Who Really Reads Ebooks

I think the only rational way to decide this is to force everybody to buy and use Kindles for a year. Then after that they can decide for themselves, and those who don't want a Kindle can be put to work in underground salt mines.

Chinafoot wrote: »

Don't forget that Kindles can't currently be used for library ebooks.

I heard they could. What can you use for library e-books then?

Haven't checked it out yet, but I was told that in September, most libraries would be offering e-books. You download your e-book, and it vanishes after three weeks, so you don't have to return it. Sounds perfect.

pickarooney wrote: »

Do they read .epubs and PDFs?

ePUB - No, although there is software (free) that can convert non-DRM* protected ePUB to a format recognised by Kindle.

PDF's - Yes, but not without a few drawbacks. Small screen size (you could use the larger DX but IMO its too big for an eBook reader). Inability to change font size (you can zoom but its a tad cumbersome). I've put a few travel books on my GFs and it worked well but good eyesight is essential.

A few people still making the erroneous comparison between tablets and Kindles. Try reading a Kindle Vs iPad for a couple of hours and see how your eyes react. Also bring a kindle / iPad to the beach on a sunny day (where you might normally read a paper book) and observe the differences.

Kindle Vs Nook...........Kindle wins
Nook Vs iPad.............iPad
Kindle Vs iPad............Kindle (as a dedicated eReader)


*IIRC Amazon's problem isn't so much with the ePub format, its more concerned with the DRM protection, which for the most part is owned by Adobe. Amazon have their own copyright protection software and don't want to pay Adobe for use of theirs - of course even if they did pay Adobe it doesn't neccessarily mean all ePub ebooks will work if they are using non Adobe drm protection

I'm still using my phone as a kindle, but I've found a few websites with books I want to read, but they download as ePubs. Does anyone know of an ePub reader that I can download to an Android phone?

I think a lot depends on pricing. I use a Kindle DX for mainly technical computing books and I won't buy paper copies.

I won't spend the usual $30 + on an ebook because frankly I could download the PDF for free. I do however buy them from Amazon when they are priced around $10. It just seems wrong to charge for an eBook the same price as teenager equivalent.

Imho, it's much better to sell thousands of copies at $1 than a few hundred at $10 as it makes for better impulse purchasing.

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Try reading a Kindle Vs iPad for a couple of hours and see how your eyes react. Also bring a kindle / iPad to the beach on a sunny day (where you might normally read a paper book) and observe the differences.

I read ebooks on my iPad in bed. A Kindle wouldn't be much good to me there because my girlfriend tends to be asleep beside me, and a standing light would keep her awake.

As for the argument that Kindles and Nooks are easier to read on than tablets, I accept that, but honestly I'm so used to reading off my laptop screen or my iPad screen that reading my books off them as well doesn't make that much difference to me.

BostonB wrote: »

I would have thought thats the perfect place for a book.

No, I'm with Pickarooney on this. Books are best read outside cafés, on balconies or in bed.

pickarooney wrote: »

I've had fairly poor results with Calibre. Aldiko is good for android, as is FBreader.

How do I use Alkido to read books that are not in its library?

pickarooney wrote: »

Click on the 'home' icon in the top left of Aldiko and there should be a set of options including SD Card. If the file is on an internal or external (micro)SD card you should be able to browse to it. If it's on another storage device attached to the phone, just use the up arrow to browse up a level and then into the storage device. Once you find the file you have an option to import it into the library.

Thanks. I feel like a cavewoman.

My Kindles arrived today! Yay! Nearly lost the fecking things. I moved office today and the porters left it on my old desk. I assumed it was one of many empty boxes, then I noticed a little Amazon logo! Yay! I was afraid it would take a week as suggested.
Then I had the problem of which of the two Kindles was mine. They looked identical, but one had 3G and the other doesn't. Lucky pick on my part. So far I must say it's awfully slick.

ThePinkCage wrote: »

You're all converting me!

I'm still wondering if my publishers wer e a bit ahead of the curve though. My book isn't easy to get in bookshops for a variety of reasons and most of the people I talk to are wondering why they can't get it in bookshops. I say to them it's freely available on the Internet, but haven't noticed any great interest in ebooks among my extended circle of friends.

This is an issue for e-books. I've noticed that any of my friends who have bought my book as a Kindle are mostly on Facebook or Boards etc. The majority of my friends and all my family have said they'll wait for the paperback version. As far as I can determine from looking at the Amazon info on people who buy my book, they are strangers who are attracted to that type of story.l