Calibre is great for managing an ebook library, and okay for reading ebooks but the reader is clearly not its primary focus, so I’m wondering what readers folks here use across platforms.

I know of a few, but I’m always on the lookout for different options that may have features I didn’t realize I’d love to use.

  • YexingTudou@lemmy.ml
    16·
    1 year ago

    Depends on device for me. For android I use Librera for books, Tachiyomi/Kotatsu for manga/comics, on the old Kindle I was gifted (Kindle Touch 2) I use KOReader so I can read epubs. For desktop I do use Calibre for reading, though I’m not a big fan of their reader. I mainly read textbooks on desktop and find the search features useful, which is the main reason for using it, it all works well enough. I had issues getting Okular to work well on my computer, but I’ve heard it’s good? Here’s hoping I can unify things a bit in the future.

    Eta: I forgot I actually started using Seeneva for comics, since I like the speech-bubble zoom feature

    • ALostInquirer@lemm.eeOP
      4·
      1 year ago

      I had issues getting Okular to work well on my computer, but I’ve heard it’s good?

      Which OS were you trying it with? I was pleasantly surprised when I found it was available on Windows, and a simple install had it working for me. Another option to consider if it still gives issues (and you’re on Windows) may be SumatraPDF, which despite the name supports a wide range of formats.

      • YexingTudou@lemmy.ml
        4·
        1 year ago

        I’m running Debian. Okular worked for smaller epubs just fine iirc, but was struggling with large textbooks which is what I was using it for (Deitel Java specifically). Took forever to load, and was sluggish to search.

        Unfortunately it looks like sumatra is windows only, but I’ll keep searching!

  • betwixthewires@lemmy.basedcount.com
    13·
    1 year ago

    I use Koreader. It’s a bit heavy because it has basically any option you can think of, it works on a wide multitude of platforms, and can have weird bugs sometimes but hardly ever. But the way I read, I need some settings that aren’t in very many readers and it has them. Try it out.

    • constantokra@lemmy.one
      1·
      1 year ago

      I’ve also had good luck using syncthing to sync my library (and progress) across devices with koreader.

  • Trent@lemmy.ml
    11·
    1 year ago

    ReadEra on android and Calibre’s reader on Xubuntu desktop.

    Might look into some of the stuff suggested here.

  • lckdscl [they/them]@whiskers.bim.boatsEnglish
    81·
    1 year ago

    koreader is good if your platform supports it.

    I use a second-hand kindle on airplane mode and just transfer books to it from calibre. E-ink is better for my eyes.

    • ALostInquirer@lemm.eeOP
      4·
      1 year ago

      Speaking personally, it’s just that non-eInk displays are simply what I have to work with and they don’t bother me to read on. I’m kind of confused, given that most displays don’t use e-Ink…Do you minimize your web browsing as a result, or is it different compared to reading ebooks for you?

      Disregard the question, rereading your post you address it, it just hadn’t fully clicked as I’ve not talked to many people with your experience.

        • Luke@lemmy.ml
          3·
          1 year ago

          I think AMOLED screens might make a huge difference. I’ve read countless novels on my phone with zero eye strain because the black pixels are actually entirely unlit and literally black. This means the brightness for the letters can be extremely low while remaining legible and comfortably readable for hours.

            • constantokra@lemmy.one
              2·
              1 year ago

              If you prefer eink but want the size of a phone, there are some good, cheap phone sized android eink readers now. You have to hack them a bit to get English instead of Chinese, or buy from a seller on aliexpress who already did it for you, but it’s not a problem. I use a moaan inkpalm and I couldn’t be happier. I find myself reading in the odd moments I have here and there, which is not something I managed to do with my kindle.

        • ALostInquirer@lemm.eeOP
          2·
          1 year ago

          You say you haven’t talked to many people like me, can you just concentrate on novels reading them on a screen exhausting to your eyes? Or does reading for hours on normal screens not exhaust them for you?

          The second one. Reading for hours on normal screens doesn’t exhaust my eyes, just a little mental fatigue depending on the type of book or how long I’m reading.

  • catsup@lemmy.one
    4·
    1 year ago

    Believe it or not, DeGoogled-Chromium with Dark Reader. It makes for perfect dark mode

  • rizoid@midwest.socialEnglish
    4·
    1 year ago

    I really like Alexandria on desktop and there’s android support on the roadmap on GitHub.

    • ram@bookwormstory.socialEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Switched from the proprietary moon+ reader to Librera because of this comment and I’ve been happy with it. Presentation’s quite different but all the functionality I like is there, including custom fonts. Thanks for posting about this software!

  • Roshakk@lemmy.world
    3·
    1 year ago

    I also use Calibre as a library manager, but I haven’t found another way to read that is not my kobo. The not e-ink screens just tire my eyes too much.