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Earlier quoted context omitted.
Alright then, question time: I've looked into Kobo for my wife, who predominantly reads books in Spanish. Navigating the various offerings seems like a minefield of digital rights and lockouts. Where would I go to legally buy Spanish language books no matter where I am physically located in the world?
Casa del Libro maybe. https://www.casadellibro.com/ebooks
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Alright then, question time: I've looked into Kobo for my wife, who predominantly reads books in Spanish. Navigating the various offerings seems like a minefield of digital rights and lockouts. Where would I go to legally buy Spanish language books no matter where I am physically located in the world?
https://www.nubico.es/ is what came with my bq Cervantes, but I can't vouch about whether the DRM is cross compatible -- though I'm sure with Calibre it can probably be stripped.
Calibre was always much better at generating Kindle-compatible books than Kindlegen ever was. We use Calibre in our posix-based build chain at Standard Ebooks. The Kindle file format is just miserable, and Kindle is basically the IE6 of ereaders. Anyone who cares about ebooks should get a different device that supports epub natively. Kobo makes nice devices, supports epub, and uses Webkit as their renderer (when used…
its not lock in exactly as I can listen to/read my books on other devices android phone/tablet apple iP(one/ad/od) my tv etc... and while there is drm it is trivial to bypass (openaudible calibre), It is more there ecosystem acts as a value added such that while a kindle on its own merits is a inferior system together makes a better option then buying from someone else. this may constitute a classic abuse of horizontally integrated monopoly though.
Haven't been able to use my Kindle with Linux for a while anyway. I regret buying the device.
What is the best alternative to a Kindle?
Calibre was always much better at generating Kindle-compatible books than Kindlegen ever was. We use Calibre in our posix-based build chain at Standard Ebooks. The Kindle file format is just miserable, and Kindle is basically the IE6 of ereaders. Anyone who cares about ebooks should get a different device that supports epub natively. Kobo makes nice devices, supports epub, and uses Webkit as their renderer (when used…
Calibre was always much better at generating Kindle-compatible books than Kindlegen ever was. We use Calibre in our posix-based build chain at Standard Ebooks. The Kindle file format is just miserable, and Kindle is basically the IE6 of ereaders. Anyone who cares about ebooks should get a different device that supports epub natively. Kobo makes nice devices, supports epub, and uses Webkit as their renderer (when used…
I would be happy to buy a non Kindle device if someone can explain what the library loan story looks like there. I use a combo of Libby, OverDrive, cloudLibrary, and SimplyE (nuts that 1 need four apps for 1 library system). Afaik there is no good way for me to borrow books unless I stay on Kindle.
(now that I check I can see that Amazon don't seem to allow it outside the USA: https://librariesireland.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/art...)
Calibre was always much better at generating Kindle-compatible books than Kindlegen ever was. We use Calibre in our posix-based build chain at Standard Ebooks. The Kindle file format is just miserable, and Kindle is basically the IE6 of ereaders. Anyone who cares about ebooks should get a different device that supports epub natively. Kobo makes nice devices, supports epub, and uses Webkit as their renderer (when used…
The problem is the rest of the amazon ecosystems integration is great. If I buy a Kindle eBook I get a discount on the audio-book from Audible and they compliment each-other with good integration. for example the Audiobook picks up where I stopped reading, or the kindle will open where I last listened and I can ask Alexa to play my book when I have to stop reading and do housework. its not lock in exactly as I can li…
For those that don't know, Whispersync is easily the Kindle's "killer feature". It syncs your location in the book across all devices (I use iPad, Kindle Paperwhite, and iPhone, Sonos, Alexa, etc). So if you read a chapter on your phone, and then go to your Kindle later that night, it will keep you in the right location. But even more impressive is that you can skip in and out of the audible versions at will as well, and stay in sync. So I can literally read a book on my Kindle one night. The next morning I can read a chapter on my iPad. Then I can jump into the car at work and listen via the Audible CarPlay app in my car. Then I can read more on my iPhone via the Kindle iOS app while I wait for a meeting to start, then I can listen to the Audio version on my Alexa in my office, come home and listen to the Audio version on my Sonos speakers while I cook dinner, and then go back to my Kindle as I settle down in bed for the night. Seamlessly staying in sync across all these devices. It is really awesome, and makes the Kindle worth it in my opinion.
The new Kindle Paperwhites also support Audible on them via bluetooth headphones and you can listen while you read along.
I literally just purchased a book about 10 minutes ago and added the audible narration. I don't maintain an audible subscription because I have found that I can often buy books + audible versions bundled together for the same price (and often less) than a month of Audible. So I prefer to just buy them ala-cart with the kindle book bundles. It is a better deal.
I realize that I sound like a fanboy, and I am. I'm a huge fan of the kindle. It isn't perfect, but until another ecosystem can match the audible/kindle whispersync feature with apps on literally every device (including smart speakers, ai devices, etc) then I will stick with Kindle, even if the books are more expensive, because it is just easier.
Calibre was always much better at generating Kindle-compatible books than Kindlegen ever was. We use Calibre in our posix-based build chain at Standard Ebooks. The Kindle file format is just miserable, and Kindle is basically the IE6 of ereaders. Anyone who cares about ebooks should get a different device that supports epub natively. Kobo makes nice devices, supports epub, and uses Webkit as their renderer (when used…
I would be happy to buy a non Kindle device if someone can explain what the library loan story looks like there. I use a combo of Libby, OverDrive, cloudLibrary, and SimplyE (nuts that 1 need four apps for 1 library system). Afaik there is no good way for me to borrow books unless I stay on Kindle.
Haven't been able to use my Kindle with Linux for a while anyway. I regret buying the device.
What is the best alternative to a Kindle?