(Here’s where to find free Kindle apps for your phone, ipod/ipad, etc.)

How to read ebooks on a pc is a topic that seems to be popping up around me a lot lately, especially from kids who do not own ereaders.  So it was time for a concise post on this subject. Yes, you can use your computer as an ereader. Yes, you can do it for free!

Ebooks come in two main file formats, MOBI, which is compatible with the Amazon Kindle, and EPUB, which is compatible with pretty much everything else. You can read both formats on your computer, giving you access to the extensive Kindle store and to the other bookstores like Barnes and Noble, Kobo, etc. that sell in the EPUB format. Here are the methods I like best:

Visit the Kindle website for free a software download that will open any Kindle book…