Thought I'd throw this out there and get any feedback from others who may be in a similar situation.

My wife's bday is coming up in a couple months, and I'm thinking about getting her an e-ink based reader of her own (and thus reclaiming my PRS505). So here's my dilemma: a second reader or a kindle...

1) I could get another reader: Seems logical (and cheaper)...already have about $100 worth of content, plus the free classics, and would get another 100 free classics with the new reader. Same accessories, etc. Be able to read the same books at the same time. Plus I'm pretty sure she'd favor the looks/design of the sony. Lots of PDF's to be read (no conversion costs).

2) Go for it and get the kindle: could trade devices based on current book being read. Access to both libraries. Wikipedia and Blogs, and Magazine/Newpapers. Auto updates over whispernet. I have a couple months to wait...

If this were something like an iPod, I could understand having to share the same library to listen to the same music (may go through the same 100 tracks in a day), but books are different, in a one at a time way, so overlap isnt as much an issue. Also, i worry that I'd end up stealing her kindle...

I guess my answer would be, it depends...

If you have DRM'ed books from the Sony store... and she and you read the same books, even if only 50% overlap... it seems to make sense to get another Sony Reader.

Other than that... if I was buying another one right now, I would probably get a Kindle, even knowing it's downsides.

Then again, I might get a CyBook... since Mobi books seem to be plentiful. My understanding is you can't use DRMed Mobi books on a Kindle... is that correct?

Giving the Wife the Sony if you get a Kindle, would be "ok" as long as this ISN'T a b-day gift.

BOb

A few things that might affect your decision:

Conversions can be free for the Kindle. The $0.10 charge is only for transferring the files over the wireless connection. You can convert files for free two ways. 1. You can email the file to name@free.kindle.com rather than name@kindle.com. They send the converted file back to you and you load it via USB. 2. You can use the free Mobipocket software. PDF conversions vary as to the quality, though. IME straight text usually works out well. Graphics like charts and tables often don't.

Kindle can read DRM-ed Mobipocket books with igorsk's hack.

Kindle .azw and Mobipocket books can have the DRM removed with thedarkreverser's scripts. There is another format at Amazon called .tpz which I've heard cannot. I don't have any myself. I don't know how many of their books are .tpz.

Public Domain and Creative Commons books can be had for free at many sites for both devices.

There are other bookstores besides Amazon and Connect where you can buy books that can work or be converted to work for either device.

My understanding is that currently there is no way to convert Connect books for other devices.

If you have DRM'ed books from the Sony store... and she and you read the same books, even if only 50% overlap... it seems to make sense to get another Sony Reader.

To me, that would depend on how many of them she hasn't read yet. I wouldn't let a couple of books make the decision for me especially since they aren't giving up the Sony Reader they already have.

First off you need to realize that you can't win. :D

If you get another Reader then the Kindle will seem like what you should have gotten. If you get the Kindle then both of you will favor one device over the other and you will need to buy another one of that design.

For me it is easy, she does not like the Amazon web site. When she wants a pbook from there she asks me to order it for her.

Or it might boil down to which device you can actually acquire in the time frame you desire.

Don't give her the hand me down, it might get chilly in bed. Get her the latest and greatest. Remember you have a birthday coming too. Maybe the Sony 510 will be out then.

Don't give her the hand me down, it might get chilly in bed. Get her the latest and greatest. Remember you have a birthday coming too. Maybe the Sony 510 will be out then.

Hmm... I got the wife a new laptop for her B-day. Think I can score a Kindle for mine? Although I also want an HP Mediasmart home server. Hmm? :chinscratch:

your poll actually highlights an issue I have about ereader devices in general. Outfitting a family of 4+ people is a mega-buck or more...even if you go with just a Sony solution @ $200/pop for the PRS500.

Four Kindles cost a total of $1600 w/o any content.

That said...buy her a Kindle AND subscription to a couple of her fav magazines or something...oh, and also give her a nice foot rub...or whatever else works for her... ;) If she does not like the Kindle, swap with her later.

Of course you could add a copy of the Kama Sutra to the Kindle for her reading, ahem, pleasure... :)

I have a Kindle, which the spouse keeps stealing, and I'm probably going to get him his own. I'm tempted to get something else just so I can play with both, but it really makes more sense to be able to share a library. The flip side of that is that our reading tastes are somewhat divergent (with a few overlapping sets), so two separate libraries might not be that much of an issue. He's also more likely to need customer files sent to his reader than I am, so that might change things as well. We'll give it another month with this one and see.

I'm seriously considering getting a second Kindle for my daughter. We read many of the same books -- though I can't convince her that Science Fiction makes good reading. We could share content, provide backup for each other, etc. First, though, I'm going to have to part with my Kindle for two weeks and loan it to her to make sure she enjoys reading with the device.

I'm seriously considering getting a second Kindle for my daughter. We read many of the same books -- though I can't convince her that Science Fiction makes good reading. We could share content, provide backup for each other, etc. First, though, I'm going to have to part with my Kindle for two weeks and loan it to her to make sure she enjoys reading with the device.

