Opinion on eReaders?

[StephenKingman]

I really dont see the appeal personally of these Kindle or Ebooks, the only digitalised book i read recently was one of the classics on my "100 Classic Collection" game for DS! I much prefer the classic paperback book to squinting at an electronic screen and the old fashioned book will never be replaced totally.

[patrickt]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, but I figured this was the best place to ask. I read quite a bit, especially when travelling, and I've been thinking lately about picking up an eReader and saving space in my bag.

I'm not too terribly tech savvy though, so I'm wondering, Kindle? Nook or Sony eReader?

I've heard that the Sony readers are nicest, but also most expensive. I would think that the Kindle would be the best bet because it's sold from Amazon though, but I don't think you can see that in stores can you?

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

My son has, and likes, A Sony reader and as of today I have a KindleDX. I went with the Kindle because I live in Mexico and they have perhaps the best international support. I liked the Nook reader but their international support isn't there.

My Kindle screen is certainly readable. I read all afternoon with no problems whatsoever. Ordering books is a snap and I can download anywhere, free, with a cell phone connection. If you want to subscribe to a newspaper or magazine there is a connection charge for international users, I believe.

I like my reader.

[theonlinetrainers]

Mmmm! Actually there are many readers and many choices...it depends on how much will you pay for it...but if you want my opinion go a head and buy Barnes & Noble NOOK ebook reader (WiFi + 3G) it's really really nice and deserved to be purchased.....

Wishing you the best of the bests and thank you for your post!

[Perrywinkle47]

I so don't like ebooks.. Its inconvenient altogether.

[bluefoxicy]

I don't own a reader, but if I were in the market, I think I'd be taking a good hard look at the iPad in place of a dedicated reader. Amazon makes a Kindle Reader app for it, so their library is available to you, and of course the device offers a larger variety of uses than a dedicated reader would. I'm sure there are downsides (weight, cost perhaps), but food for thought.

Downsides of an iPad:

- It doesn't load arbitrary software (it's another walled garden)
- It doesn't have Flash, Java, etc... so you can't use Youtube.
- It's good for roughly nothing, really.
- The screen is nowhere near as purpose-suited as the eInk of the Kindle

Downsides of the Kindle:
- Doesn't connect to arbitrary Wifi networks well (it doesn't connect to Enterprise Wifi, so trying to connect to Panera or Barnes & Nobel Wifi leads to a "Cannot Connect to this network" message)
- Seems to not like captive portals (it seems to phone home on connect to Wifi, and failing that just complains it can't connect)
- Doesn't take ePub ebooks (tied to AZW format)
- Books come in AZW format (which doesn't port to Nook)

The Nook I'm not sure about; but Amazon's Kindle seems to have the largest available library of eBooks. Too much is on Kindle that's not in ePub, which puts you back at iPad vs Kindle.

I strongly prefer the Kindle. I also don't want the 9 inch one (I have the 6 inch one, screen's big enough and it fits in my pants front pocket). The 3G would probably be useful, if you don't just sync at home against your own Wifi network.

I much prefer the classic paperback book to squinting at an electronic screen

I had a very old generation eInk display when the XO laptop was made, and my first surprise was that it was clearer than newspaper. Seriously, physical book print is fuzzier and harder to read than the Kindle's display.

[Breyton]

I have a kindle and I love it. Amazon is continually growing their library of e-books and they offer a bunch of free classic books as well. The battery life is very long, it's easy to download new books on the run, and they have previews for books for free. One flaw for some people would be that the screen doesn't light up, but because it doesn't the screen looks like a book and not a computer screen. I don't get headaches from staring at it and it doesn't reflect a glare in the sun or make it difficult to read at different angles. I have been very satisfied with me Kindle and if, heaven forbid, something ever happened to it I would buy another one without a doubt.

[Perrywinkle47]

I have a kindle and I love it. Amazon is continually growing their library of e-books and they offer a bunch of free classic books as well. The battery life is very long, it's easy to download new books on the run, and they have previews for books for free. One flaw for some people would be that the screen doesn't light up, but because it doesn't the screen looks like a book and not a computer screen. I don't get headaches from staring at it and it doesn't reflect a glare in the sun or make it difficult to read at different angles. I have been very satisfied with me Kindle and if, heaven forbid, something ever happened to it I would buy another one without a doubt.

