e-Ink eBook Reader without internet

franc · 06-05-2020, 03:23 AM

Hallo

I am looking for a very basic ebook Reader with e-ink (without color) and without any WiFi or SIM-card.

I bought many years ago a Hanvon (I think it was a N516), this was perfect, but I cannot find such devices anymore in the internet.

Anybody knows about such a tool, any brand but no internet and e-ink is the condition. The display could be bigger than the Hanvon's though.

Thanks.
frank

Quoth · 06-05-2020, 03:52 AM

Just buy a Kobo Libra and never turn on the WiFi. It's really off when you turn it off.
You can use an imaginary address when registering (once) on WiFi, or directly edit the database via USB to mark it registered.

There are old eink ereaders from China on eBay, but the screens are low resolution and some don't have touch. Not worth the money.

franc · 06-05-2020, 05:03 AM

Thanks already

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Just buy a Kobo Libra and never turn on the WiFi. It's really off when you turn it off...

The reason is my daughter (7 years), she reads a bit, the device is as gift for a quest she will solve

So internet should not at all be existent, as eventually she will find and use it

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

...
There are old eink ereaders from China on eBay, but the screens are low resolution and some don't have touch. Not worth the money.

Do you have any brand name?
That is exactly the kind of device I am looking for!
Hanvon is not anymore existent, it seems, I don't find it.

Uncle Robin · 06-05-2020, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franc

So internet should not be at all existent, as she will turn it off, eventually

Perhaps a simpler solution than looking for an ereader without wifi is to change your wifi password at home? If you use a wifi password generated by a good password manager, then even if your daughter does turn the wifi function of the reader on, she won't have access to the network.

JSWolf · 06-05-2020, 05:30 AM

Ask in the patch thread if there's a way to patch so WiFi cannot be turned on with a Kobo Reader.

ps67 · 06-05-2020, 05:47 AM

You could buy a ereader without giving it the wi fii password, so no internet.

For example if You buy a Kindle from Amazon it will arrive already with Your account, and when You buy books You can download them with Your PC and then insert in Your Kindle trough USB.

Also With a Kobo it is possible, the difference is that You will need to give Your email to the Kobo to sign and use Kobo Desktop to download books (but also download the books from Kobo site without Kobo Desktop), but no need of wi fii. And there is a patch for kobo for hiding browser (Hide browser from beta features), to avoid temptations.

And of course You can use calibre if You like it.

I talk about Kobo and Kindle because I own them, but I am sure that some similar solution exist also for almost all device You could buy.

It is not necessary to search a old device from nowhere without wi fii feature.

davidfor · 06-05-2020, 06:48 AM

@franc: I don't think there are any current ereaders without WiFi capability. You should be able to turn the WiFi off, and not giving out the password would mean it can't be used.

The Kobo device mentioned, have a Parental Controls option. When this is turned on, it removes the browser and the Google and Wikipedia search in books. The Kobo store is also hidden. But, it can sync books that have bought from the Kobo store. When turning the Parental controls on, you set a PIN which is needed to turn them off.

stumped · 06-05-2020, 08:29 AM

kindles also have parental controls. you can choose what to block- and you can block everything if you like. they are VERY difficult to bypass

Quoth · 06-05-2020, 08:53 AM

The Kindle parental control only allows books from Amazon. NO classic kids stories from Gutenberg.
I tested it for my grandson. It's not fit for purpose. Also don't buy a "Kid's Edition" kindle.

Keep your WiFi password secret and good. It should be ANYWAY! Write it down in a notebook in a locked, safe place. As should all other passwords in case of terminal accidents.

Deskisamess · 06-05-2020, 08:58 AM

The "Kids Edition" Fires and Kindles come with a better warranty than the non-kids versions, a 2 Year "worry free" warranty. They also come with a year of Freetime Unlimited, which many parents find a good buy. Under the covers, the devices are exactly the same.

Books can still be side loaded to the Kindles. Parental controls don't prevent anyone from reading those books on the Kindle.

