this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2026
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!ebookreaders@lemmy.zip

I have an unhealthy obsession with ebook readers. At last count, I owned 45 dedicated devices, including the PalmPilot PDA I bought in 1997. I read The Hobbit on that tiny screen. During staff meetings at work! No one had any clue! lol

The idea that I could carry several books in my pocket completely fascinated me, and before long I was collecting every reader I could get my hands on. My budget is tighter now, so I don’t buy anymore unless I see a super cheap deal on ebay that I can rehab or something.

I still read fiction every single day on a dedicated ebook reader, and I still follow news about the newest models. So I figured I might as well start a community, just in case there’s at least one other nerd out there who loves this stuff as much as I do.

And if not, I’m perfectly happy with an audience of one. :)

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[–] nocturne@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Oh good to know! I didn't think to look for "epaper," I just searched for ereader and didn't see anything, so decided to start my own.

But we should have room for both, because not all ebook readers are e-ink, especially the older ones. I prefer e-ink eraders, but plenty were around before e-ink.

[–] Today@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I just got my first ereader, a Kindle from Facebook marketplace. Loving it so far.

[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yay! Do you know what version? Is it a Fire tablet or an e-ink one?

[–] Today@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Paperwhite special 11, i believe. I read a Stephen King book, Never Flinch, the first week. I'm almost done with Knife, a Salman Rushdie book about his attack. I also just downloaded the Sleepy Hollow story - going there with some friends next month so we're all reading it in prep. I've saved a ton of things on Libby and an trying to decide what to read next. My husband has an hour commute morning and evening so he does audiobooks. I have access to his audible library but i have a hard time listening without getting distracted. What have you been reading? Do you keep getting me ereaders for new features, better contrast, different formats, ...? Which is your current favorite?

[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah, I know a lot of people love and prefer audiobooks, but I just can't listen without getting distracted. Even when I go on my daily run, which seems like it would be perfect for audiobooks, I end up not really listening. The only time I've ever been able to enjoy audiobooks, is on a plane. Because there is literally nothing for me to do, and reading makes me sick on a plane.

But I read every day. So I have two favs readers. One for when I am going to the park. It's a Kindle 3 (Kindle Keyboard). It's small, tough, and I've changed out broken screen, battery and stuff, so I don't worry about it.

My nighttime bedtime reader is a PocketBook InkPad Lite with 9.7-inch screen. It's got a large screen, and soft front light. I have so many, because I just like the tech, but I have talked myself out of buying anymore. I live on a budget now. Well, except for today, I ordered a miniature phone sized e-reader called the Xteink X4. Now I'm done tho buying them though!

I mostly read fiction. Right now I'm reading Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien. It’s a post-apocalyptic survival fiction novel from the late 70s, told in first person by a teenage girl trying to survive on her own.

Yesterday, I just finished up reading Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, believe it or not! Not one I would think I'd enjoy, since I'm a middle-aged tech nerd. But it was really good! That girl is my spirit animal, because I talked just like she did when I was a kid. No wonder my parents would kick me out of the house and tell me to play outside as soon as I started talking about my day! 🤣

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I still have two nooks (nook color and OG nook) so I get it! Shame my wife's kobo (ooooold model) had a broken screen and had to be tossed, it was one of my favorites (kobo glo iirc).

[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Yeah, the nooks are good little ereaders. And pretty tough. My girlfriend has dropped hers plenty.

I haven't had to change out a screen in one (yet) but I have changed out cracked screens and dead screens on cheap broken Kindles I buy on eBay. I refurb those all the time. I've been trying to only have stuff that I can repair so I don't have to ever throw out, and make my entire lifestyle perma-tech.

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thats pretty much how I roll, the kobo died a long while ago, had to be 10 years now. Casing was cracked too, and looked like a bend in the board, so I moved on.

I have a more recent kindle too, expecting I'd be able to quickly root and install koreader, but at least it still gets use with freebies.

[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

KOreader is a freakin' game changer when it comes to ebooks!! I have installed it on all the ebook readers I was able to. My main nighttime reader is a Pocketbook with KOreader. My fav opensource software ever.

You can globally change fonts, sizes, margins, linspacing etc, across all your installed books in one shot. I just read novels and short stories. No need for color or graphics or anything fancy, so global changes works out for me. The fact that every single book I read now has the exact specs I prefer for reading is amazing!

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Its all I use on phones, really wanted it on the kindle but it wasn't at a point to be rooted, so at this point I just use it for free children's books.

Haven't quite found the right model / price on the used market but I keep my eyes open

[–] quantumlover@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago

Most all of my ereaders are older generations that I can modify, break, mash together, swap out parts. All of them under $50 bucks that I change out screens and batteries. I have some really great kindles that only cost me $10. A few BeBooks were awesome to work on. Then I'd buy $20 screen on Temu, and it'd work like new, then I'd gift to family and friends. And tellng them I'd refurbed them, so they'd know I was being a cheap bastard! haha Most are still being used by those same family members, so yay!

My fav Kindles are the 3rd gen Kindle Keyboards, and KOreader doesn't really work on them. Which sucks because they are sooo easy to repair and work on. I have 3 in different stages of repair on my work table right now. I can't explain why I do it. It's just fun for me to buy one with a broken screen or dead battery or cracked case, and fix.

I'm not really a tech person, but working on these swapping parts out on these is fun for me. It's so satisfying watching something that was discarded come alive again.

My PocketBook InkPad Lite with 9.7-inch screen is my nice one that doesn't leave my house. I've never messed around with flashing it or anything. I installed KOreader on it when I got it, and this is my nightime-gonna-read-bedtime book. I bought it for $110 on ebay. I'm not looking forward to the day it dies, but battery and screen are working great, so I'm assuming I'll get plenty of years out of it. I hope I can take it apart and repair if I have too, it doesn't look like it'd be easy.