Computer Notebook Computer Notebook: Setting up a Windows 10 Tablet for Ebooks (and magazines and audio books)

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A tablet computer provides great portability and utility--you can hold it like a book--and you can use it for browsing electronic books, magazines, and other media. In setting up a tablet as a reader, there are a variety of account registrations and software that need to be set up. I will explain my particular setup on my Cambio tablet here, as your situation might include some of these features.

In this discussion, I first assume that you have set up:

  1. Access to the Internet: The Cambio tablet uses wireless (WiFi) access to the Internet. You can also purchase a USB Ethernet LAN Wired Network Adapter to connect the Cambio to a modem. You'll need to be on the Internet to download software or content for installation on your device (tablet computer). Once you download content to your device, you can then read it without having to be online. If you don't have Internet access at home, you might be able to access the Internet at a variety of public places.
  2. An email address: If you don't have an email address, go to signup.live.com (of course, you'll need to be online with access to the Internet) and select "Get a new email address" and get an email address @outlook.com or @hotmail.com. This gets you a Microsoft account at the same time.
  3. A Microsoft account: You will need a Microsoft Account to get Apps and install them on your tablet.
    • If you already have an email address ending in @outlook.com or @hotmail.com, you already have a Microsoft Account (to check if you have one, login).
    • If you don't have a Microsoft Account, you can use your email address to get a Microsoft account.
  4. A password manager: With all the logins that you'll need to set up different ebook services, you might consider getting a password manager. I found that setting up the necessary logins first before trying to download and install ebook content was easier than establishing accounts during the process of downloading and installing software and content. Therefore, in the sections below, I'll identify the account required to use a particular ebook format as the first step.
  5. A public library membership. Many libraries today allow you to check out ebooks of various kinds. Although not absolutely necessary for reading ebooks, your public library account can open a world of information for you, including digital media content of all kinds.

    Your public library's Web site will likely direct you to information about what ebooks are available (for example, the Milwaukee Public Library):

    Sample Library Ebooks Page

    From your library account, you would have access to an online ebooks library (for example, Wisconsin's Digital Library):

    Sample Ebook Library Page

    From your digital library account, you would have a chance to put some items on hold:

    Sample Ebook Library Holds Page

    From your digital library account, you would have an account allowing you to check out items:

    Sample Ebook Library Checkouts Page

    When you check out ebooks or magazines, you might check them out in various formats--Kindle, Nook, or Adobe Digital Editions, covered in the next sections.

Kindle: a format for ebooks and hardware devices developed by Amazon

  1. Set up an account: If you do not already have an Amazon account, set up an account on Amazon.com.
  2. Get software: You can get Kindle for PC software for free from Amazon. This software runs on Windows 10 and will allow you to read any Kindle ebook on a Windows 10 computer. Note on Apps: as of now (February 2016), there is NO Windows 10 App for Kindle. There is a Windows 8 App for Kindle, but I tried it out, and I find that the Kindle for PC software is superior (although not without some bugs), and I use that.
  3. Install the software and register your device: Install the Kindle software on your tablet, run it, and then register it to your Amazon.com account (see Tools->Options->Registration). This registration is how your Kindle books are synced to your tablet.
  4. Get content:
    1. You can get ebooks--some of which are free--from the Kindle Store.
    2. You can check your local public library to see if your library membership gives you access to books in Kindle format.
  5. Download content to your device: once you've either purchased or borrowed a Kindle ebook, you can sync your Kindle software (Tools->Sync), and the ebook will show up in your Kindle Library. You can click on the ebook to download it to your device. Once downloaded, you can read the ebook even without an Internet connection.
  6. Use Kindle for Windows: the library view, collection view

    Kindle Running on RCA Cambio Windows 10 Tablet

  7. Turn the tablet to show Kindle for Windows showing one-column vertical orientation (left) of page for reading and two-column view (right); also shows colored highlighting

    Reading an ebook on Kindle with vertical orientation of the tablet and one-column display Reading an ebook on Kindle with vertical orientation of the tablet and two-column display

Nook: a format for ebooks (and magazines) and hardware devices developed by Barnes & Noble

