Comments on: Professional Reading Apps Around the iPhone Corner

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:08:24 +0000

Just a note that you can read unencrypted Mobipocket books on the iPhone right now – http://code.google.com/p/iphonetextreader/

Books.app will hopefully also be adding support soon.

Other supported eBook formats include plain text, fb2, html, Plucker, and Palm Doc.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:15:43 +0000

Could an iPhone serve as a primary ereader? It sounds like it does for you. Is the screen a bit small, or is it okay?

Yes, I like to use it. I get about 4 paragraphs of text on the screen at a time. It’s smaller than a paperback, obviously. It might be worthwhile to go to an Apple store, if you can, and view a web page on it. See if you can read the text and if it is comfortable for your eyes.

Will it read html?

I think you’ll have to convert it but don’t really know.

So, Jane… you gonna get one of the new ones? Cuz you KNOW we're all counting on you to figure it out first and then tell the rest of us about it!

Nope. My current iPhone is just fine. Plus, I keep hearing rumors of a iTablet or something like that and I’m saving my pennies for that.

By: KCfla

KCfla — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:27:18 +0000

So what you’re saying is that soon there will be a way to use the IPhone as a reader, without having to “hack” the phone? Srsly?! COOL!

I got an IPhone for Christmas, and having read ( several times btw!) your previous posts on how to hack the thing, I decided not to try it. I was frankly afraid of screwing the phone up. And I’m like you in my love for the darn thing, and not seeing the need to spend money ( which I really don’t have) on another device to read books on.

Heck, that’s why I got the IPhone to begin with- so I didn’t have to lug around a phone, PDA, IPod, etc. I hate the idea of needing a fork-lift to carry my purse lol!

As to the $20 a month fee to use the IPhone- SO.WORTH.IT!
But if you want to avoid the fee, just buy an ITouch. FWIW It has everything but the phone, and access is the same as an unactivated phone.

By: ciara

ciara — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:21:00 +0000

sweeeeet. I’m addicted to my iphone. It would be even better if I could read ebooks.
Typed from my iPhone.

By: BevQB

BevQB — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:27:34 +0000

So, Jane… you gonna get one of the new ones? Cuz you KNOW we’re all counting on you to figure it out first and then tell the rest of us about it!

Reading through these comments and those of previous posts on ebook readers, and knowing my own requirements and preferences for reading books, it’s apparent that no one has come close to inventing the perfect ebook reader. Every device seems to mean major compromises for the purchaser.

Although, for me, the IPhone and the Astaks you posted about a couple of weeks ago seem to have the most promise. If only Amazon or Sony would listen to what those of us out here in the real world want.

By: Janine

Janine — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:06:36 +0000

I would rather own an e-ink dedicated device than an iPhone. Right now I use a Dell Axim 51V PDA and I get tired of both the frequent scrolling and the wear on my eyes. I find that 9 times out of 10 at least, I read paper books rather than e-books because they are so much more comfortable for me. So when my PDA dies, I am definitely going the e-ink route.

By: Keishon

Keishon — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:32:41 +0000

Thank you. I am curious to know how the SDK on the e end will affect my e library. So our choices from third party apps are “Mobipocket” or “secure e reader” and btw, I prefer neither format. MSLit is my preferred choice but I guess I’m worried that I will not be able to use my iPhone as a e reader, making it the ultimate entertainment gadget ever, simply because my preferred format may not be available to me. Will it read html? Just throwing out questions, thinking aloud here.

I really wish they would do away with the proprietary format as there are still ebooks in my cart at Fictionwise (that I’d like to purchase) that are not available in any other format save Mobipocket.

By: Terry

Terry — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:29:55 +0000

Two of my kids have iPhones. Recently, we were all in the same city, and they used them constantly, although none has tried them as eBook readers. I read an eBook on my husband’s PDA once, and I couldn’t adapt to the tiny screen–seemed I was doing nothing but tapping the ‘next screen’ button. I got the dinosaur eBookreader, the eBookwise and find it more than adequate. I also like that it’s more like reading a book because that’s all it does. So I can curl up somewhere and be unconnected.

But I agree, the iPhone is a nifty tool. One daughter was using it to keep in touch with her husband in Ireland, the other was checking the maps to find out where the heck we were supposed to be going.

Me, I just upgraded to a cell phone that does more than take and make phone calls, which is all my old one did. It’s a steep learning curve for me, and I thought I was relatively techno-savvy.

By: carolyn Jean

carolyn Jean — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:26:49 +0000

Oh, excellent news!! Another excuse to buy an iPhone, which I so badly want, and I have wanted an ereader, too! Could an iPhone serve as a primary ereader? It sounds like it does for you. Is the screen a bit small, or is it okay?

By: DS

DS — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:24:25 +0000

Kindle price has dropped to $359.