SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
What Else Are You Reading?
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What if any ebook formats do you read?
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Ben
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Jan 20, 2015 09:32PM
I'll add .cbz for comic books, though .cbr is fine, too.
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I pretty much am on Amazon, so it's .mobi for me.
Mostly ePubs, though occasionally I use MOBIs with the Kindle app
epub for use with kindle. though like someone else, I use an opensource tool to convert between formats (calibre).
ePubs only. Amazon flat refusal to support this format means I have to look for non-Kindle reader every time I need one.
calibre is a free program that allows you to convert the format of the ebook. so if I borrow from the library I can read on any machine
mainly epub here thanks to my nook simple touch that replaced my old kindle when its display crapped out on me (shortly after the warranty expired of course) and I've been a calibre user & fan for years now. I also have a kindle fire hd 8.9 but I find it too heavy for comfort when reading. Lately I have been reading on my new Note 4 as well with either the kindle app or a 3rd party reader. Wife has a 1st gen nook she loves.
Greetings to all,I have owned and used Barnes and Noble Nooks since they were first introduced. Color, Tablet, and HD+ have all figured in my reading for a number of years. With the advent of Samsung products, I moved away from Nook specific boxes, opting instead for a standard Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1. I do use apps for Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and several generic and specific format readers, including Adobe DRM library loans to assist my daughter with her graduate school work and US Department of Commerce specific platforms used by the Merchant Marine. I have also read PDF and Google Play books using Adobe PDF and Google Chrome on my Galaxy Tab 4. I still read print books as well, including a nicely done work by aviation historian Kenneth P. Werrell, Death from the Heavens: A History of Strategic Bombing. Very extensively researched and pictorially rich. Keep calm, and keep reading on!
I mostly read epub because of my old reader. I read sometimes pdf if they are formatted to readers.
I use a Kindle so all my books are bought from Amazon.
Kindle and recently Google books - reading on my tablet
epub is the best. I also use a very recommened app Aldiko for my cellphone. It's very comfortable cause I can read by books anywhere and at anytime.
Anyone prefer azw over mobi? I've a friend who does.
I buy E-books from Amazon for my Kindle, and I have a few in my Adobe Reader library on my laptop. I will always prefer to read real books, hardbacks and paperbacks, however.
Only between .epub and .mobi? Seriously? If I have the program to open the book, I run it, and if I don't have the program and can't convert for some reason (with calibre who can't anymore?) then I find a program or app to run the format. I have everything from .mobi to HTML formats on my PC! With the Google books app, Kindle, and my Books for iOS. . . And the four readers on my tablet. . .
I used to mainly read epub but since buying a Kindle, it's mainly mobi since I do almost all of my reading on it.
It's still more convenient to have directly the format wanted for the reader we have even if we can convert with Calibre. And a reader is more friendly for the eyes than a computer or tablet.
Epub for me - or really anything that can be converted to epub. I really only use my ereader though, my phone is just too small to read comfortably!
I know an English teacher who reads on her cell--says she can read faster on it! I'd love to challenge her to a race...I find it hard to believe that all that page turning can be faster than print or a large tablet.
Tessa wrote: "I know an English teacher who reads on her cell--says she can read faster on it! I'd love to challenge her to a race...I find it hard to believe that all that page turning can be faster than print or a large tablet."I don’t like reading on my cell phone, and I only do it if I’m stuck somewhere without my Kindle and want to pass some time. But I could understand how some people might like it. Some people have trouble keeping their place as they read, perhaps using their finger or a bookmark to keep track of their position. With less text visible at once, maybe it's easier for some of those people to just read unaided without losing their place since there’s not a whole lot of room in which to get lost. I doubt she’s claiming she can read faster than other people who don’t use a phone. She’s probably just saying that she can read faster herself on the phone than she can otherwise.
As far as the topic of this thread goes… I've had a Kindle since the beginning of Kindles, so most of my e-books are in a mobi format – either because I obtained them that way or because I converted them. Before that, I used whatever the palm pilot format was – pdb I think? I agree with the people who say the format isn’t really all that relevant since it’s easy enough to convert if necessary. It saves a little time if you have a book in the right format to begin with, but I see no reason to limit oneself to a specific format.
