iPod Best App for epub books?

[millionthmurray]

I've been thinking of transitioning some of my books onto my Ipod Touch. They're all in epub format. Can anyone recommend an app for this?

Bonus points if it's one that can bypass/ignore the DRM on some of them (many were downloaded from B&N's website).

[NNolan]

For the ones with B&N DRM you need to use the B&N app for the iPhone. I've heard that non-DRMed ePubs can be sideloaded into iBooks through iTunes, but I haven't tried it yet myself.

[amjbrown]

Non DRM ePubs work well in iBooks. You have to follow the extensive instructions on this site to remove the DRM, but once you get the hang of the process it is not difficult. There are also instructions for adding nice colourful covers, giving your iBooks a very nice visual appearance to reward your efforts.

If Adobe don't come up with an iPad ADE very soon, the world will go Kindle. The iPad app is very nice (not quite as good as iBooks, but close, and it's software so the gap can be closed), and the new devices are the perfect cheap complement to your iPad so your family can share your Kindle books.

I give ePub twelve months tops!

amjb

[Yoshi 1080]

If they are Adobe ePub: txtr supports that sort of DRM. B&N has its own reader app. Otherwise I’d try iBooks. At least the iPad version is simply awesome and blows the Kindle iPad version out of the water. I believe the iPhone apps are not that different from each other, though. In the end, they are both okay. Stanza is worth a try, too. It also has it's own DRM (seems to be some variant of eReader DRM, don't know exactly).

@amjb: Adobe ePub != ePub

ePub is an open standard and I believe it to have a bright future. However, I agree with your opinion on Adobe ePub (ADE). The main problem I see is the ease of use. Kindle is stupidly simple to use, and the same applies to other DRM systems like B&N and Apple’s Fairplay. ADE however is, at least in my opinion, a pain in the ass. The hassles with the Adobe ID, with downloading an ADE file before being able to download the actual eBook, basically the whole process is just plain horrible. It doesn't matter if there are several compatible online stores and eReaders out there which support it: If Amazon does the same, but in a much more elegant and easy-to-use way, then all this variety on Adobe’s part is worth absolutely nothing. Adobe would definitely benefit from an iPad app, but I don't think it would be that important. I think they have much bigger issues to stay competitive.

[millionthmurray]

Thanks for the info guys. Much obliged.

[toddos]

What, no recommendation for Stanza? It doesn't support DRM, but then neither does iBooks (other than Apple's Fairplay DRM). It's more customizable than iBooks, and IMHO easier to read in. iBooks just wastes too much space.

[amjbrown]

Originally Posted by Yoshi 1080

@amjb: Adobe ePub != ePub

ePub is an open standard and I believe it to have a bright future. However, I agree with your opinion on Adobe ePub (ADE). The main problem I see is the ease of use. Kindle is stupidly simple to use, and the same applies to other DRM systems like B&N and Apple’s Fairplay. ADE however is, at least in my opinion, a pain in the ass. The hassles with the Adobe ID, with downloading an ADE file before being able to download the actual eBook, basically the whole process is just plain horrible. It doesn't matter if there are several compatible online stores and eReaders out there which support it: If Amazon does the same, but in a much more elegant and easy-to-use way, then all this variety on Adobe’s part is worth absolutely nothing. Adobe would definitely benefit from an iPad app, but I don't think it would be that important. I think they have much bigger issues to stay competitive.

Great point, but I am coming at it from a marketing angle. Most books sold will be current bestsellers, and therefore have DRM. I think Amazon are going to do well in that market, very cheap dedicated device, with software (which syncs your place mark!) on every last smartphone, BB, iPad etc.

I haven't really played with the iBooks store (and I am a big Apple fan), although I agree iBooks as an app is great. I could see both ADEPT withering (Sony look like they are losing interest, certainly not competing on price of eReaders is fatal, and they are mainly HW, not content, people - at least in this market), and Apple never quite taking the mantle from Amazon.