  1. Set up an account: If you do not already have an Barnes & Noble account, set up an account on Barnes & Noble.
  2. Get software: You can get a free Windows 8 app that will run on Windows 10 that allows you to read Nook books or magazines. You can get this free app from the Microsoft apps store or Barnes & Noble. Note on Apps: as of now (February 2016), there is NO Windows 10 App for Nook. However, I find that the Windows 8 App for Nook works fine on my Cambio tablet.
  3. Install the software and register your device: Install the Nook software on your tablet, run it, and then register it to your Barnes & Noble account (see Settings->Account and Payment). This registration is how your Nook content is synced to your tablet.
  4. Get content:
    1. You can get Nook books from Barnes & Noble. Search for "free Nook books" to get a few to test out your app and see how they work.
    2. You can check your local public library to see if your library membership gives you access to books or magazines in Nook format.
  5. Use Nook App for Windows on tablet showing the library view

    Nook App for Windows on Windows 10 Tablet showing library view

  6. Use Nook App for Windows on tablet showing a magazine

    Nook App on Windows 10 Tablet showing article view

Adobe Digital Editions: a format for reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications developed by Adobe

  1. Set up an account: If you do not already have an Adobe ID, set up an Adobe ID on Adobe.com (click SIGN IN and then select "Get an Adobe ID").
  2. Get software: You can get the Adobe Digital Editions software on Adobe.com.
  3. Install the software and register your device: Install the Adobe Digital Editions software on your tablet, run it, and then register it to your Adobe ID (see Help->Authorize Computer). This registration allows you to sync your Adobe Digital Editions content among different devices.
  4. Get content:
    1. You can get some sample Adobe Digital Editions books from the Adobe Digital Editions / Sample eBook Library
    2. You can check your local public library to see if your library membership gives you access to books or magazines in Adobe Digital Editions format.
  5. Use Adobe Digital Editions for Windows on tablet showing the library view

    Adobe Digital Editions Library View on Windows 10 Tablet

  6. Use Adobe Digital Editions for Windows on tablet to read an ebook

    Adobe Digital Editions on Windows 10 Tablet Showing Ebook

Sumatra PDF: software to read PDF (Portable Document File) files

Many ebooks, newsletters, magazines, and other media is provided in PDF format.
  1. Get software: You can get free Sumatra PDF reader software that runs on Windows 10. I am very pleased with the simplicity and speed of the Sumatra PDF Reader. There are other PDF readers available, but the one by Adobe, for example, involves a mind-numbing level of complexity and irritatingly-frequent updates.
  2. Get content:
      There are many different sources of PDF content. You may already get bank statements, reports, newsletters, or other documents in PDF format. For free classic literature in PDF format, see PlanetEbook.com. For other ebook sources, see Surf Links -- Reading.
  3. Use a PDF reader to view an ebook

    Reading a PDF Ebook Using the Sumatra PDF Software on a Windows 10 Tablet

Good, old-fashioned text files

Information, documents, and ebooks have been circulating in cyberspace in text or hypertext format for many decades--dating back to the 20th century.
  1. Get software: Simple software that displays text files is readily available (for example EditPadLite.com). A Web browser also can display simple text files. In fact, one of the difficulties you might have is finding simple software to read text files that doesn't come with a mind-numbing amount of useless features and frustrating, frequent, unnecessary updates.
  2. Get content:
      There are many different sources of text content. For ebook sources, See Surf Links -- Reading.
  3. Use a simple text file reader to view an ebook in text format

    Simple Text File Display of Ebook from Project Gutenberg

Overdrive: a distributor of digital media. Used by libraries, schools, publishers, and retailers

  1. Set up an account: If you do not already have an Overdrive account, create an account on overdrive.com. Note that you may have the option to login with your public library login and password/PIN.
  2. Get software: You can get a free Windows 10 app for Overdrive from the Microsoft apps store. I find this works fine on my Cambio tablet.
  3. Get content:
    1. Check your local public library to see if your library membership gives you access to books or magazines through Overdrive or check the overdrive.com site. Note that Overdrive is just a distributor of digital content, so that some of the content you get from your library through Overdrive may deliver media to you in Kindle, Nook, Adobe Digital Editions, PDF, or other formats, so you'll need to have the appropriate software installed and accounts created.
  4. An example display of Overdrive for Windows

    Using OverDrive for Windows on a Windows 10 Tablet

  5. An example use of Overdrive for Windows to Listen to an Audio Book

    Overdrive for Windows on Windows 10 Tablet: Listen to an Audio Book

References

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2023-06-19 · John December · Terms © johndecember.com