looking to move away from kindle--recommendations?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No, they're not. For example, you can manage metadata (including series) and collections of your sideloaded books automatically on a Kobo, while you can do nothing of the sort on a Kindle or a Nook.

Originally Posted by HLS

Never heard of it.

Interesting. I take it your reading on MobileRead has a bit selective considering that one advantage that many have mentioned is the ease of metadata management (series, collections, subtitles, page and word counts) when using calibre and a Kobo ereader. Very often with comments about how poor the metadata management is on Nooks and non-jailbroken Kindles.

[kandwo]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Exactly.
Even an aged Sony (PRS-350 or PRS-T2) is better than current Kindle and Nook.
The Kobo is simply the best for managing metadata. No problem having 5,000 ebooks and quickly finding anything, PD or bought.

The Kindle Series data off Amazon is often wrong and can't be edited. You need to jail break to manage Collections, the Website management is useless.

I couldn't be paid to go back to Amazon Kindle or B&N Nook, though I have still 3 Amazon Kindle models to test our own formatting.

The Android eink, even with KOReader, is the worst to use.

I disagree. For somebody who reads multiple books at once, in several languages, on several devices anything but Android seems crippling.

I have set it up to automatically sync my library, notes and reading position across all my devices, including my computer. So it's enough to add a book to my computer's library folder and have it sync everything seamlessly to the other devices.

I can use several different reader apps each set up for a specific kind of book. Maybe I want to use a different font, dictionary, UI, etc when reading non-fiction in English compared to fiction in Russian - well, no problem, that's easily doable using several different reading apps.

That said, Kobo is great for simple reading. I use my Libra 2 when reading outside my normal reading schedule. But since its dictionary support is really poor for many languages and it lacks reading position sync, I can't use it as my main reader. (The last issue could be solved using Koreader and having Wifi on, but then the battery life would plummet.)

[Quoth]

I'm not interested in sync, and on rare occasions when I read on more than one device search is often quicker. Sync means connecting to wifi twice and if not at the same time, a 3rd party server.

I'd like better dictionaries and more translation dictionaries, but in terms of finding the next book to read and reading it, none of the popular Android Apps nor KOReader come close to the Kobo "My Books" interface.
Fonts are no issue.

I've been reading books for decades and ebooks since 2002. Android as an OS is terrible and an Android phone or tablet (not dedicated), even with eink, compared to a dedicated Sony / Kindle/ Nook/Kobo is terrible unless there is some app I've not tried? (I'm not going to use Kindle or Kobo app on Android).
Sage is main reader. I might occasionally read on the phone or the 4.7" pocket Y-Ben that lives in jacket, but I can't see the point of sync. I do have loads of ereaders and ereader apps, to test formatting.

Edit:
I control content on all the ereaders and apps from Calibre, except for library loans.

Calibre can sync Kobo reading status and position via Kobo utilities.
I keep the user content the same on my workstation, server and laptop using rsync and also do backups.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kandwo

I disagree. For somebody who reads multiple books at once, in several languages, on several devices anything but Android seems crippling.

I have set it up to automatically sync my library, notes and reading position across all my devices, including my computer. So it's enough to add a book to my computer's library folder and have it sync everything seamlessly to the other devices.

I can use several different reader apps each set up for a specific kind of book. Maybe I want to use a different font, dictionary, UI, etc when reading non-fiction in English compared to fiction in Russian - well, no problem, that's easily doable using several different reading apps.

That said, Kobo is great for simple reading. I use my Libra 2 when reading outside my normal reading schedule. But since its dictionary support is really poor for many languages and it lacks reading position sync, I can't use it as my main reader. (The last issue could be solved using Koreader and having Wifi on, but then the battery life would plummet.)

Where did you buy your rose colored glasses?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by kandwo

I have set it up to automatically sync my library, notes and reading position across all my devices, including my computer. So it's enough to add a book to my computer's library folder and have it sync everything seamlessly to the other devices.

I can use several different reader apps each set up for a specific kind of book. Maybe I want to use a different font, dictionary, UI, etc when reading non-fiction in English compared to fiction in Russian - well, no problem, that's easily doable using several different reading apps.

Can you list those apps and devices that allow you to sync reading positions between multiple devices, apps and, likely, ebook formats? Considering the number of people who have seemingly had issues with syncing reading position, annotations, whatever between two different apps using the same ebook format, it would be interesting to see what you are using. Even using PDF, that seems to be a difficult task.

Originally Posted by kandwo

Kobo Libra 2: But since its dictionary support is really poor for many languages and it lacks reading position sync, I can't use it as my main reader.

Can you list a few ereaders that allow you to sync reading position between sideloaded books using the stock apps? On Kobo ereaders, you can use calibre to keep track of the latest read position though that does require a USB connect for the sync.

