51
votes
Which Kindle/e-reader are you using?
Mine is Basic 11th Generation (16gb version) . I buy it on my birthday recently. I really love because i only reading book on there . How about your ? Which kindle devices you are using?
Kobo Libra 2 (with sleepcover) and Kobo Aura One, great eReaders.
I have calibre-web installed which provides book/progress/note sync. I use readarr to obtain books from sources.
Can calibre-web be put on a server like a digital ocean droplet? The instructions only talk about localhost
Edit: found my own answer here
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-create-a-calibre-ebook-server-on-ubuntu-14-04
You may already know this, but for security’s sake, please use a more recent version of Ubuntu: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-create-a-calibre-ebook-server-on-ubuntu-20-04
I've still got a first gen Kindle Paperwhite, from back when it was US only and a friend had to bring it up into Canada for me.
It still works as well as the day I got it. I think this same model is somewhere north of it's 10th version now but I really don't know what they could add to this device beyond more storage and maybe some quicker processing power when going between system menus.
I'm also on a Paperwhite, it might be gen 2 but honestly I can't fault the thing, even after all these years. The backlight is a godsend for late night reading but I agree that new iterations couldn't really do much beyond incremental processing power and perhaps overall battery life.
Usb C is a nice feature, though it’s not crucial. But what I like about the newer paperwhite is the yellow light option for reading at night.
And I think they’re waterproof now too.
My (same, maybe second gen?) paperwhite is starting to feel a little long in the tooth but I just can't justify replacing it because it just keeps truckin' along. I'd like light temperature adjustment and I'd love a color screen, should they ever be good enough, but my trusty little paperwhite just keeps standing strong.
Yeah that was a nice device.
Mine got a permanently burnt in screen after a few years though.
Yooo also first gen Paperwhite here. I had a nook before that and it got broken during travel, bought the Kindle with a flip case and it's treated me great for over 10 years, though I did have to replace the case at one point
I know the new Paperwhites have adjustable light temperature and a flat bezel/screen. So that's cool I guess?
The light temperature was actually way more of a benefit than I expected. I bought the newest generation of the Kindle Oasis because it’s probably being discontinued, and gave my first generation Oasis to a friend’s kid. I didn’t expect to use the warmth adjustment much, but I keep it almost all the way up now, and was shocked at how blue the screen looked when I turned it back off. I read in bed a lot, and it made a huge difference for me.
That's interesting to hear. When I read in the dark I usually use light level 5 or 6 on my gen1 Paperwhite, anything higher than that seems way too bright (especially the 20+ that the Kindle itself recommended for "dark room").
I'll need to look into the difference between the oasis and the new Paperwhite, maybe pick one up and give my Paperwhite to my kid who just has a touch at the moment.
Oh I should be more clear. I meant I keep the warmth cranked up almost all the way, but the brightness is usually lower than the halfway point. I just didn’t think I’d use the warmth much since I tend to not like computer/phone screen warmth adjustments.
I definitely recommend the Oasis, though! I vastly prefer the form factor to the Paperwhite.
+1 for the Oasis, the asymmetrical design makes one handed reading super comfy. I set the backlight to automatically dim and get warmer depending on time of night, to the point where if I try to read it past 11pm it is barely visible. I find that starting to read when it is more bright/white and then continuing to read as it slowly shifts to dim and red eases my eyes out of screen-mode and helps me fall asleep.
I just wish they would release one that charges with USB-C, it's the only device I still have to keep a MicroUSB cable around for.
Yeah, I fear it's on track to be discontinued given it's less popular and the other models have been updated to USB-C. I had a first-gen Oasis that I recently gifted to a friend's kid and bought the latest Oasis, just so I at least had the warmth adjustment/close-to-latest features in case it does get discontinued and I need to hold onto it for another decade.
Waterproofing on the latest version is a pretty killer feature, makes reading at the pool or in the tub a much less risky endeavor.
Plus USB-c for charging is always nice to not have to dig around for a charging cable.
Oh, I should probably answer this one.
Used every day
Travelling
Working but not really used
Broken USB port
Given away
Yes, I have too many 😅 The two Touches are from people who were gonna throw them away. The Aura was a broken Craigslist purchase I brought back to life.
