Bets place for eBooks?

Hey all

Wanted to pick the brains of the people here.

I'm a MASSIVE fan of eBooks, but I'm trying to find the best site or software or service to get them with.

I want to be able to do something similar to the gaming service, Steam, whereby I create an account and can download the book as many times as I want, once I've paid for it.

Ideally, I want to be able to get books in different formats as well, so that I can transfer the book to different systems as I get them as well.

Currently I read book on my Android phone, a Sony Ericsson Arc, which is great for me, easy to use and big screen on it. I plan on going to a tablet format in the future though, once they become cheap enough.

The Android App I use is the Aldiko one, very easy to use and does the job well, but if I need to changes app for a site, I can cope with that, to a degree.

Anyone got any advice on where to look? Also, who makes the books cheaper? For instance, the new Pratchett book, Snuff, is out next month and Amazon UK have it in HB for £10, and £8.34 for the eBook, so yeah, that's great

Looking forward to hearing some words of wisdom

Why start with DRM-restricted sources when the venerable Project Gutenberg has been offering public domain electronic books for decades? They've kept up with the times and offer a variety of formats, including ones compatible with Android, iOS, and Kindle devices.

So, the two big ebook places are Amazon and Barnes and Noble (though I'm not sure how the latter would work for ebooks outside the US), but they sell in a proprietary format (which I'm sure you know). They do tend to function on the buy once DL as much as you need side of things though, so there's that.

The only two other ebook sellers I know of are Fictionwise and Kobo. I'm not sure if either of those companies keep a virtual bookshelf for you that you can download from as you want, but I imagine since Amazon is doing it everyone else either is or will be soon too.


Oh, Baen books has a e-bookstore that's pretty solid. So if you read any of their sci-fi/fantasy titles that might also work for you.


I'm not terribly sure how helpful that all was, but hopefully something was of use.

Just downloaded the Kindle app for my Android, it's actually pretty good. Very easy to use and I already have an Amazon account so I can get the books I want easily, even delivers the new Pratchett book direct to my phone on day of release, which is cool

Now I need to work out if I can download the book to my PC as well, or is just trapped on my phone forever.....

If you don't have it already, the best thing for e-books on you PC is Calibre.

As for e-books and the dreaded DRM, well, I won't tell you where, and I can't say I advocate it, but if you bought the book, there are programs that can clean the e-book. And Calibre can convert pretty much any format to any other format, which means you don't have to worry about where you buy.

Fictionwise has a virtual bookshelf.
It even sells both DRM and non-DRM (Multiformat) encumbered books.

Bookview Cafe sells non-DRM encumbered books

Baen Webscriptions sells non-DRM encumbered books, and Baen
Free Library has a goodly number of free books from Baen backlist.

I think Diesel eBooks and Kobo also have virtual bookshelves, but
I don't buy from them, so can't be sure.

Amazon and Barnes and Noble have virtual bookshelves.

Re: calibre and Amazon/Barnes and Noble books - calibre can convert
them if they're not DRM encumbered (not all books are - it is publisher's
choice)

One of the things I like most about the kindle is that you can sync your books between all devices. So you can be reading on your kindle, pick up where you left on on your phone, continue on your computer, pick up again on your kindle, etc...