I love ePub - for a start (when I've liberated it) I can add a nice cover for iBooks, correct typos etc. I just think the buying masses will go the simple route, and the buying masses will swamp the MR base.

All imho of course - but fascinating times.

amjb

[amjbrown]

Originally Posted by toddos

What, no recommendation for Stanza? It doesn't support DRM, but then neither does iBooks (other than Apple's Fairplay DRM). It's more customizable than iBooks, and IMHO easier to read in. iBooks just wastes too much space.

Can't support you there - I have both, and I think iBooks is a great piece of software. Collections, and some kind of recent history are (easy) improvements, but it's pretty good.

As to wasted space, mine is perfect. Small, appropriate border of whitespace - but lots and lots of words. I put a book of poetry on last night which has looked horrible on every other reader I've tried, but works great in iBooks.

amjb

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by amjbrown

Can't support you there - I have both, and I think iBooks is a great piece of software. Collections, and some kind of recent history are (easy) improvements, but it's pretty good.

As to wasted space, mine is perfect. Small, appropriate border of whitespace - but lots and lots of words. I put a book of poetry on last night which has looked horrible on every other reader I've tried, but works great in iBooks.

amjb

Hi:

I produce ebooks for various authors, both epub and mobi. I'm currently testing a children's book intended for iPad. I don't have an iPad, (and both my iPods are older), but my niece does. Question: can you point me at destructions for side-loading an epub (non-DRM'ed, since I'm creating it via Sigil) onto the iPad so I can beta-test it on hers? Assuming an iBooks interface?

Thanks,

Hitch

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Hi:

I produce ebooks for various authors, both epub and mobi. I'm currently testing a children's book intended for iPad. I don't have an iPad, (and both my iPods are older), but my niece does. Question: can you point me at destructions for side-loading an epub (non-DRM'ed, since I'm creating it via Sigil) onto the iPad so I can beta-test it on hers? Assuming an iBooks interface?

Thanks,

Hitch

Just email or copy the ePub to her computer.
Drag the ePub file into iTunes, approximately where it says "Books" in the left hand column/sidebar.
Connect the iPad to the computer.
Click on the iPad icon in that same left hand column/sidebar.
Select the tab marked Books.
Your book should be there-just click the checkmark next to it, and Sync the iPad.

(If she has the setting to automatically sync all books in the library, your book will just show up on the iPad when she connects it to the computer)

[Hitch]

Thank you, kjk. I really appreciate your time.

Hitch

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I produce ebooks for various authors, both epub and mobi. I'm currently testing a children's book intended for iPad. I don't have an iPad, (and both my iPods are older), but my niece does. Question: can you point me at destructions for side-loading an epub (non-DRM'ed, since I'm creating it via Sigil) onto the iPad so I can beta-test it on hers? Assuming an iBooks interface?

If she has email set up on the iPad, I believe you can just email the file to her, and she can open in in iBooks from the Mail application on the iPad. Can't test it at the moment though.

[Yoshi 1080]

I believe the open in dialog only works for PDFs, not for ePubs. Not quite sure, though.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

If she has email set up on the iPad, I believe you can just email the file to her, and she can open in in iBooks from the Mail application on the iPad. Can't test it at the moment though.

If this actually works, that would make my life infinitely easier--if anyone can tell me if this does work, that would be terrific, thanks; my niece isn't tech-savvy and isn't local.

Hitch

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hitch

If this actually works, that would make my life infinitely easier--if anyone can tell me if this does work, that would be terrific, thanks; my niece isn't tech-savvy and isn't local.

Hitch

Oddly, clicking on an emailed ePub gives you a list of apps that can access email files (Stanza, Goodreader, Cloudreader, etc.) But iBooks is not listed.

Selecting Stanza actually does open the ePub within Stanza. But you can't open ePubs directly in iBooks from email. I assume this will change at some point.

Also, Txtr doesn't seem to register as a program that can read ePub thru iOS.