this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2025
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Tangent, but I have had an incredibly poor experience getting a library eBook onto a kindle. Libby gives out time restricted epubs - fair enough, I am actually borrowing the book, that makes sense. Kindle, despite being the "goto" ereader, and epubs being a standard format, cannot read them.
So, despite wanting to legitimately borrow and read the book, instead I am borrowing and DeDRM'ing it (which is its own convoluted process).
Why is Amazon pushing so hard for piracy? Its one thing to make their store easier to use, but breaking all other valid use cases just leaves the one remaining option...
I have a kobo ereader, it connects to my local library through the overdrive system and I am soooo happy.
Yeah, definitely considering that as a replacement.
Seconding their enthusiasm. I love my Kobo Libra Color.
I have owned 5 kobos over time, and just love them.
This one is my second but the first one is still working fine many years later. I just wanted color.
How is the color? I've been told it makes the screen less sharp, is it noticeable? I kinda want one, been using a tablet for comics lately and it's nowhere near as good at night.
The color is a trade-off. It looks more or less like newsprint: a little faded, but still capable of some lively imagery. It also means that black and white pages aren’t as high-contrast. The “white” parts (that are really never fully white on any e-paper display) are a little less white, meaning it’s not as sharp and you’re more likely to need to turn on the backlight or to turn it up a couple percent.
I’m not too bothered by the trade-offs, and I like it when I can see things in color. It lasts ages even with the backlight on low, so that’s not a major problem. It also includes pen support and USB-C, so all in all I’m perfectly happy with it.
I got a Kobo about a year ago (Libra Color) it is just great. The kobo store keeps having sales on books I want for $2 so as much as I intended to use the overdrive connectivity, I just keep buying books on it!
Which is the right way to do it, make the ereader work properly, and then make the store so attractive that you use it anyway.
I think this explains why Amazon is locking down their books and making libraries non-portable. There is more competition
That's what they want. If you don't agree don't get a kindle.
They list EPUB as a supported format. Nothing on their site says DRM EPUB doesnt work.
Amazon is full of shit. EPUBs only work by using send-to-Kindle which converts it to a file that works (either AZW3 or KFX. Despite the misinformation, EPUBs do not work on Kindle, except if you jailbreak, as you can then use KOReader to read them natively.
That last point is salient, as it means the hardware supports the format just fine. Amazon intentionally does not directly support EPUBs in their software.
Really? I’ve never had an issue. Libby sends me directly to Amazon to “check out” the book, so I don’t have to upload it to the Kindle manually.
Apparently for america, it works relatively seamlessly, but the rest of the world doesnt. No idea why, but that is what my brief research told me.
Ah, gotcha. That sucks.
Amazon and Kindle have always been upfront about only supporting their proprietary format and people just chose to ignore it.
Never had any trouble with my Nook.
I dont think that is true at all. They describe it as an e-reader and its reasonable to assume that that means it can read e-books. They even list EPUB on the supported formats section of the specs. No caveat there about only partially supporting EPUB.
I transitioned from a Kindle to an iPad. It just works better and you can get refurbished older iPads with an excellent ~~OLED~~ screen and warranty for less than a new Kindle in most cases.
The only iPads with OLED screens are the current generation of iPad Pro with the M4 chip. Every other iPad is an LCD screen (very good LCD, with deep blacks and very good local dimming, but still LCD).
Ah. I thought Retina was marketing speak for OLED. I stand corrected.
Retina is marketing speak for “pixels small enough to be individually indistinguishable by the human eye at proper viewing distances.”
For anyone stumbling along. "Retina display" is their marketing speak for higher pixel density than "average".
Yeah but the goal of a ereader is to not have to read on a normal screen but on something that look more like paper
Oh, you mean paperwhite ereaders. You can get those too. Android based.
(Pedantry incoming)
Paperwhite is actually Amazon branding. E-Ink is a brand as well, owned by the E Ink Corporation. The generic name would be electronic paper or e-paper.
Edit: Clarity.
Not entirely true. E-ink is trademarked by the e-ink company, sole manufacturer of e-ink displays.
https://trademarks.justia.com/788/55/e-78855402.html
That part isn’t Amazon-related.
I meant its branding, not Amazon owned, I should clear that up though it is misleading as written.