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Reading books on a tablet

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by DAKA, Dec 11, 2014.

  1. DAKA

    DAKA DOING VERY NICELY, THANK YOU

    Location:
    150 miles North of SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN THE US
    Has someone figured out how to get the latest new novels FREE?
    I have heard that there is a "work around" to do this, or is it another "urban legend"?
     
    DAKA, Dec 11, 2014
    #1
  2. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Public library. A lot of them offer e-books...
     
    genuinemommy, Dec 11, 2014
    #2
    • Like Like x 3
  3. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    There are ways to do it, for sure.

    I personally am against doing it, for ethical reasons. I think the author, editor, and publisher deserve to get paid for their work. If the cost is unreasonable, I choose a different book instead of trying to get it for free, unless my library has it. Just my $.02.
     
    Borla, Dec 11, 2014
    #3
    • Like Like x 6
  4. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Food for thought: The average annual income of writers is something like $10,000.
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 11, 2014
    #4
    • Like Like x 3
  5. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    What is so important about the LATEST? There are a gazillion published novels out there. Even with running them thru a Sturgeon's Law filter twice there are millions more than one could ever read. And this year's best sellers will be next year's publishers' cut outs.

    We are getting to where we expect all kinds of services to be free. We want free internet, free checking, no annual fee credit and debit cards, free medical care and health insurance, free music... Are we turning into a race of parasites?
    Oh, it's getting late and I just recognized that I am threadjacking. I'll shut up now.
     
    Lindy, Dec 12, 2014
    #5
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    To further the threadjack........I buy my books in paper, used. Very rarely do I luck into new or very recently published books. I do find quite a few "advance copies" that are fairly recent, but these days they're usually paperback, which I mostly avoid because of my eyesight and the fact that many PBs don't age well compared to HBs.


    Now back on track........I don't feel good about the authors & publishers missing out on a sale, but spending $25.00-$35.00 on a HB book isn't currently feasible. I don't have an eReader per se, but my wife does have an iPad. I wouldn't feel right about finding a way to "work around" paying for an eBook. Much the same way I don't search the internet for "free" movies or music. Some artistic efforts make such huge profits that people are tempted to justify a way to "work around" paying for it. The thing is a bestselling books allows the publishers to take chances on lesser & unknown writers.

    If you're wanting non-fiction books about, or even fiction books related to, recent events, then the latest are best. If you're wanting to read what "everybody else is reading" then you'll most likely need the latest or recent books. IMO you should be willing to pay for them, or go through a library.


    A related digression........I actually enjoy finding books that are "unknown." Some are really good, some are OK, some are really bad.
     
    Chris Noyb, Dec 12, 2014
    #6
  7. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    I subscribe to BookBub which offers cheap ($1.99) and occasional free books for my Kindle, and I assume other readers as well. BookBub: Free Ebooks - Great deals on bestsellers you'll love
    BookBub seems to offer a lot of mysteries, sci-fi, and romances. But other stuff as well. But I still prefer an ink on paper book.
     
    Lindy, Dec 12, 2014
    #7
  8. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    Me too. I'm not a techno-phobe, but I am techno-challenged, not that I'd be that challenged by using an eReader. The day will arrive where most books are going to be available only as eBooks (geezer sigh).
     
    Chris Noyb, Dec 12, 2014
    #8
  9. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    Authors get a small royalty. 6% of the sale price. Could be the msrp or net sale price depending on channel. Ebooks are treated different and at 15% because of apple. If there are multiple authors or a royalty bearing illustrator they split the 6%. Most never earn out the advance and may get joint accounted with a future better seller in order to off set the unearned.

    Unearned happens.
     
    cynthetiq, Dec 22, 2014
    #9
  10. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    Just a thought.

    How many of you have been introduced to a book/author from a book that a friend gave you once they'd finished reading it?

    How much did you pay for it?

    Did this see you go out and buy other books?

    When was the last time you shared your used eBook with someone?
     
    Charlatan, Jan 15, 2015
    #10
  11. DAKA

    DAKA DOING VERY NICELY, THANK YOU

    Location:
    150 miles North of SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN THE US
    I'm not looking for the absolute latest NY TIMES booklist novels, just some recent ones.
    This, "new to me tablet" is a really convenient way to check emails and have some "stuff" to read, even in bed without turning light on.
    Interesting point, it seems the "f" word is not in its "vocabulary", you cannot type it in an email, it changes to luck or some other word!
     
    DAKA, Jan 15, 2015
    #11
  12. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    My wife's Ipad includes a reader that I haven't yet tried. I might be able to download some kind of ereader app to my new 2smart4me phone.

    I'm slowly trying to embrace 21st century technology.
     
    Chris Noyb, Jan 15, 2015
    #12
  13. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member


    I don't know your source for ebooks, but I find Amazon's Kindle App to be pretty user friendly. I have it loaded on my PC, iPad, and phone. It syncs from device to device, so I can pick up wherever I left off. It also includes the ability to highlight or take notes, if that is your kind of thing.
     
    Borla, Jan 15, 2015
    #13
    • Like Like x 2
  14. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    I don't what the source is on the ipad, my wife is very protective of it, my guess is an Apple company. I'll check into the Amazon Kindle app. My phone is a Windows phone.....if that makes any difference.
     
    Chris Noyb, Jan 16, 2015
    #14