Which ereader software is the best?

[scarletknight96]

I have been using mobipocket. Is there another ereader that is better out there?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

There's really no such thing as best - I use quite a few for the simple reason that quite a few of the books I read are only available in one or the other format. Mobipocket is pretty decent because you can read (non-DRM) eReader files with it as well, which is more than can be said for most ebook programs. Gowerpoint's uBook is supposed to be pretty good too, though I don't like the interface.

[jlp]

...
Gowerpoint's uBook is supposed to be pretty good too, though I don't like the interface.

I just love Gowerpoint's uBook - as always a matter of personal prefs.

With it you really feel like you're using a paper book: it displays a nice light beige background that simulates paper, besides ebooks you can view RTF files (and probably Pocket Word files too; haven't tried that specifically; RTF files yes), you can even open any directory and view pictures like it was on a paper album. You can also zoom and pan images.

There are quite a few settings to make it suit your taste and you can even use different skins if a paper like background is not to your liking. About a dozen are available on the author's site.

It's a must try... (http://www.gowerpoint.com/)

[Nurhisham Hussein]

...besides ebooks you can view RTF files (and probably Pocket Word files too; haven't tried that specifically; RTF files yes), you can even open any directory and view pictures like it was on a paper album.


Yeah, it can even read zipped archives! I still don't like the interface though. :wink:

You can also zoom and pan images.

I wish uBook was better optimised for speed here - the pan and zoom are really slow, and very cumbersome to use. I actually found image editors better for reading text/pictures in image formats.

[Steve Jordan]

I've decided to avoid MS Reader as much as possible. It might have to do with my aging PPC running 2003 software, but when I try to read eReader files on MS Reader, the reader shuts off, and shuts down my PPC, after just a few minutes. It also has the annoying problem of getting stuck in pagedown mode, and occasionally I have to helplessly watch page after page scroll by... until eReader and my PPC shut down again!

I now convert my .lit files using ConvertLit, and read them on Mobipocket.

[Jorgen]

read eReader files on MS Reader

How do you get MS Reader to read eReader files??? Do you have a bad link for your PDB files?

All PDB files I click on in the filemanager go into iSilo, so I read eReader files by starting the eReader software.

My choices:

iSilo reader: fastest, good user interface, best compression of all, can do illustrations, good conversion software etc. etc. This is my favourite reader which i have used since it was called ToGo.

MS Reader: Slow and with bad user interface, but the books are presented unbelievably well. Good-looker in other words and I like it. However, it seems to grasp loads of memory and then become slow at least on my 2000 and 2002(?) devices.

eReader: Looks good too but I only read eReader files in it. The conversion software at least used to be very limited, so I stopped using it.

I have not used MobiPocket for years but it was quite nice.

GowerPoint never looked good on my HP-548 and 568 screens (I have not tried it on my latest PPC) and has the worst userinterface I have ever seen. I have tried to learn to like it as I would love to keep all my books as zipped and read them directly to avoid having to store two formats (zip and iSilo format, for exampel). However, I have not tried it for years and won't until they change the UI.

Acrobat is not an ebook reader, but a printing format. No bookmarks either unless they have implemented them in later versions.

[Janak Parekh]

I have been using mobipocket. Is there another ereader that is better out there?
As others have mentioned, it's a matter of personal taste. I've found that, after ditching Microsoft Reader for its poor recent releases, Mobipocket is my favorite. The UI is simple, the reader tool is very fast, and it works well in any resolution and orientation Pocket PC. Plus, there's a Smartphone version available for the times when I had a Smartphone. Finally, it works well with my favorite ebook site, FictionWise (www.fictionwise.com). :) Their DRM is manageable, too.

--janak

[Steve Jordan]

How do you get MS Reader to read eReader files??? Do you have a bad link for your PDB files?

Sorry about that, I was being careless in my wording... I meant I was having trouble with .lit files for MS Reader. And as you pointed out, I'm sure it's the memory-hogging that forces my PPC to shut down (the MS Media Player does exactly the same thing).

I've been reading my last .lit book in a converted format for Mobipocket. It reads fine, though I wish I could see an easy way to remove old bookmarks.

[BoxWave]

i'm a fan of isilo as well.

[Steve Jordan]

Next time I convert out of .lit, I may resave it for iSilo.

[BoxWave]

very good sir.

[Steve Jordan]

Box (Can I call you Box?), you mentioned you've done some writing. Do you convert any of your material to e-books? Just curious.

[dh]

I've always bought my books in Microsoft format and converted them to Mobipocket.

This paid dividends when I used the Zaurus as my main device. There is a fantastic reader for Linux called Opie Reader that worked perfectly with the Mobipocket files. The combination of VGA screen and Opie Reader was my best ever ebook experience.

Mobipocket on the PPC is still pretty good though.

[Steve Jordan]

I've been quizzing people here (and on other sites) about preferred formats, seeing as how I've been selling for a year, and wanted to evaluate my choices of available formats. After due consideration, I've decided the following about my e-book formats:

Beginning <whenever I get round to it>, I will be releasing my e-books in formats for eReader/unformatted PDB, iSilo, Mobipocket, and MS Reader. I will drop the Adobe Reader PDF format, and replace it with Rich Text Format.

Making RTF available will mean anyone interested can use that to create any preferred format (including PDF) that I have not provided, with their own software. Although I have made a few PDF sales, I know that most people, including computer novices, have the software and know-how to convert a document into PDF, and can use the RTF file with minimum instructions.

I am also aware that, although many e-readers read PDF files, every one seems to have a slightly different optimum sizing for its screen, and varied support for tagging/reflowing. Therefore, allowing the consumer to convert from RTF to PDF allows them to size the PDF to their preference.

I do plan to re-release my existing novels in RTF format as well, and will start with this before I release any new novels.

For the record, I am continuing to evaluate other formats for future use (such as OEBPS), and will make adjustments as the market dictates.

[Jorgen]

RTF is a great idea. I can then easily make them into iSilo or Reader format from that.

And new novels sounds even better! :)

[dMores]

yeah, new novels !

any chance of us meeting Alain Guest in future works?