Popular computer readers. Programs for reading e-books on a computer. FBReader: a handy tool with access to network libraries
Free computer readers: ePub
If you just need to read and nothing more, use the program EDS ePub Reader... Minimum of functions, user-friendly interface. Everything is easy and simple. In addition to reading, the program can convert ePub books to PDF, HTML and TXT.
FB2 reader for computer
It would be strange to start this topic not with a program FBReader... But, for the sake of fairness, it opens not only the FB2 format, but also ePub.
This program also has access to online libraries and allows you to download books, this is done very easily.
It is possible to search through pages and search by words / phrases.
Two-in-one computer readers
There are programs that open both ePub and FB2. I have already named one of them - FBReader . Two more good options:
This program differs in the way it displays books. She tries to make them in two pages, like ordinary printed ones, and the pages turn over the same way as in printed ones. Looks very interesting.
A couple of handy features in this program. For example, the ability to a word or phrase in one click. I already wrote about.
It is also very convenient to make bookmarks.
With readers for "rubber" formats sorted out. Now let's talk about PDF documents.
Computer readers: PDF
By the way, about the documents. Often in this format, you come across not just books, but for example, diagrams or maps, but maybe documents in which you need to make notes or even links within the document. Personally, I very often read in this format, for example, to memorize the arrangement of lines in a book. It won't work in FB2 or ePub format. I am using PDF Xchange Viewer.
PDF Xchange Viewer. This program has the widest functionality in terms of notes and working with PDF documents. I actively use links to other files directly from the PDF book. Also, I take notes in the margins, notes on words, highlight different colors in the text, I outline with frames, etc. Over the years, a selection scheme has already been developed, which is very convenient and understandable to me. In isolated cases, I noticed that peculiar documents sometimes open in the wrong encoding. Adobe Acrobat Reader never has this problem.
Those who consume the printed word exclusively on the scale of Twitter messages, a reasonable question arises: "Why are they even needed on a computer, these same reading programs?"
Indeed, you can open small texts in any operating system without any problems - there are enough standard applications for this. But there are simply no tools that allow you to work normally with more solid dimensions in a "clean" system. And it is very inconvenient to do this with regular staff, and the eyes get very tired.
So if you have to read rather large texts from the screen, and you want to do it with maximum comfort, and at the same time still want to preserve your eyesight, you simply cannot do without specialized programs - electronic readers.
Reading programs e-books there are quite a few. Each has its own pros and cons. But it is impossible to cover them all in one article. Therefore, I will confine myself only to those that have "taken root" on my computers over the years. Or periodically, as needed, they appear.
Lightweight and convenient program... And although it is not updated very often, all versions are still functional. Designed for Windows, but usually works well under Wine under Linux. There is also an official one running Windows Mobile.
On mobile platforms, IMHO, there are no serious competitors at all, neither in terms of capabilities, nor in terms of convenience.
It has a large number of all kinds of settings, which you don't have to look into if you don't want to - most of the options are reasonably set and by default.
Has a large list of supported formats, including the mega-popular now FB2. One of the few that works with ODT files (Open Document used in OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office and LibreOffice) without first converting.
The default interface resembles an unfolded book, the yellowish background of the pages is more comfortable for the eyes and very convenient for long-term reading. As a bonus - AlReader does not require installation and can work from any mobile media. For me personally, this is the most convenient and favorite program for reading FB2 and EPUB files.
The program is cross-platform and exists for almost all popular operating systems... Has in its asset a large list of supported formats and a large number of all kinds of settings. In the settings, I recommend digging thoroughly, and adjusting everything as you wish. This is not difficult.
Includes something like a library - a simple cataloger in which books are sorted by genre, author, etc. In this case, the files of the books themselves are not imported into the library, but only links are created to their location in the file system.
In general, the program is quite serious and, if properly adjusted for yourself, is very convenient. Of the minuses over the years, I noticed only one - there is no "book" mode in two pages on the screen. On large widescreen monitors, lines of text can be too long, which is not always easy to read. Although this is just a matter of habit.
