formidable and stable). However I don't know about transfering from your computer to your iTouch.

badgoodDeb · 03-24-2010, 05:13 PM

That's true -- a lot of the add on apps rely on wi-fi to transfer their files.

clockworkzombie · 03-24-2010, 06:27 PM

The Stanza & Calibre combination requires your computer and touch or iPhone to have wi-fi.

For the person above on dial up a wireless access point with ethernet ports should be reasonably cheap and you could connect your pc to it with ethernet and the touch should then see Calibre.

wayrad · 03-24-2010, 06:59 PM

accidental double post deleted

wayrad · 03-24-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clockworkzombie

For the person above on dial up a wireless access point with ethernet ports should be reasonably cheap and you could connect your pc to it with ethernet and the touch should then see Calibre.

Not that cheap - There's one place on Ebay selling the WiFlyer and it's $135 - I think that's several times the price of an ordinary wireless router. No warranty erither, I suspect. I have considered it, but am still trying to work out if there's any better option.

Thanks for the info, everybody!

Solicitous · 03-24-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clockworkzombie

The Stanza & Calibre combination requires your computer and touch or iPhone to have wi-fi.

For the person above on dial up a wireless access point with ethernet ports should be reasonably cheap and you could connect your pc to it with ethernet and the touch should then see Calibre.

Ah, so I can have Calibre running its web service, load Stanza on the iPod and access my local server via wifi and download direct? No need to use iTunes?

What about using the downloaded ebooks on multiple reading apps? Can I using wifi download a book and use either ereader/stanza/kindle app to read it (format permitting)?

clockworkzombie · 03-24-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Ah, so I can have Calibre running its web service, load Stanza on the iPod and access my local server via wifi and download direct? No need to use iTunes?

What about using the downloaded ebooks on multiple reading apps? Can I using wifi download a book and use either ereader/stanza/kindle app to read it (format permitting)?

You are correct, Calibre does its thing and Stanza will see it and let you download books. Each application would have to download the book separately I suspect.

@wayrad surely something like this is all you need? Perhaps we are talking about different things? You do not need anything special, ebooks are so small that it will not take long to transfer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Linksys-Wireless...#ht_500wt_1182

03-24-2010, 06:59 PM	#27
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	accidental double post deleted Last edited by wayrad; 03-24-2010 at 07:03 PM.

03-24-2010, 12:12 AM	#17
Neil Addict Posts: 240 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	The iTouch and iPhone are really not comparable to ereaders such as the Kindle and the iPad, Nook and so on. The rpoblem is the size of the screen. I personally, at least, find it very difficult to read on my iPhone's screen for a long period of time and get annoyed at how many "page" movements are needed. But it IS better than no reader at all.

03-24-2010, 07:44 AM	#18
clockworkzombie Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 11962 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Central Queensland Device: iPad	I installed stanza and some books with Calibre for the first time this weekend and I am surprised at how good it is I enlarged the font a little and it was still good. I like the inverted colour for nighttime reading too. I am looking to buy an iPad and I think I will give the touch to my mother as I introduced her computer to the Baen free library last week once the iPad arrives I will have it and a touch and the bebook. I should only need two of these devices so the touch or bebook to my mother. I do like the small size of the touch when I am travelling it is more convenient than my laptop for email and IM and light web browsing.

03-24-2010, 08:49 AM	#20
Solicitous Wizard Posts: 1,434 Karma: 1525776 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: TAS, Australia Device: Astak Pocket Pro (Black), 2 x Kindle WiFi (Graphite), iPod Touch 4G	Well this thread is starting to answer some questions I had about considering an iPod. Using Stanza/Kindle/Ereader on the iPod, are books able to be downloaded via WiFi to the iPod? I ask as I only use Ubuntu and am not too keen on having to setup a WinXP machine just to use iTunes in the event I get an iPod.

03-24-2010, 04:19 PM	#22
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	Is it worth getting an iPod Touch if you don't have wireless at home? I'm in the same boat as the O.P.; primarily interested in a combination PDA and ebook reader (well, with a few games on the side ). Just getting a wireless router isn't a straightforward solution for me either (dialup! But I travel enough so there are practical reasons to keep it). My attempts to set up an ad hoc connection on my laptop have been frustrating. Is ebook transfer easier with an iPhone?

03-24-2010, 04:51 PM	#23
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,545 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	No easier than an iTouch, I don't think. You usually have to do it via the iTunes sync process. However, the Kindle app for iPhone (and iTouch presumably) downloads books you have already bought, via WiFi and/or 3G.

03-24-2010, 04:54 PM	#24
Logseman Orisa Posts: 2,001 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	Stanza allowed me to download 200 books in less than one hour (being true that the wifi reception was formidable and stable). However I don't know about transfering from your computer to your iTouch.

03-24-2010, 05:13 PM	#25
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,545 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	That's true -- a lot of the add on apps rely on wi-fi to transfer their files.

03-24-2010, 06:27 PM	#26
clockworkzombie Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 11962 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Central Queensland Device: iPad	The Stanza & Calibre combination requires your computer and touch or iPhone to have wi-fi. For the person above on dial up a wireless access point with ethernet ports should be reasonably cheap and you could connect your pc to it with ethernet and the touch should then see Calibre.

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