Ebooks on iPhone

[Cockeye]

In preparation for iPad and ebooks I thought I might have a gander at the ebook world and see what is out there and available.

The question is, is there any ereading software for iPhone and if so which is the best one?

Also, I fancy downloading some free ones and a paid one just to see what they are like (this is all because ereading will be one of my ipad uses, but I have never read an ebook before). Can anyone recommend where to get (legal, of course) ebooks both free and paid?

[paulsaz]

From what I can tell you either buy a kindle and buy from amazon US, buy a sony and buy from waterstones or use something else that doesn't work with the sellers drm and read centuries old public doman stuff or dodgy pdf's.

I would wager that with ipad will come the itunes book store and yet another proprietary format.

I foresee publishers moaning about piracy as no one pays £20 for a digital copy of a £3 paperback that they can only use on one device.

[AWaite]

There's a Kindle app for iPhone.

Also, Stanza.

[campdave]

Hurts my eyes using my ipod touch for an extended amount of time. Can't ever see myself wanting to read a book on one, or and ipad with their illuminated screens.

[Cockeye]

Originally Posted by AWaite

There's a Kindle app for iPhone.

Also, Stanza.

Cool - will try them. Where do you get the books from?

Originally Posted by campdave

Hurts my eyes using my ipod touch for an extended amount of time. Can't ever see myself wanting to read a book on one, or and ipad with their illuminated screens.

I don't plan to read for any length of time on my iPhone but can you see a problem on the iPad? I mean, I use an illuminated screen all day with no problems.

[JonLaidlow]

Stanza is good, and has access to a lot of free repositories of free books (lots of short stories by decent SF writers on mine, for example). Kindle is good for paid ebooks, though I wish they'd let it access the magazines on the full device.

Again, its a bit small, but useful for reading on journeys - I couldn't read a whole novel on it, but short stories and things are fine.

If you like that sort of thing, Nick Cave's recent novel has an app (and free version) which included the ebook (in a nice size and font) and audiobook

[campdave]

Originally Posted by *******

I don't plan to read for any length of time on my iPhone but can you see a problem on the iPad? I mean, I use an illuminated screen all day with no problems.

I do get headaches looking at spreadsheets on my tft when doing it for extended periods. If I was buying a device purely for reading books on, I'd buy a kindle because of the screen. However, given the choice, I'd read an actual book, especially given I can get them from the library for free or for pennies on amazon marketplace.

Plus, I think you'd look like a bit of a prick reading a book on an ipad

[Mr Milo]

I use Stanza on my iPhone and with the Calibre software on my pc, it's a breeze to put books onto it.
Personally, I don't have any problems reading books on my phone. In fact, I generally prefer it since I can read any of my books whenever I want as my phone is always with me. The screen works well for me and it is brilliant to read in bed with all the lights off.

[Gizmo]

Stanza is very good, a swipe down the screen reduces the brightness which helps eyestrain a lot.

[dnaddison]

Originally Posted by Mr Milo

I use Stanza on my iPhone and with the Calibre software on my pc, it's a breeze to put books onto it.
Personally, I don't have any problems reading books on my phone. In fact, I generally prefer it since I can read any of my books whenever I want as my phone is always with me. The screen works well for me and it is brilliant to read in bed with all the lights off.

I agree with this. It was a revelation to go on holiday this year with only my iphone and stanza, My luggage weight was way down.

No problems reading for extended times. I even read it on the walk to and from the train station, I just increase the font size a bit.

Originally Posted by Gizmo

Stanza is very good, a swipe down the screen reduces the brightness which helps eyestrain a lot.

Also you can switch the background and the text colour so at night i have a black background and white text.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by dnaddison

..Also you can switch the background and the text colour so at night i have a black background and white text.

I hadn't noticed that setting - might try it tonight, ta.

[dnaddison]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

I hadn't noticed that setting - might try it tonight, ta.

It's the ying and yang symbol on the options menu.

[Cockeye]

So where do you get your books from for stanza then? Could I read, for example, the new Stephen King on it?

[KeyserSoze]

Have you tried searching for a book? You can purchase them and then download it straight to Stanza. Or there are other ways to get your own books onto it, check their website.

Oh and if you are grabbing public domain titles, search Munseys, who have most them. Better formatted and nice covers compared to Project Gutenberg where it contains pages and pages of useless text at the beginning!

[dnaddison]

Originally Posted by *******

So where do you get your books from for stanza then? Could I read, for example, the new Stephen King on it?

Searching on google. Some are dodgy most of the ones I'm reading though are from free sources. There seems to be quite alot sci-fi/fantasy books out there.