I occasionally run into users who believe they must purchase a specific electronic device (ie. Kindle, Nook, etc) in order to successfully read e-books. This posting is for them. Below I outline what is necessary in order to read e-books from a few well-known retailers and web sites.
Project Gutenberg offers free e-books. Here is one simple example of how you can read their e-books:
- From any computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet, visit this web site: https://www.gutenberg.org/
- Click on any book under the “Some of Our Latest Books” section towards the top of the web page.
- Select the first link called “Read this book online: HTML”.
- Start reading!
If you want to purchase a book that requires the Kindle, then just install the Kindle App so you can read Kindle e-books from several electronic devices, no Kindle required! Here’s how:
- From any computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet, visit this web site: https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fiona/kcp-landing-page and click the download button to download and subsequently install the Kindle App.
- Purchase any e-book from Amazon and download it, here is an example of a e-book you may purchase that is a Kindle e-book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FIX5LGC
- Open the Kindle App on your device (you just installed it). Inside the Kindle App, login using your Amazon account.
- Start reading!
If you want to purchase a book that requires the Nook, then do the same thing as with the Kindle:
- Download and subsequently install the Nook Reading App from here from your smart phone or tablet: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/h/nook/apps and be able to read Nook e-books from several electronic devices, no Nook required!
- Purchase a book.
- Open the Nook Reading App on your device (you just installed it).
- Start reading!