Top 5 Ebook Readers for Smartphones
We used to have a large collection of books in our study room in the days gone by - be it romantic novels, timeless classics or just casual everyday reading books. The habit of reading is gradually going out of fashion in this digital era. But, thanks to ebook readers available for smartphones and tablets, we can now carry any number of books in our palm. Let us go through some of the best ebook readers available for smartphones.
Overview
Mobile phones have now replaced a lot of things we carried around with us. One of them being the books. We can now carry books - be it for casual reading or study material - on our smartphones. Ebook readers are the apps that help you buy books and read them on the go. We have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to getting a good Ebook reader. How to choose the best one? What are the benefits they offer compared to each other? In short, which Ebook reader should you go for based on your needs? I have picked five of my favourite Ebook readers that would make reading a pleasure. Let me present a comparative analysis of these apps.Kindle
Availability - Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry.
One can say Kindle is the pioneer in the realm of Ebook readers. Synonymous with the concept itself, the app can be installed on any platform. I would also go to the extent of stating that it is a Must Buy for anyone owning a Kindle Ebook Reader like Kindle Fire from Amazon, because your book library is synced with your smartphone. 
The app layout is user-friendly and easier to customise. Interface is totally clutter-free. Page transitions are too smooth. It features an innovative X-ray feature that helps you find people and places in books. The library is quite exhaustive and you can be sure of finding many best-sellers on Kindle. The pricing of the books is also better among the competitors. The app is quite fast and offers basic standard features like annotations, night mode and customisable fonts.
Pros
ConsFlipkart Ebooks
Availability - iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
This is my favourite among E-readers. In spite of being the latest entrant in the Ebook reader apps arena, it has a good library. New Indian writers are easier to find on FlipKart. Some books are relatively cheaper on it. Layout of the app is at its best. Bookstore design is quite impressive. You get to see the special deals right away. Opening the app, you get the bookstore - not your library. User interface is devoid of any fancy or appeal. The app lacks special features provided by Kindle or Kobo. It has basic features like night settings, font formatting and easy layout. You can also use this app as your default ebook reader wherein you can import all your On-device files and read them on the app.
Pros
ConsAldiko For Android
Availability - The app is available for Android only.
It is one of the most popular ebook readers. The most important reason being it has support for a multitude of formats. It also has DropBox connectivity, thus helping you sync your books across devices. Aldiko can be used as your default ebook reader. It can read all your epub files you download from different websites.
Pros
ConsKobo
Availability- Android, iOS and BlackBerry. Windows Phone version is coming soon.
The app features gamification of reading - it awards you badges for completing books. Though looks a bit childish, it is kind of encouraging. The app is beautifully designed and page turns are smooth. The app has an innovative feature named Beyond The Book - similar to X-ray on Kindle. It links you to the other information related to the things in the book. 
Library is quite extensive. You get almost all best-sellers. But the pricing is a bit on expensive side compared to Kindle.
Pros
Cons
Books are more expensive.Rockstand
Availability - iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
This is most basic in nature. It starts from the bookstore and you will need to navigate to your library. There are no extra features available. The app offers basic standards like night screen and font size customisation. Page turns are a bit jerky in nature.
Book library is too limited. But it has a lot of Indian magazines on store. You have a good collection in Indian languages. Pricing is also on cheaper side.
Pros
ConsFinal Words
If you see the list of best-sellers across the apps I mentioned, there is hardly any gap between Flipkart and Kindle. Kindle is preferred for its UI and added features. FlipKart has good deals on books and the pricing is cheaper as well. Kobo, though has good additional features, is not recommended because of its expensive bookstore. there are also some smaller players, but they dont have access to wider catalogue of books. I would suggest either FlipKart or Kindle for the optimum reading pleasure.
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In a tragic development for the Ebook lovers, Flipkart has decided to pull the plugs on its Flipkart Ebook reader. The service will be shut down with effect from 17th December. The purchases will be transferred to Kobo. It has claimed that the business is not viable with the current domination of physical books. Flipkart has officially made the announcement on its website to this effect.