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All iPads Do you use Apple Books on your iPad? If so, why?
- Thread starter Infinitewisdom
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I won't support Amazon's book monopoly. And I actually like iPadOS Books. I'm now using it on an iPad mini 6 and the screen size is perfect in portrait for a single page at a time. The new Reading Focus is helpful too.
The best part is having all my eBooks in a single location with iCloud sync. I must be up to 200+ books at this point.
The best part is having all my eBooks in a single location with iCloud sync. I must be up to 200+ books at this point.
I've steered clear of buying Apple books and have stuck with Kindle - I own hundreds. I want to be able to use a Kindle e-reader or even an Android device as an option - I don't want to lock in on Apple for books.
Nope. Apple Books has too many limitations for me. One of my pet peeves being inability to disable the page turn animation. There's also DRM lock in. Apart from that, even DRM-free EPUBs on Apple Books can't be exported anywhere else (used to be possible with iTunes but Apple removed that capability).
Plus, I'm still salty from Apple paving the way for agency pricing (which pretty much killed a bunch of smaller ebook sellers).
I buy from Kobo, DeDRM and read on Marvin (alas, abandonware but still works fine for the most part).
Most of the books I buy are DRM free. You can just drag DRM free books from the Books browser to your desktop. They are in an .epub directory format that calibre doesn't seem to be able to read directly but the files are complete. I found a Mac eReader called Yomu that can read Apple's format and export to an .epub that calibre can read directly. I'm sure there is a plug-in for calibre that can do the same thing. If you open the directory and look at the .xhtml files you can see that they are DRM free.
Don't forget, Kindle books have DRM too and are locked in to the Kindle formats.
I use Pocketbook eReader on my iPad Mini 5 for my ebooks of all formats. I have a ton of books in different formats... kindle, epub, pdf, and cbz/cbr, and Pocketbook eReader handles them all.
I use my Mini 5 for distinct purposes.... an ereader is one of them and having Pocketbook makes it feel like a dedicated ereading device. A matte screen protector is icing on the cake.
I was able to convert a DRM free Apple Books .epub directory to a calibre format without a plug-in. The table of contents was messed up but the book was readable.
- In the sidebar in MacOS version of Books, under Library, click on Books.
- Select a DRM free book and drag it to the desktop.
- Right click on the .epub container and choose Show Package Contents
- Create a folder with the name of the book.
- Copy the files from the package to the new folder.
- Open calibre, Add books->Add from folders and sub-folders, click Yes
- Choose your copied folder and click the Open button
- Now there is a ZIP formatted ebook. Click on convert books. Convert from ZIP to EPUB. Click OK.
- Click on the created EPUB format.
I went to Apple Books 4-5 years ago and used Calibre <cough> to move all my books to Apple Books. Since then I've been using Apple Books exclusively. I did it because I didn't want to support Amazon's near monopoly on ebooks...
I regret it now. Why? Apple Books app is buggy, has a hard time remembering where you left off with vertical scroll, and ... most importantly, doesn't use the full screen space for text (like Kindle App and virtually every other app on iPhone/iPad) when you have a Pro Max. That and Kindle's Bookerly font is just so pleasant to read.
Apple Books needs an iPad to read on it comfortably (or a Mac). Kindle App has so many more features too.
I have 382 books at this point. I had about 185 on Amazon when I left it. So while I want to move back it would be pretty expensive (50-60 are read <cough>).
Nothing beats reading on an iPad tho. Absolutely enjoy it (iPad Pro 11).
Thoughts to consider. Amazon's library is larger. Amazon books are sometimes significantly cheaper. Amazon books look better (Bookerly font imo). Kindle app can be used on non-apple devices. But it's Amazon. Apple Books aren't bad, I've been using them for the last 4-5 years happily but it's Apple only and the Apple Books app seems to have stagnated when it comes to features over the last several iOS/Mac OS releases. (I've been asking for margin sizing for years via feature requests).