The program is cross-platform and not only free (which is quite natural), but also open source - its sources are available. So on the Web you can find its version not only for any operating system for a PC, but also more than once I have come across packages compiled by craftsmen for a variety of mobile platforms. So, if you understand, you can conjure with raw materials yourself, or search the Web for a ready-made package specifically for your mobile device.
There is also a large selection of supported formats, a good set of settings, a choice between one-page and two-page reading modes, etc.
And at least something extraordinary CoolReader 3 does not differ, but it fulfills its main task "by 5 points" - reading with this program is very convenient (with the right settings "for yourself"). Over the years of use, no special disadvantages have been noticed.
The word "Professional" in the title is not without reason - today, IMHO, it is the most powerful and multifunctional program for reading e-books. Moreover, the Russian version is free to use.
In fact, it consists of two equivalent modules - the reader (reader) itself and the library.
The reader can operate in two modes - scrolling mode (one page on the screen) and portrait mode (two pages on the screen). Moreover, each mode can be configured separately - background, font, swipe, etc.
It is necessary to dwell a little more on scrolling. In ICE Book Reader Professional, you can turn pages both manually (and in several ways), and in automatic mode. In this case, you can either set the scrolling speed yourself, or set it to full automatic. When fully automatic, the program will automatically adjust to the user's reading pace.
The library mode is a full-fledged cataloger in which you can sort the added books by genre, author, series, etc. Moreover, the program can take the data for sorting itself, directly from the added files, or everything is easy to change or set by hand.
It should be noted that books are "imported" into the library - not just links to them are created, but the book file itself is copied to a special storage (in this case, to save disk space, you can adjust the compression level). Therefore, after import, there is no need for the original file.
When installing, I recommend that you carefully consider the option of choosing a directory for storing the library - a conveniently located directory with books (it also stores your personal settings - next time you do not have to configure everything again) can be easily copied to simplify your task in case of possible reinstallations of the system or transferring the program to another PC.
The list of supported formats is more than impressive - almost all common formats. At the same time, ICE Book Reader can import books directly from archives, without any need to unpack them first. A wide variety of archives are also supported, including exotic and outdated ones, with which no modern archiver already works.
The abundance of settings can be confusing for inexperienced users. And completely in vain - everything is very simple there. A little attention and time spent on setting up is enough, and everything will pay off. Since ICE Book Reader is not only the most powerful reader today, but also the most customizable for a specific user. It can be perfectly tailored just for yourself in order to read in comfort and enjoy the process.
Viewers for PDF, DjVu and other formats
In addition to all kinds of text formats, there are a number of others that, strictly speaking, are not text. But nevertheless, e-books in such formats are found on the Web all the time. At the same time, if in almost any Linux distribution there are tools for viewing "everything and everything" out of the box, then in a freshly installed Windows tools for opening such files are completely absent as a class. You will have to install them yourself.
Of these formats, the first is PDF. It is in it that pirated copies of books are most often found on the Internet - scanned textbooks, encyclopedias, self-study guides, magazines, etc. (however, not only pirate ones). Therefore, software for working with such files is "vital".
The original program from the developer of the format. And that says it all - everything that can only be supported and work in PDF is supported and works. On the one hand, this is a plus. On the other hand, all kinds of scripts embedded in the book file itself also work. And among them, malicious ones can now be found.
By downloading a pirated version of a tutorial or a fresh version from the Internet computer magazine to PDF, do not be too lazy to properly drive it with an antivirus.
As a result, Adobe is forced to constantly release patches and patch security holes. However, this problem applies not only to Adobe Reader, but also to any other software for working with PDF. As for the Adobe Reader itself, one of the shortcomings should be noted more than a significant size, occupied on the disk, and weight.
Also intended for viewing PDF, but an order of magnitude lighter than the above program. Lighter, faster and less voracious. At the same time, the capabilities of Foxit Reader are also not deprived. Has Russian localization (when the Internet is connected, select Russian in the settings - the localization file will be automatically downloaded and moved to the right place). There are a bunch of versions - old, new, portable (working without installation) ... - all do a great job with their main function - PDF viewing, without any need for an adobov reader. So I recommend it.
