Recommendations for E-Readers that Will Work with Faithlife Books?
I'm considering a move to another e-reader rather than my Amazon Kindle to provide greater flexibility in e-formats and merchants from which I can purchase e-books. What recommendations would you offer? I realize I could go with a tablet, but I'd rather have the increased readability of an e-reader if possible.
Comments
-
There are some Android “eInk“ tablet devices which are essentiallay a tablet with an eInk screen. In terms of Logos, you could run the mobile apps. However: these are typically spendy and possibly quick to go out of date.
If you do not buy one of those, there are no advantages (Logos wise) to switch from your kindle. I believe the paperwhite is the sweet spot. While you can’t use the mobile apps or have logos notes/highlights, you can manually send Logos resources to your Kindle. It will be no easier on a non-kindle eInk reader.
macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!0 -
JT (alabama24) said:
you can manually send Logos resources to your Kindle
If you are referring to the Send to Kindle Feature, that was retired some time ago.
0 -
I disagree. E-reader devices used to run on outdated Android 4.x or lower, and were crazy expensive in the past. However, the situation changed radically end of last year, when many new devices were released in a lower price range starting from about $200, and running on up to date Android versions. Many newly released devices now run Android 8.x.
FL seems to support Android versions for about four years after initial release, so that the Logos app should be supported on Android 8.x until around the end of 2021. However, end of support doesn't mean the app stops working. It will just not receive new updates and features, and some resources that are released after the end of support can't be downloaded. I kept using my Android 2.3 reader until FL finally killed it through the TLS update last year (5 years after the official end of support).
I bought the Likebook Mars about a year ago, and paid $230 for it. It runs Android 6.0, so I expect FL to drop support by middle of next year, if not earlier. The device has more processing power and better hardware specs than a similarly priced Kindle, but looks "cheaper" on the outside. I was able to install many of the apps of the various ebook vendors, including Kindle, Google Books and Nook. Kindle even has an e-ink optimized app. The only app that doesn't work is Kobo. Books from the various free portals (Bookfi, Gutenberg, archive.org) can all be opened on the preinstalled reading app. I was surprised to find that Kindle usually is on the more expensive side when comparing prices for individual ebooks. They do have the biggest selection though.
The native Logos app does have a couple of advantages compared to the "export to Kindle" function. The most significant one is the cross-referencing of Scripture and other works (especially church fathers). Exported books don't have active hyperlinks. The other advantage is the availability of audio books and audio versions of courses. I also tried to run course videos, which doesn't work properly.
Right now I would no longer recommend the Likebook Mars because of the impending end of support for Android 6.0, but Likebook has other models with newer Android versions.
0 -
Joe McCune (Faithlife) said:
If you are referring to the Send to Kindle Feature, that was retired some time ago.
I suspect he was referring to the "print/export" function on the desktop Logos application, and manually sending the files to Kindle.
0 -
Joe McCune (Faithlife) said:
If you are referring to the Send to Kindle Feature, that was retired some time ago.
...that would be automatically sending to Kindle, not manually. [:)]
macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!0 -
Jan Krohn said:
the situation changed radically end of last year, when many new devices were released in a lower price range starting from about $200
I haven't seen these. Do you have any links to US stores?
macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!0 -
JT (alabama24) said:
I haven't seen these. Do you have any links to US stores?
Ironically, Amazon... [:S]
https://www.amazon.com/Likebook-Reader-7-8300ppi-Touchscreen-Audible/dp/B07H4GF6HD
Edit: this thread might have more store links. https://community.logos.com/forums/t/168597.aspx
0 -
I apologize for not being very clear in my initial post. What I'm seeking is a device that would provide the e-ink reading ease of a Kindle, but that would accommodate various e-book formats. Being able to handle the Faithlife app would be helpful as well. I'm wanting to get away from the proprietary format of the Kindle, while maintaining the ease of reading that e-ink provides.
0 -
Jan Krohn said:
Many newly released devices now run Android 8.x.
Jan,
What I haven't seen is e-ink devices that run anything other than Android 6.0. Have you? Oh, and like JT I am interested in the US market.
Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.
MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.4 1TB SSD
0 -
Beloved said:
What I haven't seen is e-ink devices that run anything other than Android 6.0. Have you? Oh, and like JT I am interested in the US market.
I had some news articles in my Google feed lately, but only glanced at them. Here's what I'm able to find now:
Likebook Alita will get Android 8.0 next month. Price tag is a bit hefty. https://goodereader.com/blog/product/boyue-likebook-alita
0 -
Found an official statement from Likebook. The Likebook Mars is also supposed to get Android 8.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3860011&postcount=18
0 -
David R. Bess said:
I apologize for not being very clear in my initial post. What I'm seeking is a device that would provide the e-ink reading ease of a Kindle, but that would accommodate various e-book formats. Being able to handle the Faithlife app would be helpful as well.
We understood you, but it appears that you didn't understand us. We know that you want an "eInk" screen. Everything below is with that understanding. You have two broad choices:
- An eInk reader. You will NOT have access to the Faithlife app... because it is a "reader" and not a "tablet." I personally don't have any experience with these. If you are trying to make it easier to read non-kindle resources, but still be able to read kindle resources, I am not sure how successful you will be. You could, for example, purchase a KOBO device. Presumably it will be easier to load KOBO resources, but not Kindle ones. I know that there are generic eInk tablets, but I don't know how easy it is to get books onto them. You can, however, put non-kindle resources on the kindle eInk reader.
- An eInk tablet. This would be an android tablet with an eInk screen. You would not place books on the device directly. Rather you would install the various android apps (i.e. Logos Mobile App) and downloading the resources into the apps on the device. Jan knows more about these than I do, but he seemed to validate my argument to some extent. There are outdated devices which are cheapish. There are "up to date" devices but they are spendy."
You will have to decide between #1 & #2.
macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!0 - An eInk reader. You will NOT have access to the Faithlife app... because it is a "reader" and not a "tablet." I personally don't have any experience with these. If you are trying to make it easier to read non-kindle resources, but still be able to read kindle resources, I am not sure how successful you will be. You could, for example, purchase a KOBO device. Presumably it will be easier to load KOBO resources, but not Kindle ones. I know that there are generic eInk tablets, but I don't know how easy it is to get books onto them. You can, however, put non-kindle resources on the kindle eInk reader.
-
Okay, I get it now and understand my options.
Thanks for all the input!
DB
0
