07-08-2021, 04:57 AM | #1 |
Absentminded Reader
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eBook App Nostalgia Time
Remember the iPhone 2.0 app, Classics? I read my first ebook with that app. I had ebooks on my Palm Pilot before, but never finished them. I used the Palm Pilot for productivity only. The Classics app made reading on my iPhone a breeze, but the screen was so small that I still didn't get into ebooks until I bought an iPad. iBooks, Kobo, and Kindle were the apps I preferred before I took the plunge and bought a Kindle and then a Kobo Mini. What apps do you fondly remember reading ebooks on an iOS device? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro |
07-08-2021, 05:00 AM | #2 |
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I've read some eBooks using iBooks on an iPad only and I've also used Marvin. I've tried the Kindle app on my iPhone and gave up as it's crap. iBooks/Books is also crap on an iPhone.
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07-08-2021, 04:19 PM | #3 |
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I remember a couple of goofy ones:
- iScroll - this had scrolling mode controlled by tilt of the screen, it used accelerometer to control speed. Amazon Fire Phone has something like it but it uses cameras and they never got around to fixing the jerky scrolling. - don’t remember the name of it but you could replace the text background with camera, the idea being you could read while walking around and avoid walking into people or things, as the device would be effectively transparent. They had a video showing how you would otherwise step into an open manhole. There are still quite a number of reading apps, but the only ones I use regularly are @JSWolf’s ‘favorites’: Kindle (because I am lazy and buy nearly everything from Amazon and Apple Books (for ease of syncing ePub and PDF between Apple devices). I pretty much use iPad mini for everything, though until I got that, I read a lot on iPhone. Considering the main booksellers in the US (Amazon, Kobo, Apple, B&N, Google), Amazon clearly puts the most effort into app development, though it still lacks a few things like Author grouping. Kobo and Nook apps do not admit any side loading, and the Kobo app has not really improved for years, I cannot imagine anyone with a Kobo eReader using it except in an emergency. After several years, it still does not even support Slideover/Split Screen, Dark Mode. Kindle, Apple Books, and Play Books are the only ones of these that support Accessibility features like Speak Screen (and I have yet to see any other reading apps that have any appreciable Accessibility support). Marvin is long dead, and while there are worthy successors like MapleRead, you really have to be committed to managing your library completely, as these apps will come and go. I would rather spend the time reading. |
07-09-2021, 02:45 AM | #4 | |||
Absentminded Reader
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eBook App Nostalgia Time
Quote:
Quote:
Buuuut, this is a nostalgia thread, so onward. Quote:
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro Last edited by Cootey; 07-09-2021 at 02:54 AM. |
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07-09-2021, 02:48 AM | #5 | |
Absentminded Reader
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Quote:
The small screen, even with modern phones, makes reading books less pleasurable than on an iPad, that is for sure. However, when I'm standing in line and only have my iPhone on me, my iPhone works wonderfully for reading books. After all, we read news and social media on the things all day long. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro |
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07-09-2021, 02:49 AM | #6 |
Absentminded Reader
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Does anybody remember QuickReader? I still use it for speed reading training. What was the first app you used to train yourself for speed reading?
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07-09-2021, 03:20 PM | #7 |
Wizard
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I don’t do speed reading, I have no need for that. I am still using Hyphen reader though development on that has stalled, it hasnt been improved to fit larger screens which is a PITA. Back in the day, my favourite was Stanza and I am still ticked off at Amazon for buying it and then killing it instead of continuing development. I would buy a new Stanza if it were created, but although I keep looking, I do not see anything like it, anymore.
I wonder… was the reader app you were using whilst walking… was that Megareader? I believe you could do that with Mega, though I never did. Havent looked at it for a very long time. Quickreader was from the same developer. [edit] and I have now downloaded Megareader again and it was last updated a year ago, and it fits the screen of my 12Mini, so thats a plus. Still uses massive space for its listing of books, doesnt seem to be a more compact option but I m going to read a book or two with it and see if it can maybe replace Hyphen for me. Last edited by kyteflyer; 07-09-2021 at 03:44 PM. |
07-09-2021, 04:02 PM | #8 |
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There was a great ios app that I used for epub when the ipad came out, but I forget the name of it. Tons of configurability, but development eventually stopped. If it was still active, I would still use it. Anyone have a guess at the app?
Edit: it might of be the one in the first post. I'm going to try firing up my ipad and check... Edit 2: the ipad won't turn on, but looking through old threads, the app I was thinking of was Stanza. Last edited by John F; 07-09-2021 at 04:18 PM. |
07-09-2021, 06:32 PM | #9 |
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One of the first was Stanza, soon to be bought out and eventually killed by Amazon.
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07-09-2021, 09:36 PM | #10 | |
Absentminded Reader
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Quote:
Stanza! I remember that one. I used it for a while, but only to grab free books, iirc. I don't know about Megareader. That doesn't sound familiar. Does it do that transparent background? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro |
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07-09-2021, 09:38 PM | #11 | |
Absentminded Reader
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Quote:
Stanza was an early one for all of us it seems. I don't remember liking it much, but I do remember using it. I rather liked Kindle's first app. I liked how the ereader of the kid in the logo lit up. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro |
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07-10-2021, 11:25 AM | #12 | |
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Quote:
Speaking of speed reading apps: there’s ReadMe!, which uses either Spritz (RSVP) or BeeLine (uses colored text to improve ‘focus’). Gonna give that another try. There are also some other speed reading apps, several require subscription (one for $3.99/week!). Wish the Kindle app for iOS had Word Runner feature. It has only been on Android/FireOS, and for some reason, it only works in Portrait orientation. |
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07-10-2021, 06:04 PM | #13 |
Wizard
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07-10-2021, 06:06 PM | #14 |
Wizard
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07-11-2021, 02:45 AM | #15 |
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Not all of us. I never liked Stanza. It is/was garbage. It was made to look good but it rendered poorly.
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