The Forma is the best reader I've ever used. And overall, Kobo is a better reading experience than Kindle.
Out of curiosity, as I have been marching towards purchasing a new e-reader, what makes this so?
A couple things come to mind:
If these things don't really matter to you, the Paperwhite is a great reader. I used my smaller Paperwhite for years and was quite happy with it and the bigger one is even better but the Forma is just a different league.
Thanks for the breakdown! My current problem is that these things do matter to me, just not enough to spend the money... yet. My Paperwhite just keeps trucking and prices of e-readers is staying high, without a ton of super compelling innovation.
Yes, Kobos are expensive because Amazon uses Kindles as loss leaders.
That said, your best bet would be classifieds like Facebook Marketplace - I've seen some very good deals there. Forma, Aura ONE, Libra 2, Libra H2O, Clara 2e and Clara HD are all good (in that order)
I'm a Kindle Oasis fanboy, which sadly seems to be heading in the direction of being discontinued. The last model was released in 2019 and it hasn't been upgraded to USB-C like the other models have.
It's not their most popular model since it's expensive (though $300 for a device I use for hours most days that lasts a decade or more is 100% worth it for me) and kind of weird-looking with one fat side bezel. But it's the most practical form factor I've come across since I'm always holding it in one hand or the other, usually laying on my side, with the physical page turn buttons right under my thumb.
I also have a Kindle Scribe on my desk for notes, PDFs, and larger-format books that don't reduce well to the size of my Oasis. But my Oasis is definitely my primary reader that I take everywhere with me.
This is what I use as well. I like the bezel with buttons.
I wish other companies copied the "weird-looking" side bezel from the KO. I would love to have one of those if it wasn't from Amazon. The side-bezel seems pretty ergonomic and since I like reading in bed it also seems like it would be much more comfortable to hold.
Onyx has one if you want to go non-Amazon! I'll likely be going that route if my Oasis ever dies.
What the heck when was this released? 😭 I was looking for an alternative when I bought my ereader and ended up going with the Poke 3 from them! If I had seen this I would have snapped it up real quick!
Edit: It seems to have been released this year and I bought my Poke 3 last year. Rotten luck but if the Poke 3 bites the dust I know what to look out for!
Kobo Libra might be up your alley?
I recently purchased the Kobo Libra H2O which I’m very happy with.
It would be, but it's also locked to Kobo books, right?
Locked in what way? You can sideload books purchased elsewhere. You are not forced to buy them from Kobo. Technically that is true of Kindle, too, but Amazon does some things to make it less pleasant. Not so with Kobo.
Can I install, say Google Play Books or the Kindle app on it? I do own some DRM'd books that require those and other apps.
No, not on Kobo. Though it is possible to remove DRM from Adobe Digital Editions books and then put the files on your ereader. If you need Google Play and Kindle app, but not on an Amazon device, then Android is the only choice -- readers such as those from Onyx Boox.
Right, that's what I figured but I was willing to admit I might have overlooked something when I was researching to buy an ereader. I ended up buying an Onyx Boox Poke 3, because at the time the OB Page hadn't been released yet.
I purchased a Kindle Scribe when it first came out. I think the weight of it makes it a bit cumbersome to read while in bed, or to write on without a surface to support it, but I really like the thing and the size of the screen has made it a good replacement for the Kindle DX Graphite I still have kicking around. The Scribe's writing capabilities are really cool and while I'm not the most active note-taker, I do appreciate the ability to hand-write notes (using the notebook function) on a device with such a good battery life.
The Scribe really needs to be released with a version that's IPXX certified. Not being waterproof isn't a huge deal-breaker in my book, but I take the Scribe with me to remote parts of the world and it'd be nice to not worry about moisture/water damaging it in those environments.
I miss having cellular data too, as well as a speaker or headphone jack, but I prefer using my phone for audiobooks anyway. The Android apps for Kindle and Audible are great on my phone and I don't see any Kindle device really matching the capabilities 1:1. I wish they would, and maybe add some mp3 player capabilities as well (FLAC and OGG support please). Because why not be able to listen to your own music while studying? This is the kind of feature that would make the Kindle Scribe more competitive with an iPad.
