"Onyx": the only neutral e-book-reader in 2025? I don't want Shop+Reader....

[Beley2009]

Hi

It seems that Onyx is the only neutral hardware for e-book readers that you can buy new in Switzerland.

My use case (it's very, very late, I admit). I still read a magazine on dead trees and would like to read it as a PDF (on e-Ink) in the future.

I need at least 10" because my dead tree is A4?

[Sirtel]

You can sideload and read on any ereader. You don't have to use their shop. I sideload everything to my Kobos, it's very easy to ignore the Kobo store (I do buy from Kobo, but I never download my purchases directly to my ereaders).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

Hi

It seems that Onyx is the only neutral hardware for e-book readers that you can buy new in Switzerland.

My use case (it's very, very late, I admit). I still read a magazine on dead trees and would like to read it as a PDF (on e-Ink) in the future.

I need at least 10" because my dead tree is A4?

I have a Kobo Libra 2 and I never once download or purchase any eBooks using my Kobo. I do everything on my Phone, laptop, iPad, or Mini-PC. So you don't have to shy away from a Reader just because it's associated with a store.

[Beley2009]

Defective by Design
campaign by the Free Software Foundation opposing digital rights management
https://www.defectivebydesign.org/

You misunderstood me. It's the principle that matters to me. I don't want to support a company that makes money from DRM. I will only buy DRM-free eBooks.

So for me, the only option is “Onyx”? Is that right?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

You misunderstood me. It's the principle that matters to me. I don't want to support a company that makes money from DRM. I will only buy DRM-free eBooks.

So for me, the only option is “Onyx”? Is that right?

Wrong. It's not the bookstore (in this case Kobo) enforcing DRM on you. It's the publishers who are doing it. You can buy eBooks from Kobo that have no DRM.

You can buy eBooks with DRM and remove the DRM. It's not hard to do.

[Sirtel]

Kobo sells DRM-free ebooks too. As JSWolf said, it's the publishers deciding to have DRM or not. Kobo has no say in it.

True, Amazon has DRM on all their ebooks, even the ones that publishers sell DRM-free. But not other bookstores.

[Beley2009]

Thanks. So "Kobo" and "Onyx" are both valid vendors. I did not know that, thanks for letting me know.

Onyx Boox need a Google account? For privacy reasons I don't have a Google account.

Kobo uses a proprietary Linux-based system that is heavily focused on reading. The user interface is closed; apps cannot be installed later.

Is reading better optimized on Kobo than on an Android system (Onyx Boox)?

[Beley2009]

an other question: is this the same company?

RAKUTEN TV offers free movies, etc., but collects massive amounts of user data and sells it to advertisers.

For me privacy matters!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

Is reading better optimized on Kobo than on an Android system (Onyx Boox)?

That depends on your preferences. On Android, you can install any Android apps, but not all of them are optimized for eink. You can install alternative reading apps on a Kobo, too - not Android apps, but KOReader, Plato etc are definitely options.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

an other question: is this the same company?

RAKUTEN TV offers free movies, etc., but collects massive amounts of user data and sells it to advertisers.

For me privacy matters!

You can use a Kobo ereader without an account by enabling the sideloaded mode.

[Beley2009]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You can install alternative reading apps on a Kobo, too - not Android apps, but KOReader, Plato etc are definitely options.

I can install those apps without Account?

[Sirtel]

Kobo uses a proprietary Linux-based system that is heavily focused on reading. The user interface is closed; apps cannot be installed later.

Is this from an AI? If so, it hallucinated. Kobo OS isn't closed - it can be modified and patched as much as you want. And you can install other reading applications.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

I can install those apps without Account?

Yes, you can.

[Beley2009]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Is this from an AI? If so, it hallucinated. Kobo OS isn't closed - it can be modified and patched as much as you want. And you can install other reading applications.

Yes from Ai.
That is very nice. Please link to Git Repo.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Beley2009

You misunderstood me. It's the principle that matters to me. I don't want to support a company that makes money from DRM. I will only buy DRM-free eBooks.

So for me, the only option is “Onyx”? Is that right?

The Publisher PAYS to use DRM from companies (like Adobe).

Security is a service, just like many Home alarm systems are.
You buy/lease the hardware and PAY for monitoring.

Security sellers practice extreme F U D