Quoth · 06-05-2020, 09:24 AM

On the PW3 I tested, sure you can sideload books, but in Parental Control Mode (kids mode) they were inaccessible. Came back when Parental control was off.
Also in the EU, they MUST do a 2 year minimum. SOGO. Apple in Italy were prosecuted for only having 1 year warranty.

franc · 06-05-2020, 09:41 AM

Thanks, I had a look about the Kobo Libra but this is far too expensive.

The price of the old Hanvon N516 was around 50.- Euro if I remember well.
Should be in that price range.

OK, if I just don't set up the Wifi password there won't be internet, this is clear.

I found then another one, "PocketBook Basic 3" which is about 75.- Euro, which would be still acceptable, although this device has games on board (Snake, Sudoku, Chess...), which is not good. I guess it is not possible to deactivate or delete them.

But anyway, I wonder if there is not anymore such simple device as the Hanvon, from any cheap chinese producer. Maybe with wifi then, but simple and cheap.
Just to read epub.

Thanks.

EDIT: I bought the PocketBook Basic 3 now, the (very quick) support told me, the games can be deleted, without any root (- to get root I also asked here in the dev forum).
But with root I could even disable wifi on a lower level

stumped · 06-05-2020, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

On the PW3 I tested, sure you can sideload books, but in Parental Control Mode (kids mode) they were inaccessible. Came back when Parental control was off.
Also in the EU, they MUST do a 2 year minimum. SOGO. Apple in Italy were prosecuted for only having 1 year warranty.

don't confuse kids mode ( very restrictive) with parental controls

e.g. on my old kindle I disabled only Kindle store, so if it was lost, no one could spend on my account, withiout having he parental control password.. I could have discretely disabled any/all of internet browser, social media stuff, wifi changes....
we were reading sideloaded books on it, definitely

same goes for all amazon devices there is a full-on kids mode, but also a customisable parental control e e.g. on my fire tablet I have it set to require a password for all purchases, including an-app purchases ( that's a parental control option) but I don't use kids mode. I do sideload to it. so there's no accidental one click- whoops you just insta-bought the matching audiobook accident waiting to happen.

even fire tv has parental controls, which are quite useful ( e.g. we had one in an apartment we let via airbnb for a while - i needed a watch what you like but dont buy anything setting)

kids mode blocks all sideloaded media - books, music, video....

stumped · 06-05-2020, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

...
Also in the EU, they MUST do a 2 year minimum. SOGO. Apple in Italy were prosecuted for only having 1 year warranty.

Maybe amazon think we (UK) have left already but even a year ago, if you specifically asked amazon CS what is the warranty on this they always said 1 year. there is probably some weasel small print legalese that covers them but they rely on people believing in 1 year and not claiming in month 13

rcentros · 06-05-2020, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franc

I am looking for a very basic ebook Reader with e-ink (without color) and without any WiFi or SIM-card.

The Sony PRS-350 is a nice 5" eReader that doesn't have WiFi, no front light but it does have a touch screen. It's bigger brother, the 6" Sony PRS-650 doesn't have WiFi, does have a touch screen and it plays MP3s via an audio jack (not sure you want that). I have a Russian PocketBook (PB615) that doesn't have a touch screen, is front-lit and has no WiFi (I don't know how easy these are to find). The non-Russian (standard), Basic Lux (also PB615) does have WiFi.

If you can use a 5" screen and don't mind the extra weight, a Sony PRS-300 would work (no touch screen, front light or WiFi).

I would look for either the Sony PRS-350 or PRS-650. The PRS-350 is pretty common on eBay and sells in the $25 to $35 range (with shipping). The PRS-650 is harder to find, but they show up from time to time and don't always sell for that much more.

