3 the reason why I favor Kobo over Kindle

I was a agency Kindle supporter. Granted, that was largely as a result of I solely discovered about Kobo gadgets a little bit over a 12 months in the past. Even nonetheless, I might used varied Kindle devices for thus lengthy that I assumed they had been the best way to go — I assumed they supplied the most effective of the whole lot relating to e-reader performance.

Then, final 12 months, I had the prospect to evaluation a Kobo (a now discontinued mannequin, the Libra 2). Surprisingly, I discovered myself switching sides. I used to be rather more drawn to the Kobo gadget, and regardless that I’ve entry to each (my husband makes use of a Kindle), I nonetheless favor selecting up my Kobo over the Kindle. This is why.

1 Higher integration with library apps

I favor to get my books without cost

I learn so much. Not almost as a lot as some, granted, however sufficient that purchasing each ebook I learn all year long can be very costly. Additionally, I wish to help my native library. So, I a lot favor to take a look at books as an alternative of buying them. It is a win-win.

Most libraries in america use OverDrive for his or her book platforms, permitting you to take a look at ebooks very similar to you’d try bodily books (although with out the trouble of bodily going to the library). Kobo and Kindle can help you learn OverDrive books, although Kindle does not make it very straightforward. You both want to make use of the OverDrive app on a special gadget or the Kindle internet browser to open the OverDrive website. Then, once you discover a ebook, you want to choose “Learn now with Kindle,” which can redirect you to the Amazon web site for much more steps earlier than you get to studying. Plus, some OverDrive titles aren’t appropriate with Kindles in any respect, so you’ve got a extra restricted choice.

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How to get free books on your Kindle and Fire tablet without buying from Amazon

When you’ve got a ebook dependancy like I do, studying can get costly. However now I snag most of ebooks without cost — and nonetheless get to learn them on my Kindle.

Kobo e-readers, however, include OverDrive baked in and able to use. Once you seek for a ebook on the gadget, you may decide to solely show choices from OverDrive. Checking a ebook out is so simple as choosing “Borrow with OverDrive” on a person ebook web page. There is no pulling up a browser or utilizing a special gadget and no multi-step course of involving a number of web sites or platforms. Utilizing OverDrive on a Kobo is as seamless as shopping for a ebook from the Kobo retailer.

Moreover, for those who reside in a special nation or your library makes use of a special platform, you are out of luck on Kindle gadgets. For instance, though many Canadian libraries use OverDrive, you can’t examine them out on Kindle gadgets as a result of the settlement between OverDrive and Amazon is restricted to the United States. Likewise, some libraries in america have switched to CloudLibrary, which is incompatible with Kindle gadgets.

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How to get free books on your ereader

Whether or not you employ a Kindle, Kobo, or Boox, you will get free books in your gadget by means of most native libraries.

2 A extra open and versatile ecosystem

You are not caught with Amazon

Past checking books out from a library, each Kindle and Kobo provide their very own on-line shops with thousands and thousands of ebooks. For Kindles, that is the Amazon retailer, and you will be restricted to only that. You’ll be able to’t plug your Kindle into a pc or switch recordsdata by way of a wired connection to side-load recordsdata. You should use the Ship To Kindle platform, however the file format help is extra restricted than that of Kobos.

Kobo gadgets, just like the Kobo Sage, help a variety of file codecs, together with EPUB, MOBI, PDF, CBZ, and CBR Comedian Ebook codecs. These can all be side-loaded utilizing a wired connection or cloud sync on the premium Kobo fashions. That provides you extra flexibility so as to add books, papers, and different content material not from Amazon. Plus, you may even side-load customized fonts on Kobo, permitting you to customise your Kobo greater than you may on Kindle. I am an Android person, which ought to inform you that I worth flexibility and customization; it seems that it additionally carries over to e-readers.

3 Bodily web page flip buttons

Extra choices for shifting to the following web page

​​​​​​​ At one level, Amazon supplied an uneven e-reader with bodily page-turn buttons (the Oasis). It discontinued that gadget, although; now, none of Amazon’s choices present page-turn buttons. Not all Kobo gadgets do, however some nonetheless use that asymmetrical design with buttons for turning pages, which I admire.

I do know these buttons aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, however I like having a bodily button to press to show the web page. The asymmetrical design makes it simpler to make use of the gadget one-handed, which I do so much. I usually maintain the gadget with my left hand (I am right-handed), so with out these buttons, I’ve to release my proper hand to faucet the far aspect of the show. Both that or I’ve to place it down to make use of my left hand on the proper aspect of the display screen. Each strategies are much less handy than merely urgent the button the place my thumb is already resting.