Best eReaders

[hcour]

I've been using a Fire Tablet for a couple of years. My sister bought me a new ipad for Christmas which I'll get in a few days One of the things I use my tablet for the most is reading books. I use a program called Prestigio, which does not have an ios version. I only read in landscape mode and prefer dual pages and I need good annotation capabilities. I would like to have a nice looking bookshelf. And of course basics like font choices, text size, and a dark reading mode (black background with white or yellow text). I've read good things about FBReader. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[twerppoet]

The include Books app is pretty good. Looks decent, can do notes, highlights, and bookmarks, though the options for PDF's are more limited. It can import non-DRM ePub books from other sellers (which are usually available from most third party ebook sellers).

Amazon's Kindle app is also decent. It has a few a few more features, but the UI isn't quite as nice. Importing is also possible, though you have to use an Amazon provided email to do so. It is less convenient in my opinion. It also does not support ePub, but it does support a couple of other non-DRM formats that are usually available. I can't remember what they are at the moment.

Both apps offer a landscape two page reading mode. I also prefer this.

I prefer using the Books app when I can, and it costs you nothing to try it. Besides Apple's iBooks store, I often import books from other sellers, mostly Baen Books.

Despite this, I end up using the Kindle app more often. This is because I pay for the Kindle Unlimited plan. While the selection of books is far from premium, I can read a lot of decent entertainment books each month for a lot less money. It's a way of keeping myself entertained when I don't have a specific subject or title in mind.

There are a lot of other apps, none of which I've tried lately, but these two are free to download and try, and both have huge libraries to experiment with; including most of the Gutenberg library of copyright expired books; which are free.

As for PDF's, they are best annotated by a dedicated PDF app. I use Documents by Readdle for most, and Notability for study/notetaking.

 

[hcour]

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to use the Books app. I import my epub books via a WiFI Transfer app from my desktop computer to my ipad. I then put them in a folder I created appropriately named "Books". However, nowhere in the Books ipad app or settings can I find any way to access that folder to get to those books. What am I missing here? Thanks.

 

[Jupiter7]

If you go to the book you want to read in the Files App, you can tap the share button which will give you the option to open it in the Books App.

 

[twerppoet]

The Books app does not support opening books from other locations. You need to import the book into the app. You can do it through the Files app, as Jupiter describes. You can also use the Share options to import a file into books when available. This can be in Safari, Mail, Files, and other apps. Not all of them though. The file has to be the actual eBub, not a link to the file like you often run into on web sites.

If you open an ePub in Safari after downloading it, the book will import and open in Books.

Note: The Safari Downloads folder lives in the Files app, or locally depending on what you have it set for in Safari's settings.

Most file transfer apps have the ability to send files directly to Photos. Some can do this for Books as well. Check and see.