When ebook subscription services started, I subscribed initially to Scribd – first the free trial, and then a paid subscription for a couple of months. At around the same time, Amazon started their Kindle Unlimited. That was very enticing since we are Amazon Prime subscribers. So I signed up for Kindle Unlimited as well.
For a couple of months, I kept both subscriptions ongoing. Meanwhile, I got myself a Kindle Paperwhite and fell in love with it. And then, to adhere to my monthly budget causes, I had to choose between the two.
The contrast between the two services, I found was this:
With Kindle Unlimited books, I could read them using the Paperwhite or the smartphone app or the web browser reader app on laptops and desktops.
Scribd books were available only on the smartphone app or web browser. They did not support any e-ink readers, which are oh-so-good to read on (did I mention I absolutely love reading on the Kindle Paperwhite?). And I was quite sad about that.
I have recently found, however that there are a few Android based E-ink readers like the Onyx or the Boyue T62+. So this difference might become a on-issue for me in the future if I decide to go the Android E-Ink reader route.
Scribd had a better huger selection of books. Kindle Unlimited seem sto have a whole lot of Indie Authors. Overall, I found that Scribd had more of the books I want to read.
This was the feature which made the decision: I like to make notes and highlight paragraphs as I read. And I love that Amazon provides a Kindle Your Highlights page which consolidates all the notes and highlights into one page. And then the, Bookcision – the Javascript bookmarklet helps make it look pretty and allows me to download them in a text or xml or json format.
What about Scribd? Well, at the time, they did not have a notes and highlights feature. And so I went with Kindle Unlimited in the past.
But why am I talking about it now? Well, there are a few books on my to-read list which seem to ebe available only on Scribd, and I was re-considering subscribing. That they have now introduced the “Notes and Highlights” feature makes Scribd even more attractive.
But for some reason, they have not yet provided a way to consolidate all the notes and Highlights and provide a copy or download option.
And so, I am quite disappointed and have decided to wait to see if Scribd will provide the consolidated notes and highlights feature.
June 03, 2015