iPhone or iPod Touch

iPhone 2.0 (first gen and 3G)

Reading applications:

  • eReader - website / iTunes app store
    • PalmDoc, eReader formats
    • Simply visit http://manybooks.net/m/ using Safari on your device, and click the eReader download link -- the book will be transferred to the eReader application.
  • BookShelf - website / iTunes app store
    • PalmDoc, Mobipocket, Plucker formats
  • iSilo - website / iTunes app store
    • iSilo, Doc formats
  • Stanza - website / iTunes app store
    • Many supported formats, can be used in conjunction with a desktop application to transfer files. Manybooks supports direct download of EPUB documents from Mobile Safari using the epub:// URL scheme (just click the link and it will download to Stanza on your iPhone or iPod Touch). Even better, browse manybooks.net/m/ from within Stanza!
  • FileMagnet - website / iTunes app store
    • While not technically an eReader it does support Doc (RTF?) and PDF formats. Requires the use of a Mac OS X only desktop application.
  • BookZ - website / iTunes app store
    • Works with plain text files -- manybooks will link to Project Gutenberg, where possible, for plain text versions.

Quick Instructions - pre-2.0

  1. This requires a "jailbroken" iPhone with Installer.app installed - try ZiPhone.
  2. Using Installer.app add textReader to your iPhone.
  3. Use textReader's "Download File via URL" function to load an ebook - http://mnybks.net/pdb/6389 will get you Frankenstein. The number corresponds with the mnybks.net ID listed below the download list for each title. (Visit http://manybooks.net/m for the mobile version of this site with quick links!).

iPhone 1.1.3 users!

You can store a book on your iPhone -- find a book you'd like to read, then click the "Bookmarklet" link! Open the URL, save to your iPhone "Home Screen", and you'll have something ready to read, even without a net connection, thanks to the wonders of data:URL.

Jailbroken iPhones/iPods with firmware 1.1.4 : use Books.app

This appears to work only with firmware 1.1.4 - firmware 1.1.3 will fail!

Download and install Installer.app on your iPhone -- it's a simple process (a very thorough walk-through is available on Gizmodo.) Afterwards you'll be able to install applications like Books.app with just a few taps. Books.app also has a straightforward script for copying HTML files to your iPhone (try an "iPhone Books.app" file from manybooks!) available at http://code.google.com/p/iphoneebooks/wiki/InstallingEBooks.

You can also install books directly to your iPhone using Installer.app by creating a bookshelf at manybooks.net and adding it as a repository source to Installer.app. When you update your shelf at manybooks, refresh the source list for your iPhone's Installer.app - then install the books from the "ManyBooks" category. Currently not working

  • Create a bookshelf (requires an account - sign up, if necessary)
  • Open Installer.app on your iPhone
  • Tap the "Sources" tab at the bottom of the screen
  • Tap "Edit" then "Add" and enter the URL for your new shelf - something like http://manybooks.net/shelf/38
  • Tap "Done"
  • Switch to the "Install" tab and select the ManyBooks category to see your selections!

There's a good walkthrough of this process at ModMyiFone.com.

Sources for the most recent additions to each Category are also available in the plist directory.

 

Alternatives:

Browse manybooks.net or mnybks.net with your iPhone. Specialized CSS is utilized in both cases, but mnybks.net is also stripped down and quick. When browsed with an iPhone the full manybooks.net site has links to HTML and PDF downloads on mnybks.net.

Other sites

Some other folks are working on solutions that may work for iPhone users - the most notable ones are:

  • Scrollbox.org a site that displays Project Gutenberg files, and lets you upload your own content as well.
  • Books.app a native iPhone application for reading text and HTML files.