[kandwo]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I'm not interested in sync, and on rare occasions when I read on more than one device search is often quicker. Sync means connecting to wifi twice and if not at the same time, a 3rd party server.

I'd like better dictionaries and more translation dictionaries, but in terms of finding the next book to read and reading it, none of the popular Android Apps nor KOReader come close to the Kobo "My Books" interface.
Fonts are no issue.

I've been reading books for decades and ebooks since 2002. Android as an OS is terrible and an Android phone or tablet (not dedicated), even with eink, compared to a dedicated Sony / Kindle/ Nook/Kobo is terrible unless there is some app I've not tried? (I'm not going to use Kindle or Kobo app on Android).
Sage is main reader. I might occasionally read on the phone or the 4.7" pocket Y-Ben that lives in jacket, but I can't see the point of sync. I do have loads of ereaders and ereader apps, to test formatting.

Edit:
I control content on all the ereaders and apps from Calibre, except for library loans.

Calibre can sync Kobo reading status and position via Kobo utilities.
I keep the user content the same on my workstation, server and laptop using rsync and also do backups.

I have Wifi enabled on the devices all the time. Of course it would be cumbersome to manually turn wifi on and off every time one needs to sync the position. The compromise is that wifi uses more battery.

Just saying that Android is "terrible" doesn't really say much. What specifically don't you like about it?

Personally, I'd also prefer not to use Android as it's a resource hog. My ideal device would be something like the Kobos but with support for good dictionaries (building in something like goldendict so that it supports morphology).

Originally Posted by DNSB

Can you list those apps and devices that allow you to sync reading positions between multiple devices, apps and, likely, ebook formats? Considering the number of people who have seemingly had issues with syncing reading position, annotations, whatever between two different apps using the same ebook format, it would be interesting to see what you are using. Even using PDF, that seems to be a difficult task.



Can you list a few ereaders that allow you to sync reading position between sideloaded books using the stock apps? On Kobo ereaders, you can use calibre to keep track of the latest read position though that does require a USB connect for the sync.

The crux to syncing reading position seems to be using an identical file on both devices. And for whatever reason, sending the same file with Calibre vs copy-pasting it onto the device will result in different files. This leads to sync difficulties using Koreader on my Libra 2 and an Android device, for instance.

What I do is that I use Syncthing to sync my library across my devices. That way I'm dealing with identical files and there's no problem with reading sync. I let the reading app handle the latter part: Koreader, Alreader X, Moon Reader, etc, have their own way to synchronize reading position.

Koreader stores annotations/notes in a separate file tied to the ebook. This gets synced with the rest of the files in the library. The annotations therefore "automatically" show up on the other devices, too (when reading the same book in Koreader).

I don't do much annotations, though. Koreader uses its own keyboard, which doesn't include a Nordic layout, rendering it pretty much useless for my purposes. And I haven't had the time and energy to explore how to solve the syncing and exporting of them on the other apps.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by finalgirlfall

i currently have a Fire HD 10, but in light of amazon making sideloading content impossible, i'm looking to move away from amazon ereaders/tablets.

Let’s say it like it is. Sideloading has never been better on the Kindle. Unless by sideloading you mean transferring books via USB that are available in your device anyway if it’s connected to the internet.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Let’s say it like it is. Sideloading has never been better on the Kindle. Unless by sideloading you mean transferring books via USB that are available in your device anyway if it’s connected to the internet.

Side-loading has mostly been rather poor on a Kindle. Side-loading is loading eBooks via USB.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Let’s say it like it is. Sideloading has never been better on the Kindle. Unless by sideloading you mean transferring books via USB that are available in your device anyway if it’s connected to the internet.

So I can buy an ePub ebook from Thalia.de and it will automatically appear on my Kindle if it is connected to the Internet?

And oddly enough, transferring books to your ereader using USB, SFTP, etc. from another local device is pretty much exactly what sideloading means. To quote from Wikipedia:

Sideloading describes the process of transferring files between two local devices, in particular between a personal computer and a mobile device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet, portable media player or e-reader.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by kandwo

The crux to syncing reading position seems to be using an identical file on both devices. And for whatever reason, sending the same file with Calibre vs copy-pasting it onto the device will result in different files. This leads to sync difficulties using Koreader on my Libra 2 and an Android device, for instance.

What I do is that I use Syncthing to sync my library across my devices. That way I'm dealing with identical files and there's no problem with reading sync. I let the reading app handle the latter part: Koreader, Alreader X, Moon Reader, etc, have their own way to synchronize reading position.

And you manage to sync reading positions from KOReader to other apps and vice versa? Between Moon Reader and Alreader X? Since that is what you wrote in your original post seems to say. To quote:

I have set it up to automatically sync my library, notes and reading position across all my devices, including my computer. So it's enough to add a book to my computer's library folder and have it sync everything seamlessly to the other devices.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by kandwo

Just saying that Android is "terrible" doesn't really say much.

