InkPad 3 Pro or Forma?

[R1ck]

Currently reading on a Paperwhite 3, which has been my only e-reader for the past 5 years or so.
As technology has greatly improved, I am planning to make a new purchase. I want to avoid Amazon and I read mostly from my library with Overdrive.
The Pocketbook InkPad 3 Pro and Kobo Forma are two readers I am considering, both about the same size and price.
Thoughts and recommendations? I am in the US.

[ps67]

And about the question I would like to help You but I own only a Kobo Aura One (and a PW3). But You can consider that Forma has a asymmetric form with buttons on one side while Pocketbook InkPad 3 Pro ha a symmetric form with buttons on the bottom: which one do You like more?

You mention Overdrive that is supported by Kobo (I think also by Pocketbook but check it) and what are the other important things that want for Your ereader?

I like very much the flexibility of Kobo, You can do with it so many things if You spend a bit of time to learn them... I am also waiting for the availability here of the new colour Pocketbook because I am very curious about it.

If somebody owns one of them - or better both - can answer better than me.

[beespeckled]

I don't own an Inkpad but one of the reasons I went with a Kobo is the Overdrive integration plus my previous reader was a Sony 350 so the few books I've purchased are compatible, more recent ones that I had purchased after Sony tranferred their store to Kobo autodownloaded to my Kobo One when I set it up.(Have owned the Kobo Aura One since release in 2016)

I'm a 98% library user, so Overdrive integration was important to me. The setup with Overdrive is similar to when you setup Libby on a tablet device, add library (can use zip code) add your library card and pin and then you can set your search option to Overdrive to search from the device for library offerings. I mainly search library website using a PC or Libby on phone to place holds. When the holds are ready, Overdrive notifies. A newer FW update gives a notification on a bell symbol to let me know there are library books to download if the Wifi is enabled.. I can also return Overdrive books from device.

The browser is a bit clunky as on any Eink device, but works well to download Project Gutenberg books wirelessly.


*I added a Kindle Oasis 3 due to the Kindle ecosystem easier for Advanced Reader Copy acquisition. Amazon gift cards also helped.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by R1ck

... I want to avoid Amazon and I read mostly from my library with Overdrive.
The Pocketbook InkPad 3 Pro and Kobo Forma are two readers I am considering, both about the same size and price.
Thoughts and recommendations? I am in the US.

The Forma's integration with Overdrive is much more seamless. Borrowing a book from Overdrive, via the device, is the same as buying a book on Kobo's bookstore. Once the book is borrowed, the process is exactly like borrowing a Kindle book from Overdrive in the U.S. The book (temporarily) becomes part of your online library and it can be read on any Kobo device that connects to the store.

One issue with Overdrive and Kobo is that, if the ISDN of the book at the library doesn't match the ISDN of the book in the Kobo Store, you can't borrow it directly on the Kobo (you would have to use ADE on your computer and side-load). I don't know how big of an issue this is since I haven't borrowed many books via the Kobo (all the ones I've borrowed have worked without issue).

With the PocketBook you would borrow books directly from Overdrive via its web browser. It works because the PocketBook has ADE built-in. It's not as seamless, but still works pretty well. The PocketBook's web browser retains your password and you can bookmark your library's "loan" page, but you're still dealing with a web browser on an eInk device and its slow refresh rates. Because of the built-in ADE you can also buy books directly from online book stores with the PockeBook, including Google Books, Kobo, FeedBooks, eBooks.com, etc. So the PocketBook is more versatile.

But if using Overdrive is your top priority, Kobo has the best integration with it.

[beespeckled]

Correction to my post on ADE: ADE authorization shows in Accounts on my Aura One, but this was after authorizing via ADE on pc.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by beespeckled

Correction to my post on ADE: ADE authorization shows in Accounts on my Aura One, but this was after authorizing via ADE on pc.

Yep. The main difference between Kobo and PocketBook (and the Tolino, which is like the PocketBook here) is that the PocketBook can handle ASCM files directly, whereas Kobo requires that they be side-loaded (the book is downloaded from ASCM link on the computer and then transferred to the Kobo via USB). Kobo has a vested interest in getting books bought or borrowed directly via Kobo's Book Store (kind of like Amazon and the Kindle). PocketBook is more open about this.