I am still waiting for Sony to release their reader in the UK, the concensus seems to be it will be around Summer time. Does anyone else have any different information ? The main problem for me is I like the look of a number of readers, but dont have access to try them out.

Nobody knows anything for sure, I'm afraid.

Leaving to one side the iLiad (which is in a completely different price bracket) it's really down to a choice of two - the Sony and the CyBook Gen3. They have identical screens, so between those two it's down to cost and capability. The Sony is cheaper; the Gen3 is more expensive, but does more. Really a case of looking at the capabilities and deciding if the extra capabilities are worth the extra money. I decided that they were (and after having had a Gen3 for 7 months, for me if was definitely the right decision); other people feel otherwise.

When you say "does more" do you just mean it reads more formats ?

When you say "does more" do you just mean it reads more formats ?

I'm not sure I'd agree with his statement. I mean, I own a PRS500 and a Cybook Gen3 and I've not noticed a significant number of features on the Cybook that aren't built into the PRS500. Sure, the Cybook can directly read Secure Mobipocket ebooks, and that's the DRM'd format I prefer to use, but I wouldn't call that "doing more". Also, the folder/subfolder grouping/navigation is non-existent in the Cybook.

Derek

the Sony and the CyBook Gen3.

I wonder why you don't put the Kindle on this list. Personally, even someone out of the US could use the Kindle (if they could get one, perhaps on eBay or someone in the US buying it for them).

I say this because even without Wispernet you can use mobipocket books without even removing DRM... just need to "massage" some of the files. Fictionwise even does this for you.

I haven't heard anyone complain about the level of bugs on the Kindle as they have of the CyBook. The Kindle has the same features, dictionary, searching, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I have a Sony, but knowing what I know now not having support for mobi or ereader makes things more difficult.

BOb

I wonder why you don't put the Kindle on this list. Personally, even someone out of the US could use the Kindle (if they could get one, perhaps on eBay or someone in the US buying it for them).


Because although you could indeed buy a Kindle if you don't live in the US, Amazon have made it virtually impossible to buy commercial e-Books for it. You can't buy Kindle books unless you have a credit card with a US billing address. With a Sony or a CyBook (or an iLiad), however, you can easily buy books regardless of where in the world you live.

I know there are sources of books other than Amazon, but I'm sure that you'll agree that one of the major attractions of the Kindle is the Amazon bookstore.

Because although you could indeed buy a Kindle if you don't live in the US, Amazon have made it virtually impossible to buy commercial e-Books for it. You can't buy Kindle books unless you have a credit card with a US billing address. With a Sony or a CyBook (or an iLiad), however, you can easily buy books regardless of where in the world you live.


Agreed, but knowing that, and "your" insistance that kindle and mobi are the same format (see other thread)... you could buy mobi books for it, just as easily as for a CyBook from the exact same places for the exact same prices and read them quite happily.

BOb

I'm not sure I'd agree with his statement. I mean, I own a PRS500 and a Cybook Gen3 and I've not noticed a significant number of features on the Cybook that aren't built into the PRS500. Sure, the Cybook can directly read Secure Mobipocket ebooks, and that's the DRM'd format I prefer to use, but I wouldn't call that "doing more". Also, the folder/subfolder grouping/navigation is non-existent in the Cybook.

Derek

What I primarily consider to be "doing more", Derek, are dictionary lookup and being able to load your own fonts (and the associated proper support for font families). I know that not everyone will consider these to be significant features, but they are for me personally, which is why I was happy to pay more for the Gen3, and why I've just bought another Gen3.

Another, perhaps less tangible, benefit of the Gen3 over the Sony is the user-replaceable battery. That could be an issue for someone who lives in a country in which the Sony service centre won't repair the device.

All these are very subjective judgements, which is why all I'm saying is that the Gen3 was the better machine for me personally. It's for everyone to make the personal choice about what the best machine for them is, and that choice is undoubtedly going to be different for different people.

I wonder why you don't put the Kindle on this list.
BOb

I would never consider buying a device designed by a blind man, I use a MacBook Pro and an Apple iPhone every day, and not only do they more than adequately fulfill the functions they were designed to carry out, they also look good. I find the design of the Kindle absolutely awful.

I would never consider buying a device designed by a blind man

Good line! Karma your way.

Agreed, but knowing that, and "your" insistance that kindle and mobi are the same format (see other thread)... you could buy mobi books for it, just as easily as for a CyBook from the exact same places for the exact same prices and read them quite happily.

BOb

Unfortunately this is not so.

