[ad_1]
Amazon and its Kindle products are usually the first recommendations when you start looking for e-books and e-readers. But does it make them the best?
(For insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business, and policy, subscribe to our technology newsletter, Today’s Cache.)
As an e-commerce giant, Amazon dominates the book industry, offering a multitude of reading options across laptops, tablets, e-readers and even smartphones. However, its walled garden system means that users may not be able to easily enjoy more niche literary works from other marketplaces and free libraries.
Today, we’ll take a look at some great e-book app alternatives that help readers build an organized, aesthetic digital library using only their smartphones.
reading age
With millions of downloads on the Google Play Store, this free e-reader app is perfect for readers who can’t wait to read their next novel. With no registration or payment required, the free version of ReadEra offers a standard set of typeface and page color controls, and is virtually ad-free. ReadEra handles a wide variety of formats, and we were pleased to see beautifully rendered images and useful footnote settings in the EPUB text we tested. There was also a children’s mode to keep very young users from concentrating on books and exploring adult titles.
ReadEra offers a standard set of controls for typefaces and page colors, and has very few ads. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
ReadEra comes with features like colorful quotes in the premium version of the app, so it may not be the best choice for students and note-takers. I also wish there were more engaging page-turning options instead of the usual swipe and slide. But for those time-pressed readers who just need a hassle-free e-reader app, ReadEra is more than happy.
moon + leader
If you consider yourself the king or queen of customization, Moon + Reader is probably the e-reader app for you. Not only does it offer a huge number of customization options, from blue light filters to textured page backgrounds, but you can also customize those customization icons.
Moon + Reader is for avid note-takers, students, and anyone who thinks beautiful typography and design controls are essential to their app. Access to net libraries such as Project Gutenberg was appreciated as it allowed me to quickly download and open new EPUB texts in the public domain.
Moon + Reader is for avid note-takers, students, and anyone who thinks beautiful typography and design controls are essential to their app. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
However, Moon + Reader’s overall app interface isn’t the most intuitive to use, so it can take some work. Despite scanning the device and doing potential reads, the shelf was not updated with the new files. Books and documents may need to be uploaded separately.
After all, having complete control over the aesthetics of the reading experience is what draws avid book lovers to the Moon + Reader app.
Adobe Acrobat
Reading a PDF document on a smartphone used to mean pinch-zooming through every page or scrolling left to right to read each line of an ill-sized document. But Adobe’s enhanced PDF reader recently made headlines with the addition of its new AI-powered Liquid Mode feature.
Liquid mode converts PDF text into a format suitable for smartphones. In other words, Adobe easily converts entire documents to ensure a seamless reading experience on small screens.
Before and after mode activation:
Liquid mode converts PDF text into a format suitable for smartphones. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
However, aside from this handy conversion feature, Adobe Acrobat is primarily aimed at a small number of readers who work in PDF format. Its interface is basic, with adjustable line and letter spacing.
Google Play Books
If you want a well-stocked marketplace app and a mainstream e-book reading experience, Google Play Books should be at the top of your list. Its options are basic, but include organic page-turning features, night lights, and beautifully rendered images. The user has to upload the text to the platform, which may take some time. Still, this will ensure your files are backed up safely and reliably.
Google Play Books is basic, but includes organic page-turners, night lights, and beautifully rendered images. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
However, Indian users should be aware that e-book prices via Google Play Books are much higher than buying on Amazon. E-readers are perfect for those who want to store and read texts in a protected ecosystem that can be easily synced across devices. The market isn’t ideal, but it works in a pinch.
apple books
Apple Books offers both a marketplace and a seamless reading experience across devices in the ecosystem, giving iPhone and Macbook users an off-the-shelf option at their fingertips. Apple Books also allows you to open and read his EPUB text from other sources.
However, I found the concept to be better than the execution. While it currently offers a selection of e-books read aloud by AI-based narrators, the Apple Books Marketplace doesn’t have many popular novels or bestsellers. Even many of the available books usually have generic covers, making them difficult to identify in the library.Apple Books also automatically updates books from outside the Marketplace. plug.
Apple Books offers both a marketplace and a seamless reading experience across devices in its ecosystem. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
The e-reader experience was very basic and accessible with little to no frills. Users could adjust page color and typeface settings. Images look great even on small devices like the iPhone SE. The overall experience is clean and minimal, allowing users to switch between Apple devices without losing their place.
EReader Prestigio
For bookworms looking for a sensory reading experience that’s really close to the feel of a real book, the eReader Prestigio offers beautiful and natural page-turning capabilities, rich background and typeface customization, and moderately good text-to-speech settings. . It also accepts the most common e-book formats as well as some rare e-book formats.
These perks, along with easily accessible Google Translate features and engaging note-taking options, are a godsend for users learning new languages ​​and readers who want a more voice-based experience. , if you use Google’s free speech service, it’s far from human and nature, but it works well when reviewing scholarly texts. There are other paid options that use AI-based narrators.
EReader Prestigio comes with an easy-to-access Google Translate feature and attractive note-taking options. | | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal
EReader Prestigio comes with beautiful customizable bookshelves that make scanning your e-library a pleasure. However, the downside of this app is that it doesn’t display images well. The app’s book marketplace is also a disappointment, with little popular content.
Still, for those who want a free e-reader app that breaks a few classes above its weight and offers text-to-speech capabilities, EReader Prestigio is a great choice.
essentially
E-readers can help you store and organize your e-book collection on your phone, but there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.
First and foremost, if you’re not using a trusted marketplace like Amazon or Google Play to download your new book, make sure your download is safe, legal, and virus-free.
If you install an e-reader app on your device that requests permission or lets you scan your device, make sure documents containing personal or financial information are encrypted or stored in a secure folder please.
Finally, devices such as Amazon’s Kindle use e-ink technology to prevent eye strain, which is not the case with smartphones. Choose a reading app with a blue light filter, or use a trusted blue light filter app to protect your eyesight.
[ad_2]
Source link
