Books on tablet.

[malt25]

G'day all.

Some info, advice please. I'm thinking of purchasing a tablet or similar to access books, novels. Unfortunately no English books available near where we live.

I'm a bit of an IT ignoramus. Can drive my laptop & mobile ok, but that's about as far as it goes. So, please keep replies in "Dummies Understand Mode" please.

1. What should I be looking at ? A tablet of some sort ? My mobile is Samsung, but I guess others are as good.

2. For reading material, books, novels, do I purchase individually or some sort of membership ?

3. Are there any free sites to access books ?

4. Beside accessing reading material, I'd use whatever device I purchase for when travelling, instead of carting my largish laptop about. Main use would be e-mailing & Googling.

5. Can such devices be used as a mobile phone ?

I'm sure there's plenty of info on Google, but I'd appreciate some personal advice from anyone who's happy with what they are using.

Thanks in anticipation..... Cheers..... Mal.

[RCR]

I started off with a Sony Reader when they first came out. Tried an i-pad. Moved onto an 7 inch Samsung. Finally, I've been happy with a Sony Xperia x4 with 11 inch screen. With advances in Android tablets, the arguments in favour of dedicated ebook readers (crisper screens and long battery life) no longer hold true.

I normally download torrents of books (currently re-reading John Le Carre's collection). There's also one or two pirate websites that specialize in free ebooks. (ebookee). I have been collecting ebooks on subjects that interest me since 2010. I now have approximately 18,000 of them (66GB) mostly downloaded for free. I don't expect to run out of reading matter soon! When I travel I carry my entire library with me on a portable hard disk and only have about 50 copied onto my tablet.

I buy the occasional kindle book from Amazon and download it to my desktop and then run it through the "Kindle DRM Removal" program and convert it to epub format using the "Calibre"program. (Calibre allows you to change the cover art and left align the text. Epub is more portable then kindle formats). Then I plug my Sony into a USB port on my desktop and drag and drop the ebook file. On my Sony I use the paid for version of Mantano Reader app as it handles both epub and pdf formats. With an 11 inch screen a pdf displays at almost its native size and it's perfectly readable.

The Sony can be used as a phone but I don't - it's too clumsy a size and I don't normally carry a phone anyway.

BELOW - List of books I've downloaded this month, showing the variety available:

Edited June 24, 2016 by RCR

[malt25]

Thanks for that RCR, very much appreciated.

[RCR]

I started off with a Sony Reader when they first came out. Tried an i-pad. Moved onto an 7 inch Samsung. Finally, I've been happy with a Sony Xperia x4 with 11 inch screen. With advances in Android tablets, the arguments in favour of dedicated ebook readers (crisper screens and long battery life) no longer hold true.

UMMM - I mean Sony Xperia Z4 with ten inch screen.

[malt25]

I started off with a Sony Reader when they first came out. Tried an i-pad. Moved onto an 7 inch Samsung. Finally, I've been happy with a Sony Xperia x4 with 11 inch screen. With advances in Android tablets, the arguments in favour of dedicated ebook readers (crisper screens and long battery life) no longer hold true.

UMMM - I mean Sony Xperia Z4 with ten inch screen.

Ahhh ! That's a bit easier to find. Thanks.

[Lefty]

An easy way is to purchase a i-pad or Android tablel and download Amazon's kindle reader.Books will cost $0.00 on download to your computer take less than one minute.Many free books available on Kindle..Very easiey to download.

Lefty

[katana]

Calibre (open source, free) is good software for organising your books and even reading them on your computer screen.

https://www.calibre-ebook.com/

Edited June 25, 2016 by katana

[malt25]

Good morning all.

A BIG thank you for all the info & advice, especially the PM's.

I've decided to take a different path than e-books.

I've been fortunate enough to be introduced to DASA used book shop in Bangkok. Enormous selection of books at very reasonable prices.

I've already placed my first order. Their service, so far, has been excellent.

Thanks again.

Cheers..... Mal.

[Gary A]

I tried a tablet. For one thing, it was too heavy. The killer was the battery life. No way would I give up my Kindle Paper White. It is light and can do anything the tablet can do with much better battery life, even using the back light in the dark. I like it so well that I had a friend bring me a spare just in case. I read in bed every night.

I thought I would have a difficult time giving up paperbacks but my eyes have gotten too bad and I just can't see the print well enough. The Kindle can make the text as large as I want.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Gary A

[thaihome]

I tried a tablet. For one thing, it was too heavy. The killer was the battery life. No way would I give up my Kindle Paper White. It is light and can do anything the tablet can do with much better battery life, even using the back light in the dark. I like it so well that I had a friend bring me a spare just in case. I read in bed every night.