As you know, Mobi DRM works using a device indentifier called a "PID" ("Personal ID").While the Kindle does indeed use the Mobi file format, and the Mobi DRM system, unfortunately most (perhaps all) of the bookstores which sell books using the MobiPocket DRM server have now prevented a Kindle's PID from being used in their bookstores, so the only way now to read such books on the Kindle is to remove the DRM, which is illegal in many countries. This may or may not bother people, of course; again it's a personal choice.

Although you are quite right in saying that the Kindle's files use MobiPocket DRM, the Kindle DRM server is quite separate from the MobiPocket DRM server, so although the file format is the same, you can't get a book from these stores that's encoded for the Kindle. I think (but I'm not 100% certain - do you know?) that bookstores which use the "Overdrive" DRM server (such as some of those sold by "Booksonboard") will accept a Kindle's PID.

DRM-free Mobi books will of course work on the Kindle, but that does rather restrict the selection for someone who's interested in current commercial fiction.

Regretably, "using the same file format" does not always equate to "being able to buy the same books".

What I primarily consider to be "doing more", Derek, are dictionary lookup and being able to load your own fonts (and the associated proper support for font families). I know that not everyone will consider these to be significant features, but they are for me personally, which is why I was happy to pay more for the Gen3, and why I've just bought another Gen3.

Another, perhaps less tangible, benefit of the Gen3 over the Sony is the user-replaceable battery. That could be an issue for someone who lives in a country in which the Sony service centre won't repair the device.

All these are very subjective judgements, which is why all I'm saying is that the Gen3 was the better machine for me personally. It's for everyone to make the personal choice about what the best machine for them is, and that choice is undoubtedly going to be different for different people.

Harry,

While I've never found the dictionary feature to be all that important, I will grant you that the other two features you've mentioned *ARE* better - and that I'm so used to them that I'd not even considered their importance. :o

Derek

Unfortunately this is not so.

As you know, Mobi DRM works using a device indentifier called a "PID" ("Personal ID").While the Kindle does indeed use the Mobi file format, and the Mobi DRM system, unfortunately most (perhaps all) of the bookstores which sell books using the MobiPocket DRM server have now prevented a Kindle's PID from being used in their bookstores, so the only way now to read such books on the Kindle is to remove the DRM, which is illegal in many countries. This may or may not bother people, of course; again it's a personal choice.

Although you are quite right in saying that the Kindle's files use MobiPocket DRM, the Kindle DRM server is quite separate from the MobiPocket DRM server, so although the file format is the same, you can't get a book from these stores that's encoded for the Kindle. I think (but I'm not 100% certain - do you know?) that bookstores which use the "Overdrive" DRM server (such as some of those sold by "Booksonboard") will accept a Kindle's PID.

DRM-free Mobi books will of course work on the Kindle, but that does rather restrict the selection for someone who's interested in current commercial fiction.

Regretably, "using the same file format" does not always equate to "being able to buy the same books".

How fascinating! Yet another reason to ignore the Kindle.

Derek

The reason that dictionary lookup is important for me personally is I read a great deal of 18th and 19th century literature, and there are lots of words which were in common usage then which have since fallen out of fashion - eg words relating to articles of clothing or horse-drawn transport to give but two examples. Although one can of course simply guess their meaning from context and move on, I find that it enrichens the reading experience to be able to quickly and easily look up the correct meaning using a built-in dictionary.

That's why I said, though, that although this is a feature that's important for me personally, I entirely agree that it won't be important for everybody.

How fascinating! Yet another reason to ignore the Kindle.

Derek

Of course if you have a Kindle and are in the US, you pretty much can get any book that is available as mobi as a Kindle book.

I am strongly considering getting a Kindle.

BOb

Of course if you have a Kindle and are in the US, you pretty much can get any book that is available as mobi as a Kindle book.


Very true. If I lived in the US (or if the Kindle was launched in the UK) then I'd very seriously consider getting one too. It's a great reader - it's just a shame that Amazon have done their best to so restrict its practical usage outside the US.

Of course if you have a Kindle and are in the US, you pretty much can get any book that is available as mobi as a Kindle book.

I am strongly considering getting a Kindle.

BOb

I'm going to wait to see what the Astak 6" w/touchscreen and wifi looks like. $399 for so few features and the .azw format just sticks in my craw.

Derek

- it's just a shame that Amazon have done their best to so restrict its practical usage outside the US.

I'm sure they want to rectify that. Although putting GSM in the original design would have made it easier. But, Sprint seems to be a popular carrier for MVNOs.

BOb

I guess the main problem with a European launch for the Kindle is that there are dozens of countries in Europe, and each has its own different Mobile operators. It was probably difficult enough for Amazon to arrange its deal with Sprint - imagine having to do the same thing for 30+ separate countries!

I'd love to see a UK launch for the Kindle, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it to happen.