Most of what I read is SF/Fantasy. HINT HINT! ;)

BOb

I'm seriously considering getting a second Kindle for my daughter. We read many of the same books -- though I can't convince her that Science Fiction makes good reading. We could share content, provide backup for each other, etc. First, though, I'm going to have to part with my Kindle for two weeks and loan it to her to make sure she enjoys reading with the device.Most of what I read is SF/Fantasy. HINT HINT! ;) Are you young enough to be adopted? And are you prepared to take care of your adoptive parents in their dotage?

Are you young enough to be adopted? And are you prepared to take care of your adoptive parents in their dotage?

Your only as young as you feel. I'm sure when the time comes I'll be able to "take care" of you... once your will is sorted!

;)

BOb

I got my wife a Sony reader PRS 505 about three months after I got mine. She loves it. We can either share Sony content or share content that I have bought in Lit format and converted (conversion does not have to be done twice), or we can share free content that I have hunted for (such as the New Yorker or NY Times from Librs 500 or the content from blogs from feedbooks).

My wife is not one to convert anything on her own, so an identical machine was essential. I think the only reason to get two different types of machines is to satisfy gadget lust. Two Kindles or two Readers makes the most sense to me.

If I had access to Whispernet (which I don't, living in Europe) I'd get the Kindle, just to complement the Reader. Given that I don't have any such luxury any time soon, I'd definitely get the Reader again.

Are you young enough to be adopted? And are you prepared to take care of your adoptive parents in their dotage?

adopted heck!! I am willing to mow the lawn, rake the leaves, do the dishes, dust and vacuum for a Kindle. Plus I can cook...

I do however look awful in a French Maid outfit...but, well, for a Kindle I am open to negotiation.

:rofl:


....sorry, it's early and I just could not hep ma'self!! :)

BTW, you would always order the 2nd Kindle anyway and if she did not like it, sell one on eBay for a tidy profit anyway... :)

I came to realize that asking the question of SONY vs Kindle is much like asking the question of Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard. It seems everyone has a very strong opinion on each device. Hopefully I will be unbiased ;)

I personally have the SONY, I received it as a gift this past Christmas, and am very happy with it. I take this device every. The size is great and the platform openness (i.e. USB/PDF/RTF), very unlike SONY, is also a great value for the techi that I am. However I don't think I would have enjoyed the device so much if it wasn't for libprs500 and pdf2lrf.

Of course my initial interest was in the Kindle for 3 reasons, the wireless device, the keyboard and most important the content.

I have found that Amazon carries more of the type of books I tend to read and seems to have priced them all at $9.99. Most of the books I tend to read range from $20-$60 which usually translates to a price of $9-$30 for the equivalent ebook.

Of course if most of the content you and your wife read are fiction then Sony/Amazon/finctionwise/diesel are pretty uncompetitive. At that point you might want to consider the SONY Reader.

[EDIT]
BTW you can get any of the SONY classics from feedbook, manybooks.net and Project Gunenberg(sp?). So I would not get a 2nd SONY Reader just for the sake of getting 100 more classics. Plus these sites have many more free classics than SONY

BTW you can get any of the SONY classics from feedbook, manybooks.net and Project Gunenberg(sp?). So I would not get a 2nd SONY Reader just for the sake of getting 100 more classics. Plus these sites have many more free classics than SONY

And of course here is an fine resource for classic's content:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=132

And much like Sony reformatted completely with slave labor only probably not done under the same dirt floor conditions as Sony's "document conversion & formatting" division. ;) Though I am sure even for workers in Guadulawhothehellcares Sony pay's better than what those in the above forums get for their labors of love converting & formatting...but we all know who does a better job. :rolleyes:

Of course, the Sony and Kindle are not the ONLY choices. The CyBook Gen3 is - IMHO - superior to either :).

Just ordered another Kindle for the spouse, as he seems to have run off with mine. I'm sure one of them will come home to me :eek:

The shared library will be good and bad - I have NO interest in his "doomer porn" economics books (The Long Emergency by Kuntsler being the most accessible) and even the titles make me shudder.

Also, this means he'll have an idea of how much stuff I've bought lately. Hmmm, maybe this wasn't such a hot idea....

Of course, the Sony and Kindle are not the ONLY choices. The CyBook Gen3 is - IMHO - superior to either :).

If it had content search as well as dictionary search it would have been a hard choice for me between that and the Kindle. Of course I'm in the US and can take advantage of the Amazon store, which was another big selling point but I love the sleekness of the Cybook and the fact that it's more agnostic as opposed to being tied to a store. There's still a great selection of books for it and feature-wise I'd say it far outdoes the Sony Reader. Sony still wins for price and, IMO, looks but for functionality it ranks a distant third to me amongst the small readers. I'm considering getting one for my husband if he'll let me.

Also, this means he'll have an idea of how much stuff I've bought lately. Hmmm, maybe this wasn't such a hot idea....

Well, if your not going to share many, or any books, just have seperate accounts. Does he look at the credit card bills?

BOb

Well, if your not going to share many, or any books, just have seperate accounts. Does he look at the credit card bills?

BOb

Nah, we don't have separate accounts and he doesn't look at the bills, nor really much care. We have a loose budget, and we're usually pretty much right in the budget window (there's obviously some padding in our "budget").

But he'd like to read most of the mystery books I've downloaded (except the "paranormal" ones) and probably a good chunk of the scifi, so we'll probably share an Amazon account.