The next chappter
Who needs e-readers? These downloads could help make your phone the future of digital reading tech
ONE of the beautiful things about modern smartphones and tablets is that the installation of an app can turn them into a totally new device… like an e-book reader.
Of course, you could always buy a dedicated e-reader and take advantage of the easy-on-the-eye nature of e-ink… but the screens on phones and tablets are so good these days that you might not have to.
There are a lot of reading apps available for both iOS and Android that go way beyond the simple reading of books. We’ll leave that to the Kindles and Apple Books of the world. Here are four apps that take reading on your device to the next level and beyond.
BOOKMATE
They say: With a Bookmate subscription you’ll have access to a huge collection of ebooks and audiobooks – bestsellers, classics, business books and more.
Experts and other book lovers create themed bookshelves. Browse them, subscribe and receive regular updates. Bookmate also makes recommendations based on your preferences. The more you read or listen, the more accurate our recommendations!
We say: Bookmate is best thought of as an alternative to the big-hitters of Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Books.
It turns your phone or tablet into a huge library of books in some 12 languages. You can pay for access to all of them, but even the free level of membership offers access to some 50,000 classics.
There’s a fully-featured e-book reader app included, which offers all the same kinds of customisation you can find elsewhere – you can easily adjust font-size and colours. Handy features include usercurated bookshelves – you can create your own lists of recommendations that other readers can browse, and you can browse theirs.
You can also upload ebooks you purchase elsewhere – as long as they’re in EPUB or FB2 format.
■ Cost: £9.99/month
LIBBY
They say: Local libraries offer millions of ebooks and audiobooks. You can borrow them – for free, instantly – with a library card and Libby: the award-winning, much-loved app for libraries.
We say: Libby is a fantastic idea – basically bringing your local library to your device.
The library system has a huge collection of ebooks available to borrow, as well as audiobooks and magazines.
Of course, if you are a member of your local library you can borrow them for free.
Libby is a client app to make the relationship between you and your library work that much better.
Now, some of you will be unlucky enough to find that your local library doesn’t support the Libby system, but many across the UK do.
All you need to do is hook up the app to your library membership, and you are ready to go.
The e-reader section offers all the customisation you need, with some great features, like being able to add bookmarks and notes.
■ Cost: Free
WATTPAD
They say: Have your own story to tell? Get it discovered through the power of community and technology on Wattpad. Share an original story on Wattpad and share it with our community who are there to cheer you on throughout your writing journey.
We say: The beauty of Wattpad is that it isn’t just about reading, it’s very much about writing, too.
It calls itself a social storytelling platform – you can connect with millions of other readers and writers across the globe, share your stories, and read those of others.
The variety of stories on offer is huge and the social nature of the service means you can actually connect with the writers you love the most. When sharing the stories you have to tell, you have within the app a potential global audience of some 90m readers.
Another exciting feature is that the people at Wattpad are also on the lookout for the best stories to turn into TV shows, films, or books.
Some stories first featured on Wattpad have been developed into shows that have been produced for Sony’s TV channels and streaming services like Hulu.
It’s free to join Wattpad, but subscription offers an ad-free experience and the option to try out new features first. ■ Cost: £5.99/month, £59.99/year