- If you are reading on a computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
- If you rely on Adobe Digital Editions to transfer books to an e-ink device, you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions until your device supports a newer method.
We will continue supporting Adobe Digital Editions for as long as it’s needed
We recently asked a large group of eBooks.com customers how they felt about moving from Adobe Digital Editions to Thorium Reader.
The response was enthusiastic. Most people were happy to make the switch. Thorium Reader is modern, stable, accessible, and easier to use. It works on Windows, Mac and Linux, and it supports the newer Readium LCP content protection system, which we believe is a much better long-term solution for our customers.
But there is one important exception.
If you use an older e-ink reading device, such as some Kobo, Sony, PocketBook, Nook or other dedicated e-reader tablets, and you normally transfer ebooks from your computer to that device using Adobe Digital Editions, then you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions for now.
Why Thorium Reader is usually the better choice
For most customers who want to read ebooks on a computer, Thorium Reader is the option we recommend.
Thorium is a free desktop reading app developed by EDRLab, the organisation behind Readium LCP. It is designed for modern EPUB reading and includes many features that make reading easier and more comfortable, including:
- a clean, modern reading interface
- strong support for EPUB 3
- excellent accessibility features
- support for Windows, Mac and Linux
- adjustable text size, spacing and display settings
- support for Readium LCP-protected ebooks
- ongoing development and improvement
In short, Thorium Reader is a much more modern ebook platform than Adobe Digital Editions.
If you read your eBooks.com books on your computer, Thorium is likely to be the better choice.
When Adobe Digital Editions may still be the right choice
There is one situation where Adobe Digital Editions may still be necessary.
Some customers do not read mainly on their computer. Instead, they download ebooks to their computer and then transfer it to a separate tablet device.
For many years, Adobe Digital Editions has been the standard way to do this. Some e-ink devices rely on Adobe’s system in order to transfer it from the computer to the device.
So, if your normal reading routine is:
- buy or download the ebook from eBooks.com
- open it on your computer in Adobe Digital Editions
- connect your e-ink device with a USB cable
- transfer the ebook from Adobe Digital Editions to the device
… then you should continue choosing Adobe Digital Editions for the time being.
That does not mean ADE is better than Thorium. It simply means your particular device may still depend on Adobe’s older transfer system.
A simple rule of thumb
Choose Thorium Reader if you want to read your ebook on:
- your Windows computer
- your Mac
- your Linux computer
- a modern reading app that supports Readium LCP
Choose Adobe Digital Editions if you need to transfer your ebook to an older e-ink device that still requires ADE.
What about Kobo, Sony and other e-ink devices?
Many dedicated e-ink devices were built around the Adobe Digital Editions system. This is especially true of older models.
If your device instructions tell you to use Adobe Digital Editions, or if you have successfully transferred eBooks.com purchases to that device using ADE in the past, then the safest approach is to keep using ADE for that device.
This may include some devices made by Kobo, Sony, PocketBook, Nook and others. Compatibility varies by model, so the important question is not just the brand of the device, but how that particular device handles protected EPUB files.
Will this change in the future?
Yes, we expect this to change over time as device makers modernise their requirements.
The ebook industry is moving toward newer, more open and more reader-friendly systems. Thorium Reader uses Readium LCP, a modern content protection technology designed specifically for ebooks. LCP is already used by libraries, universities, booksellers and reading platforms around the world.
We expect more device manufacturers and reading systems to support LCP over time. As that happens, more readers will be able to use Thorium Reader and LCP-based downloads as their normal route to reading on different devices.
But we are not quite there yet.
For customers with older e-ink devices that still require Adobe Digital Editions, ADE remains necessary for now.
Our recommendation
If you are reading on a computer, we recommend Thorium Reader.
It is modern, accessible, easy to use, and better aligned with the future of ebook reading.
But if you rely on Adobe Digital Editions to transfer books to an e-ink device, you should continue using Adobe Digital Editions until your device supports a newer method.
We know this can be confusing. The important thing to remember is that you do not need to switch just for the sake of switching. Choose the option that works best for the way you actually read.
For many customers, that will now be Thorium Reader.
For some customers with older e-ink devices, it will still be Adobe Digital Editions.
