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Help Best android smartphone for e-books.

Leo Nicholson

Leo Nicholson

Member
Need recommendations for an inexpensive smartphone to be used only for WiFi and e-books. I have no experience with android and would appreciated advice from others who use a smartphone as an e-book reader.

I already have a Kindle, but need a compact, pocket sized reader with sd storage and linkable to a PC for transferring books. Something with an easy larger, easier to read screen.
 
Obviously not. I've seen that smartphones come with different sized screens. The ones with larger screens would be easier to read.
 
I use Cool Reader.apk, myself. It can read many eBook formats and usable on any Android OS. Cheap? There's several cheap phones at Walmart but if you want to increase font sizes you'll probably want at least a 5" screen. The ZTE Warp Sync can be gotten (used) for about $40, just turn off mobile data in settings to avoid "activation" toasts (any device). Hope that helps
 
What is always import for reading ebooks is a large screen, the phone or tablet model doesn't usually matter. For an android smartphone I think you're looking for a phablet which is anything that is 5.5" and above. A 5.5" phone is the limit of where I can read comfortably, I just can't read on my 5" phone.

If you can give us a price range then we can start recommending phone models to you.
 
$100 or so. I currently use FBReader on a Nokia 770 with a 4.3" screen without difficulty, as it is backlit.
Also, I am confused about android updates. Are they confined to specific phones?
 
Leo Nicholson said:
Also, I am confused about android updates. Are they confined to specific phones?
Click to expand...

Yes they are. Android updates are "rolled out" by the Carriers, and most carriers don't do many updates cuz it's like doing the same job twice. That's why there's always newer devices with newer OS's - cheaper for the manufacturing
 
Hmmm, its tough to find a quality 5.5" smartphone at the 100$ range but if you don't mind adding more then Meizu M2 Note is a good quality phablet at 160$(if you can't afford that, then the smaller 5" version 'Meizu M2' is available at 130$) another one is Lenovo k3 Note also at 160$.
 
Leo Nicholson said:
Thanks,
I did - that's why I checked the ZTE out. It appears about the best for me so far.
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I had one last yr, was first ever to Root that model and must say it was really a beautiful device. Very intense color!! Very worth it. Cool Reader also has much much more capability cuz I tried FBReader first.. Really, worth a look
 
"I had one last yr, was first ever to Root that model"

Yeah, I'm going to have to learn about Rooting. I've only used Windows, so Android will be new to me. Will I need to root the phone to install Cool Reader?
 
Completely new to android.

Trying to set up the ZTE for non activated use. How do I turn off the "Unable to establish a wireless data connection"?

CoolReader is excellent.

Are there any guides for using the phone solely as wifi device and uninstalling unneeded stuff?
 
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bcrichster said:
I had one last yr, was first ever to Root that model and must say it was really a beautiful device. Very intense color!! Very worth it. Cool Reader also has much much more capability cuz I tried FBReader first.. Really, worth a look
Click to expand...
Got the phone, installed Cool Reader, happy as a clam. Thanks.
 
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