Forget Kindle, Here’s Why I Use an Android eReader

Most e-reader brands, including Kindle and Kobo, use highly optimized operating systems with a narrow scope of features. These are good products with good software, but they are designed to lock you into a single storefront and user experience. But I just can’t handle it. So I bought an Android e-reader last September and I have no regrets.

The freedom to get books wherever I want

As you would expect, Android e-readers can install and run any Android app. If an app is available on the Google Play Store or a third-party storefront like F-Droid, it’s fair game. And above all, this includes reading apps like Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Scribd or Google Play Books. Android gives me the freedom to purchase and read books from any source without any hassle. I don’t need to use legally questionable DRM removal tools or poke holes in Amazon’s increasingly anti-consumer distribution system.

It was this freedom that encouraged me to buy the BOOX Poke 5 Android e-reader. I wanted to ditch Kindle, but I didn’t like the idea of ​​being stuck on Kobo, the second-largest e-book platform. Android gives me the best of both worlds, plus the ability to make purchases from providers like Google Play Books.

The Android platform also makes “side-loading” books very convenient. If I purchase DRM-free e-books or download royalty-free books from sites like Internet Archive, I can transfer them to the BOOX tablet via SD card, KDE Connect, USB cable, or Dropbox sync, and read them without problems. Yes, Amazon has improved the process of transferring DRM-free eBooks to Kindle, but Android lets me choose from a virtually unlimited number of transfer options, so it’s just a better option overall. Also appreciated is the ability to read these EPUB, MOBI, or PDF files in a variety of different apps, whether it’s the default BOOX reader or a third-party option like KOReader.

7/10

Brand

Onyx

Screen

HD e-ink card

Resolution

1448×1072

Storage

32 GB

The Onyx Boox Poke 5 does a great job replacing all those dilapidated paperbacks cluttering your shelves. It’s not a perfect device, but its few missteps are more than forgiven by an incredible library of titles and some other nice features.

Non-Reader apps and Android customizations

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I must reiterate that my Android e-reader can download and install anyAndroid app. E Ink screen not ideal for watching YouTube or gaming Minecraft(although I tried this once because I thought it was funny), but I can still get a lot of use out of apps like the excellent E Ink Bro web browser, NYT Cooking, the Kiwix Wikipedia downloader, and KDE Connect, which makes wireless file transfers easy.

I can also download writing and note apps like Obsidian or Google Keep. Then, after connecting a keyboard to my BOOX Poke 5, I can use it as a “distraction-free” writing tablet with an eye-pleasing screen and cloud sync functionality. I’ve tried this a few times, and while it’s not perfect, it’s something I could tolerate if I gave up my writing job and returned to writing as a hobby (I don’t feel like writing outside of work, and I need to write on a real computer to make this work feasible, and all that).

Plus, Android opens up a world of customization that you simply can’t find on other e-reader platforms. Some people install custom launchers on their Android e-readers, and KOReader apps virtually allow you to create your own e-reader interface from scratch, complete with customizable libraries, eBook and RSS sync, and more. Even though I readily admit that these customizations require a lot of effort, and apart from a few forays into KOReader, I really haven’t taken the time to get started with customization on my BOOX Poke 5.

Yes, there are some drawbacks

I like using Android e-readers because they give me the freedom to read any book or install any app I want. But this freedom comes at a price: This is a “jack of all trades” situation, because the Android platform isn’t really designed for E Ink. Most apps are simply unusable on my BOOX Poke 5 because the screen turns into a smudged mess when scrolling or performing other basic tasks (news apps are very scroll-oriented, for example, so they’re a no-go). Logging into apps with the on-screen keyboard is a nightmare, and if you want to install new apps, it’s best to just transfer them from a computer.

BOOX tries to remedy this problem with its custom launcher and lightweight reading app, and while the company succeeds to some extent, the Poke 5 doesn’t feel as intuitive or user-friendly as other e-readers I’ve tested. This is also true for the larger e-readers in the BOOX catalog, like the Tab Ultra C, which I own but don’t use. I have some special apps that kind of make things better, like the E Ink Bro web browser, Capy Reader RSS client, and KOReader, but yeah, Android needs some E Ink-specific improvements.

Battery life is an even bigger issue. If I forget to turn off the Poke 5’s Wi-Fi, its battery will burn out after about a day of inactivity. This is far from the typical e-reader experience. Brands like Kindle and Kobo typically promise several weeks of battery life, but the Poke 5 can only sustain about 10 hours of continuous use under ideal conditions (Wi-Fi off, unnecessary background tasks frozen, etc.). I tolerate the problem, but it’s still my biggest complaint about the Poke 5 and other Android e-readers.

I don’t think Android e-readers are for everyone. For example, I wouldn’t confide these problems to a family member – I’d probably just buy them a Kindle or a Kobo and call it a day. But I enjoy the freedom that Android offers, so it’s easy for me to look past the bad things and embrace the good.

Oh, and if anyone knows how to set up an Android launcher that emulates the Sony PRS-505 software menu, let me know. I loved the simplicity of this thing.