I can totally see this for some use cases. For me, the lack of non-reading capabilities in Kindle devices is a feature.
I have both a Scribe and an iPad and see/use them as very different devices. I try to limit my "screen time" outside of work, and it's nice to have a device like a Kindle that can't do anything other than read and take notes; I don't count it as a "screen" in this context. I find it super refreshing to turn off my phone/computer/tablet for a while and only have reading as an option.
If you're looking for more of an iPad-like e-ink device, I know Onyx has some e-ink Android tablets! One of the podcasters I listen to got the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra and loves it.
Pocketbook era .
I just wanted OUT of the amazon/kindle ecosystem, and since I do a lot of audio books these days I really liked that it had the speaker. I still mostly bluetooth for that, which is still mostly needlessly finicky and not as good as it should be, but otherwise i'm completely happy with it. It's still basically the same size as a paperwhite (i think a little larger), reads fine, and doesn't fight me when I want to load stuff on it.
Love that thing. Wife has the HD3. The main selling point of Pocketbook vs Kobo is the openness. Dropbox? Built in, no hack required. Koreader? Just copy this folder and change the default program, no tricks needed. Of course the Kobo is still more open than the Kindles are.
The Era specific is just a slightly faster, bigger and nicer version than my wife's (older) HD3, I personally don't care for the speaker but I get why it's nice.
Kobo has Dropbox support built in (it may not have had it when you tried, perhaps). KOReader is easy to install by running a script, I installed it on my PocketBook InkPad 3 a few years and it wasn't without problems :) From my experience KOReader works much better on Kobos than on PocketBooks, it's more stable. Well, it began as a Kobo app in the first place.
OK I stand corrected on the Dropbox thing then. However I ws researching readers just last month when I got the Era and the newer Kobo's do have troubles on newer firmware with Koreader which is why I stayed away from Kobo. This probably isn't intentional from Kobo but it is there. Koreader has been very stable on both Pocketbooks I tried so I guess your experience might also be older? The Koreader project definitely has matured, that's for sure.
Let me ask you. Do you know if it's possible to make ebooks from Dropbox show in the KOReader library view? That's one thing that doesn't work on Kobo out of the box, Dropbox files are separate from other files that are in the main memory of the reader. Does it work better on PocketBook?
Oh yeah, I heard about KOReader issues, actually. I have not been affected because I'm using Kobo Forma which is not the newest device (although Kobo is still pushing firmware updates for it, I like it). No issues here.
Yes, my experience with KOReader on PocketBook would be from around 2018, so it may be no longer valid. Good to hear! In that case it's an additional pro for getting an Era for myself. :) I'm thinking about it because of a subscription service (kinda like Kindle Unlimited) that's available in my country.
What did you have before PB Era?
It shows them in the Pocketbook library by default. In koreader do you mean the file explorer like thing in the menu? They are there yes.
I've seen that bol.com has a subscription for Pocketbook but I haven't tried it. Honestly this is my first personal reader, I decided to read more after the reddit thing and before that I sometimes borrowed my wife's Pocketbook.
My absolute hatred of DRM also convinced me to go with a pocketbook. The sheer openness of the device means all those ebooks in epub and pdf I had collected worked immediately with no hassle of using a pc to convert or anything.
The only downside I've noticed is there's simply no way to buy books that are exclusive to kindle and use them.
There are Kindle exclusives? Can you name some titles?
It's mostly smaller indie stuff, I've been reading a lot of extreme horror for example and many many of those books aren't available outside of kindle because of exclusivity agreements with kindle unlimited or simply the lack of publishing knowledge from the authors. There's literally thousands of books from small presses and indie authors in various genres who don't sell via any other storefront. Probably not something that will affect the majority but it's really irked me a little.
The daft thing is that I'd happily buy those books if amazon made a kindle client for other ereaders or even if I were able to buy them as epubs. It's a bit of a step up to have to buy a physical copy at £7.99 vs the ebook at 1.99.
