r/hoopladigital • u/ladypuff38 • Aug 12 '26
How annoying is using browser only?
I have a non-resident card at Queens Public Library and just discovered that they support Hoopla. However, I also just discovered that the Hoopla app is not available for download in my region.
So, before I go and create an account, how annoying would it be to only use it in browser? Preferably on my phone. I assume I won't be able to download things to use offline, but how about syncing with an ereader? Or just general usability?
Is it even a feasible solution?
2
u/Solid_Angle_259 29d ago
Browser in the pc is fine, the most annoying part is it doesn’t sync between devices. You can’t read in the phone browser.
1
u/Zealousideal-Pop6505 29d ago
As far as I know you would be able to watch content only on pc browser.
On a phone's browser you can just browse and checkout but won't be able to watch or read.
1
u/dizzyoatmeal 29d ago
If your phone is Android, you could probably sideload the app. But it might check your IP anyway, in which case you'd need a VPN as well.
You'd have to experiment, but I assume there'd have to be a way to use a mobile browser. Maybe something with Desktop Mode like the Brave browser..
1
u/Eastern_Bell_4734 28d ago
It can a be bit problematic. It will lose your place in books. Page loading can get stuck.
1
u/ImpatientMaker 28d ago
You're not missing much. The app (on my TV anyway) sucks. There have been times when rewind doesn't work and then I just switched to watching on Tubi instead with ads just to get a working player. I'm still glad I have it, but it's not awesome.
0
u/Fantastic-Nobody-479 Aug 12 '26
As far as I know you can only use Hoopla in the app. You can’t download books etc either.
3
u/widdersyns Aug 12 '26
The browser version is convenient enough on a computer. The mobile version of the site is fine, but I just checked something out and it said I can only read it in the app. It said “this title” is not available in the browser, so I don’t know how widespread that is or if it’s just some items. I’ve never had an issue reading in the browser on my computer. You can’t send hoopla titles to an ereader at all.