I'm probably stuck with Apple Books - and the syncing part is unbeatably great (when you get a DRM free book or PDF). Love the tallying of daily reading and books read over the years goals.
(I know Kindle has this too).
I regret it now. Why? Apple Books app is buggy, has a hard time remembering where you left off with vertical scroll, and ... most importantly, doesn't use the full screen space for text (like Kindle App and virtually every other app on iPhone/iPad) when you have a Pro Max. That and Kindle's Bookerly font is just so pleasant to read.
Apple Books needs an iPad to read on it comfortably (or a Mac). Kindle App has so many more features too.
I have 382 books at this point. I had about 185 on Amazon when I left it. So while I want to move back it would be pretty expensive (50-60 are read <cough>).
Nothing beats reading on an iPad tho. Absolutely enjoy it (iPad Pro 11).
Thoughts to consider. Amazon's library is larger. Amazon books are sometimes significantly cheaper. Amazon books look better (Bookerly font imo). Kindle app can be used on non-apple devices. But it's Amazon. Apple Books aren't bad, I've been using them for the last 4-5 years happily but it's Apple only and the Apple Books app seems to have stagnated when it comes to features over the last several iOS/Mac OS releases. (I've been asking for margin sizing for years via feature requests).
I'm probably stuck with Apple Books - and the syncing part is unbeatably great (when you get a DRM free book or PDF). Love the tallying of daily reading and books read over the years goals.
(I know Kindle has this too).
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iCloud Book sync is amazing. I love drag/dropping a book from Calibre (or something else (ex: pdf)) to Apple Books on any device and BAM, it's instantly available on all my Apple devices.
Calibre has a horrible UI but it is convenient for organizing any epub that I get that isn't from Apple Books. I should convert all of my DRM free books from Apple to calibre format .epub and keep them all in the calibre library as well.
I use the Kindle app on my iPad and don't have any issue with it whatsoever. I've used the Apple Books app in the past but haven't had any reason to prefer it. And why go to the trouble of converting a Kindle book so that it could be read with a different app? Kindle offers synch capability just as effectively as iCloud would, doesn't it?
I've also used Calibre in the past, so I'm familiar with it.
I can see why some would prefer Apple Books. I can also understand why some prefer the competing e-ink readers. But I'm very satisfied with Kindle, and I have so many books accumulated in my Kindle library now that it will take me years to absorb what I already have.
I've also used Calibre in the past, so I'm familiar with it.
I can see why some would prefer Apple Books. I can also understand why some prefer the competing e-ink readers. But I'm very satisfied with Kindle, and I have so many books accumulated in my Kindle library now that it will take me years to absorb what I already have.
Similar experience. Finally I use KyBook for epub and pdf reading on my iPad (it‘s very fast & efficient; it does support sync via iCloud but I haven tried it), and for novel I read through Kindle.I went to Apple Books 4-5 years ago and used Calibre <cough> to move all my books to Apple Books. Since then I've been using Apple Books exclusively. I did it because I didn't want to support Amazon's near monopoly on ebooks...
I regret it now. Why? Apple Books app is buggy, has a hard time remembering where you left off with vertical scroll, and ... most importantly, doesn't use the full screen space for text (like Kindle App and virtually every other app on iPhone/iPad) when you have a Pro Max. That and Kindle's Bookerly font is just so pleasant to read.
Apple Books needs an iPad to read on it comfortably (or a Mac). Kindle App has so many more features too.
I have 382 books at this point. I had about 185 on Amazon when I left it. So while I want to move back it would be pretty expensive (50-60 are read <cough>).
Nothing beats reading on an iPad tho. Absolutely enjoy it (iPad Pro 11).
Thoughts to consider. Amazon's library is larger. Amazon books are sometimes significantly cheaper. Amazon books look better (Bookerly font imo). Kindle app can be used on non-apple devices. But it's Amazon. Apple Books aren't bad, I've been using them for the last 4-5 years happily but it's Apple only and the Apple Books app seems to have stagnated when it comes to features over the last several iOS/Mac OS releases. (I've been asking for margin sizing for years via feature requests).