This is cool.. You have marketed a kindle way too well.. I will get one, too.

[Hstrylvr]

I recently bought a Nook, and I have to admit I love it. I thought long and hard about whether I wanted an e-reader or not. I finally decided to get one, and the Nook seemed the best one out there. It supports several different formats, and thanks to a program I found online I can convert books in formats it doesn't support to ones that it does. I didn't want one that had all the bells and whistles with it. I don't want to play game son it, or surf the internet, I just want to read a book. I think it will especially come in handy when I travel as I will no longer have to cart around the 4-5 books I usually pack. I especially liked that I was able to try it out in the store before buying.
It in no way impacts me buying actual hardcovers or paperbacks of books. Yesterday I bought an e-book, and then went to the bookstore and bought 3 history books! Nothing will replace the actual book for me, but this is a good addition to my library, I believe.

[bobjuck]

I rarely use e-readers, because i got used to reading books slowly so it's really inconvenient for me when i try to check something i read before. And you said you read in travel, then if you are reading a good book i hope you reconsider read it with e-reader, good book need carefully reader.

[Elphaba]

We have both kindle and sony reader at home and the kindle is so much better. It is much more convenient to use, its buttons are much more comfortable, the screen is clearer. The only advantage of the Sony is that it can display ebooks from my public library so it saves me a lot of money in buying books. If your public library also lends ebook I would check the Nook. It can also read library ebooks, but I think it is better then the Sony, though I am not sure it is as good as the Kindle. I use the Sony only for library ebooks, and for all other books I use the Kindle.

[Clio_hk]

Due to my limited living space, I have been very cautious about buying new paperbacks. Now that I've had my own Kindle, I don't have to worry about that, or my books becoming yellow and fallen apart. However, the downside is that some books may not be available in the electronic format, e.g. Book One of The Strain trilogy by Chuck Hogan & Guillermo Del Toro (Book Two, The Fall, has kindle edition though)

[nursemom77]

I am not ready to hop on the bandwagon of ebook devices yet. I feel like something would be "lost in translation" from the experience of reading a traditional book.

Like the drooling of Pavlov's dogs, I think that there is some sort of subconsious association with the act of reading, that generates peace. Something about the feel of the book in my hand, the scent of the paper when I open it, and even the sound the pages make when I turn them.

That probably sounds crazed, and I may resort to an ebook for convenience sake at some point, but I am holding out until further notice

[Fran]

I am not ready to hop on the bandwagon of ebook devices yet. I feel like something would be "lost in translation" from the experience of reading a traditional book.

Like the drooling of Pavlov's dogs, I think that there is some sort of subconsious association with the act of reading, that generates peace. Something about the feel of the book in my hand, the scent of the paper when I open it, and even the sound the pages make when I turn them.

That probably sounds crazed, and I may resort to an ebook for convenience sake at some point, but I am holding out until further notice

I'm in total agreement with you nursemom77, psychologists should be recommending a good book & a couple of hours reading a day instead of hours of expensive counselling & therapy. I know without my books the 'men in white coats' would have come for me long ago.

[nursemom77]

I am not ready to hop on the bandwagon of ebook devices yet. I feel like something would be "lost in translation" from the experience of reading a traditional book.

Like the drooling of Pavlov's dogs, I think that there is some sort of subconsious association with the act of reading, that generates peace. Something about the feel of the book in my hand, the scent of the paper when I open it, and even the sound the pages make when I turn them.

That probably sounds crazed, and I may resort to an ebook for convenience sake at some point, but I am holding out until further notice

I'm in total agreement with you nursemom77, psychologists should be recommending a good book & a couple of hours reading a day instead of hours of expensive counselling & therapy. I know without my books the 'men in white coats' would have come for me long ago. :lol

:

Ditto

[ParanoidIdealDodo]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, but I figured this was the best place to ask. I read quite a bit, especially when travelling, and I've been thinking lately about picking up an eReader and saving space in my bag.

I'm not too terribly tech savvy though, so I'm wondering, Kindle? Nook or Sony eReader?

I've heard that the Sony readers are nicest, but also most expensive. I would think that the Kindle would be the best bet because it's sold from Amazon though, but I don't think you can see that in stores can you?

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

For me, nothing can ever substitute the reading experience only a book can provide.