Ebooks and E-readers

Table of Contents

Ebooks

✅ : Yes

😑 : Yes, but not good.

❌ : No

❔ : Only applied to specific books (not all).

Retailers

Feature	Kindle	Kobo	Google Books	Ebooks.com	VitalSource
DRM-free	❌	❌	❌	❌¹	❌
Rent	❔	❌	❔	❌	❌
Bundle [paper+ebook]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Bundle [epub+PDF]	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌
File format	kfx	kepub,pdf	epub,pdf	epub,pdf	vbf
Optional subscription	😑³	😑	❌	❌	❌
Reward-based model	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
iOS, Android apps	✅ Kindle	✅ Kobo	✅ Google Books	😑 3^rd-party Pocketbook	✅
Link	Amazon	Kobo	Google PlayStore	Ebooks.com	VitalSource

Publishers

Feature	Springer	Wiley	Elsevier	Cambridge	Oxford
DRM-free	✅	❌	✅	Core::✅ Aspire::❌	❌
Rent	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Bundle [paper+ebook]	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
Bundle [epub+PDF]	✅	❌	✅	❌	❌
File format	epub,pdf	Only epub	epub,pdf	epub,pdf	Only PDF
Optional subscription	✅⁴	❌	❌	❌	❌
Reward-based model	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
iOS, Android apps	❌	✅ Wiley Reader	✅ Elsevier eBooks+	✅ Cambridge Spiral	❌
Link	SpringerLink	Wiley	Elsevier shop	Cambridge Core Cambridge Aspire	Retailers

¹ Most books are DRM-protected. Some books from other publishers are not.

² You need to use ADE (Adobe Digital Editions) to read DRM-protected books [acsm]. You can’t read it with SumatraPDF, FoxitReader or any free/commercial PDF readers except Adobe Acrobat. ADE is buggy and laggy, not always works. Adobe Acrobat offers only subscription-based model [not purchase].

³ Offered books Kindle Unlimited are unrelated to research (mainly fiction novels).

⁴ Very useful if a book is very expensive and you don’t [really] want to own it. For basic plan, 35$/month to get 12 credits (equipvalent to 12 chapter units). You can download chapers that you only need. After subscription expires,

Feature	Manning	No Starch	Packt
DRM-free	✅	✅	✅
Bundle [paper+ebook]	✅	✅	❌
Bundle [epub+pdf]	✅	✅	✅
File format	epub,pdf	epub,pdf	epub,pdf
Upgradable?	✅	❌	❌
Optional subscription	✅	❌	✅
Live project	✅	❌	✅
Huge discount	Humble Bundle	Humble Bundle	Humble Bundle

E-readers

Feature	Kindle	Kobo	Remarkable	Onyx Boox
OS	Custom Linux	Custom Linux	Custom Linux	Android
Size	6" to 11" small to large	6" to 10.2" small to large	10.3" to 11.8" large to very large	6.13" to 13.3" small to huge
Intergrated Bookstore	✅	✅	❌	❌
Third-party Bookstore	❌	❌	❌	✅ Kindle, Kobo, Pocketbook,…
Digital book borrowing	❌	✅ Libby	❌	✅ Libby, hoopla,…
Dictionary	✅	✅	❌	✅ [with audio]
Multi-platform sync	✅	✅	✅	✅
Third-party cloud storage	✅ Google drive, Onedrive	✅ Google drive, Dropbox	✅ Google drive, Dropbox, Onedrive	✅ Any cloud storage
Battery life	Best	Best	Best	Medium
Pen	EMR¹	AES²	AES	Mostly EMR AES³
Security	secure	secure	secure	less secure
Privacy	extensive data collection	less data collection	not explicitly	worst ⁴

¹ EMR (Electromagnetic Resonance): Battery-free operation, and less prone to damage.

² AES (Active Electrostatic): The pen needs a battery, which can be inconvenient, however most e-readers suport built-in adapter (magnetic attachment). Offers good accuracy and integration.

³ Onyx Boox Tab XC uses AES.

⁴ A whole Android system track you (Google, Onyx Boox and other Android apps et al.).