I thought I would have a difficult time giving up paperbacks but my eyes have gotten too bad and I just can't see the print well enough. The Kindle can make the text as large as I want.

I used a Kindle for years and loved it. Last year I was given a Galaxy Tab A tablet. Was a bit sceptical at first, but with the kindle reader for android I now love it. Main reason was I can now read a book and easily switch over to chrome and browse the Internet in color. The Tab A is a bit bigger and heavier then the kindle and battery life is terrible but I just charge it every night and with the cover I don't have to hold it to read.

I still periodically think about buying a new kindle, but just hate to give up the Internet access on the same device.

TH

[dddave]

For people who read for shorter periods at a time, one to two hours or so, a tablet or large "phablet" can be fine. though a 9"+ tablet can get really heavy after 30 minutes. Dedicated readers such as the Kindles are best for those who like to spend an entire afternoon or evening with a good read...much easier on the eyes. I also like the ability to increase the type size as my eyes tire.

Like those posting before me, I find Calibre to be an essential tool. Some great videos on YouTube on how to use it.

I agree with the OP that time spent at Dasa Books (Sukhumvit, between Soi's 26 & 28 Phrom Phung) is time well spent. He maintains an excellent and very complete online catalog and if he has the book I want, I'd much rather buy it there than download it. Mail order available: [email protected]

www.dasabookcafe.com

Edited June 27, 2016 by dddave

[ev1lchris]

Google has Play Books and has many free classics available.

I use a Nexus 7 2013 and it's great for books. Any basic Android tablet should do you good.

[Lannig]

I do agree that there's nothing like e-ink readers. I have a Kindle Paperwhite too, it's been given to me as a present when I used to read e-books on an Android tablet and I would never, ever think of going back. It's incomparably more comfortable, especially to my 50+ yo eyes.

[Gary A]

I doubt that I'll live long enough to go through all my e-books. I have about 4,000 books in Calibre. I have been thinning out my paperback books by inviting friends to take whatever they want. I don't like to use reading glasses in bed. I'm also a big fan of audio books. I have belonged to Audible book club for a number of years. $22.95 a month for two books, expensive, but they often have good promotions. Maybe $5.95 per book. Audio books are great when driving on long trips. I'm not an Apple fan but the little iPod is great and plugs into my car or truck entertainment systems.

[Lannig]

Yes, audio books are great on long journeys driving on my own.

Beats listening music or even talk radio to keep me awake.

We have a radio channel here in France that broadcasts audio books late at night during summer. I carefully record them (digitally) and play them from an USB thumb driver in my car or from my Android phone (sorry couldn't resist ) that plugs just as well into the car's audio.

[guzzi850m2]

I never tried an audio book but sounds like something to do one day.

Yes paperwhite is very very good, I sometimes read until the vee hours in the bedroom and my wife is very happy the lights is out when I read.

Nothing however replaces a real book I think and I have a huge collection in my house and a expat neighbor and I go hunting in each other book collections but strictly gives them back when read.

The problem with real books are the humid air, don't do them any good at all, so having real expensive collectors books here will need special care or they will be destroyed.

I miss the hunt for real book so much sometimes that I still go book hunting in bookstores and sometimes buy when they got some good offers.

[Aussie69]

I never tried an audio book but sounds like something to do one day

.

Oh you must try audiobooks. A good narrator can really add to the story with dramatic reading, or having the author themself read the book to you adds another dimension.

[petedk]

I never tried an audio book but sounds like something to do one day

.

Oh you must try audiobooks. A good narrator can really add to the story with dramatic reading, or having the author themself read the book to you adds another dimension.

Sounds interesting.

Do you recommend any good websites for audio books?

[vanillalatte]

Malt25!I am afraid,posters here scared you?

It is much more easy,then you think.

You can have your 2nd hand books,but you may try googlebooks as well,without any investments.

You have comp and Samsung mobile?do you have gmail address?Ad it into Samsung accounts as google account.

go to google play,give them credit/debit card,click on books,browse - chose your book,click and READ.

so easy!

you need to keep your gmail password ready during payment.Free books have price "0.00$" but you still need card to get them

If you decide to buy tablet - look for device with high resolution screen - FullHD at least,but better - so called retina.

Personally - I prefer e-readers:Kindle or Kobo,they are very handy,small,easy on eyes and light;2weeks work on one charge,you can read it anywhere.

Cheers!

[THAIPHUKET]

I like audio books. Is there a site with on average excellent orators?

[kkerry]

I like audio books. Is there a site with on average excellent orators?

