It's a book pile out there, and choosing the right reader app on your smartphone can be daunting. Hassan M Kamal picks the best
Offline readers
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Aldiko - Android, iOS
One of the most popular free eBook readers out there, Aldiko has us hooked from day one. The app offers most features you would look for in an eReader including an in-app store to help purchase the latest ebooks from around the world.
>> You can use the app to create and jump through bookmarks, zoom on a page, adjust font size and margins. Comes with a night time reading mode.
>> Its library management system allows you to organise by tags and collections.
>> Remembers your last reading position.
>> There’s a free version which comes with ads, and a premium version without any ads. The premium version (Rs 229) also allows to add highlights (for EPUB files), notes (for EPUB files), edit book covers and audio support for books.
>> Supports .EPUB, .PDF and Adobe DRM encrypted files.
EReader - Android, iOS
Text reading has never been as simple as with Prestigio’s EReader. With support for all formats that exist today, EReader is your go-to app for reading everything. As a bonus, you also get support for audio books and Text-To-Speech feature. Currently in beta mode, the app is available for free and supports 25 languages. No Hindi, though.
>> Supports bookmarks, adjust font size and margin and night time reading mode.
>> Create and edit book covers and store books as per your liking. You can also search books and files based on formats.
>> Built-in dictionary with support to highlight text.
>> Access books stored on Google Drive, One Drive and Dropbox.
>> Contains ads
>> Doesn’t remember your last reading position or book.
>> Supports .EPUB, .html, .fb2, .fb2.zip, .txt, .PDF, .mobi, .epub3, .djvu, .MP3 and more formats.
Store-led readers
Kobo - Android, iOS, Windows
Kobo has stopped selling the Kobo eReader in India, but its reader app continues to be a favourite. Rightly so, because of its simple UI and large catalogue.
>> Sync newly purchased books, bookmarks, highlights, notes, etc across devices.
>> Social media integration.
>> Adjust font size, margins, zoom as well as night-time reading.
>> Access reviews by other Kobo users before making a purchase.
>> Allows you to download and import books for offline reading.
>> Supports .EPUB, .PDF and books downloaded from Kobo store.
Kindle - Android, iOS, Windows
If you have ebooks from Amazon, we recommend staying with the service. The app comes with one of the largest eBook catalogues and several intuitive features that make reading fun.
>> Support for bookmarks, adjusting font size, margins as well as night time reading.
>> Highlight text, words, make notes, look up words on dictionary, Google and Wikipedia.
>> Offers sync (via Whispersync) across devices, which mean you can continue reading from the same page where you left irrespective of the device.
>> No support to import third-party books into library.
>> No support for externally downloaded eBooks.
Off-beat readers
Crave Romance
iOS
Ever thought of dating a character from a story, well, you can on Crave Romance, an iOS app that “turns your romance novel fantasy into reality”. The app comes with a set of exclusive books, serialised into mini chapters. These chapters are sent to a user on a daily basis and with use of multimedia tools offering a platform for readers to interact with the hero of the story. And Android version of the app is expected soon.
Wattpad
Android, iOS, Windows
Read free stories and books written by published and aspiring authors from across the world. The app also allows you to connect with authors, download their works for offline reading as well as share what you are reading with friends across social media platforms. You can also write and share your own stories.
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