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I like e-readers now

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Re: I like e-readers now

#291

Post by AshamedCaptain »

jsjohnst wrote: post #264
asdff wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not the GP but you mentioned general purpose computing device. All of these devices are general purpose computing devices in terms of the offered hardware and even the underlying software, the only thing stopping you from doing general purpose compute is the fact you aren't allowed to have root access to what is probably some unix OS running on the device. Imagine being able write your own scripts to run on your…

> Imagine being able write your own scripts to run on your remarkable tablet You have actual root access to a reMarkable device by SSHing into it, so not sure your point here? Were you thinking it was a device locked down like an Apple product? More details: https://github.com/reHackable/awesome-reMarkable

You can SSH, but you can't even render anything to the screen without severe and fragile hacking around.

A bit of "help" from RM (like a plugin system on the main stock app) would go a lot of the way.

Re: I like e-readers now

#292

Post by AshamedCaptain »

praxulus wrote: post #170
AshamedCaptain wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, reMarkable is _precisely_ what I had in mind. Distraction-free is just an excuse for obviously unfinished software; just go and see which con most reviews agree on. The hardware is quite capable, but held back by the software.

Distraction-free is not just an excuse, it's absolutely a valuable feature for me and a nontrivial number of other people. It's fine if you don't like that feature, but not every customer would like them to "finish the software" by putting a highly functional browser on every e-reader. There's room in the market for both types of devices.

And yet you serve both types of customers by, well, putting the browser.

Re: I like e-readers now

#293

Post by AshamedCaptain »

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #108
AshamedCaptain wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My counter would be that it was traditionally never the paperback book's job to help you navigate the bookstore. This is like claiming that a phone never had the job of an internet browsing device. Sure, the hardware and maybe the form factor has some handicaps, but it is perfectly reasonable hardware, if only the software was up to the task. But the problem is people claiming the poor software is so that "you can…

> But the problem is people claiming the poor software is so that "you can have a more distraction-free experience". That's just ridiculous, and the net conclusion is that again I have to bring a entire backpack full of gadgets rather than just one because of _minimal_ software differences. Fair, I think "distraction-free experience" is a cop-out. But I guess my point would be that there is a trade-off when you try t…

> But I guess my point would be that there is a trade-off when you try to take a specialized gadget and make it more multi-purpose. The iPods and MP3 players of old did not have wireless-accessible storefronts, for example: you plugged them into a computer and pulled down your library, podcasts, etc

But I don't see a trade-off these days. The iPods and MP3 did not have wireless radios. These devices HAVE wireless radios, and not only that, they're constantly using them. You're paying the cost in weight, size, battery life. It's just the company doesn't want to pay the corresponding cost in software.

> And this is just me personally, but I don't think it's that big of a deal to pull out my smartphone and buy a book on the Kobo app, then click 'Sync' on my Kobo to connect to WiFi and bring it over.

Then why do you read your eBooks on a eReader rather than the smartphone? Whatever answer you give here, same thing applies to why I wouldn't want to bring/use another device.

Re: I like e-readers now

#294

Post by Aengeuad »

bo1024 wrote: post #241
detritus wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The Kobo is an excellent reading device, but it is a very poor internet browsing device. Sounds like a feature to me - perfect!

The problem is you can't use the Kobo until you create an online account and connect it to the internet. After that, though, you can do airplane mode forever.

If you're comfortable working with sqlite files it's an incredibly simple process to bypass any account registration or need to ever connect the device to the internet, this should work on all models new and old.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1998068#p...

Re: I like e-readers now

#295

Post by animal531 »

diob wrote: post #251
wintermutestwin wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a great idea! Could you please link the arm you use?

Sure, it's here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P8YHKLF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... I have a shelf behind my bed, so I connect it to that. Works great.

I have a slightly smaller pad arm that I've connected to a deck (sitting) chair and now that's become my reading chair.

A remote would be really neat though.

Re: I like e-readers now

#297

Post by akho »

asdff wrote: post #207
akho wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There seems to be a weird reluctance in the American publishing market to split larger books into volumes. "War and Peace" editions I see on Amazon are typically single-volume; Russian editions are either two or four volumes. Unfortunately, translated books are (in most cases) published in the same way as the original, so the tradition of multi-volume editions is dying out, being replaced by these awful bricks you ca…

I think part of that is the fractured expectations that publishers have set upon readers, especially of these longer classics. You have all these editions, translations, etc., sometimes of dramatically different page number lengths, with no standard or clear way to differentiate between different printings without diving into some literature forum where the users have read both copies and can summarize these differen…

Nah, it’s just cheaper to print (small type), bind (once, and badly), and to manage inventory in some edge cases.

Re: I like e-readers now

#298

Post by dnilasor »

stinkytaco wrote: post #175
dnilasor wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like they have deprecated their OD branded app in favor of the "Libby" app, right? Which does have better UX. It is really gross how Amazon feels the need to control the means of delivery used by most library systems :facepalm:

Yes, it's Libby going forward. It fairness, Kindle delivery is very easy if you are not a tech savvy person, which a lot of library users are not. They have a Kindle because they desire the accessibility tools (larger printer, lighter weight) or their kids bought it for them or whatever. Being able to do delivery just like they would buy a book is great. But Amazon requires prominent Kindle branding and locks the Lib…

This is fair, and a good reminder for me that a Librarian's prerogative is to follow the means, mode, and preference of the readership with the goal of enabling folks to read. This is a noble goal and it's good that Amazon has contributed something to "accessibility" via a smoother delivery mechanism.

Re: I like e-readers now

#299

Post by int_19h »

int_19h wrote: post #272
_moof wrote: post #192

I long preferred "real" books, despite having an e-reader for over ten years, but the e-reader has a killer feature: the backlight. Having a backlight means I can turn the light off on my nightstand, and read at night without keeping people up. (Yes, I know they make reading lights. No, I haven't tried one. They look like they're a pain.) I also realized after looking over my (physical) bookshelves that I don't actua…

I read a lot during late evening / night, and for me personally, the best device for that is an Android smartphone with an OLED screen. This last bit is crucial, because OLED blacks are "true" in a non-emissive sense, so if you set it up for white-on-black (or better yet, orange or some other warm color), and dial the brightness all the way down, it is easy on the eyes even in an otherwise very dark room. Unfortunate…

BTW, I forgot to explain why Android specifically. On that OS, the apps can override the function of the volume key, and most readers - including Kindle - use it to flip pages. So you can hold the phone with your thumb on volume down, and read with minimal movement after finding a comfortable position. Ideally, this also needs a phone that is small enough to be held comfortably in one hand.

There's no similar feature on iOS, so you need to flick the screen to flip pages.

Re: I like e-readers now

#300

Post by ukyrgf »

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #196
wintermutestwin wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I find that the tap or swipe to turn pages functionality is insanely difficult when I have highlighted the whole page of text. I miss the world of tactile buttons for many things - get off my lawn!

Then, again, the "premium" versions of the e-reader lines like the Kindle Oasis or the Kobo Forma should scratch that itch for you, right? https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-forma?utm_source=Kobo... The biggest downside, of course, being that they're each about double the price of the Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Clara HD models, respectively. Both of those devices are perfectly serviceable to me, so I'm not yet so…

I got a refurb Kindle off Woot for like $40 that has forward/backward buttons on both sides of the frame - outside of the screen itself - that have tactile feedback. I think they marketed it so you can use it one-handed.
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