I'm probably stuck with Apple Books - and the syncing part is unbeatably great (when you get a DRM free book or PDF). Love the tallying of daily reading and books read over the years goals.
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That probably only works if you have a Mac. No such options on Windows.
There have been tools available to remove Kindle (and Adobe) DRM for more than a decade. Honestly, if it wasn't for DeDRM, I probably wouldn't even buy ebooks. Same with music. I used to buy CDs exclusively and only started buying online when they went DRM-free.
I have a Kobo Libra, a few Kindle Paperwhites and various Android and iOS devices and I can read all my purchased books on any of them.
Yup. I use it for that very reason. I have an old Kindle that with Calibre vía DeDRM still allows me to <cough> get things from my Amazon library if I wanted to, and put it in Apple (but not the other way around). Great if I find a book that is significantly cheaper on Amazon.
I read eBooks on my iPad nearly every day, and I own books in Apple Books, Kindle, Kobo and Google Books.
The Kindle app is by far the best of all available eBook apps.
I also love the send-to-Kindle email address that Amazon provides for each app and every Kindle device.
Apple Books is an exercise in frustration, with limited layout options and poor library management.
I seem to recall that many years ago, Apple Books was better than it is now, and for some reason functionality was stripped-out.
The Kindle app is by far the best of all available eBook apps.
I also love the send-to-Kindle email address that Amazon provides for each app and every Kindle device.
Apple Books is an exercise in frustration, with limited layout options and poor library management.
I seem to recall that many years ago, Apple Books was better than it is now, and for some reason functionality was stripped-out.
I have used a few different things, but 99% of my e-reading over the last decade+ has been in Books.
Honestly, it's because of the iPhone 4 with the first retina screen. I wanted to read books on that tiny thing, and I totally did. Several of them. This was also my first iPhone ever and my first Apple device in a LOOOOOONG time, so I was just enamored with everything about it, despite the antenna flaws.
I just never paid attention to the Kindle app and never owned a hardware Kindle. Never felt the need. And I love that the little page peek animation is still there in Books and has been there since the beginning. One of the last bastions of the old guard's software design at Apple. Totally useless and stupid feature, but cool nonetheless.
Honestly, it's because of the iPhone 4 with the first retina screen. I wanted to read books on that tiny thing, and I totally did. Several of them. This was also my first iPhone ever and my first Apple device in a LOOOOOONG time, so I was just enamored with everything about it, despite the antenna flaws.
I just never paid attention to the Kindle app and never owned a hardware Kindle. Never felt the need. And I love that the little page peek animation is still there in Books and has been there since the beginning. One of the last bastions of the old guard's software design at Apple. Totally useless and stupid feature, but cool nonetheless.
For me, there are few things more pleasant than reading outdoors on the Kindle. And I love how Kindle syncs among devices.
I have a huge Kindle library, mostly nonfiction.* (Stopped buying dead tree books years ago and had my studio art and poetry books digitized.) I take notes when I read nonfiction and the Kindle highlight feature is brilliant. My highlights and notes are available online and I just import them into a text file. This saves me hours of transcription.
* I "read" fiction mostly on Audible.
I have a huge Kindle library, mostly nonfiction.* (Stopped buying dead tree books years ago and had my studio art and poetry books digitized.) I take notes when I read nonfiction and the Kindle highlight feature is brilliant. My highlights and notes are available online and I just import them into a text file. This saves me hours of transcription.
* I "read" fiction mostly on Audible.
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I strongly prefer the pagination in Apple Books. Plus, Kindle perseverates in using locations over page numbers. And these “locations” run in the thousands, sometimes tens of thousands. Why would I prefer knowing that I’m at location 17,354 as opposed to page 235 in a book (with current formatting choices) of 453 pages?
