E-ink ebook frustration

Years ago (before there was a Kindle) I bought a Nook from Barnes and Noble.  Incredible.  I could read books everywhere (including sitting on the pier at the Santa Cruz boardwalk in California in the July sunshine, and I could take dozens, if not hundreds, of books with me when I traveled.

Then Amazon entered the fray with self publishing.  Lots of great books available on Amazon but not through Barnes and Noble.  Not readable on a Nook, however.  So I bought a tablet.  I can read both using the apps but the problem is it isn't e-ink.  You can't read a tablet sitting in the sunshine.  Too much glare.


The other part of the tablet that I don't like is that it's too easy to browse off to other stuff.  Look this up, check email, etc, etc.  I find my reading broken compared to my Nook or an actual book.  I know, that's a personal problem, but still, it does distract me and I haven't been able to break the habit.
I started researching. Amazon isn't going to let you read epub on their Kindle because competition.  Barnes and Noble isn't going to let you read Amazon format on their Nook because competition.

There must be an aftermarket e-ink reader that lets you read both.  Enter DRM.  Digital Rights Management.  You can't read our stuff on other people's readers because copyright.  Sigh.  All I want to do is read books.

I keep researching, hoping someone will come up with a decent e-ink reader that allows you to install apps from Barnes and Noble AND Amazon so that I can read both.  Every time someone does I get excited, and then I read the reviews.  They just don't seem to work particularly well.

Onyx Boox is the latest.  Mixed reviews on using Amazon App.  Boyue got good reviews but last year and the year before every time I went to shop for one it said "out of stock".  Got to wonder about a company that never has any product for sale.  The other problem is that most of these aftermarket readers run over $200.  I assume that B&N and Amazon are selling at or around cost on the assumption that they will then make some money selling you books, and I don't mind paying more if it does what I want it to do, I just am not thrilled about ponying up that kind of cash in order to discover that it doesn't do it well.

So here I, sit reading on my tablet and trying to stay out of the sun.