A Linux version is available. And although it has been in the beta stage for many years, it works without any serious glitches.
Besides PDF, DjVu is another common e-book format on the Internet. It is ideal for scans of educational, scientific and engineering literature - one-color text containing drawings, formulas and graphs with a very good quality is compressed into relatively small files. That's just from Windows programs for viewing this format, IMHO, only one is worthy of attention (Linux users have a little better with this question).
The program is small, fast and convenient. It does not differ in especially "sophisticated" functionality. But she is only required to normally tear off the DjVu files, which she does "by five points". In general, it is highly recommended for use.
On my PCs, it's a rare "guest", but some will definitely come in handy. A distinctive feature of this program is its "omnivorousness". From e-books, it opens almost everything that can be opened. So if you don't want to have a whole "zoo" of reading programs on your computer, you can try STDU Viewer.
Well, and for dessert one more program, which stands a little apart.
This is just a reader - this is a real "harvester" for working with e-books. Consists of several modules, the first of which is the reader itself. Reads everything that can be read in principle. Has a lot of settings and all kinds of "goodies", the examination of which (due to the lack of Russian translation of the documentation) can bring a lot of pleasure. However, there is nothing particularly difficult there, and with due care, everything can be mastered by "typing", especially since the program interface itself is well localized (completely Russian).
Another part is the cataloging library. It also has a lot of possibilities for importing and sorting books, allowing you to sort your library as you please.
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And finally, there is one more module - a converter. The third and main module of the program. Because the main purpose of Caliber is to convert e-books into files for various mobile devices. At the same time, the program receives almost any e-book file as input (the list of supported formats is huge - almost EVERYTHING), and at the output it gives out a file suitable for reading on your mobile device... And here, too, all common combinations are possible.
In case of possible problems with conversion, I recommend that you take care of setting the correct encoding for your particular case.
That's all for today.
Reading occupies an important place in the lives of many people, but there is not always a time and place for an ordinary, paper book. Paper books are, of course, good, but electronic ones are much more convenient. However, without programs for reading * .fb2 - the format in which e-books are found almost most often - you will not be able to turn the screen of your computer or laptop into a real reader.
The programs that will be discussed below will help you open books in * .fb2 format, read them, and sometimes change them if the need arises. Some of them have several more functions than just reading and editing, and some were not intended to read * .fb2 at all, but were included in this list due to the fact that they are able to open such files.
FBReader is the simplest example of a reader that can be. There is nothing superfluous in this program, and there is something that complements it - these are network libraries. With the help of them, you can download books without leaving its main window. This book reader in fb2 format is almost completely subject to change, however, the settings in it are smaller than in Caliber.
Caliber
Caliber is not just a reader, but a real library with many functions. In it, you can create and share your libraries as you like. Allow others to access your libraries or connect to others using the network. In addition to the reader itself, it combines several other useful functions, such as downloading news from all over the world, downloading and editing books.
ICE Book Reader
A simple library, auto-scrolling, searching, saving and editing - that's all there is in this program. Convenient, low-functional, understandable for everyone and at the same time very useful.
Balabolka
This program on our list is unique exhibit... If Caliber was not just a reader, but a library, then Balabolka is completely capable of pronouncing any printed text aloud. It just so happened that the program can read, among other things, files in the * .fb2 format, which is why it ended up in our collection. Balabolka has tons of other functions, for example, it can convert subtitles into sound or compare two text files.
STDU Viewer
This program was also not developed for reading e-books, but it has this function, especially since the developers added support for * .fb2 to it for a reason. among other things, STDU Viewer allows you to edit files and convert them to plain text.
WinDjView
WinDjView is designed to read DjVu files, but it also has the ability to open .fb2 files. This is a simple and handy program that can be an excellent replacement for an e-book reader. True, it has very few functions, especially when compared with Balabolka or Caliber.
