Print or eBook? How about both? It's all reading, folks!

I'm amazed at the numbers of readers who get all upset about eReaders, and declaring that they will never switch from print books. Yeesh!

There was a recent piece in HuffPost, about using eReaders, and many of the comments were from people who said they'd never give up their print books. I'm thinking, 'So, don't.' I don't see anyone trying to pry a print book from anyone's fingers. Stick with print books, but know there's a place for both print, and eBooks. 

It's all reading, folks! No matter whether on a Tab, or an exclusive eReading device, or yes, a print book. Every method of reading has its place. Using an eReader or Tab app allows for making print larger for those who have difficulty with small print. Using an eReader or Tab app makes it easy to take lots of books when traveling. And, yes, it's nice to be able to sit with a real book, sometimes.

In the end, it's all about reading, and these days, there are multiple ways to read. We should celebrate that. As an author, I don't care how readers want to read my books, but I'm glad my readers have all the options.

Happy Reading,

Wil

Bought a Tablet and want to read eBooks?

Tablet + eBooks = reading made simple. 

Truly, an equation that does work.  I learned this important fact about six months ago, and I only wish I’d bought the Tab earlier. But, more importantly, I’m really glad I didn’t buy a proprietary eReader.

In fact, I’d looked at Kindles when they first came out. Then I looked at Nook, and Kobo readers. I looked at ‘no name’ readers. But, I didn’t buy, as I found some issues.

Proprietary eReaders = Different formats = Bad

One of the problems with buying a proprietary eReader is the issue of reading other formats. Okay, so if you only buy eBooks on Amazon, and you have a Kindle, that’s not a problem. But, if you like to shop around to find eBooks, that is a problem. In my case, I’ve been buying eBooks and reading them on my laptop since 2007, so I have the additional problem that some of my eBooks cannot be read on a Kindle, or on a Nook, or whatever.

One other problem I’ve heard of, but not personally experienced, is the issue of books that disappear from a Kindle or Nook or whatever, because they’ve been ‘unpublished’ somehow. Now, for me, that stinks (and I’m being polite here). If I buy something, I want to keep it for as long as I want.

Reading on a Tablet

How does this work? Easy:

1. Put an eReading app on your Tablet. I use FB Reader for Android, and highly recommend it, for ease of use. (It presents all book formats with no conversion necessary.)
2. Buy your eBooks at Amazon, or the Apple iTunes Bookstore, or at B&N, or at Kobo, or at Smashwords, or at any other fine eBook (online) retailer. I use my computer to do this.
3. Download the books from the retailer into your computer. Make a backup copy on your backup drive, as you do for all important data.
4. Transfer the eBooks from your computer to your Tablet.
5.  Start reading, and enjoy.

new version of FB Reader for Android Tablet

Three days ago, I did a short piece about using my android tablet to read eBooks. Now there is a new version of FB Reader for Android, the very app I use for my Tab. It reads Mobi (Kindle) and ePub (Nook) formats perfectly. It's performed really well for me, and the new version simply fixes a couple of bugs that I didn't even notice.

If you're considering the Nook or the Kindle, I suggest getting an inexpensive Tablet instead. I did. With the FB Reader app, it does a great job of reading eBooks, plus many more things as well.

Happy Reading,

Wil

the competition continues: Kindle vs. Nook

Yet another view, on HuffPostBooks, about which is better: Kindle or Nook.  The writer of the piece seems to go with the Kindle, essentially because the Amazon online bookstore is better than Barnes & Noble's.  Now, I think the comments about Amazon's online bookstore being better than the B&N version are valid, but that's only part of the story.  

Anyone looking for a reading device ought to look at tablets.  I just picked up my first one a couple of months ago, and I'm really happy.  Now I have one device that can read plus do many other online-related activities. The available android apps allow me to read 'Mobi' (Kindle) files from Amazon, or ePub files from B&N.  Now it doesn't matter where I buy the books, and I do check out a few different online bookstores to see what's new.  

What also impressed me was the very reasonable price of the Tab that I bought.  It was not all that much more than a top of the line Kindle or Nook. It's a great multi-purpose machine, and it does a great job as a reader.  What more is there to want?  Okay, well, maybe some really good books to read on it.  Umm, I do like mine...

Happy Reading, 

Wil