this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2023
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I'm just re-discovering the 2015 Kindle paper white I bought years ago and had stopped using...because overall I had started reading less. I'm using it with a new appreciation for how great of a form factor it is for my hands + a pop socket. Carry it with me everywhere, tucks into my jacket pocket or backpack when I'm heading to work.

I'm not the biggest fan of Amazon, but I load it with Calibre so where possible I try to get my ebooks from elsewhere.

Anyway Im wondering what you all are reading on and why. What're the latest advances in ereader technology since 2015? Am I missing out on something?

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Another Kobo Libra 2 user here. In addition what other's have said about wanting to escape Amazon's reach, its also pretty open as far as these types of devices go. I use Overdrive (Libby) a lot and it's integration is pretty nice, though it is certainly not hard to use with a Kindle anyways.

If you like to tinker with your devices, Kobo devices won't try and stop you from doing so. The following projects give you a lot of customization options to get exactly what you want out of your Kobo:

  • KOReader - This also works with a jailbroken Kindle, though it's much easier to get going on Kobo. Tons of customization options and has very flexible style overrides and lots of plugins.
  • Plato is another reader application though only supported for Kobo devices. Does not feature as much customization as KOReader, but does more than the stock reader and has a very nice UI.
  • Even if you stick with the stock reader, there are a number of patches you can apply if there are things about the stock software that bug you.
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have a Kobo Libra 2 and I think the only extra features are that it's waterproof and you can do audiobooks on it via Bluetooth (you might be able to do that on Kindle too, I'm not sure).

I went with Kobo because I'm not a fan of Amazon and because I wanted to access a subscription service through it. With the optional sleep cover I never turn it off so it's always ready to go.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Nice, yeah I hear Kobo is a pretty great alternative to Amazon and seems to be popular nowadays. If my Kindle broke it's probably the first brand I'd check out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm on my second Kobo. Just fantastic devices.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What happened to the first one?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

In my experience Kobos are pretty long lasting. I got a Libra 2 last year because of the larger screen and page turn buttons, but my Glo HD from 206 still works flawlessly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I actually still have it as a backup. The battery just kind of has gotten worn out. I sure wish it were mandatory to have easily replaceable batteries on every device sold.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I also use a Kindle Paperwhite from around the same era as yours (maybe even older). I just load it up with overdrive books from my library.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They are ebooks checked out from your local library. It's a US only feature with kindle to send ebooks checked out to it, but if you have a library card definitely look and see if your library has a catalogue on the libby app.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It's not just US only, I know someone in Canada who has the overdrive integration for their public library working on their kobo. It does vary by country though.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

@books @yenahmik Libby books have a Kindle option, so you can check out Kindle books from your local library or you can get a non resident library card, and access titles outside your local library.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

9th gen Kindle Oasis. The metal body and contour is very nice to hold. I do wish I wasnt wrapped up in the Amazon ecosystem but the device itself is superb. Im a Pastor and college professor and I consume a lot of books through it, it's nice for at home or in the office but it's a bit cumbersome to just carry around.

I also read on my phone a lot as well because it's always with me. Can't do long stretches but it beats doom scrolling

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Right there with you (not 100% sure what gen my oasis is). Not crazy about Amazon, but it's a very nice device, and I get most of my books from the library these days anyway.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Another Kobo Libra 2 owner here. It's a great unit, with physical buttons on the side which also assists with holding the Kobo during reading. The only drawback for me is the OS is laggy at times.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have an Onyx Boox tablet, but that is 1/2 e-reader, 1/2 work tool for me.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Onyc Boox is the move!! I use it for reading at home plus notes in class and even as a basic computer on the go. Is yours black and grey or color?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Black and grey, had it for about three years. When I upgrade I'll go for color.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I've had mine for almost 2 years and it's black and grey too, the only color option was ~7" and I needed more room. But the new color ones look great!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What kind of work do you do on it?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Note taking, pdf markup, Evernote.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They haven't really advanced a whole lot, unless you want an android tablet with e-ink and deal with the annoyance that will bring or are looking for an eink tablet to write on. Newer ones aimed primarily to reading are now usually water resistant, have non-recessed screens, and audiobook support with the exclusive service each ereader company is provided by (kobo only has kobo audiobooks, kindle only has audible books etc) so the technology hasn't evolved a whole lot unless you want to detangle yourself from the Amazon ecosystem. There are android e-ink tablets, but most them are unfortunately made by Chinese companies that not only require you to manually enable the android app store, but there's pretty big privacy concerns and just general shady business practices amongst nearly all of the few that operate in that niche market (especially amongst Boox, they have paid people to write fake reviews)

