Hi sailors,

I’m trying to get into the habit of reading but books are often expensive and cumbersome. However I don’t particularly like reading on my phone screen since I’ll get distracted eventually.

So, e-readers seems to me a perfect fit. It’s tech enough that I find it interesting. Not too expensive. Gorgeous paper white display.

So, essentially what I want to know is, which kindle (or other device) is best for cracking/exploiting/moding, and overall just your opinion on it.

Edit3: I’ve decided I’ll buy a paperwhite kindle (2020 version). I found a 2nd hand one, like new, for 80€ with a screen protector + magnetic cover. This way I’m still not supporting amazon :)

Edit 2: I’m from the EU 🇪🇺 so, if you have EU specific tips it’d be great. Also my country doesn’t really care about piracy so I’m not really worried about VPNs

Edit: I didn’t expect so many people to reply! Thanks everyone!

Also I don’t remember writing half of the things on this post? Might just install a monoxide detector… If some admin edited it, thanks. It’s a lot clearer now, probably why it got so much traction.

  • tkohldesac@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I have a Kindle paperwhite without ads, worth paying extra imo. I use Calibre to convert any books I “find” to mobis and send via email through Calibre. I’ve also done this with manga and it’s been working well. Loves me my paperwhite.

    • nunzilla@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Hot tip for anyone looking to save a little money and have an ad free experience on Kindle.

      I bought the Kindle with ads, saved like, $30 I think? Anyway, if you buy a Kindle with ads, set it all up and use it for a bit, contact Amazon support and say how you didn’t realize that it came with ads and that the ads are very intrusive or some other BS like that. They’ll tell you that you can pay a one time fee (once again, I think it was $30) to remove them. Just say something about how that’s awfully expensive , and keep saying how much you really love the device, but you think you’re going to return it because of the ads. The second you say you’d like to start the return process, they’ll panic and just say that, “good news, we’ve decided to remove the ads for you for free”.

      Obviously being nice and not an asshole is the way to go. Actually just don’t be an asshole to any support person. They don’t get paid enough to get treated like shit.

      Disclaimer: this was like 5 years ago.

      • Waker@lemmy.ptOP
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        1 year ago

        This sounds like a great tip but considering that was 5 years ago and that I’m EU I think I’ll just pay the extra 30€ or so. I actually have some random 19€ credit on amazon so it’s not that big of a deal.

    • 133arc585@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I have a Kindle paperwhite without ads, worth paying extra imo.

      Pro tip: if you leave off wifi for long enough, the ads seem to expire and they’re permanently replaced by some generic pencils image or something. And, since having wifi on can cause the kindle to overwrite your cover images, I sync with calibre over USB anyway. I have the ad-supported Kindle 4 from 2011 and haven’t had ads on it since 2012.

        • 133arc585@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          I don’t follow. When you say magnetic cover, do you mean some of the newer models? Also, what does pressing the button to unlock it do? Does that turn on wifi or something? I have to press a button to turn my Kindle 4 “on” (aka remove the screensaver and show my book) but that doesn’t cause an issue.

          • DanTheMan827@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 year ago

            With my ad-free paper white, there’s a magnet in the case that lines up with a sensor in the kindle.

            You open the cover, and it’s right where you left off.

            With the ad supported version, you’d open the cover, and have to push the button to dismiss the ad.

            IIRC, that behavior still persists even if the ads expire.

            • 133arc585@lemmy.ml
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              1 year ago

              Huh. Yeah that must be a thing with newer models. Mine doesn’t have any magnets, and its not in a shape a case would even make sense. I do press a button to dismiss the “screensaver” (the thing that keeps you from accidentaly turning pages with side buttons when not in use), but I don’t see an ad on that screensaver. It’s pencils laying on a book, and has been for about a decade now.

              • DanTheMan827@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                1 year ago

                This is how the case works.

                With the ad supported kindle, there would be another screen showing the ad before you could use it.

                Not a huge deal, but it does get a little annoying

                It basically prevents you from being able to use the feature of the case

                The ads were a lot less noticeable on the older kindles with the keyboard

                • 133arc585@lemmy.ml
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                  1 year ago

                  Oh that’s interesting. That makes sense. Like I said I’m using the Kindle 4 from 2011 and it has a slightly different form factor and no way to use a magnetic case.