At Ebook Friendly, we devote our time and efforts to document how books, libraries, and the culture of reading evolve in digital times.
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Our visitors come back for tips, lists, and news about everything that’s related to modern books. And in 2018 a lot has happened.
Audiobooks are surging; the long-expected Kindle Paperwhite 4 was introduced; more and more users are switching to voice-activated devices.
Among the most popular articles on Ebook Friendly this year there are overviews of the top book and audiobook apps for both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Many users still can’t decide between Kindle and iPad for reading, and we’ve made their life easier with a simple questionnaire-based guide.
And everyone loves our list of gifts and accessories. The 2018 edition of the gift-giving guide for book lovers is even more popular than our evergreen posts from 50 Best series!
Let 2019 be a wonderful happy time, full of new books we want to read, and the older ones we’d finally finish.
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20 most interesting articles on Ebook Friendly in 2018
30 best love quotes from literature
There is no better way to learn about your own feelings than reading a book. We’ve collected literature’s best quotes about love in the list below.
You will find passages from books by Jane Austen, André Gide, Roald Dahl, Paulo Coelho, Jodi Picoult, and Elizabeth Gilbert. Some of them are visualized so that you can share them digitally – not only with the people you love, and not only during Valentine’s Day.
8 best audiobook apps you can use on your Android phone or tablet
Many people have recently discovered the joy of playing audiobooks on their smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod.
You don’t have to buy a smart speaker, though. All you need is a free app. If you have a phone or tablet powered by Android, you’ll find plenty of audiobook apps. Download one, and you’ll be able to listen to audiobooks in a matter of minutes.
We list the most popular and interesting Android audiobook applications in this overview.
The Man Booker Prize winners analyzed (infographic)
What’s your favorite Booker Prize winner? To let you refresh the memory we’ve found an infographic that lists all winning titles between 1969 and 2013.
Designed and released by Delayed Gratification Magazine, the infographic is called “How to win the Booker Prize.”
The visual (by the way, it’s one of the most excellent book infographics we’ve ever seen) is analyzing Booker Prize-winning authors and novels to see if there is any recipe to get the award.
Popular abbreviations as seen by book geeks
How would popular abbreviations look like if they were to be decided by book lovers? We asked ourselves this question and came up with a few nice examples: FIY, VIP, B&B, ROTFL, and more.
As you will see, many popular ones are still missing. TGIF, LOL, DIY, WTF, IMO to name a few. How would you decode them to satisfy the book lover in you?
5 easy ways to celebrate the joy of reading during World Book Day
Each year, book lovers have an excuse to dive into books at least twice, as there are two widely popular World Book Day celebrations.
The celebration happens in your mind. If 15 minutes spent with books during World Book Day will make you happy, then you’ve celebrated it! Take a look at the proposed activities and get inspired to make this day enjoyable and memorable.
14 things to keep in mind before buying Amazon Fire tablet
If you think about getting a reasonably priced tablet for basic tasks like web surfing, checking emails, or watching movies, the Fire is a natural and justified choice. You get the device that connects you to a familiar shopping platform, at a price ranging between $50 and $200.
In the post, you will learn pros and cons of getting Amazon Fire tablet. Features and specs that you will enjoy or miss.
Amazon Fire is extremely easy to buy. Is it easy to use?
14 funniest and weirdest animated gifs that are set in libraries
A library is a boring place where people struggle with sleep. What? Not true!
These animated gifs prove it’s just the opposite. Certainly, “sshhhhhh” is still the primary rule, but it doesn’t mean the library is not an exciting place to come and spend the whole day.
It’s a library where strange things can happen, and the strangest ones take place inside your mind.
Must-have reference and learning apps for your iPad and iPhone
There are millions of apps in the iTunes Store, and I bet you’ve tested dozens of them already. Which is your favorite category? Games? Entertainment? Photo & video?
The thing is everything can be fun with the iPad, not only games. In this post, we’ve collected a few apps that will keep you in the learning mood. These are not classroom apps.
These are apps you can use personally to learn a bit more and improve a bit faster in everything you do.
Kittens and books on beautiful paintings by Timothy A. Matthews
The love of books and cats is beautifully visualized by an award-winning UK-based oil painter Timothy Adam Matthews.
The artist creates portraits (including babies) or landscapes, but it’s the paintings about the kittens that make every book lover’s heart rate jump.
70 most famous insults from Shakespeare’s plays
To celebrate the birthday and death of the Bard on April 23, Invaluable has published a list of most famous insults from Shakespeare’s plays.