I do the Kindle paperwhite, so mobi for me also.
To be honest, I have yet to read a single ebook. Everything I read is tangible, and I prefer hardback. Maybe that will change one day, but I just can't bring myself to make the leap.Funny enough, my novels in paperback outsell my ebook versions.
I used to read on a Kindle but for the past three years or so I've been reading on my Android phone using the Kindle app. My phone has a 5.5" screen and great resolution so it's a very good experience - even compared to the Kindle paperwhite (which my wife uses and which I consider the gold standard against which other readers should be judged). The benefit for me of reading on my phone is that it is *always* with me. If I'm waiting at the doctors, or even in a queue for a coffee, I can get a book out and read. It's that easy.
Kindle Paperwhight the Gold Standard? Why?
I prefer real books, hardbacks and paperbacks, but I do have a Kindle now to lodge books on I might not find in a bookshop, mostly by fellow self published authors. I seem to be able to read a book faster on my Kindle, but I miss not being able to flick through the pages, most of all, the pleasure of holding a real book in my hands.
I used to read on kindle and prefer mobi. Now I mostly read on my android tablet and prefer epub. I think if there is no requirement for drm or formatting, plain ASCII text is also a good choice because it can be read on almost all devices.
Ben wrote: "Kindle Paperwhight the Gold Standard? Why?"e-ink, display quality, device ergonomics
Philip wrote: "the pleasure of holding a real book in my hands"After using ereaders for so many years, I now find paper books heavy, clumsy and awkward. I've got used to holding a book in one hand and turning the page with a tiny movement of my thumb.
I think, even if I actually enjoyed fumbling with great heavy tomes for some reason, the sheer wonderfulness of always having my books with me AND being able to have any new book I want in my hand in less than a minute from feeling the urge to read it, wherever I am at whatever time of day, would greatly outweigh that feeling.
Graham wrote: "e-ink, display quality, device ergonomics"Don't Nook, Kobo, and various 3rd party devices have e-ink, quality displays, and good ergonomics? How many have you tried? Are these the only criteria?
I ask because I've settled on a non-Kindle ereader and am wondering if there is a feature that clearly sets the Kindle apart.
Ben wrote: "a feature that clearly sets the Kindle apart"Ben, all the readers you mentioned are excellent. If you have one, I wouldn't swap based on quality or ergonomics alone (unless you're very fussy about those things, as I am). But if you do want a feature that sets the Kindle apart, it is the Amazon store. I do use other stores from time to time and not one of them has the speed, ease of use, extra features, or range of products that Amazon has. (In fact, I positively dislike Kobo and avoid it where possible.)
I've really only tried Kindle format. Basically, I only see two 'real' contenders, kindle and Nook. I hate to say it, but I really don't think B&N is going to last in the long run, so I made my bed using Amazon as I believe it will be the long-term winner.I don't really like reading on a computer, I want to "hold" it like a book, so those are only two real formats that I know of. I can use apps on ipad too, but still prefer the kindle.
Personally, I only deal with EPUB and MOBI. Other formats are the Betamax and HD DVD of digital publishing. I even made a video about it:
In all honesty, I really do not care. I have ebook reader software on my phone and laptop for most formats and the Kindle software in a lack of an actual e-reader because I simply do not care to get one. Sure, they're more comfortable than reading on your phone but most books I own are printed so I'm absolutely fine with reading on my phone.So yeah, go me. *shrugs*
Chris wrote: "I've really only tried Kindle format. Basically, I only see two 'real' contenders, kindle and Nook. I hate to say it, but I really don't think B&N is going to last in the long run, so I made my bed..."Kindle and Nook aren't format ebook but readers.
My next reader will probably also be a epub reader, so not a kindle since most of the files I have are already epub. It's nice to have the choice of many readers (except kindle). It's also nice to not be so Amazon dependent.
Scott wrote: "Most of my reading is on the Kindle but I also use a Kobo and an iPad and also an iPhone so....Calibre is my friend and works great.My thoughts - you should only have to buy a book once - who car..."