Sounds like you might be interested in some Android based e-readers.
I personally use the most recent basic kindle! had to upgrade because my older one didn't have backlighting so it's been motivation for me to read more nowadays.
some previous discussion about this:
https://tildes.net/~books/16f2/how_do_you_feel_about_ebooks_and_ebook_readers
The post title says Kindle but it also says 'e-reader' so I'm using the Onyx Boox Poke 3!
I picked this one because it had good reviews and seemed to be the only small ereader which ran full Android (so I could read some DRM'd ebooks I already had) and was not tied up to a specific store/platform. Of course, it does send telemetry to a Chinese company, but the alternatives would do the same to an American one so eh. The cheaper price when compared to a Kindle Oasis (I almost considered it because the form factor with the big side bezel appeals to me) was also a factor.
I mostly keep the device offline except when I want to read something that requires internet access (for example, free fiction, patreon posts, articles saved in Pocket). Otherwise, I usually download my ebooks and manage them on my desktop using Calibre, then transfer them to the device with a USB-C cable. On the device, I read them using Moon+ Reader.
Ugh is my kindle doing this to American govt? Are there ones that doesn't?
That said the Chinese regime has killed more of my family members than the us so I'll stay with US spying for now.
I mean, neither are sending telemetry directly to their respective governments. What you gotta worry about is what they will do if the gov asks for that data and they will both just hand it over. Neither is better or worse imo and neither regime has killed anyone I know let alone my family. It's the general principle of the thing but this comment chain is officially off-topic!
Edit: To answer your question, I don't know if there are any ereaders on the market right now that let you opt-out of all telemetry.
I love how you default to "Kindle" as the only brand of e-readers.
I use a Kobo Aura One.
I bought it about a year ago, to replace my previous Kobo Touch, which I was given as a gift over a decade ago.
I bought the Aura One secondhand on eBay after researching the various Kobo models, and determining that the one I liked the best was this old model released in 2016, rather than any newer models.
It has totally changed my reading habits, in a way the previous Touch didn't. I now much prefer reading on my e-reader, compared to reading print books. That wasn't the case with my previous e-reader. But that's why I bought an e-reader with a bigger screen - so it doesn't feel like I'm trying to read on a tiny credit card-sized device.
I miss my kobo aura one but I couldn't manage the glass screen and wanted a plastic backed one (this is about the specific eink internal screen internally) that I wouldn't break as easily so went with a kobo clara after the last one died. They're both fab devices though.
Currently Kobo Forma, which is the best ereader I ever used.
I dreamed of owning a Sony PRS-something. 505 it was, I think. I couldn't afford it at the time. My first ereader was Kindle Keyboard, then the first Kindle Paperwhite, then Kindle Voyage (I think my second favorite ereader) and then I stepped outside of the Amazon ecosystem, because I'm not American and not from an English speaking country and Kindle considers me a 3rd class citizen of its ecosystem -- no keyboard with my language, no UI in my language, often missing book covers for sideloaded books, etc. Plus, in my country we have a couple subscription services for books (think of "Netflix for books") which work better on other ereader brands (because they have native apps), so I switched to PocketBook InkPad 3. It was a pretty good ereader, but the case cracked at one corner and it bothered me aesthetically (it was also creaking when applied pressure), so I shelled out for the expensive Forma. I installed KOReader and was blown away by its features. It's like a gaming console with CFW, it can do so much, that no firmware on any ereader comes even close. Plus, Kobos have the same performance as Kindle and have a high quality build. They also have an integrated store (Kobo Store) where you can buy ebooks, but they don't make it hard to read sideloaded books, unlike Amazon who technically allows it but tries to make it harder for you to entice you into buying from them.
I'm currently thinking of getting a PocketBook Era for the subscription services, but I know it will not be of the same quality as Kobo Forma, it would be a pity if my Forma was hidden in a nightstand.
I also use the Forma with KOReader installed, and you're right, once you get the hang of all its features, it's an extremely pleasant reading experience. I bought it primarily for reading (DRM-free) manga, and the screen size and quality are adequate for most titles. I enjoy it almost as much as reading physical books, which is not something I expected to ever feel about an e-reader.
