Which reader for public library apps (onleihe.de, 3M Cloud and OverDrive)?

[5y2SB]

Hello there!

Given that I move lots between various countries, I am looking for an ereader that is able to handle multiple public library standards, i.e. 3M, OverDrive and the German onleihe.de system.

What I understand is that 3M Cloud generally runs on all Kobo and Android devices, while OverDrive is a browser-based system and should thus not be dependent on any given device. I have been told that onleihe.de allows direct downloads without a laptop only with the following models: Tolino, PocketBook Touch Lux 3 and some Onyx models. However, others told me that onleihe.de works with all Android ereaders.

Thus far I have been looking at the following models:
* inkBOOK Obsidian (inkbook.eu/shop/inkbook-obsidi…lt-in-light-android-apps/)
* tolino shine 2 HD
* PocketBook Touch Lux 3
* Energy Sistem Energy Pro (old model)
* Onyx Boox C67ML Carta 2

Does anyone have experience with these devices? I really like the design of the PocketBook Touch Lux 3, yet its Linux OS does cause me some worries with regards to 3M Cloud compatibility. To me it seems as though the Onyx Boox C67ML Carta 2 is probably the best buy (even though it is pot ugly) given its Android OS and it being one of the very few Android readers that come with a headphone jack for audiobooks.

Anyone got any thoughts?

[eschwartz]

Does onleihe.de have an Android app? If so, it should work with any Android device...
Does it support ADE checkouts?


3M and OverDrive will both work with any device that supports ADE encryption.

Theoretically, OverDrive should, some day, support direct-to-Kobo integration, but their new owners do not seem to be in a hurry to take advantage of having bought OverDrive.
So you will need either the dedicated 3M/OverDrive Android apps, or use a computer to transfer their books via ADE.

[5y2SB]

Yes, onleihe.de do have an Android app.

Sorry, maybe I ought to have been clearer on what I meant with "compatibility". Since I am using Ubuntu (which is generally not known for its excellent hardware integration), I would prefer an e-reader that would allow direct downloads from the public library system, as opposed to downloading ebooks to a computer first.

3M works with any Android device - from the above list this would imply compatibility with the inkBOOK, tolino (when rooted), Energy Sistem and Onyx Boox.
OverDrive will also work with the above via its Android app.
Onleihe also have an Android app, on top of "direct download" compatibility with tolino, PocketBook Touch Lux 3 and potentially Onyx.

So, this leaves the PocketBook Touch Lux 3 as the Cinderella now that this e-reader seems to be the only one without support for 3M and OverDrive?

Has anyone gotten the Touch Lux 3 to work with 3M?

[eschwartz]

I have no idea -- I am quite happy in the US-centric OverDrive ==> Amazon Kindle integration.
Hopefully someone else will be along soon who knows more about these devices.

But first, try using ADE (version 1.7) with WINE.
It is easily installed via winetricks, and runs fairly well.

Hopefully you won't have too much trouble connecting via MTP to the Android offerings. in fact, I am not at all sure it is as bad as you make it sound. And the non-Android offerings should be fine via USBMS...

You don't need to pass the USB/MTP connection through WINE to ADE. You can just download the book, authorized via the same Adobe ID as your device, and copy the books manually.

[ottdmk]

Hiya 5y2SB.

I've gotten good results using Adobe Digital Editions through Wine. I'm on FreeBSD, which is definitely on the fringes as far as desktop use, but it works reasonably well.

If ADE 1.7 works with your library, use that. I have to use 2.0, which doesn't work as well as 1.7 did, but works. It's generally recommended to avoid 3.0 and up.

The only real trick is that you define your e-reader's mount point in Wine as a Floppy drive.

This might open up your options somewhat.

[eschwartz]

I never got ADE 2.0 to work, but maybe things have changed -- I know ADE 4.5 works in WINE now.

But I haven't seen any library that rejects ADE 1.7 and accepts ADE 2.0. I know some vendors will insist on the newfangled DRM in ADE 3.0 -- which doesn't matter for library books, except that your ereader probably can't read it either.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I never got ADE 2.0 to work, but maybe things have changed -- I know ADE 4.5 works in WINE now.

But I haven't seen any library that rejects ADE 1.7 and accepts ADE 2.0. I know some vendors will insist on the newfangled DRM in ADE 3.0 -- which doesn't matter for library books, except that your ereader probably can't read it either.

Which vendors requite ADE 3? I've never heard/read of this. I have personal experience in needing ADE 2.0.1 and I have read of others needing that version.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Which vendors requite ADE 3? I've never heard/read of this. I have personal experience in needing ADE 2.0.1 and I have read of others needing that version.

I don't know, I've only heard of other people saying it has happened to them.

AFAIK it is still pretty rare. At least in the US.

[ottdmk]

I built a new computer, installed ADE 1.7, and tried to borrow a book from my local library. Got an error message. When I googled the message, I eventually found some documentation saying that the message meant I needed a newer version of ADE.

