how to access public domain books

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  • bethanna
    Participant

    I’m planning for our next year and several books I want to use are in public domain. The only internet access we have at home is on my cell phone. I don’t think I want to read a whole book from that little screen! When there’s a pdf that I want, I go to the library and save it to a travel drive (flash drive? Non-techie here) and then open/print on our home computer. Would that work with books? I don’t want to print, just open and read. I was reading the other thread about a Nook and was wondering about all the new reader devices. Could any of them be used at a public library to download books but then open and read the books at home where there is no internet connection?

    Scherger5
    Participant

    I am not going to be super helpful, BUT some of Amazon’s Kindles have wireless built in to them. They just pull the connection out of the air. You could then download books from Amazon at home, even though you don’t have internet.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UB7DU6/ref=fs_clw

    Heather

    Sue
    Participant

    I think you would still need a wi-fi connection to download them…..like at a McDonald’s or a library. My daughter’s Kindle Fire works that way, but then she can open the books at home to read them. We do not have wi-fi at home.

    Scherger5
    Participant

    You don’t need a wi-fi connection if you get a 3G model. I think that is why they cost more.

    🙂

    Heather

    bethanna
    Participant

    Thank you for the info! I’ll have to check into that. Would I be able to use it for e-books that I purchase from SCM and other companies? Going to the library or McD to download will be fine; I just want to make sure I can use it later without the internet connection. Do I need to look for one with a certain amount of memory/space so a good many books will fit on there?

    suzukimom
    Participant

    I have a Kindle 3rd Generation 3G, and yes, I can download books anywhere I like from Amazon.  I can also use the experimental browser (not on all the later models) to download Kindle format books from places like Project Gutenberg.  I don’t remember if I could download a PDF easily from anywhere or not through that browser though.    The Wifi only (no 3G connection) would be the same if you sat at a McDonalds, library, airport, or anywhere else with free Wifi.

    Now, as far as PDF files, you can use the included cable to move them from your computer to the Kindle.  You could probably move it from a library computer to the Kindle with the cable too – you just use the USB connection.  The Kindle looks like a removable drive to the computer.  For mine, you just put it in the Documents folder.  (you can move Kindle files that way as well, of course.)

    jmac17
    Participant

    We use a BlackBerry PlayBook, which is a tablet computer.   It’s similar in size and price to a kindle or nook, but has more functionality.   It has a full browser, so you could download from any site.  There are several eReader apps to choose from.  We use the kindle app and one called Aldiko the most.  The PlayBook also easily reads pdfs.  We also use many other features, but this is what I would buy even if I just wanted an eReader.   It uses wifi, so you could use it at the library, or it can be tethered using bluetooth to a smartphone if your phone plan allows that.  Or the newer phones also can often create a wireless hotspot, so you can use you phone’s data service.

    bethanna
    Participant

    Wow, thanks! I’ll have to look into these as possibilities.

    suzukimom
    Participant

    or it can be tethered using bluetooth to a smartphone if your phone plan allows that. 

     

    I guess that is why my tablet has bluetooth – I was trying to figure out why it would need it….  about all I figured was maybe to listen to music over bluetooth headphones or possibly the car speakder.

    jmac17
    Participant

    Suzukimom, you can do headphones as well, though it can be hard to find stereo headphones.   I know, I tried, and there weren’t as many options as there are for headsets for the phones. 

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