The list includes over 70 quotes, and some of them – mentioning only “Away, you three-inch fool!” – you must have already known.
Twelve of these insults first used by William Shakespeare were stylishly visualized by the team from Invaluable, together with the meaning of each passage and the play it comes from.
Kindle vs. iPad – which device is better for reading?
Many users who want to buy a device for reading, don’t look for general comparisons between tablets and e-readers. They want to compare specific brands and models. And two most sought-after brand names are Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle.
That’s why we compiled a list of tips and insights that will help you recognize which of your reading preferences will be met better by either device.
The overview doesn’t compare specific models. Instead, you will see areas where a tablet from Apple works better than an e-reader from Amazon. And the other way round.
The top 100 Kindle books of all time, based on annual bestseller lists
This list is a part of an extensive set of charts comparing the best Kindle books published since November 2007.
Each book in the annual bestseller list gets points. The #1 book gets 100 points; the last one receives 1 point. If a book is present on more than one annual list, its points are added.
The best Kindle book of all time is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson’s first book from the Millennium series.
50 empowering quotes from fictional female characters (infographic)
From Playground Equipment comes an infographic that puts together the most outstanding quotes from the world of fiction.
Read these short, empowering, thought-provoking quotes by Mary Poppins, Hazel Grace Lancaster, Lady Galadriel, or Elizabeth Bennet. You’ll get inspired, and maybe you will start thinking about how to change your attitude, find positive energy, and improve your life.
Audiobooks – facts, tips, and comparisons in one handy list
Audiobooks are fun. They are perfect driver companions. They make every long trip much shorter – and much more entertaining. They let you enjoy the story together with other members of your family or friends.
This guide will be helpful for anyone who wants to give a try to audiobooks and is ready to spend some time to find tips and answers to most essential questions.
What’s the best tip for audiobook newbies? If you own an iOS or Android phone, make sure to download one of the free audiobook apps, and start listening to your first audiobook in a matter of seconds!
10 tips to make the most of Alexa on your Amazon Fire tablet
Amazon Alexa is a voice-activated personal assistant that can answer questions and perform a growing number of actions.
In this post, you will learn how to enable hands-free Alexa (and why it’s good to do it), or how to make the most of Show Mode.
We focus on visually-enhanced Alexa skills and commands, plus answer most common questions about using Alexa on the Fire tablet.
10 best audiobook apps for your iPad and iPhone
All you have to do to start listening to audiobooks on your iPad or iPhone is pick up the right app.
Your primary task will be to decide which platform you like most – and download the corresponding app.
What’s very important, a growing number of apps can handle both ebooks and audiobooks. Thanks to that, there is no need to switch the app if you decide to change the way of consuming books.
Here are the best books you can find on Amazon Prime Reading
Prime Reading is a part of Amazon Prime subscription. The service gives members unlimited access to a list of Kindle ebooks, magazines, children’s books, comics, and short reads.
The Prime Reading catalog includes about 1,000 items. The list is rotating, which means that – just like on Netflix – some titles are coming and some are leaving.
Amazon has revealed a list of top 10 Amazon Prime Reading titles so far.
10 things to know about Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 4
The 4th-generation Paperwhite has most features many readers were dreaming about. It’s waterproof. It has a bigger memory. It’s Audible-ready. It has a Voyage-like glass front. And it costs only $129.99.
Before you make the final decision whether to buy the new Kindle Paperwhite, trade for the model you own, or wait for price drops, think about how its features will work for you.
In the following post, we will analyze what stands behind the most important features of the Kindle Paperwhite 2018, so that you can better imagine yourself using it.
Book lover’s holiday gift guide 2018
As you know, we spend long hours to find and compare the products that would make great bookish gifts and are currently available at low or lowered prices.
Opposite to our popular list of the best literary gifts of 2018, this overview includes only the items that cost $25 or less.
Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime Reading – which service is better for me?
Amazon offers so many digital services that it’s easy to get lost and confuse their names, features, and prices.
Some of these services are standalone subscriptions; some are a part of complex membership programs. Are you sure you are choosing a service that meets your needs the most?
In this overview, we compare two popular digital services offered by Amazon: Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading. You will learn about major features, compatible devices, eligible books, cancellation terms, and offered deals.
14 beautiful book-shaped home decor accessories and appliances
Hundreds of books on the Kindle means you won’t need a classic floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, or, at least, you won’t need a bookshelf that large.
But it’s good to have things at home that remind you of the evening you will spend with the book and a cup of delicious tea.
Home decor accessories you’ll see in this post are brilliant ideas for the home where the love of books have helped raise kids, their parents, and grandparents.
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