If you don't mind paying, then Audible is the best site. All their books are professionally narrated. It is rare to get an audio book these days that isn't professionally and entertainingly read.

[THAIPHUKET]

I don't mind paying for quality. Thanks for replying

[AlexRRR]

Ipad has Ibook which is Apples version of Kindle, i have Kindle on my iPad as well, both Ibook and kindle offer free books to download, with Apple you will need an Apple account which you set up at the start when personalising your new iPad.

I have downloaded books in torrent sites on to my pc then trough iTunes transferred into Ibook on iPad.

I would imagine and i soon will find out as i have Samsung tablet as well that its also possible to move download books on to it possible on to a folder, the Tab works similar to windows it seems so i out it will be hard.

[Aussie69]

I never tried an audio book but sounds like something to do one day

.

Oh you must try audiobooks. A good narrator can really add to the story with dramatic reading, or having the author themself read the book to you adds another dimension.

Sounds interesting.

Do you recommend any good websites for audio books?

There are a few good pay/subscription services, such as Audible.com (owned by Amazon), iTunes, etc but these cost. These services generally have their own apps.

There are hundreds of free Audiobook sites (such as librivox.org, audiobooks.org, allyoucanbooks.com) but these are usually limited to public domain books. Just do a Google search and assess options. Of course bittorrent is an enormous source of audio books if your conscious allows.

Audio books are simply mp3 or m4a audio files, so can be played via any media software, but iTunes/GooglePlaystore have many audio book specific apps, some of these have in-built links to public domain sources.

[petedk]

I never tried an audio book but sounds like something to do one day

.

Oh you must try audiobooks. A good narrator can really add to the story with dramatic reading, or having the author themself read the book to you adds another dimension.

Sounds interesting.

Do you recommend any good websites for audio books?

There are a few good pay/subscription services, such as Audible.com (owned by Amazon), iTunes, etc but these cost. These services generally have their own apps.

There are hundreds of free Audiobook sites (such as librivox.org, audiobooks.org, allyoucanbooks.com) but these are usually limited to public domain books. Just do a Google search and assess options. Of course bittorrent is an enormous source of audio books if your conscious allows.

Audio books are simply mp3 or m4a audio files, so can be played via any media software, but iTunes/GooglePlaystore have many audio book specific apps, some of these have in-built links to public domain sources.

I don't mind paying for quality books.

Thanks for the info

[Gary A]

Audible.com has a huge selection or books and they frequently have specials to sweeten paying $22.95 a month for two books. The problem is their encryption. A regular MP3 or MP4 player is not compatible with their format. That's why I ended up buying an iPod. Audible lists compatible players and I looked all over Thailand trying to find one on their lists. I'm still not crazy about iTunes but after a lot of trying and fiddling, I am able to get the books on the iPod. Yes, some smart phones will work but it is a hassle and the downloads to the phone are huge. Downloading to your computer is a different format and the downloads are much smaller. I can't tell any quality difference. Another good thing is that they have a no questions asked refund policy. If you don't like a book, they will credit your account. I have returned several. They keep track of everything you have bought and warn you if you try to buy one that is already in your library. I have hundreds in my library so that is a nice feature.

[HooHaa]

i pobably read about 200+ books per year on my samsung A8.

moon reader pro is well worth the money, and the free version is very good as well.

books can easily be torrented, search for titles in epub format or mobi, moon reader renders both very well.

moon reader also syncs all devices via drop box, so i can read on my phone and when i open tablet, it takes me to my last reading position.

only downside is when i fall asleep reading in the tub.

[HooHaa]

For people who read for shorter periods at a time, one to two hours or so, a tablet or large "phablet" can be fine. though a 9"+ tablet can get really heavy after 30 minutes. Dedicated readers such as the Kindles are best for those who like to spend an entire afternoon or evening with a good read...much easier on the eyes. I also like the ability to increase the type size as my eyes tire.

Like those posting before me, I find Calibre to be an essential tool. Some great videos on YouTube on how to use it.

I agree with the OP that time spent at Dasa Books (Sukhumvit, between Soi's 26 & 28 Phrom Phung) is time well spent. He maintains an excellent and very complete online catalog and if he has the book I want, I'd much rather buy it there than download it. Mail order available: [email protected]

www.dasabookcafe.com

agreed, my 8 inch tablet is the perfect compromise i think, anything bigger is just clumsy.

[Aussie69]

There are also sites such as http://audiobookradio.net/ that stream audio books, typically serialized, but of course you must listed at the time they broadcast.

[THAIPHUKET]

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! I like the randomness discovering something which you probably you would have never selected if you had had a choice.