MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Sony, Jetbook, ESlick, or BeBook? Also: Canadian custom fees?

JBean · 07-23-2009, 05:27 PM

I'm looking for an ebook reader mostly for reading journal articles (pdf) and free ebooks (html, txt, pdf), and preferably under $300. I'm in Canada, so the wireless functions of the Kindle and Sony are useless -- plus, I'm not particularly interested in ebooks that have access to large bookstores and whatnot. What I need most is something that'll allow me to read comfortably, pdfs especially, with minimal eyestrain (don't want to end up blind by the time I finish grad school!).

The Sony 505, Jetbook, Foxit Eslick, and the Hanlin V3 seem to be the ones that most likely fit my requirements. Since I'm only looking for ebook readers that can support pdf and txt (html would be a bonus), cheaper would be better.

-The Sony 505 seems to be the most widely available reader in Canada, but I've read reviews that say pdf files get resized on the screen and cannot be zoomed in. If this is the case, then the Sony 505 would be a no-go for me as the font size on articles tend toward small.
-The Jetbook seems pretty good in that changing pages is quick and smooth (and is cheap!), but I've heard that the LCD screen gives more of eyestrain.
-The Eslick should handle pdf files well, but I've heard mixed reviews on its battery drainage problems and etc.
-The Hanlin V3... again, mixed reviews and a bit pricier than the Jetbook, but it appears to be the only one out of the four that supports html files.

So what would you guys suggest?

Also, a question for Canadian buyers: if I'm ordering from sites like newegg.com or mybebook.com rather than dell.ca, would I be slapped with a hefty customs fee? The Eslick is $280 after shipping and the Hanlin V3 is $295, but would I be paying much more than that after taxes and customs?

07-23-2009, 05:27 PM	#1
JBean Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: none	Sony, Jetbook, ESlick, or BeBook? Also: Canadian custom fees? I'm looking for an ebook reader mostly for reading journal articles (pdf) and free ebooks (html, txt, pdf), and preferably under $300. I'm in Canada, so the wireless functions of the Kindle and Sony are useless -- plus, I'm not particularly interested in ebooks that have access to large bookstores and whatnot. What I need most is something that'll allow me to read comfortably, pdfs especially, with minimal eyestrain (don't want to end up blind by the time I finish grad school!). The Sony 505, Jetbook, Foxit Eslick, and the Hanlin V3 seem to be the ones that most likely fit my requirements. Since I'm only looking for ebook readers that can support pdf and txt (html would be a bonus), cheaper would be better. -The Sony 505 seems to be the most widely available reader in Canada, but I've read reviews that say pdf files get resized on the screen and cannot be zoomed in. If this is the case, then the Sony 505 would be a no-go for me as the font size on articles tend toward small. -The Jetbook seems pretty good in that changing pages is quick and smooth (and is cheap!), but I've heard that the LCD screen gives more of eyestrain. -The Eslick should handle pdf files well, but I've heard mixed reviews on its battery drainage problems and etc. -The Hanlin V3... again, mixed reviews and a bit pricier than the Jetbook, but it appears to be the only one out of the four that supports html files. So what would you guys suggest? Also, a question for Canadian buyers: if I'm ordering from sites like newegg.com or mybebook.com rather than dell.ca, would I be slapped with a hefty customs fee? The Eslick is $280 after shipping and the Hanlin V3 is $295, but would I be paying much more than that after taxes and customs?