I have a Kindle Voyage from 2018 and a Kobo Nia. I use both extensively- my library doesn't sync with Kindle yet but it does with the Kobo using Libby.
I use a Kobo Clara 2e. Then I use the publicly available hacks online to add features. In particular, I added the Dropbox integration. That way, I don’t have to connect it manually.
What’s that Dropbox integration?
I have the Libra 2 (I think?) and would be pretty interested in that.
Basically, it is a hidden feature on some Kobo devices and an advertised feature on some.
I took the Clara knowing I could get this Dropbox integration with some elbow hackerman grease.
I wrote a bit about in on my blog. Mostly for myself in case I ever need it again. But here it is in case you or anyone else should find it useful.
Latest Kindle Paperwhite, kept offline. I grab books from Soulseek or a private torrent site and sync them to the device via Calibre.
I'm using a Kobo Sage, and it's quite nice. Easily the best screen on any e-reader I've used and it's perfectly sized for manga. That's the main reason I wanted it. Novels and the like are affordable to read on paper...manga not so much. And to be completely honest, a good scan on this thing can be tweaked to look even better than physical manga with its ink bleeding issues due to the budget printing. I'm not too sure what I want my split to be with other kinds of books. I know there's certain things I definitely want to read on paper because they're very reliant on proper formatting and such, but it is just fun to read on this thing and the extra features are so convenient. My only real complaint with the device is that its battery is godawful by e-ink device standards, but to be completely honest I don't go out enough for that to be a problem. I imagine if I get the charging case I won't have to worry about that much, but it's still worth keeping in mind. I might get a new one in a few generations if I can find something with significantly better battery life but still with this perfect screen and no Amazon.
I'm currently using KOreader on there and despite my complaints with its UI, it's fantastic. I love the custom dictionaries, Wikipedia lookup, and extensive gesture options and it's generally just much faster than stock.
How are the page transitions? I'm looking for an ereader specifically for manga, but some of them struggle on the page turns, where you see the previous page for a while before the new one renders. Does the page resolve quickly?
When using KOreader it's incredibly snappy, basically instant. Using Plato, it's a bit slower. On the official reader, it's even more sluggish.
So basically you're good as long as you're cool with using KOreader.
I'm not familiar with KOreader at all, but I'll look into it. Thanks so much for the advice!! I've been looking for a good manga ereader for a long time.
I use the sage as well and I use the official kobo interfaces and have no issues with manga Ive been reading. I highly recommend the kobo sage for manga
I've got a Kobo Libra H2O running KOReader. I wish I got a 10" one for magazines, however.
Kobos are excellent and have a great development scene.
I'm currently using a Kindle Oasis from about 2018. I splurged a bit because my ebook reader is a device I use every single day. I like the Kindle hardware, and my local library integrates well with Amazon, so that helped make the choice. I've had a few different readers over the years - this one is my first actual Kindle. the others were stuff like a Sony PRS-600 back in 2009, and a few B&N Nooks.
I do love the wireless syncing of progress in my books with the cloud, so that if I find myself waiting in line some place I can pick up where I left off on the Kindle app on my phone, as I generally don't carry the physical Kindle around with me. Because of that I leave the wifi turned on all the time, which means that I need to charge the Kindle about once per week. I miss only having to charge something like once a month on my old, old readers, so I would be totally convinced to spend money on a new model if it included a bigger battery.
Currently, I'm not: I used to, but I got sick of my e-readers lacking a bunch of features without locking me into a walled garden, so now I'm looking for a thoroughly-open ereader. Corporations have zero intention of providing this, so my options here are basically either building a DIY e-reader, or jailbreaking a closed e-reader.
...or waiting for the PineNote. Aaaaaany month now.
I (stupidly?) dumped $500 on a bid for a used RM1 recently, because 1) the PineNote was "supposed" to come out 4 months ago (they never actually promised a release date so the disappointment was my fault, but by the same premise I have no right to assume they'll release a working device anytime soon, so the RM1 is the only way for me to get a 100%-libre e-note), and 2) the RM1 can run Parabola (unlike the RM2, which has made the screen-updating code proprietary, ew).
