Any issues with moving to Ebooks?

cepheus

Can any ebooks be read with any computer? In other words, presumably you don't get situations where certain ebooks can only be read by ipads or Kindles? Was the latter marketed because computers were to heavy to be treated like a book or carried around?

I was thinking of getting something like this to place on my bed, so the laptop could go on top



or this

tberry6686

Shouldn't be a problem if using a laptop as you can download programs to read most ebook files.

bod1467

Go with the latter option - it seems it comes with something to keep you warm in bed too.

fenlander_uk

Have to say, I think a PC is the least attractive option for reading e-books. If you are bed-bound, the stands you've found look like a good choice, but in any other circumstances I'd go for a e-reader or a 7"-8" tablet.

Also agree with bod1467 - check out the accessories.:D

cepheus

I naively thought they were pdf, so you need to buy software to read them?

I'll have a look through these and hopefully they won't have advert pop ups!

http://en.softonic.com/s/ebook-reader

esuhl

The term "eBooks" refers to typically "book-like" content on an electronic device. You can get eBooks in plain text or HTML or PDF, but I think most eBook sites will use a proprietary format of some kind -- ePub, iBook, KF8, etc.

There's a comparison of various eBook formats here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats

Although a PC is perhaps "the least attractive option for reading e-books", it's probably easier to get a PC to read more different formats of eBook...

One of the main disadvantages of eBooks is that they often cost more than a print copy of the book...

esuhl

cepheus wrote: »

I naively thought they were pdf, so you need to buy software to read them?

I'll have a look through these and hopefully they won't have advert pop ups!

http://en.softonic.com/s/ebook-reader

I'd do it the other way round -- find some eBooks that you want to read, and then work out which eBook reader you need.

If you're using a PC, I doubt you'd have to pay for the software -- there should be free versions to read most formats of eBook, I'd imagine.

But you may well have to pay for the eBooks themselves (although a lot of the classics are available free).

bod1467

And just to add to the list of file types .... Kindle files have the .mobi extension.

You could look at Calibre ... a software program that will convert files between the different format types. (I use it to make them into mobi files so I can copy them to the Kindle folder on my Android phone, and use the Kindle app as an eReader).

cepheus

I'll hire a few from the library first. Probably most of the stuff I will buy will be off amazon in Kindle form, so need to make sure it can read that. the book I'm looking at now is £7 for kindle but £11 for Hardback.

fenlander_uk

Most e-readers handle either mobi or epub formats, but often not both. Kindle uses mobi; libraries and most other manufacturers use epub. Calibre is pc software that can convert between formats. It also has a built-in reader that you can use to read almost any format on a pc.

If you use an Android tablet, you can install a reader app that handles both mobi and epub (Moon+).

mttylad

If your reading in bed and likely to read with the light off then simply get the Kindle Paperwhite.