OUR DIFFERENCES
If you like reading ebooks, Kindle may be the best hardware option. It is just designed to be used as a reader. On the other hand, if you insist on using your Android device, there are apps to choose from. Basically, what is important is that the characters have to be readable, the scrolling should be fast enough, and it should not bother any processes in the background.
Here are some popular choices for an ebook reader on Android.
1. Amazon Kindle
The Kindle has an app and it is available on Google Play. It is the best hardware book reader, and it also happens to be the best ebook reader for Android. The main reason for this is the vast library available to the user. Not all of the books are for sale; Amazon also has plenty of classics free and readily available to the reader. A subscription also includes access to free ebooks, and to a catalog of freely available ebooks.
2. Kobo
Kobo is another hardware-based ebook reader. Although not as popular as Kindle in terms of sales, it does have its niche, and it is also quite popular. The Kobo app is also in the same situation as the hardware, it is not as popular as the Amazon Kindle app, but it offers more features. For one, besides the basic features of downloading books and then organizing them, it also follows your reading habits and will create a recommended books list.
3. Nook
Barnes & Nobles’ eBook reader Nook is represented in the Android (as well as in iOS). It has a large 4 million strong library, both paid and free books and publications. This is an app which allows for cross-platform synchronization. You can read from one device and continue with another.
4 Google Play Books
This is an app only option. However, since it is another Google Play app, it integrates well with Google Play. Google Play itself has a lot in its library and these are available for sale. Of course, there are also some ebooks available for free. A word of caution, do not go on a buying spree no matter how tempting.
5. Scribd
It has been described as a “Netflix for books,” as it has more than 500,000 books from more than 900 publishers. Some features of the app include customizable display, curated content, as well as reading recommendations. You can also download books for offline reading.
6. Overdrive
Overdrive is a form of library card to access books from participating libraries. Ebooks and audiobooks can be borrowed and returned at any time of the day or night. This seems like the future of the digital library.
7. Bluefire Reader
There are several ebook formats and not all these readers support all of these formats. Bluefire solves this problem by enabling the reading of EPUB and PDF files. It also supports annotations as well as Adobe Content Server DRM. What sets this apart is the ability to annotate passages, text search, as well as looking up definitions. You can also share excerpts with your friends and colleagues.
8. Moon+
The main selling point of Moon+ is that it is highly customizable. This is a feature which is much appreciated by a lot of readers. Font and sizes, backgrounds, paging, auto scroll, are just some of the things it can customize. The app is free, but if you plan to read PDF files, you would require the paid version.
9. FB Reader
A multi-format reader, the FB Reader, is also highly customizable. It supports the major ebook formats like EPUB and MOBI, as well as DOC, RTF, and HTML. PDFs require a plugin support. It also allows synchronization of materials. This is a free package with a large feature set.
10. Wattpad
More well known for its website, it also has an app. This is strictly speaking not just an ebook reader app. However, since the library has more than 75 million stories in different genres, from all around the world, it would be something that people would spend time to read.
The migration to the paperless office is not yet complete. However, the ebook reader market has moved on to Android devices, not just to dedicated hardware. This is an important consideration. Today’s list of ebook readers rely more on readability and the library. The larger the library, the better for the app.
If you are looking for books published traditionally, or by established authors, you would be better off reading ebooks in Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Google. If you would like to read what new authors are submitting on the internet, you can go to Wattpad and Scribd. There are surprises along the way, and the quality of writing may be uneven and hit or miss, but still refreshing.
Writing for publications has become simpler than ever before. Or to put it in another way, you can get self-published to go around the hassle of being a published author. The real trick is in knowing that your books is worth the money you want for it. In the same manner, even if the ebook readers are free, there are still personal preferences which readers watch out for. The above list of ebook readers features several which allow for customizing the screen to improve the reading experience.
Books are not dead, ebook readers are proof that people still read, and that dedicated people still write for their own pleasure.