I'm thinking I should really hurry up and learn some basic electronics so that if/when the RM1 arrice I can swap it's micro-USB plug for USB-C, because honestly there's nothing else feature-wise that I really care about, that any other e-notes on the market could even offer me.
Care to share? Wouldn't KOReader cover you?
I use a Kindle Voyage that I've been using since it was first released. I have original origami cover, too. The form factor and size is perfect for me, it's pocket sized and very light. Battery is still going strong and though the lighting hue is not ideal, it does the job. I use Calibre to manage my library and strip the DRM from all my purchases to avoid system lock in.
Kindle Voyage for daytime reading. They don't make these anymore so you have to pick them up off eBay, etc. This was the best Kindle e-reader ever made IMHO. I love the size, weight, and the display is fantastic.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for nighttime reading. Don't like it as much because of the bigger size and weight but it has dark mode and warm light which makes it great for bedtime reading.
Is there anyone else using just an e-reader on their phone? It's ideal for me as it's always with me and means there's no extra device to carry; I can read wherever, whenever: out and about, filling in time, waiting for someone, sitting after a meal, and in bed.
I read via the Moon+ reader app on my now-aging-but-still-lovely Pixel 2 (Android ofc), and manage my epub library through Calibre on a PC. The attraction of a bigger screen on a dedicated device is understandable, but I find reading so immersive that the device becomes irrelevant.
No, you're not the only one.
But I've been craving an intermediate device between a phone and laptop for handwritten notes, textbooks, architectural PDFs, drawing, reading/editing documents, making annotations, viewing streaming media, etc. when I'm working in the field or on a plane, so thought I'd revisit tablets. The Kindle Scribe was a no-go due to lack of Android apps (and no color), the Google Pixel Tablet concept needs work, I've used a Microsoft Surface and it kind of sucks for various reasons, an iPad or Samsung is just ridiculously overpriced with all the trimmings.
Ah, thanks! I'm in good company then! Like you I began with a Palm Pilot, and learned to love reading on it on a camping trip, working my way through .pdbs from Gutenberg.
I used to be very nearsighted so could lie on my side in bed with the Palm a few inches away on a little prop I'd made, but that changed after cataract surgery; with better than 20:20 vision but non-accommodating eyes now I've bodged a close-reading device from 3.5 diopter specs for lying-on-side bedtime reads, which is less convenient than the nearsightedness was but having clear far-distance vision is great.
Your point about PDFs is spot on though: phone's useless for those; luckily I rarely have to look at any.
Yes! I've substantially increased my reading time with my phone. I use FbReader though. It's very easy to switch between light background dark text, and dark background to green or red text for night viewing. It's much easier on my eyes.
Plus, with Guttenburg, Standard Ebooks, or Library Genesis; almost any book is on my phone in seconds.
Yes FbReader is good; it was what I used before switching to Moon+. I generally read white text on a black background and FBreader's black is truly black which I slightly miss on Moon+. Haven't tried red or green text but those sound interesting for bedtime. Maybe it's time to try FBreader again; I switched to Moon+ because there was some epub it could open that FBR couldn't
I have owned and used many Kindles (and loved them all) then recently switched to an Onyx Boox Nova Air C.
Besides losing cellular data, which was nice for airports, I surprisingly prefer the Kindle Android app on this better than I liked the Kindle itself.
I recently replaced my 7th gen basic 6" kindle from 2015 with a basic 11th gen one (both refurbished units). I stuck with the 6" model because it just barely fits in my purse. The main reason I upgraded was so that I can have the option of a backlight, although the improved dpi and usb c charging port are also really nice. The 2015 still works fine and I'm giving it to a friend.
I'm pretty sure mine is a 2012, First Gen Paperwhite. I upgraded from a first gen Touch model years ago, both bought used for like $40. This one can be a little slow, but a reboot fixes that up, so I'm not sure why I'd ever upgrade again, unless this one dies.
I've heard a lot about the Kobo readers, which I may look into eventually, but it depends on how seamless it is compared to Kindle. I am technically inclined, but my e-reader isn't something I feel like messing with. I like that I can just grab a sample and if I'm happy with it, buy the book with no fuss.
