I recently bought an inkBook Focus Plus (black and white Carta 1300 screen, 7.8"). For me a strong argument was that I needed the reader to support my local library’s book lending app now that they are moving away from Adobe-based DRM due to the upcoming EU directive. So if you plan to use any library service, make sure to check their technical requirements. It can vary even within countries.

For file transfer the reader has WiFi, USB, and a memory card slot. There is also an individual email address you can use to send books to your reader. Wifi drains a lot of battery so don’t keep it on unnecessarily.

You can install Android apps from APK files. There is a built-in “app store” called inkPLUS so you can easily install from a short list of recommended apps. You can also install APKpure which is another source of apps, like an app store. I’ve installed apps like Pressreader and Deepl translate. No problems.

The built-in pdf reader leaves a bit to be desired, such as margin trimming for texts. The built-in book reader is ok but one problem I’ve found is that the clickable list of content is truncated after 50 items. This probably doesn’t matter for most novels etc, but it’s a big drawback for many textbooks etc. It’s possible to manually add bookmarks. I would also have wished for some “back feature” like keeping a thumb in your physical book and going back to the page you were perviously on. As a Nordic person I think the list of supported languages could be more extensive if they want to be truly relevant in all of Europe. The file system is a bit opaque and it’s not at all easy to move documents.

There are physical buttons for page turning. They work for the built-in apps but normally not for third-party apps in my experience, and the buttons are not programmable as far as I know. So in those cases you have to tap or swipe the screen.

Bloatware-wise the built-in translation is based on Google translate. I’ve installed the Deepl app. It also has Google cloud available. I honestly don’t remember if it was preinstalled and I uninstalled it when I first got the reader, but it’s anyway available in the inkPLUS list if apps. But if you don’t plan to use it you don’t need to link the reader to any Google account. I log in to my local library account to borrow books or to use Pressreader.

No, Pocketbook is Swiss. I think Polish InkBook is the only EU option. They don’t manufacture in Europe though. Maybe German Tolino would qualify as well depending on your definition since their readers are based on Canadian Kobo.

Fair enough, but different people have different needs and preferences. I appreciate being able to read daily papers from all over the world and prefer an e-papers screen over backlit alternatives. There are also books that have gone out of print or are only published electronically. And being able to load thousands of books onto a device weighing a few hg Is a huge plus especially if you travel.

InkBook’s OS is based on Android but it’s not stock Android so you don’t need to link the device to any Google account or such. My library uses Android apps for book lending and newspaper and magazine access digitally so personally my options for library loans is a reader that can sideload Android apps or nothing at all.

Inkbook, Pocketbok (Sorry, Pocketbook is Swiss so not EU), Tolino. Inkbook can sideload most Android apps so it doesn’t lock you into any particular ecosystem. I have one myself (Focus Plus) It’s fairly basic but ok. Above all it works with the app my local library uses. It’s the only European reader I’ve tried so can’t really comment on the others.

Also check out local resources for your particular target language. Many countries have online language learning resources primarily targeted at immigrants but usually open for all. And there are often daily news in easy language available from public service TV with online access.

I also read and watch news from other parts of the world in their native language which helps with keeping up understanding and passive language knowledge in addition to the factual contents - not so much with grammar learning, though. My library offers PressReader (Ireland-based) access for free and they have thousands of newspapers and magazines digitally. There is not a lot of material in all languages, unfortunately. Personally, I particularly miss a daily paper in Finnish, but still. And often the papers available are not the biggest ones and sometimes all those available for a particular country have strong political leanings.

Edited spelling

Yes, that’s right, tastes good and they have some fair trade products. Apparently they manufacture in Italy.

And fyi Marabou used to be Swedish but is now also owned by Mondalez together with some of the brands in the upper part of the illustration.

This feels very dependent on where in Europe you live. Up here in Sweden for instance we would most likely buy Cloetta or Fazer.

Sorry, I misspelled. It’s Tolino and they are German. https://mytolino.com/ I never looked into them in any detail. They seem to have their own ecosystem with their own book-diistribution, akin to Kindle using Amazon. I wanted an “open” reader where I can get books from various sources and install my preferred apps. The InkBook runs a modified version of Android and you can install (sideload) very many Android apps.

There are some drawbacks to InkBooks though. The OS is based on Android 11, I believe, which is extremely old for a current reader so I wonder if my library app will cut support for my device before it is worn out. My perssonal experience with the Focus Plus is also that the built-in pdf reader is bad., I’ve not been able to zoom in to remove the margins and only show the text, for instance. The list of supported languages is also relatively short if they want to be relevant in all of Europe. (German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hungarian, Dutch, Polish, Slovenian)

There are not a lot of InkBook reviews available, but I found a site with fairly extensive reviews in Polish, which the help of my browsers built-in translator I had no problems understanding the meaning.

6" Solaris: https://swiatczytnikow.pl/test-czytnika-inkbook-solaris-szesc-cali-z-androidem-innowacyjnymi-przyciskami-i-przezroczystym-etui-duo/

7.8" Focus Plus: https://swiatczytnikow.pl/test-inkbook-focus-plus-osiem-cali-z-szybka-aplikacja-do-epub-androidem-i-funkcjami-dostepnosci/

If you want an e-ink reader from Europe, there are InkBook, Toledo Tolino, and Pocketbook. I went with an InkBook myself because it supports the lending app used by my local library as well as Pressreader, which I can also access through my library. Inkbooks are not widely available in my country bu tyou can buy them directly from the company in Poland via inkbook.eu.

Last and First Men. The monologue is spoken so slowly that I think it would pass at 1.25x. Nothing in the visuals would give it away either.

For battery springs maybe RS Pro by the London-based RS Group? Again, I don’t know where their actual manufacturing takes place.

Yes, I second making sure the filament is well dried before printing. It usually fixes issues like this for me.

Yes, I suspected they would be made in Asia :(

Despite their names both NXP and STM also make passive components like resistors according to my quick search at octopart.com. Personally I’d choose a European company with manufacturing abroad over a Chinese or American company, though. Of course made in Europe would be preferable.

Where do major European electronics component manufacturers like NXP and STMicroelectronics have their factories? Anybody who knows?