In this article, we examined the most convenient and well-known programs with which you can open books in * .fb2 format. Not all of them are designed specifically for this, but they nevertheless cope with the task.
On the site of the popular service "Google Play Books", you can add and read texts online. At the same time, the project has an extension for the Google Chrome browser that allows you to read downloaded books on your computer even without an Internet connection.
The plugin interface almost completely repeats the design of the web version. You can open from your library, view their content, search through text, customize fonts and markup. To read offline, you must first load the necessary books into the computer memory. Bookmarks, reading positions and other data are synchronized between all devices connected to your Google account.
- Supported formats: EPUB.
Microsoft has built an EPUB file viewer into its browser, so you can use it as a free reader. The program has settings for displaying text, bookmarks, a book search function, and even a mode for verbalizing text by a robot. You can also highlight words and attach comments to them. This is where the functionality of the reader ends.
To add a book to Edge, just right-click on the corresponding EPUB file, select Open With → Microsoft Edge. After that, the book will open in a new tab.
- Supported formats: FB2, EPUB.
This service, like Google Play Books, invites computer owners to read books on the site. In addition, Windows users can install the Bookmate desktop client, which allows them to add texts to their personal library and read them offline.
In both versions of Bookmate, you can customize the font, background, padding and other visual elements. Bookmarks, reading positions and other metadata are synced across devices. The application may slow down slightly, but overall it is comfortable to read.
You can add texts to the service. Bookmate also offers a paid subscription to books from its online library, but you can opt-out.
- Supported formats: FB2, EPUB, DJVU, DOCX, HTML, AZW, AZW3, AZW4, CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB , TCR, TXT, TXTZ.
Caliber is known primarily as a powerful free software. With Caliber, you can edit metadata, text and other elements of book files, as well as convert documents from one format to another. But the program also allows you to simply read the books added to it. The built-in reader has background settings, text, content viewer, search form and other tools for easy reading.
- Supported formats: EPUB, PDF.
Book-loving Mac users are in luck: they get one of the best desktop readers out of the box. IBooks looks stylish, supports data synchronization between iOS devices and offers only the most necessary tools- for those who like to read and not delve into the settings.
On the other hand, iBooks does not support the very popular FB2 format, which may not suit some users. But you can always convert.
You can read an e-book on almost any mobile device, but it is more comfortable to do it from a large PC or laptop screen. It is this circumstance that supports the popularity of specialized reading programs. Today we take a look at the best free Windows ereaders, comparing their features and usability.
The modern e-book is not just text. It contains chapter markups, footnotes and illustrations. All these features fully support only three formats:
- ePub (Electronic Publication) - international and most widespread;
- fb2 / fb3 (Fiction Book) - created by domestic programmers and became widespread only in Runet;
- azw3 / Mobi - Amazon Kindle proprietary reader formats.
Testing will be carried out on the assumption that any reviewed reader for Windows should be able to work with them. Additional features such as support for plain or formatted text files will count as a nice bonus.
Liberty Book Reader
The first program on the review is available in the official Windows Store. Books can be purchased online or downloaded from your own collection. Given that we are considering free software, in-app purchases will not be taken into account.
The interface corresponds to the description and is completely executed in Russian. There is nothing superfluous in the main window of Liberty. Added one more control button to the standard control buttons for switching to full screen mode. Loading books from local storage is carried out by one simple action... As stated by the developers, the epub and fb2 formats are correctly recognized.
Basic settings are available in reading mode:
- alignment of text;
- day / night mode change;
- navigation through four parameters: page, bookmark, note, table of contents;
- choice of font type;
- change of presentation mode: one page, spread, scroll.
You can adjust the brightness of the screen and the size of the margins. The selected options are saved as a separate style that you can return to. Control elements are called by analogy with the context menu and are automatically hidden after performing the necessary operations for the user.
Periodically, the program issues an error, after which it continues to work.
As a standard Windows reader available for installation from the app store, Liberty does its job.