I use a Microsoft Surface 3 with YAC Reader. I was using Cover for many years as it is great with touch screen controls but the performance started bothering me at some point. This pulls primarily scanned magazines and comics from my server. I use a 3rd party app for touch screen page turns with yacreader.
Kobo Aura HD. I’ve had it 10 years now, use it every day!
I have a Kindle Oasis.
I had a Kindle Voyage from when it released until last year, was probably my favourite e reader
I'm not using a Kindle, instead I have a Sony PRS-T1 and all my books are stored on the 128GB micro SD card definitely way more space than I'll ever need for Books I know it's just what I had at the time.
Another Kobo Libra checking in. Bought mine in 2020 when my Kindle keyboard bit the dust. I love it, works great and using calibre to manage my library is also great. I wish it had usb-c, and I still haven't tried any of the cool mods people on here are talking about, but it's a great little machine.
I use an iPad mini with an Apple Pencil.
Throwing epubs/PDFs into iCloud and then opening them on the iPad is pretty seamless and the form factor is great for the plane or the couch.
Multitasking sucks so don’t expect to read and take notes at the same time, I usually read on the iPad and take notes in a paper notebook (I keep a bullet journal so having both is natural anyway).
I use a physical stack of books / the goodreads app to keep track of want to read | reading | done
I own the 11th gen Kindle Paperwhite.
Got it for less than half the usual cost when I traded in my aged but nearly mint-condition Kindle Voyage which recently started to finally show its age on the battery. I think in total I paid €60 instead of the €150 it would have cost normally at the time.
It's a very good device for me. I like the extra color temp setting in particular. I think just about the only thing I mind is that lack of any physical buttons, even the pressable sides of the Voyage were pretty neat for proper page-turn buttons. But I also no longer even notice it mentally nowadays, brain has gotten used to stabbing the page.
I'm honestly learning so much from everyone posting, thank you all!! I currently have the Kindle PW, but want to move away from Amazon ecosystem. I've started dipping my feet in Calibre and using that to organize my books and fanfictions. I've been eyeing the Kobo Libra 2, but trying to see if I should wait for an updated version or the upgraded version of the Kobo Sage - I really like the idea of an 8 inch ereader and it looks like the Sage doesn't have great reviews. Even though I have KU paid for till Feb2024, I'm willing to switch sooner just to get away.
I got the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition about a year ago on sale plus another 20 bucks off for trade in on amazon. I love it. I keep it offline and only buy books that I know that I enjoy after reading it for a little bit.
I like trying to keep as many devices as I can chargeable via USB-C as well as the night reading mode on the Paperwhite. Hearing emasculating jokes in my head from my family prevents me from taking a bath but knowing that my Kindle is water resistant is also a nice bonus as well if I ever feel secure enough to enjoy a bubble bath and a book as a grown man.
I'm about 5 days into testing out the OnePlus Pad as an all-purpose color e-reading/note-taking tablet. I don't have a OnePlus phone, and can't comment on the tablet/phone integrations.
Pros:
Exquisite 300 ppi color screen;
Great contrast ratio, color gamut, and adjustability, nearly true blacks even without OLED;
Complete Android app ecosystem access;
7:5 aspect ratio is perfect for reading two pages side-by-side, or full-size textbook pages;
Less than 1 kg with keyboard;
No tablet-mode rendering issues so far with e-book and graphic novel Android apps;
OxygenOS UI seems very well considered for tablet use;
Keyboard and stylus add-ons are as good as or better than iPad/Samsung accessories;
Full-day or greater battery life when used mainly for reading/note-taking;
Includes SuperVOOC charger, which provides 100% recharge in < 1 hour;
Updates for next 3 Android versions, 4 years of security updates.
