The iPad offers access to all major e-book stores via their respective apps
Credit - Screenshot by John P. Falcone/CNET
One of the advantages of having your reading collection
"in the cloud" is that you can access your books on multiple devices,
though some e-book vendors offer better cross-platform support than others.
This is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the
e-book stores can be available on different devices, including (in the case of
Apple) those of rival e-book publishers -- the e-book equivalent of buying a
can of Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.
This multidevice support is accomplished through apps. On
tablets (iPad, Android, and others), smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry,
and others), and PCs (Mac and Windows), users can download free apps that let
them read e-books from a variety of vendors. So, you can read a Kindle book on
your iPad, a Nook book on your Android phone, or a Kobo book on your BlackBerry
-- and that's just for starters.
As of December 2012, here's how app support breaks down for
each major e-book platform:
Kindle: Besides Kindle hardware readers, Kindle books
can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones
(version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs,
Macs, Windows Phone 7 phones, and via Web browsers (the Kindle
Cloud Reader). Full details here.
Nook: Besides Nook hardware readers, Nook books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, Windows PCs, Macs, and via Web browsers (the Nook for Web). Full details here.
Kobo: Besides Kobo hardware readers, Kobo books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, Macs, and via Web browsers. Full details here.
iBooks: Apple's e-book store is currently only available on Apple iOS devices -- iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Sony Reader: Besides Sony Reader hardware, Sony books can be accessed on Android phones, Android tablets, Windows PCs, Macs, and -- after a long delay -- iOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). Full details here.
Nearly all of these apps allow you to sync your position in
a book across devices, so if you read up to, say, page 229 on your phone, you
can pick up on that same page on your tablet or reader, and vice versa.
All of the apps are free, and -- since each bookstore offers
a wide selection of free books -- you can freely experiment with any and all of
the apps that work with your respective hardware.
Best cross-platform providers (where to buy your e-books): Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook
Most versatile hardware readers: Apple iOS devices (iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch); Android phones with full Google Play support; Android tablets with full Google Play support
By John P. Falcone
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