Midnattssol

joined 3 months ago
[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 5 points 1 month ago

Danish Anthon Berg is good and they have some Easter themed chocolates, like chocolate eggs. I also like Fazer from Finland.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 1 points 3 months ago

I recently bought an inkBook Focus Plus (black and white Carta 1300 screen, 7.8"). For me a strong argument was that I needed the reader to support my local library's book lending app now that they are moving away from Adobe-based DRM due to the upcoming EU directive. So if you plan to use any library service, make sure to check their technical requirements. It can vary even within countries.

For file transfer the reader has WiFi, USB, and a memory card slot. There is also an individual email address you can use to send books to your reader. Wifi drains a lot of battery so don't keep it on unnecessarily.

You can install Android apps from APK files. There is a built-in "app store" called inkPLUS so you can easily install from a short list of recommended apps. You can also install APKpure which is another source of apps, like an app store. I've installed apps like Pressreader and Deepl translate. No problems.

The built-in pdf reader leaves a bit to be desired, such as margin trimming for texts. The built-in book reader is ok but one problem I've found is that the clickable list of content is truncated after 50 items. This probably doesn't matter for most novels etc, but it's a big drawback for many textbooks etc. It's possible to manually add bookmarks. I would also have wished for some "back feature" like keeping a thumb in your physical book and going back to the page you were perviously on. As a Nordic person I think the list of supported languages could be more extensive if they want to be truly relevant in all of Europe. The file system is a bit opaque and it's not at all easy to move documents.

There are physical buttons for page turning. They work for the built-in apps but normally not for third-party apps in my experience, and the buttons are not programmable as far as I know. So in those cases you have to tap or swipe the screen.

Bloatware-wise the built-in translation is based on Google translate. I've installed the Deepl app. It also has Google cloud available. I honestly don't remember if it was preinstalled and I uninstalled it when I first got the reader, but it's anyway available in the inkPLUS list if apps. But if you don't plan to use it you don't need to link the reader to any Google account. I log in to my local library account to borrow books or to use Pressreader.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

No, Pocketbook is Swiss. I think Polish InkBook is the only EU option. They don't manufacture in Europe though. Maybe German Tolino would qualify as well depending on your definition since their readers are based on Canadian Kobo.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago

Fair enough, but different people have different needs and preferences. I appreciate being able to read daily papers from all over the world and prefer an e-papers screen over backlit alternatives. There are also books that have gone out of print or are only published electronically. And being able to load thousands of books onto a device weighing a few hg Is a huge plus especially if you travel.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 3 points 3 months ago

InkBook's OS is based on Android but it's not stock Android so you don't need to link the device to any Google account or such. My library uses Android apps for book lending and newspaper and magazine access digitally so personally my options for library loans is a reader that can sideload Android apps or nothing at all.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (8 children)

Inkbook, ~~Pocketbok~~ (Sorry, Pocketbook is Swiss so not EU), Tolino. Inkbook can sideload most Android apps so it doesn't lock you into any particular ecosystem. I have one myself (Focus Plus) It's fairly basic but ok. Above all it works with the app my local library uses. It's the only European reader I've tried so can't really comment on the others.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Also check out local resources for your particular target language. Many countries have online language learning resources primarily targeted at immigrants but usually open for all. And there are often daily news in easy language available from public service TV with online access.

I also read and watch news from other parts of the world in their native language which helps with keeping up understanding and passive language knowledge in addition to the factual contents - not so much with grammar learning, though. My library offers PressReader (Ireland-based) access for free and they have thousands of newspapers and magazines digitally. There is not a lot of material in all languages, unfortunately. Personally, I particularly miss a daily paper in Finnish, but still. And often the papers available are not the biggest ones and sometimes all those available for a particular country have strong political leanings.

Edited spelling

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago

Yes, that's right, tastes good and they have some fair trade products. Apparently they manufacture in Italy.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 18 points 3 months ago

And fyi Marabou used to be Swedish but is now also owned by Mondalez together with some of the brands in the upper part of the illustration.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 33 points 3 months ago (4 children)

This feels very dependent on where in Europe you live. Up here in Sweden for instance we would most likely buy Cloetta or Fazer.

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 1 points 3 months ago

Sorry, I misspelled. It's Tolino and they are German. https://mytolino.com/ I never looked into them in any detail. They seem to have their own ecosystem with their own book-diistribution, akin to Kindle using Amazon. I wanted an "open" reader where I can get books from various sources and install my preferred apps. The InkBook runs a modified version of Android and you can install (sideload) very many Android apps.

There are some drawbacks to InkBooks though. The OS is based on Android 11, I believe, which is extremely old for a current reader so I wonder if my library app will cut support for my device before it is worn out. My perssonal experience with the Focus Plus is also that the built-in pdf reader is bad., I've not been able to zoom in to remove the margins and only show the text, for instance. The list of supported languages is also relatively short if they want to be relevant in all of Europe. (German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hungarian, Dutch, Polish, Slovenian)

There are not a lot of InkBook reviews available, but I found a site with fairly extensive reviews in Polish, which the help of my browsers built-in translator I had no problems understanding the meaning.

6" Solaris: https://swiatczytnikow.pl/test-czytnika-inkbook-solaris-szesc-cali-z-androidem-innowacyjnymi-przyciskami-i-przezroczystym-etui-duo/

7.8" Focus Plus: https://swiatczytnikow.pl/test-inkbook-focus-plus-osiem-cali-z-szybka-aplikacja-do-epub-androidem-i-funkcjami-dostepnosci/

[–] Midnattssol@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

If you want an e-ink reader from Europe, there are InkBook, ~~Toledo~~ Tolino, and Pocketbook. I went with an InkBook myself because it supports the lending app used by my local library as well as Pressreader, which I can also access through my library. Inkbooks are not widely available in my country bu tyou can buy them directly from the company in Poland via inkbook.eu.

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submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by Midnattssol@feddit.nu to c/Kultur@feddit.nu
 

Har funderat på att börja gå lite mer på bio. Jag hittade två abonnemang som verkar intressanta var och en på sitt sätt. Det ena är Cineville där man kan gå obegränsat på bio på anslutna biografer i hela landet för 295 kr/mån. Den andra är Draken Film där man för 125 kr/mån både har full tillgång till deras strömningstjänst på nätet och kan gå på en av dem utvald premiär på bio varje vecka utom under lågsäsong. Informationen om när dessa lågsäsonger infaller verkar inte uppdaterad, eftersom de i så fall inte skulle erbjuda några biobiljetter nu i januari vilket de gör.

Är det någon som har testat något av dem och vill dela med sig av erfarenheter? Vilket skulle ni själva välja? Det är samma biograf som vore aktuell som mitt stamställe i båda fallen. Har jag missat något annat alternativ?

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