I don't understand it very well either. I can understand that you don't like Android reading software, just as some people don't like Kindle, Kobo or PocketBook reading software. It's a matter of personal preference. But if you like those reading programs (I like AlReaderX and KOReader a lot, other people like others), I don't know what the problem is. You will do exactly the same as with Linux: adjust the reading parameters (fonts, size, line spacing...), consult the dictionary, translate, underline... and read. When I read a book with AlReaderX or KOReader, I don't really know what the difference is between using the Android operating system (apart from the utilities that you don't have in Linux). I don't know how it affects reading. I'm really trying to understand the difference, but I can't. I don't know. I read interchangeably on Kobo, Onyx, Kindle, Tolino and PocketBook devices and, apart from my personal preference for one reading program or another and the different utilities, I find no difference in terms of reading. I see differences in other things (construction and design, display and lighting, battery life... and here the difference is more between specific devices, not even between brands and operating systems), but not in reading quality.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by cellaris

I don't understand it very well either. I can understand that you don't like Android reading software,

No, some of the reading apps and other apps are very good.

The Sony PRS-T2 allegedly uses Android, but it doesn't matter.

It's Android UI that's terrible as well as things like storage access, print, copy/paste, keyboard support, etc varying dramatically between releases. Pointless releases with cosmetic changes or added integrated features you don't want. Latest stupidity is retro-loading a feature to automatically disable permissions on apps not used "recently".
Or you have to sign into playstore to add accessibility features or get updates (that may or may not be security issues).

The dishonest way the stock email and sms works.

The complexity of disabling data access on mobile.

Popups with no close, but you tap outside the window to close it.

Windows 3.x in 1990s was better design of UI, even in the rare Tablet version. Though that UI and win9x UI was stupid on a 320 x 240 touch screen, but at least with the tooth pick/cocktail stick pointer it worked. Back just befor the iPhone came out in 2007 we experimented with a PDA/VOIP phone running Debian. We compared IceWindow manager (like a clunky 9x), Trolltech's Win9x style and Trolltech's tiled phone edition. The tiled was fine for pure consumption and simple widget like apps. Then Nokia bought Trolltech. Gurr.

Any decent UX/UI expert could fill a book with the stupidity in Android.

Payments ONLY via Google, though at least unlike Apple you can usually install apk from outside the Playstore without even a jailbreak.

[cellaris]

Does all this affect reading? I don't know, I turn on the e-reader, click on the reading application (AlReaderX or KOReader) and read the book. Or I click on my library organiser (which I can use as my home screen if I want) and read the book. I find it all very simple. As simple as clicking on a book on the home screen of a Kobo or Kindle.

I have the impression that sometimes we create the problems ourselves (like watching YouTube videos and other ridiculous things). But if you make intelligent use of an Android device the reading experience is not as terrible as you describe. On the contrary, it is just as satisfying.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by cellaris

Does all this affect reading? I don't know, I turn on the e-reader, click on the reading application (AlReaderX or KOReader) and read the book. Or I click on my library organiser (which I can use as my home screen if I want) and read the book. I find it all very simple. As simple as clicking on a book on the home screen of a Kobo or Kindle.

No, nothing like as simple as Kobo when you want to read another ebook. Also a Kobo is ONLY for reading.

I agree, if you have a decent app like Lithium or Pocketbook all setup, or even KOReader, it makes little difference on a book you are on the middle of reading, if you only hit sleep button.

Android value is in doing many things.

I've had Android back to V3. I have an eink Android.

I've had Kindles (PW1, DXG, K3, Basic, PW3, Oasis 2) and Kobos (Touch, H2O original, Libra, Libra2, Elipsa, Sage).

Symbian phones, inc the better than later Communicator N9210i

Palm OS.

CP/M, DOS, Gem, Amiga, Atari, PCW8512, UNIX, Minix, Cromix, Windows 2.0 to Win98, OS/2, OS/2 Warp, NT 3.5 to Windows 10, Linux. Mac OS/9, iPhone.

R&D on two handheld products.

Reading ebooks since 2002.

For purely consuming real ebooks, Android is rubbish (even on eink) compared to a Kobo with native reader.


[Unless you have a mouse, you are tapping]

[cellaris]

That is your opinion, which I do not share. It will depend on the preferences of each user. Kobo devices, which I think are good devices, have their limitations and shortcomings like any other e-reader.

(I have even read on a PSP and I have already surpassed the figure of 60 e-readers. And my opinion is as valid as that of any new user because in the end it is the user himself, with his own preferences, who decides what he likes and what he doesn't like).