Current search for Sony PRS-350s on eBay...
https://www.ebay.com/sch/171485/i.ht...Desc=0&_sop=15

06-05-2020, 03:23 AM	#1
franc Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	e-Ink eBook Reader without internet Hallo I am looking for a very basic ebook Reader with e-ink (without color) and without any WiFi or SIM-card. I bought many years ago a Hanvon (I think it was a N516), this was perfect, but I cannot find such devices anymore in the internet. Anybody knows about such a tool, any brand but no internet and e-ink is the condition. The display could be bigger than the Hanvon's though. Thanks. frank

06-05-2020, 05:47 AM	#6
ps67 Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 7025494 Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Italy Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Elipsa, Pocketbook Color PB633, Inkpad Color	You could buy a ereader without giving it the wi fii password, so no internet. For example if You buy a Kindle from Amazon it will arrive already with Your account, and when You buy books You can download them with Your PC and then insert in Your Kindle trough USB. Also With a Kobo it is possible, the difference is that You will need to give Your email to the Kobo to sign and use Kobo Desktop to download books (but also download the books from Kobo site without Kobo Desktop), but no need of wi fii. And there is a patch for kobo for hiding browser (Hide browser from beta features), to avoid temptations. And of course You can use calibre if You like it. I talk about Kobo and Kindle because I own them, but I am sure that some similar solution exist also for almost all device You could buy. It is not necessary to search a old device from nowhere without wi fii feature. Last edited by ps67; 06-05-2020 at 05:55 AM. Reason: but also download the books from Kobo site without Kobo Desktop

06-05-2020, 09:41 AM	#12
franc Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	Thanks, I had a look about the Kobo Libra but this is far too expensive. The price of the old Hanvon N516 was around 50.- Euro if I remember well. Should be in that price range. OK, if I just don't set up the Wifi password there won't be internet, this is clear. I found then another one, "PocketBook Basic 3" which is about 75.- Euro, which would be still acceptable, although this device has games on board (Snake, Sudoku, Chess...), which is not good. I guess it is not possible to deactivate or delete them. But anyway, I wonder if there is not anymore such simple device as the Hanvon, from any cheap chinese producer. Maybe with wifi then, but simple and cheap. Just to read epub. Thanks. EDIT: I bought the PocketBook Basic 3 now, the (very quick) support told me, the games can be deleted, without any root (- to get root I also asked here in the dev forum). But with root I could even disable wifi on a lower level Last edited by franc; 06-05-2020 at 10:50 AM.

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06-05-2020, 03:52 AM	#2
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,164 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Just buy a Kobo Libra and never turn on the WiFi. It's really off when you turn it off. You can use an imaginary address when registering (once) on WiFi, or directly edit the database via USB to mark it registered. There are old eink ereaders from China on eBay, but the screens are low resolution and some don't have touch. Not worth the money.

06-05-2020, 05:30 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,015 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Ask in the patch thread if there's a way to patch so WiFi cannot be turned on with a Kobo Reader.

06-05-2020, 06:48 AM	#7
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	@franc: I don't think there are any current ereaders without WiFi capability. You should be able to turn the WiFi off, and not giving out the password would mean it can't be used. The Kobo device mentioned, have a Parental Controls option. When this is turned on, it removes the browser and the Google and Wikipedia search in books. The Kobo store is also hidden. But, it can sync books that have bought from the Kobo store. When turning the Parental controls on, you set a PIN which is needed to turn them off.

06-05-2020, 08:29 AM	#8
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	kindles also have parental controls. you can choose what to block- and you can block everything if you like. they are VERY difficult to bypass

06-05-2020, 08:53 AM	#9
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,164 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	The Kindle parental control only allows books from Amazon. NO classic kids stories from Gutenberg. I tested it for my grandson. It's not fit for purpose. Also don't buy a "Kid's Edition" kindle. Keep your WiFi password secret and good. It should be ANYWAY! Write it down in a notebook in a locked, safe place. As should all other passwords in case of terminal accidents.

06-05-2020, 08:58 AM	#10
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,609 Karma: 42697471 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"	The "Kids Edition" Fires and Kindles come with a better warranty than the non-kids versions, a 2 Year "worry free" warranty. They also come with a year of Freetime Unlimited, which many parents find a good buy. Under the covers, the devices are exactly the same. Books can still be side loaded to the Kindles. Parental controls don't prevent anyone from reading those books on the Kindle.

06-05-2020, 09:24 AM	#11
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,164 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	On the PW3 I tested, sure you can sideload books, but in Parental Control Mode (kids mode) they were inaccessible. Came back when Parental control was off. Also in the EU, they MUST do a 2 year minimum. SOGO. Apple in Italy were prosecuted for only having 1 year warranty.

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