I’ve been a book reader for a long time, but never got into eBooks. I want to try it out next, but don’t want to use any privacy vilotating devices or software. So, those “10 best” lists I found while searching are out, all of the Amazon crap is out.
What’s left? What’s a good device to buy so I can self-host my own eBook library and get into eReading. I would prefer suggestions for devices which just read books and comics and such. I don’t need access to the app stores on it, I think.
Thanks for any ideas.
ETA: I have a Linux PC and an Android phone, if those things matter.
ETA2: Thank you all for these replies. You’ve given me a lot to think about and I appreciate the help!
LAST EDIT: Getting a Kobo Clara Color, 6" eInk dealie-bob! Thanks y’all. Don’t let this stop you from posting your suggestions still. Posts like these help many over time. Y’all rock!
Kobo is the answer. It used to require some finicking to get it so you didn’t have to sign up with Walmart, but now that’s supposedly no longer an issue (I’ve had my Kobo for a long time). Install Calibre and the Kobo extension for Calibre. You now can borrow epubs from your local library, purchase them from your favorite online ebook store, or sail the high seas if you don’t give a fuck.
…and then my Kobo Clara briked itself into a bootloop after i connected it to WiFi.
Also beware how you buy ebooks from kobo’s store or you won’t be able to un-drm them (i.e. they get locked to the kobo).
All in all they do tend to be nice hardware and my usual recommendation.Sorry to hear that. I’ll admit I don’t buy ebooks. Yoho yoho and all that. And yeah, I also never turn on wifi. Have you tried a hard reset?
The problem with all hard resets is that the reset button’s either:
a) at the lower back of the device
b) under the coverWhereas mine seems to be c) these is none.
At least they’ve partenered with iFixit, better late than never.
Buy a Kobo, never connect it to WiFi. Or flash KOReader on it. Either way much better than the alternatives.
I have a Clara 2E. It was some time ago, so I cannot remember all the fine details, but I couldn’t get mine to start without some internet connection. I gave a throwaway email and allowed it to update before I switched off WiFi and could freely move books with Calibre.
To it’s credit, in 3 years since purchase it has not asked for internet since switching it on the first time.
Got a libre2 recently as a gift. My first ereader. I was able to plug it into the PC. Change a line of code and reboot.
Thst made the email prompt go away.
Then installed koreader and syncthing on it. I DL books on Android and it syncs over to Kobo. I can even read via koreader app on andrpid and it syncs progression.
What is the reason not to connect it to the WiFi ?
If one doesn’t want telemetry etc being sent to Rakuten.
I’m very surprised the top answer isn’t pocketbook. Their entire business model is reworking Chinese e ink tablets to make them GDPR compliant and privacy respecting. I’d recommend the pocketbook verse pro if you want a lit screen and USB C, but they have a cheaper model without those features.
Here is a good spec comparison table for ereaders in general. I’d point out basically all e-readers have great battery life.
I was on the same journey as you a month or so back and luckily the PineNote just got a second batch produced.
I wrote down some of my thoughts here, maybe that helps: https://domistyle.gitlab.io/pinenote-2024/
I read your blog post. I was interested until I saw the price on the EU store :(
I ordered from the global store and paid 530€. Still expensive of course and it comes without warranty but it is cheaper and in stock.
You page loads up then it goes away. Not sure what’s up. Maybe it’s my ad blockers. Who knows.
Which browser do you use? The only issue I’m aware of is that the videos don’t load on Firefox for Android.
I’m pretty sure I’ve done that with chrome safari and Firefox. If you want to make sure nothing is cached, do this. Disable java script. Open a private browser then go to the site. That should take care of the pay wall. 😀
I have an old Kindle Paperwhite. I put use Calibre and USB to manage the library, no Amazon connection necessary. Works great.
Yeah with ebook readers the actual device doesn’t really matter as long as you use calibre. I also use the same kindle and honestly I’m not even sure if it has wifi. Maybe. Probably. But it never gets used.
Just… Another kobo. I don’t actually use calibre though, i just get the books in epub format. Then when you hook the kobo to the PC, it shows as mass storage anyway. Just dump your files, and after ejected it does its cursory file scan, and it shows them properly listed in the device.
Of course Calibre offers a lot more functionality, so if you want to have a proper library it might make sense to manage your books from there. I’m basically saying no conversion is needed a it natively reads epub.
used kindle paperwhite, check firmware version to ensure jailbreak
jailbreak, install koreader
use calibre to manage library, source books from uh. the seas
amazon devices have quite good screens for the price
however, if you are reading comics, you should get a bigger screen probably a tablet, look into boox and meebook, both are android based
i would not recommend color screens rn, they still have significantly lower contrast and resolution and refresh is slow af
I use a Kobo with Calibre! I use it for fiction and theory alike.
Instead of self-hosting, I have a device that can hold a large amount of sideloaded material and sync between my PC and device with syncthing. Boox devices work well for this.
On Android I use FBReader. I paid for the Premium version.
I think the person asked for e-ink device recommendations. Reading on an Android vs e-ink screen makes such a huge difference
There is no mention of e-ink, OP has an Android device, I have an Android device, I read eBooks on it daily, I use FBReader. I’m not sure what all the kerfuffle is about.
OP jumping into say… It’s a good suggestion. Thank you!
I decided to use my phone to read after my Kindle broke. I use KOReader. I would like to not support proprietary products as much as I can, just my personal philosophy since the last 7-8 years. So far I can’t complain about my setup, and there is one less device to lug around. I do miss an e-ink display sometimes though.
If they wanted to read on a phone/Normal display, they wouldn’t have asked for recommendations.
I use a boox leaf 2, it has android without google play services OOTB, you can install that if you want and you can side load apps like normal android too. It has a nice crisp screen, adjustable backlight (color and intensity) micro SD slot in addition to the 32gb internal storage. It will open pretty much any eBook format out there, and you can also use kindle app and adobe digital editions for DRM books (if you don’t strip the DRM)
I highly recommend it.
I recently got a Boox Go 6. It’s just a really simple android tablet with a paper type display. So whatever android reading app you use you could probably run it. Strictly in terms of privacy I’m not sure if it’s uniquely well suited. But I would expect it’s better than Kindle or Kobo.
I only trust my ebook because I never connect it to the internet)
In theory the boox only has wifi. Presumably you could never connect it to anything, even by usb, if you loaded your books onto an sd card.
To my knowledge, they don’t have SD cards - but indeed, you could just load books by wire.
Mine definitely does. Micro SD.
I can’t speak to the privacy of it, but I love my Kobo Elipsa 2E setup. I’ve got NickelMenu, Synching and Autoshelf installed, so I can sort books by directory and have them sync. I also have KOReader installed with some other goodies, but rarely use it. The reading experience in the stock firmware is way nicer. And the screen is big enough to read full size PDFs comfortably. Kobo runs Linux under the hood, and there are extensions to give you Telnet/SSH access so you can mod what you need.
Also, being able to borrow books from Overdrive/Libby on it and support my local library is rad.
I did the whole Calibre with Kobo extensions thing for a few weeks, but it just didn’t work out very well for me. I like to have my books synced to multiple devices and Calibre just isn’t built for that.
Yeah I like my Kobo too. It’s never done anything sketchy as far as I can tell, plus you can sideload things, and if you plug it in via USB it just shows up like regular drive so you can do what you want with it. And also Libby is awesome lol.
I read on my phone amoled display in dark mode with the app Cool Reader.
I have a good experience with PocketBook.