Bookreader The Best Reading Software For Mac

• Bookreader The Best Reading Software For Mac Mac

We have mobile phones, laptops and even dedicated eBook readers these days; and for each of these, there has been an obvious rise in the number of applications that seem to offer eBook reading capabilities. We explore, in this article, some free eBook readers that are available for the Mac. IBooks iBooks is Apple’s stock eBook reader app, and it is exactly what an eBook reader for a laptop should be. It has a clean UI, even in windowed mode. However, go into the full-screen view by pressing “ Command + Option + F” and you will see just why this app is one of the most beautiful eBook readers available on the Mac. Your entire screen is dedicated to the eBook you are reading, and nothing comes in the way.

It utilities the entire screen of your Mac to the best possible extent. That’s the entire full screen view of iBooks. I haven’t cropped anything out. It really is that clean.

The fonts are nice and large, spacing is done very well, and it has four different themes you can choose from, depending on your mood or the time of the day. It allows text highlighting, underlining, adding notes and even sharing selected text. I dare you to highlight text on your Harry Potter paperback, purists. IBooks comes pre-installed on the Macbooks, so chances are, you already have it and you just use it.

Calibre I have read a lot about Calibre, so I decided to give it a try. As much as I love iBooks, I really wish they had implemented an auto-scroll function, and I was wondering if Calibre would offer that feature. The first thing I noticed as I installed – and then launched – Calibre, was the big splash image on my screen that made me feel like I was back to the apps of the 2010 era. But hey, if Calibre offers something great, I’m not one to whine about a splash image that vanishes in a second or two. I have no idea why Calibre UI has no calibre (pun intended) at all. I would still have agreed to use it as my go-to eBook reader on the Mac, but it offers nothing useful to me. Sure, I can edit metadata for the eBooks I import into the app, but what use is that to me?

I don’t need to change the cover for Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, nor do I want to change the author’s name. The thing that bugs me even more, if possible (and I didn’t think anything could) was the way Calibre opens eBooks. In a separate window with ugly looking icons on the sidebar. What in the world are those? Why would I want to use an app that looks straight out of an era I have no interest in returning to? Not for nothing, though, am I usually lenient with software, especially free ones. I appreciate what the developer wants to achieve here, but it holds no importance for me, and for most people, I imagine.

The one good, useful feature that I found in Calibre was the ability to mark reference paragraphs; that should be helpful when making citations from eBooks. Not a feature I have any use for, but it’s a good feature to have in an eBook reader.

Advertisement Read books on your Mac. Sure, tablets and e-ink devices are better ways to read than your computer – and even your phone is nicer than a laptop if you’re on the couch.

But sometimes you need to open a book on your Mac. Maybe you’re using a text as a reference for a project, or maybe you just want to read a few chapters of a novel at your desk.

Whatever the reason, choosing which app to open your books for depends on a few factors. Books you buy from a particular service (iBooks, Kindle and so on) can only be opened with their software, for example, while free EPUB files you find at can be read with a variety of free software.

There might not be a single program for reading all your books, so it’s good to know your options. Whatever your situation, here are the best options for reading ebooks on your Mac.

If You Love Apple Defaults: iBooks Mavericks, the latest version of OS X, brought Apple’s iBooks service to the desktop. Long offered on iPads and iPhones, iBooks allows you to read the books you’ve purchased from Apple’s bookstore on your desktop – and also offers support for EPUB files. Your current reading list and bookmarks will sync between your various devices, so if you’re an Apple fan with multiple devices this might be ideal for you. EPUB files you add on your Mac won’t sync wirelessly to your mobile devices. The interface is minimalistic and focused on reading – even the toolbar fades away if you’re not using it, leaving you with just your book. You can take notes, tag and highlight information, but you won’t find a lot of customization options (so I hope you like the default font). IBooks is a solid reader if you like the idea of a book library and mostly want to focus on reading.

It’s probably perfect for most users, but only works if you’re using the latest version of OS X. Apple really outdid itself this time. The words 'software sells hardware' never rung more true, and now that OS X Mavericks is free to all, isn't it about time you got on-board? If You Own An E-Reader: Kindle, Kobo Or Nook If you have a dedicated reading device – a Kindle, Kobo or Nook – you’ve likely purchased books for it. If that’s the case, you’re probably best off using the Mac reading software offered by the company that made your device.

Download, or to sync your existing collection right now. None of these services offer the ability to import EPUB books found outside their ecosystem, so you may want to check out another alternative.

But if all you want is to read your current books on your Mac, these apps are your best bet. If You Want A Store-Free Alternative: Kitabu If you’re not using Mavericks, or would rather avoid software tied to a specific online bookstore, Kitabu is worth looking into. This open source reader sports a minimalist interface, with columns, and allows you to customize the fonts.

Reading itself couldn’t be easier: use the arrow keys to turn the page, or scroll sideways if you prefer to use the touchpad. There is a library feature; you can choose whether books are moved or copied to it in the preferences. This might be annoying for users who would like to simply open an EPUB without adding it to a library, but others will surely see it as a feature.

Bookreader The Best Reading Software For Mac Mac

Notably missing features include bookmarks and notes, but on the plus side you do have full control of the reading font. You can, or if you prefer. If You Borrow From The Library: Adobe Digital Editions This is not the best reading software on this list. It doesn’t support columns, so you need to either resize the window or adjust to massively wide paragraphs. It doesn’t offer a lot of customization at all – there isn’t even a Preferences screen. And yet, you might want to install it. For one thing, many public libraries offer books protected by Adobe’s software, meaning you’re going to need Digital Editions if you want to borrow books from them.

The software can also transfer such books to your (non-Kindle) ereader, and is required for offline reading of books purchased from Google and a variety of other online bookstores. So it’s not the best, but you might be stuck with it sometimes. Go ahead and If You’re Hardcore/Awesome: Calibre If you collect a lot of ebooks, and want to convert them from one format to another so you can read them on various devices, Calibre is your program. This ebook managment software can do anything, from converting MOBI files to EPUB to transferring files to a tablet or ereader.

It can even, which is great before a long trip. There are some down sides. The app isn’t that great for actually reading files, and its interface feels like a relic.

But while Calibre might not be the best reading experience for Mac, it’s a must-have tool for power users looking to organize, convert and transfer their colleciton. Learn more by reading, or go ahead.

If You Still Want More Choices The above options should meet just about anyone’s needs, but more choices are always good, right? Here are a few. Firefox users: you can install the and open EPUB files in your browser.

It’s perfect if you just want to quickly open a file to check something. Clearview ($6.99) No longer available has gotten for its tabbed reading interface. You might like it. is worth a look if you prefer scrolling up and down to “turning pages”, and don’t want a library for your books.

Did I miss your favourite ebook reader for Mac? Fill me, and your fellow reader, in using the comments below. Explore more about:,.