There are some color ereaders but the technology isn't really ready for general use, its very finnicky and has a bunch of issues when used in consumer ereaders. Writing based eink tablets are excellent though, if that's something you are into.

I personally have kept my 2015 kindle and as long as its still running I'm gonna stick with it personally.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for the comprehensive overview. Yeah color in my ereader is not very personally enticing and I don't care for an app store, I actually keep my Kindle in airplane mode 24/7 haha.

The water resistance and flush screen sound great though, but nothing I'm rushing to the store for. Think I'll look for that when my paperwhite dies out which is probably going to be a long time from now unless I damage it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I'm the exact same! I keep mine on airplane mode too, I like to check out books from my library and instantly return them while their on my kindle still so others can get it and so my ADHD doesn't forget about the ebook. And yeah kindles are built to last, so it'll probably be a while before another one is needed. I think it's likely by the time we both need to replace our ereaders, the flaws with color eink tech will probably be ironed out anyway.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

My Kobo Aura One is perfection

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I have a Kobo Libra 2, and it's what I use for at night reading or when I'm out and about. Otherwise I use my Supernote for the bigger screen and the notetaking capabilities. Naturally everything is organized through Calibre.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

There have been no major innovations since 2015, when eInk Carta displays were already available. In the meantime, there are eInk Carta 1200 displays, which offer a bit more contrast depending on the manufacturer. Kobo Libra 2 is a good example. Since Kobo is not officially represented in my country, I mainly use PocketBook devices. Here, I like the open system and that metadata like genre or series are fully evaluated and displayed. The latest model, Inkpad 4, is not quite cheap, but I can highly recommend it. It has a 7.8-inch display, a long battery life, and USB-C.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Librera FD on my Android.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I'm a fan of using my reMarkable 2 as my reader, either using the stock drawing/writing application or using KOReader.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I have a PocketBook HD somethingorother that I bought last year, which I choose specifically because PocketBook is Swiss and doesn't lock me into any ecosystem, and while I don't regret my purchase or anything I think there's a lot to improve on the model I got, among them:

  1. the device is clearly underpowered and the OS stutters so badly that even powering the device back up from sleep can be a challenge at times as it will lag-out.

  2. it only has 16-gigs of built-in storage with no microSD-support.

  3. it supports audiobooks...but only supports audio-playback via a dongle.

  4. auto-brightness simply doesn't work at all on my unit.

  5. it has micro-USB and not USB-C.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I like my Paperwhite.

I wish the UI was acceptably responsive - so, like 100x faster.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I've had the kindle Paperwhite 2 for a very long time, only read books through KOReader on it. I only bring it out of airplane mode to update that.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Kobo Glow here. It works fine, no larger complaints although small things could certainly be improved. The most amazing thing is that I'm using it for about 10 years now. Battery is a bit weaker but still OK. It'd be nice to have more devices with such a lifetime.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

My parents got me a Kindle Paperwhite in 2014 for my birthday, which I replaced with a new Kindle Paperwhite in 2018. I like the Paperwhite over the classic because it has backlighting.

In the future, I think I'd like to get a Kobo one because it can be cracked to run open source software on it, but since I already go through Calibre for everything and never buy from the Amazon store, I will definitely not replace my ereader before it dies.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have an older Kindle Oasis - but 90% of the time I use a mostly dedicated 10" Android tablet. I prefer the colors, especially when reading non-fiction and working with highlights. There's also a satisfaction to seeing my library in color. I also like the better browser and ability to read other types of books (including graphic novels) on the fly. Plus, the tablet has USB-c, so charging is easier.