Cons:
Fragile screen glass (Just before the screen protector arrived, the tablet skittered out of my hands as I pulled it out of a bag. It fell less than an inch onto a hard floor, resulting in a huge scratch in the middle of the screen);
Keyboard case isn't ideal for reading in bed, tablet is uncomfortable (for me) to hold upright without a case;
Flaky accelerometer response when switching from portrait to landscape;
Does not automatically switch to landscape with keyboard attached (could be fixed with an update);
Matte screen protector required for best paper-like stylus behavior;
No fingerprint reader (can use face scan for biometric unlocking);
Proprietary chipset likely means limited ROM development.
I just upgraded my 2015 paperwhite to the latest paperwhite with the leather cover and wireless charging stand bundle they had discounted for prime day. The screen and battery life are both major upgrades, not to mention the upgrade to waterproof. I've tried reading on my ipad on vacation before, and it's just nowhere near as pleasant an experience due to screen glare.
Kids! I really think it's the best options if you just want it as a simple e-reader. It's usually the cheapest option AND it comes with a free case. Win win!
I have a third-generation (2015) Kindle Paperwhite, thought about picking up a newer version when it was on sale last week but there's nothing wrong with mine and it's perfect for my current use so no reason to put it aside.
I'm also less interested in giving Amazon more money these days so I'm trying to get ebooks from other stores now but the convenience is hard to beat. At least they updated the Send to Kindle app recently to support epub directly so I don't need to make use of Calibre these days.
I have the most recent Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle Scribe for note taking. I just talked my co-worker to get one. He's been eyeing one since I got mine. Best thing is that work paid for it! I like reading from Kindle unlimited, when I can get free trials, which is more often than you think, and Libby (local library) for anyone unaware.
Sony PRS-2. Still rocking great and awesome for long train trips as the free internet there is able to support all devices no matter how old. Also its easy to pirate books for it. No special driver BS just put the file into the folder for it and boom done.
Kobo Libra 2. Sync my books wirelessly with calibre-web, which is super convenient!
Kindle Paperwhite Kids 8GB. I was able to pick it up for $80 on a sale a month ago and it's been wonderful. I was able to log into my "adult" account and I've been loving it so far. It's a nice way to wind down before going to bed compared to doom scrolling. The included case, additional year of warranty, lack of ads, and 1 year of the Amazon Kids+ subscription are all a nice bonus. This is my first e-reader and I have to say that e-ink really is sublime compared to a backlit screen.
Kindle Fire HD 8 10th Gen (2022). Love the size. I have an 11" iPad Pro with a way better screen, but, it's a lil too big. I use THAT for PDF magazines.
On the move, I just read on my phone (Kindle app). Not great, but it's good to kill 5-10 mins.
The cheapest kindle in 2017, working like a charm 6 years later !
I've settled on a Kobo Libra 2 to get away from the Amazon ecosystem, and the ability to sideload the books that I already own.
...in retrospect, I should have nabbed an eInk tablet like Boox, but I am very pleased with the Libra.
A Kobo Aura One, which I selected primarily because it doesn't need special software to put files on it (plug it into a computer and it mounts like an external drive) and because it'll read standard formats like ePub making conversion tools unnecessary.
It works well, but making regular usage of it a habit has proven challenging.
I'm using a Kindle Keyboard. I love the size and the physical page buttons. I'm occasionally tempted to upgrade to something newer, maybe with a light, but my current one works well so I don't think it needs immediate replacing.
Kindle Scribe currently, along with a Paperwhite 7 to facilitate downloading/backing up the book files.
Kobo Forma.
Don't really like Amazon so I'll probably never buy one of their e-readers.
I use a Boox Nova Air C, which runs Android and has a color e-ink screen.
It doesn't have a nice "grip", but the case (which I haven't bought yet) looks like it would provide that.
The color screen is, of course, nowhere near as vibrant as an LCD screen. But I'm reading through a collection of Neil Gaiman graphic novels, usually at bedtime, and I think it's fine - I don't yearn for more color range.
It also has internal speakers which are good enough for podcast listening, but no good for music.
I use my standard lowest price Kindle before it went touch enabled (4th gen?). I bought it probably more than 10 years ago new from Amazon in a sale at the time for 49€ (without ads!) and it still works flawlessly. I was looking at Paperwhite lately to have that nice light at night. But I can't justify the price compared to my cheap old and still fine basic Kindle.