So I installed 2.0 (I think 2.0.1.) It was a royal pain, and thank heavens for winetricks, but it works. It looks horrible, crashes often, but I can get the books on my Kobo and that's what I care about.

[5y2SB]

..and this is exactly what I am attempting to avoid. Assuming an e-reader has a realistic life span of 3-4 years, both ADE and e-book vendors will have moved on and - as ever - Linux users will be on no ones mind.

Over the past days I contacted both PocketBook and inkBOOK in order to establish the compatibility of their products with the various library apps. PocketBook responded by saying that their products are sold with a number of pre-installed and that no new apps can be installed. => No e-book downloads via library apps possible. inkBOOK responded by saying that they have not tested any of those apps and that one ought to contact the app developer in order to establish compatibility with inkBOOK.

Over the past days, I installed both the OverDrive and 3M apps on my phone and I can tell you there is no way I would now go back to downloading e-books first to my laptop. PocketBook seems to be the dinosaur in the room with a very limited selection of pre-installed apps. Also, PocketBook users will not be able to benefit from future advancements related to PDF reflow technology (I recently trialled an Android PDF reader with reflow capability on my phone and the PDF image was displayed quite well), since the pre-installed PDF reader cannot be updated.
I can see why an e-reader manufacturer would want to push its own e-bookshop, however claiming to not have tested any of the public library apps does not inspire confidence.

So for me as a Linux user, the choice will fall on an "open" Android e-reader!

[eschwartz]

Not an entirely unexpected choice.

I will say it makes me glad I live in the US and Amazon has a special deal with OverDrive that allows me to checkout library ebooks entirely via the browser, right into my ebookstore account.
As you say -- it makes my life as a linux user so much easier.

...

However, it seems your main sticking point was this:

Over the past days, I installed both the OverDrive and 3M apps on my phone and I can tell you there is no way I would now go back to downloading e-books first to my laptop.

And I don't think any E-Ink EPUB reader could do that. Except for the Sony, which IIRC could download an ACSM license file via the builtin browser, and automagically turn that into an ebook.

One would think now that the parent company of Kobo also owns OverDrive, that they would put the two together and do an Amazon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by 5y2SB

Over the past days I contacted both PocketBook and inkBOOK in order to establish the compatibility of their products with the various library apps. PocketBook responded by saying that their products are sold with a number of pre-installed and that no new apps can be installed. => No e-book downloads via library apps possible. inkBOOK responded by saying that they have not tested any of those apps and that one ought to contact the app developer in order to establish compatibility with inkBOOK.

These library apps should work as long as the version of Android they need is compatible with what the inkBOOK is running.

[5y2SB]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Not an entirely unexpected choice.
And I don't think any E-Ink EPUB reader could do that. Except for the Sony, which IIRC could download an ACSM license file via the builtin browser, and automagically turn that into an ebook.

One would think now that the parent company of Kobo also owns OverDrive, that they would put the two together and do an Amazon.

You mean 3M and OverDrive will not run on the same e-reader? Using my phone, I was able to download and open e-books using the same device.

When I started this thread, I had already watched countless review videos and what in hindsight amazes me is that those reviewers seemed to focus on points such as the quality of the screen (a valid point), but neglected the "closed" vs. "open" divide.

What amazes me even more is that folks in Europe seem to be happy to pay twice for their e-books! They paid for them through their tax Euros (but are unable to actually read those books with their Kindles), so they pay Amazon to be able to read what is already "theirs". However, I believe in the US and Canada Amazon are seemingly more flexible when it comes to public libraries.

[eschwartz]

3M and OverDrive don't run on any ereader.

They run on Android devices though. Even if that Android device is marketed for reading ebooks and comes with a default ereader app.


Some devices have connections via their parent company with OverDrive though. Which means you don't need an app or sideloading, because your checkout options include the option to redeem the book from the ereader manufacturer's ebookstore website and then download the book from your ereader's "Cloud"/"Archived Items".
Kindle does.
Kobo should, because Rakuten, which owns Kobo, also owns OverDrive. But for some reason, they don't seem inclined to exploit that. Which is a shame.

...

I thought most European ebook consumers use EPUB-based ereaders, Kindle is supposed to be a lot less popular there.

But I agree it is extremely silly that public (tax-funded) libraries frequently lock out many people who already "paid" for their public library ebooks.
Of course, my US-centric rant is more about libraries moving to 3M because it is cheaper, when 3M doesn't support Kindle (only OverDrive does).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

3M and OverDrive don't run on any ereader.

They run on Android devices though. Even if that Android device is marketed for reading ebooks and comes with a default ereader app.

Your two statements contradict each other. You state that 3M and Overdrive will not run on any Reader yet you also state that they will run on Android devices. So are you saying that they will not run on Android based Readers such as the inkBOOK?

If the Android based Reader allows apps to be installed and has a version of Android that these apps will run with, then they should run on some Readers.