If traveling and space is an issue, or there will be a lot of sunshine, I grab the Kindle.

[–] dexa_scantron 2 points 1 year ago

I adore my Kindle Oasis but I really wish it had USBc.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I've been using my Kindle 3 Keyboard since 2011. Works fine for me. The battery isn't as lasting as when I first got it, but it's not that bad considering how long I've had it for.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm a huge fan of my 13" Boox Max Lumi 2 -- the form factor is superb for pdfs. But it's definitely a niche and more expensive device and it isn't for everyone

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use a Kobo Clara HD. There's a newer version available (it's a Clara model, can't recall the exact name) but the Clara HD does the job well. Of the reviews I've read, if you own a Clara HD, upgrading to the newest model may not be worth it for you.

I also use my iPad Air + Google Books, and the Kindle app, for things that are either on those accounts or don't play nice with the Clara HD. For example, PDF advance reader copies do not work very well on the Kobo, and converting them with Calibre doesn't always work either.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I also have a Kobo Clara HD and I love it. Battery life isn't quite as good as my old Paperwhite (but still good) but more than made up for by not having to deal with Amazon and being able to actually make categories of books on the thing and the use of Overdrive/Libby.

I also used Calibre for my Paperwhite and use it for my Kobo, and the Kobo is just better and doesn't feel like such a fight to use.

Only other complaints would be: not that many cases available for it, and the lowest light setting is a good bit brighter than on the Paperwhite. All minor things.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Battery life

Maybe I simply don't read as much on my Kobo as you do, but I find the battery life amazing. I rarely charge it. As I type that, I realize that I read quite a bit of paperback books though.

cases

I'm not too picky about this. I use the navy blue Kobo case designed for the Clara. It's not the greatest thing in the world but I enjoy it.

All in all, I don't have much to compare it to other than a VERY old Kobo - like one of the originals I believe. It was incredibly slow and battery life on that one was horrid. Yeah, the screen was bigger than the Clara, but the Clara is leaps and bounds above that ugly thing I was using.>

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Good points. I do use mine a ton, so I end up charging it about every other week on average, which is still very good. Part of the issue is also that I bought a third-party case (I use it before bed every night, so I always buy the brightest orange case I can find for easy locating when it inevitably gets lost in the bedsheets) and it's not that reliable about sleeping the Kobo when I close it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One thing I've done recently to help battery life is change the settings to have the device power off after 20 minutes of inactivity (I think it's 20 minutes - either way it's the longest time period available in the settings).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I will have to check that setting, thanks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Using a second-gen kindle Oasis, which is great hardware (aside from using the wrong charging port). DRM ebooks from Amazon are definitely not great though, so I keep it in airplane mode at all times and load it up via calibre.

[–] july 1 points 1 year ago

I either read on my iPhone using FBReader (or in browser, if I'm reading web content), or on my Nook Simple Touch from 2012. No backlight but it's good enough for most of the day and has plenty of battery life.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Mine is a paperwhite and onyx boox note air 2.

I also have a scribe but I haven’t used it in a bit.

Feel free to join my community [email protected]

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I use a moaan inkpalm. I love it. It's the size of a small phone, and super light. Runs android, but some weird Chinese android without Google services. Which is fine because it's far too underpowered for anything other than koreader. Battery's fine, as long as you keep WiFi mostly off. I use syncthing to sync my books over from my phone, which has koreader as well, so I can read on either device. I also use wallabag, and koreader automatically fetches any articles I want to read.

I have to talk about the size. I don't have a lot of big chunks of time for reading anymore. It being so small means I can keep it with me all the time. If i'm waiting for my family at a store or whatever, I can get a few minutes of reading in. I've been able to read a lot more, and specifically, it's let me read more books and waste less time on reddit. I was worried about it being too small, but it's not. It fits plenty of text on the screen at one time. It's not as luxurious as a recent kindle, but it's a whole lot more useful. Oh, and the backlight is pretty great too.

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