iPhone Readers: Bookz

Bookz gets a few points for the customization options offered to its user. You can do pretty much what you will with the text formatting and backgrounds (even import your own image from the iPhone’s photo app like the sweet tubbypaws picture I used). However, besides that this is a bare bones reader that is really not worth your time and definitely not worth your $5.  I’ll run down the list: Download books from the web? Yes, but you’re pretty much limited to Project Gutenberg; Upload from your computer? No (you can set up your own server like with eReader and others, but that’s ridiculous to expect of the everyday Joe);Swipe gestures? Nope, and you can only turn the page by pressing the bottom of the screen, which is doubly confusing when in landscape (which cannot be toggled by tilting the accelerometer).  Bookmarking? Yes, works fine; Highlighting and/or note taking? Nope; Lots of file formats? Nope TXT files only; Text search? Yes, in fact there are two text search options, in the form of a magnifying glass button and an “AZ” button.  I couldn’t discern a difference between the two, though I’ll admit I didn’t try very hard because I don’t really care. 

Wait…TXT files only?  Yeah that’s right.  Buying Bookz is basically spending $5 for Notepad with bookmark functionality and the ability to change the background.  It’s super weak.  Even worse, I’ve actually read quite a few reviews out there (just from a quick Google search) of people applauding or at least approving of this program.  As if the ereading market wasn’t fragmented enough! There is so much indecision and inconsistency across the board, it’s no wonder publishers don’t take any of this very seriously.  For that reason alone this one-trick pony not worth $5.  You may as well get another program that handle more than just the most basic file type.  (Yes, TXT common enough that you can get by with Bookz, but why limit yourself?) Better apps than Bookz are available for free.