Even though some Kindle books do allow page numbers, they are often keyed to pages in the print version, so it is possible to have two screens with the same page number. WTF? Why? It’s not like I’m going to cite the page number from a novel in a footnote, so why would I care to have 1:1 concordance between the print version and the digital version, set to whatever font size I prefer.
The basic bottom line ends up being that the only time I will purchase a Kindle version is if the book is not available in Apple Books. This is true even if the Apple version is a buck more than the Kindle version. If the price difference is greater (rarely happens), then all bets are off.
Oh, yeah, I have multiple Kindles, ranging from e-ink versions dating back a decade or more to an LCD Kindle Fire. Even that can’t convince me to use the Kindle’s crappy software, unless forced to by situations beyond my control (vide supra).
Even though some Kindle books do allow page numbers, they are often keyed to pages in the print version, so it is possible to have two screens with the same page number. WTF? Why? It’s not like I’m going to cite the page number from a novel in a footnote, so why would I care to have 1:1 concordance between the print version and the digital version, set to whatever font size I prefer.
The basic bottom line ends up being that the only time I will purchase a Kindle version is if the book is not available in Apple Books. This is true even if the Apple version is a buck more than the Kindle version. If the price difference is greater (rarely happens), then all bets are off.
Oh, yeah, I have multiple Kindles, ranging from e-ink versions dating back a decade or more to an LCD Kindle Fire. Even that can’t convince me to use the Kindle’s crappy software, unless forced to by situations beyond my control (vide supra).
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Agree. I use what takes least amount of time from me today. Sometimes Kindle, sometimes I find a pdf online, then iBook is sometimes good, sometimes you can convert it to Kindle. Easier to read on.
Just what is the simplest.
Reading is, arguably, the key reason why I remain with the iPad (11” Pro 2020, in my case).
But when I say reading, it is not for pleasure, rather it’s for work. To that end, I use the Books app for ePub only, the Kindle app for Kindle books, and PDF Expert for PDF. There are standard academic rules for referencing Kindle books but less so for epubs. PDFs don’t matter since they replicate paper books/journal articles.
My books are all stored on OneDrive and I import them into the abovementioned apps on demand.
I do find the Books app to be very basic, but it works. I did try some of the apps mentioned by the others here like Pocketbook Now etc., but they never really worked for me.
I do wish there was a better reader for epubs and/or the format was revised to allow for better referencing but that is not the case now.
But when I say reading, it is not for pleasure, rather it’s for work. To that end, I use the Books app for ePub only, the Kindle app for Kindle books, and PDF Expert for PDF. There are standard academic rules for referencing Kindle books but less so for epubs. PDFs don’t matter since they replicate paper books/journal articles.
My books are all stored on OneDrive and I import them into the abovementioned apps on demand.
I do find the Books app to be very basic, but it works. I did try some of the apps mentioned by the others here like Pocketbook Now etc., but they never really worked for me.
I do wish there was a better reader for epubs and/or the format was revised to allow for better referencing but that is not the case now.
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I just buy whichever version is cheaper. My purple iPad mini is as comfortable for reading as my kindle PW.
I'm a big fan of Apple Books. I have used it for a long time to store PDFs of various types but mostly books for my TTRPGs which need full color and a larger screen to use optimally.
I used the kindle app for years for buying novels and when checking books out of the library but, like many others have, I have stepped away from it as I reduce my usage of amazon services. I have been using the Apple book store for about a year and have been happy with the experience. I have also recently reread the Foundation series which was free to download and it was a drag and drop experience which was less the case with the Kindle app (amazon has a walled garden too).
I haven't really looked back at Kindle much. Books serves my needs well.
I used the kindle app for years for buying novels and when checking books out of the library but, like many others have, I have stepped away from it as I reduce my usage of amazon services. I have been using the Apple book store for about a year and have been happy with the experience. I have also recently reread the Foundation series which was free to download and it was a drag and drop experience which was less the case with the Kindle app (amazon has a walled garden too).
I haven't really looked back at Kindle much. Books serves my needs well.