im thinking of getting an ereader, but cant find many foss devices. i dont plan on connecting it to the internet, so i suppose it doesnt matter if its controlled by amazon right? love to hear your thoughts…

  • Shin@lemmy.world
    361·
    1 year ago

    Kobo devices are the way to go. Easy sideloading, multiple FOSS operating system alternatives, and generally they’ve got some nice n’ cheap options.

  • loathsome dongeater@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    181·
    1 year ago

    Kobo ones are great because you can install Koreader or Plato on it without requiring any hacks or jailbreaking. I much prefer Koreader than the standard Kobo interface and it is completely devoid of any unnecessary online integration. I sync my little library of books using rsync over ssh.

  • Justin@lemmy.jlh.name
    16·
    1 year ago

    It’s not FOSS, but I have a Kobo Clara 2E, I like it a lot. There’s a bit of a sqlite hack to activate it without an account, but it works great after that.

    Don’t bother with Overdrive on the Kobo, its a scummy company and it didn’t even work without a Kobo account.

  • png@discuss.tchncs.de
    11·
    1 year ago

    At least in Germany “tolino” might be worth a look. I don’t know how far they have expanded out of Germany, though.

  • oriond@lemmy.ml
    101·
    1 year ago

    I am using my normal Android Phone with Librera Reader, it works great.

    • Redkey@programming.dev
      4·
      1 year ago

      Yep, it’s probably easier to get an Android device and install readers on it than to try for a prepackaged FOSS reader.

      I use several apps on my Android phone, but mostly Kindle (for Kindle, duh), PDF Reader (for PDFs, duh again), and Lithium (mostly for EPUB but pretty much everything else, too). I get most of my e-books as DRM-free EPUBs and PDFs.

  • Scrof@sopuli.xyz
    81·
    1 year ago

    I use Kobo Forma with a 8" screen. Has physical buttons. Perfect for books and manga. Never connected it to the internet.

  • onlooker@lemmy.ml
    92·
    1 year ago

    Just go for whichever looks best for you, as long as it supports the EPUB file format, which is by far the most widespread ebook format nowadays. Be warned that the Kindle is particularly bad in this respect, because it only offers partial support for EPUB. You have to go through a whole spiel to get an epub file to your Kindle, whereas with most other e-readers, it’s just a matter of copying a file over to your device.

    Here’s a comparison table for e-readers on Wikipedia. It may not be comprehensive, but it should give you an idea of what functions and/or features you’re looking for:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-readers

    • ElderWendigo@sh.itjust.works
      51·
      1 year ago

      only offers partial support for EPUB. You have to go through a whole spiel to get an epub file to your Kindle, whereas with most other e-readers, it’s just a matter of copying a file over to your device

      Have you read the Amazon page you linked? Kindle supports epub now, nothing on that page indicates that it is limited in any way except file size. Also, getting an epub on your kindle is no different than any other supported file. They dropped support for mobi and azw, both Amazon specific formats.

      • onlooker@lemmy.ml
        3·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, I only glanced at wikipedia’s e-reader comparison sheet and saw the word “Partial”, so that’s my bad. That said, transfering files to kindle still seems to be a pain. From Amazon’s page:

        Upload documents through the web, an authorized email address, the Kindle app for iOS and Android devices, or a Send to Kindle application if available.

        So, if I’m understanding this correctly, you can transfer files to your Kindle through:

        • a) Send to Kindle webpage
        • b) Email
        • c) An iOS or Android app
        • d) Send to Kindle application

        For a) and c) to work, you need an Amazon account. b) seems to be a bit unorthodox, but sure. And for d) needs an application to be installed on your computer. Contrast that to, say, PocketBook, which simply shows up as a USB device and you just drag and drop your e-books into their designated folders. No account, email or app required.

        EDIT: formatting

        • threadloose@midwest.socialEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          I have a recent Paperwhite, and you can still do the drag and drop thing with it. The Kindle shows up as a device on your computer, and you just need to get the files into the documents folder on it.

          I can’t remember off the top of my head if you can skip the setup with a new Kindle and not make an Amazon account.

    • Vashti@feddit.uk
      51·
      1 year ago

      Always amuses me a bit when people say Kindles don’t support EPUB, since I’ve been stripping DRM from my books and storing them in Calibre (enabling transparent conversion between EPUB and Amazon’s formats) for thirteen years without a hitch. You should be doing this on any platform if you want to keep your books.

      It’s beyond me why anyone who so much as knows what FOSS stands for wouldn’t do the same.

  • phanto@lemmy.ca
    81·
    1 year ago

    Hisense makes these e-ink phones that run Android. They’re fiddly to get a working app store on, but once you do, you can pick your reading app. I run a Hisense A7CC with Kobo, Kindle, Aldiko, Perfect Viewer, and, well, this app! That is, if you want a very small screen. Boox makes a few 6-8" e-ink Android readers. I do like being able to sideload in whichever reading app I want. The colour ones are overpriced though.

  • BlazingFlames6073@lemdro.idEnglish
    6·
    1 year ago

    E-book readers are great for reading. I have a kindle which isn’t foss sadly but I can give my opinion on e-ink. It offers a much more comfortable way to read compared to reading on a tablet or phone. I can’t read books on phones or tablets anymore now that I’m used to e-ink lol.

          • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            16·
            1 year ago

            Google it, but if you’ve got ebooks on a hard drive somewhere, you can easily transfer them to a kindle, no further purchases required.

            • Prunebutt@feddit.de
              8·
              1 year ago

              Sideloading ebooks is not the same thing as running alternative FOSS software on a device.

              • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                15·
                1 year ago

                Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I don’t have the will to find out how to upload an alt OS to a kindle, but the Internet is vast and if ye seek, ye shall find.

                • Prunebutt@feddit.de
                  3·
                  1 year ago

                  I did look into it and I’ve yet to find a way to do this.

                  The FOSS community is not limitless and while some community might develop a way in the future, it most definetly is not trivial to do, just by googling. This is a niche topic and AFAIK quite hard to do (first getting custom firmware to run and then develop a FOSS OS for it… While probably not being paid to do so).

                  Your comments seem quite condescending. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt but I’d kindly advice you to adjust your tone a bit.

    • TrustingZebra@lemmy.one
      31·
      1 year ago

      Kindle devices are nice but not at all FOSS, and not very open either. Although you can sideload books, EPUB files are still not directly supported, you have to convert them. Converting is easy with Calibre but it’s still a hassle that is not needed on any other ereader.

      There’s a vibrant jailbreak community on MobileRead, however Amazon keeps blocking jailbreaks.

      After my Kindle died I got a Kobo instead. Costs about the same as Kindle (maybe slightly more?). Still not fully open, but supports EPUB and its MobileRead community is just as vibrant (and Kobo doesn’t block you from doing this).

  • seaQueue@lemmy.world
    6·
    1 year ago

    I have a Boox Nova Air that I use KOReader on. It was the best basic android option that offered an ~8in 300ppi model when I was looking to buy.

    I’m not a particular fan of Boox and their disregard for the GPL but their hardware is nice and runs the apps I wanted to use. I think I paid ~$160 or so for the device used on fleaBay and I have no complaints. Most of the other models I’ve tried were so underpowered that they were annoying to use, this one has been just right.

  • rutrum@lm.paradisus.dayEnglish
    5·
    1 year ago

    I have a Kobo Clara HD. I’ve not put a new OS on it but I’ve added custom software and sideloaded books. Its been a wonderful experience. No matter what you pick I recommend it for the eink technology.