Cool reader
Cool Reader for Windows can be downloaded as a zip archive. The program does not require installation to work. It is enough to unpack the archive and run the exe file. To add books, you must manually specify the folder in which they are located. Access to online catalogs has been implemented. The presets contain links only to English-language materials, but the user can add the desired resource on his own. The interface language is switched in the settings. To enable the Russian version of the help, you must manually add a document from the internal directory of the program:
cr3 \ res \ manuals \ manual_template_ru
Inside the program, books are sorted using preset filters: by file name, author, title or series. In addition to the basic settings, the user can change the animation when scrolling through the pages or turn on the reading aloud mode.
Owners of laptops with touch screens will be delighted to have touchscreen support in the program. A separate help section is devoted to using the touchscreen capabilities.
Books in the tested formats were recognized correctly. In fb2 reading mode, footnotes are moved down to the bottom of the general text on the page. The solution is convenient and allows the user not to be distracted by additional navigation through the menu.
For a program that doesn't even install, Cool Reader for Windows has impressive capabilities.
AlReader
AlReader is positioned as an fb2 reader for Windows. The "Librarian" function is designed to scan the directory specified by the user and automatically add the detected files of this format to the program database. The recognized books are immediately available for reading. Adding epub files that the program can also work with is done manually.
The settings are divided into separate blocks and placed on the top panel of the main window. Users who are more comfortable working with the graphical menu can mark its panel under the main one. You can fix it in this position permanently or only in full screen mode.
Reading fb2 with annotations is implemented on two levels. It is possible to place them in the form of footnotes on the page or go to the dedicated section of the book. Moving back to the main text works by pressing one button. For epub, only fast return from the comment area is implemented.
The settings allow you to completely reconfigure all the parameters of the displayed text. The selected book can be converted directly in the program into an untagged text format or HTML file. The first is accepted by Kindle readers, and the second can be dispensed with reading programs. Any browser can open such a document.
AlReader could claim the title of "best fb2 reader for Windows", but since 2011 the program has not been updated. She still copes with her task, but the convenience of the interface leaves much to be desired.
ICE Book Reader
ICE Book Reader Pro was the next program to hit the top of Windows readers. For residents of the post-Soviet space, it is free. The "professional" prefix in the title is intended to attract foreign users.
When installed, ICE Book integrates into the system, taking over the work with e-book formats. This is not to say that the program is an ideal fb2 and epub reader for Windows. Appearance it is quite specific, and the scrolling mode used is resource-demanding.
Its popularity is based on the prevalence of the formats used and the built-in conversion capabilities. Comparing the level of support for free readers for Windows, we can say that ICE Book has the most complete help system.
Fully Russian-language help describes in detail the settings options aimed at achieving maximum program performance.
STDU Viewer
STDU Viewer is another universal Windows reader present in our review. The only one of the reviewed programs that works not only with the old (mobi), but also with the new (azw) Kindle format. STDU is distributed according to the principle similar to ICE Book. For private use, the program is available free of charge. When registering, you must provide an e-mail and tick the non-commercial use box.
A feature of STDU is integration with common formats for storing scanned documents, which are used to create electronic versions of paper textbooks. The program is able to export the material contained in them in the modes "text" or "picture". The extraction is performed in whole pages or in separate blocks of information.
The exported materials are immediately adapted to the standard paper format, which allows them to be printed out like ordinary office documents. As a result, the program can be used not only for reading, but also for working with electronic versions paper carriers. The implemented ability to work with tabs is intended for the same purpose. In the main window, you can open several documents and, switching between them, search and retrieve information.
The user is encouraged to master the operation of the built-in tools on his own. Help on functions is missing not only in Russian, but also in English.
As an epub reader for Windows, it recognizes the format and table of contents of the book, while not allowing you to navigate through the internal links leading to the notes. The versatility of working with formats in this case led to a deterioration in quality.
Finally
Having considered the best readers for Windows, the following conclusions can be drawn. The Cool Reader software is best adapted for its intended use. AlReader is in second place in terms of convenience. The third is Liberty. Universal ICE and STDU readers are best used as tools for editing and extracting information.
