Google Play Books OR Kindle Amazon Books?

[aliapeters]

Kobo.
if you use the kobo app , you can read nearly any file, bought from any company.
kindle aka amazon is a horrible company that is quite literally killing book stores. like ebooks dont do that enough, amazon is trying to purchase selling rights for certain books so that no other company can sell the titles. this is just plain stupid. books are free speech. and people shouldnt stop little local book stores from selling books . it just doesnt make any sense. i use kobo because where ever i buy my books from, i can read them on the kobo app and all kobo products. i also use qpdf reader, because its really good for huge pdfs and has text reflow to make it fit any screen size. honestly , you can just buy ebooks in epub format from any company and use on the kobo app. just look for the best deals. do it on your computer and transfer, or buy on the go and choose open in kobo .

 

[aliapeters]

i get that you're american . but indigo ftw all the same .

 

[Droosh]

The OP really asked two different questions.

1. Where to buy (and it's implication - what format).
2. What apps to use.

Here's how I approach it.
1. Check overdrive library sites first.
2. If purchasing, I check prices. I always prefer Google (or Kobo) unless Amazon has something dramatically cheaper. This is because I think we should all do our best to support the open eBook formats (ePub) as well as alternate eBook stores to grow competition.
3. Regarding eReaders, I got my wife the new Kindle simply because I liked the Paperwhite hardware best. I of course jailbreaked it before putting it under the tree She can read ePubs natively now, however I prefer using Caiber to convert them instead. I also love the new Kobo Glo, but I wanted to tweak her Kindle.
Two of my daughters got Nooks for good low cost ePub support.
4. Regarding Android apps. For ePubs that aren't from Google I like the free Aldiko reader app.


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[meyerweb#CB]

Google Books will also sync your progress across platforms, and is usable on all iOS and Android devices, as well as the web.

So will Kindle.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

. I manage my library using Calibre on the PC.

Point is, there is no reason not to buy books wherever (except iBooks). Even though you can "side-load" books with any of the majors (except apparently Google Books) you don't get all of the features of the service on the "side-loaded" books, like syncing position. It would be really cool if Google would let you upload epubs to your Google Books account and then do all that, but neither they or any of the other majors have tackled that challenge yet.

I also use Calibre, and if I copy a de-DRM'c .mobi book to two different devices, the Kindle app will sync to the last page read on either. Not automatically: I have to tell the app to sync to the last place read, but it will do it.

 

[iN8ter]

So will Kindle.

Agree. Google books is terrible cause the selection is poor compared to Kindle and Kindle is literally everywhere. They even have windows desktop and RT apps. It's really a no Brainer imo. I always get ebooks from amazon. Music as well.

Sent from my AT&T Skyrocket using Tapatalk 2.

 

[Paul Drake]

I agree, however i constantly find Amazon books are cheaper. In Australia anyway. usually $3+ per book.

Amazon and Google seem to have the same core features.

 

[Sam Brody]

Google Play now lets you upload books.

 

[sweett_abc]

Can I read any purchased iBook from iTunes on any other PC??