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!
I have a Boox Go Color, but most Boox ereaders are good devices. You can have a Calibre library self-hosted and use the Android app “Calibre sync” to access it on your ereader.
I have a good experience with PocketBook.
I’ve had an e-ink device, and read ebooks on a number of devices. Some notes:
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If it’s a casual read and I can get the book in epub or mobi format, I might just have it on my phone and use Librera.
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I did not like e-ink displays at all. The text itself doesn’t appear easier on the eyes to me, and if anything the jarring refreshes on each page turn make the overall experience even more straining. For this reason regular Android tablets have become my preferred way to read books.
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For tablets I suggest one that is at least 10 inches. A lot of ebooks are still only available in pdf format, and I’ve found that anything smaller than a 10 inch display makes for bad pdf reading.
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Following from all that, I would suggest the Pixel Tablet, because from a privacy perspective, you have the option to install GrapheneOS on it. From there you can get F-Droid, install any of those ebook apps, and now you have a reasonably secure and private ebook reader - and the best part is, because it’s a general purpose tablet, you’re not accumulating unnecessary single-purpose devices. You never know if the tablet might have other important uses down the line.
Super helpful, thank you!
Or for other options you can checkout LineageOS. Filter by tablet to see which ones are supported, and that can help narrow choices of tablets that can be made privacy-respecting. Just make sure to use a version that does not have gapps on it. Once you use LineageOS’s site to find a supported tablet, you can go to the MicroG for LineageOS site to download the MicroG version of the OS. This comes with a set of alternatives to Google spyware so you can use your tablet completely free of Google.
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I really like my era. Pocketbook allows me to have the website of a local bookstore as the “shop” button on the home screen, so I can support them. It is comfortable to hold and the front light is pretty good.
In the summer months when I don’t use the backlighting, I need to charge it every 2 weeks with very heavy reading or even 2 months with light reading (~20 mins a day)
I use a Kobo with Calibre! I use it for fiction and theory alike.
I got the color one for my daughter who can’t stop reading manga, and we have no more shelves to put physical books. Calibre want super intuitive, and I edited the series name, but the kobo still didn’t group things correctly, but it got sorted. Over all a high recommend
Yep! I used to go years without reading any books, now I’ve gone to reading 30-50 a year. Huge improvement for me!
Same here, its very nice. I got one with the forwards and backwards buttons, which I really like.
Same! It’s a game-changer for me, I don’t block the screen by holding it and I love the tactile feedback!
I use a Lenovo M9 tablet and Readera as an e-reader and Smart Audiobook player and am very happy with it. Both apps are free without ads but also have a paid version with a couple extra features. I hop on wifi and connect to calbre-web download all the books I want and then turn wifi off for maximum privacy
I was on your point 4 years ago. After some research, I’m using Kobo + Calibre-web with Kobo Sync integration:
https://brandonjkessler.com/technology/2021/04/26/setup-kobo-sync-in-calibre-web.html
im still amazed the e-ink so expensive. you can get an androiud table for 40 quid.
Oof, I get you about eInk, but how crappy is that tablet?
It would last about a week if you’re careful ! The whole thing, not the battery !
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 don’t have experience with any readers until recently. Did some research and went with. Kobo colour. It has met expectations and I’m using it with no issue.
I wanted physical buttons.
I didn’t want an Amazon device.
I have a Kobo sage and its pretty good. Just avoid the color ones.
Why avoid color ones? I have Clara Colour, works great with Koreader firmware…
iirc, they are a bit more geared to selling you stuff, and the screens are sometimes a bit dodgy.
Yeah, kobo is what I’m planning on upgrading too.
PineNote (Pine 64) or reMarkable (Pro if you have budget, 2 or even 1 otherwise)
Both work on Linux proper, the reMarkable comes with Linux out of the box whereas PineNote comes with Android but one can install Linux on it.
They are mostly to sketch but it is also good to read. You can pretty much use whatever you want on them, including developing your own software. I don’t know if they have Calibre clients because whats I do is… just
scpmy ePubs or PDFs on there.Here are my tinkering notes on both https://fabien.benetou.fr/Tools/Eink but feel free to ask any clarification.
PS: the Bookeen Diva also does not require any software, namely you can plug it on Linux, it gets detected as a filesystem and you can copy DRM-free content on it. It’s a totally different form factor (much smaller so IMHO not great for comics) and I don’t think there is the same open-source community as the other 2.
Also a good moment to clarify that DRM sucks, but as a user, or even a consumer, you don’t have to be worry of them (at least technically) because it’s trivial to remove. For example you can use this super convenient script https://pypi.org/project/DeGourou/ to straight up download content that should in theory be “just” for you. The online public library I use, namely https://www.lirtuel.be/ does offer ePub and PDF so I was overjoy… only to realize they meant with DRM. As I had already registered and was honestly pissed at them for not disclosing it from the start I tried DeGourou and… it just worked and is very convenient (you just give it the .acsm then it downloads and remove the DRM, so you get a proper file after). So… yeah, obviously don’t buy any DRM content if you don’t have to but if somehow you must, it’s not that big a deal technically speaking.
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.
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.You can de-DRM books purchased from the Kobo store, I do it frequently. Use Apprentice Alf tools in Calibre.
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.
I use my (likely knockoff) Kobo that I got cheap from a shady online shop. Adding EPUBs is so damn easy.
Kobo. Simple as that. 😊