I have a regular kindle (older one) and just got a Kindle Paperwhite a week or so ago. I LOVE the Paperwhite. I liked the standard kindle, but the only issue was (like a regular book) you had to have good lighting. The Kindle Paperwhite still has that "book look", but also provides light so you can read in a darker area. I love it!
I usually do mobi if given a chance because of my kindle, but will also do epub and pdf
I used to read epub pretty exclusively as it was widely available and there were tools available to convert other formats to epub when I needed too. After having a number of ebook sellers and reading apps go under over the years I've just caved in and switched to Amazon and their Kindle (a modified mobi format, I think?) for all my ebooks. Despite all the knocking Amazon gets, using the Kindle and Amazon cloud for my books is super easy and I'm pretty satisfied.
I usually read in epub as I get most of my books from Barnes and Noble. I have a Kindle app for my tablet. I can also read Adobe DRM encrypted work, and I several ebook readers from vendors around the Google Play universe.
Dillon wrote: "Only between .epub and .mobi? Seriously? If I have the program to open the book, I run it, and if I don't have the program and can't convert for some reason (with calibre who can't anymore?) then I..."fully agree
I use kindle because that is what my kids bought me, but with calibre any format is usable. Then again I get a lot of free books and find if I like a book a lot and it is a series , I will buy the paper version. As a person in the computer world I am always conscious of how quickly formats change, don't want to decide to re read a book in 10 years and cant because the format has changed.
Whichever. I own a Kindle Fire 5 (as of last month), a Kobo, a Nook, a Binatone, and a tentatively-functioning Kindle Keyboard, as well as my laptop and my Android smartphone - all with Aldiko, Audible, Calibre, Google Books, Kindle & Kobo apps, LibriVox, Overdrive and Wordoholic Reader between them.
I have also had a couple of Sony Readers in the past... I loved them, but both died painfully quickly (I suspect planned obsolescence). And yes, before anybody says it, every single e-reader except the Fire was bought used. (I don't count my phone (contract) or laptop.) I have Neil Gaiman's autograph on my Kobo... *pets it fondly*
So as you see, format's really not much of an issue for me. I tend to prefer using .epub though, with .mobi solely for the Kindles.
Kindle fire + Amazon book deals. I use the Kindle for so much more than reading books which is why I am never without it and never without a book to read. I have a hard time imaging life pre-kindle.
Prior to the advent of Calibre, I preferred doc or rtf files, specifically because, unlike epub, mobi or pdf files, they are editable in their native format. As a former English major, spelling and punctuation errors drive me bug-house nuts, and I find myself compelled to fix them.Since Calibre allows you to edit almost any document format, my preferred format is now epub.
I read ebooks on my Nook, my Android phone and on my laptop. I initially opted for the Nook because it can read more formats than any other reader, and my ebook collection has files in many different formats.
10 years is the format answer I want. what will still be useful in that time, jpeg has lasted, tiff but pdf has changed , doc changed, so paper books as a back up will continue for me
I prefer e-pub. I use a Kobo Touch 2.0 and a Kobo Arc. I don't particularly like the idea of Kindle and it proprietary format. As a previous post said, I prefer to buy a book once and expect to be able to use it across a number of platforms. And yes I know that programs like Calibre exist but seriously...why bother when I can use e-pub and read a book on just about any platform/reader. I don't particularly mind DRM. I totally get that authors need to get paid for their work. If there is an author that has a book/series I like I respect their right to use DRM in their epub file. There are a few series that I follow that are only available in Kindle format in which case I use the Kindle App downloaded onto my (wait for it) KOBO Arc reader.
carrying a kindle alllllll the time is my way: have to wait in line then read a bit; husband has to "drop" in to a shop , I am right just read my kindle; going on holidays no need for lots of books I have a few on the kindlebest invention out.
I prefer epub because I can edit them easily and make them work exactly as I like. I try to steer clear of DRM epubs as I am a Linux user and there isn't great support for Adobe Digital Editions and I'm not super into DRM in general. I recently bought 'The Builders' and 'Curse of Chalion' from Kobo and 'The Builders' was a simple copy paste, whereas with 'Curse of Chalion' I'm going to need to find a way to use ADE or just pirate a book that I've paid for which is silly but something I've had to do in the past. I make sure I pay the creator, though. I want my favorite artists to stay in business!
