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Originally Posted by Gwen2479
3) E-book format flexibility. I do not want to be limited to only 1 bookstore
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There is no reader today that is limited to one store. There are a good amount of book sellers that sell books without DRM and support multiple formats. Some such bookstore are Smashbooks, Oriely, Bean, and Fictionwise(only with their Muilt-format books).
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Originally Posted by Gwen2479
OK, now that I have my wish list out of the way, here are the devices I am considering. These are in no particular order.
5inch:
1) Bookeen Opus Color, heard that this latest version has fewer headaches than previous model.
2) Pocketbook 360, according to posts it is pretty versatile and quick. I saw the video reviews, Is the audible button push with page turns really louder than some other devices?
3) Sony PRS 300
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I can’t comment on the Pocketbook/Bookeen. But the 300 I bought for my sister. The 5” form factor is great, though it fails miserably on your 5,6,7, & 9 requirements. Sony has terrible customer support.
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Originally Posted by Gwen2479
6inch:
1) Samsung E60, though haven't seen any new reviews since CES.
2) Pocketbook 302
3) Onyx or Neo
4) Bookeen Orizon - should I wait to get e-reader until I see what it can do?
5) Alex - though not sure about the 2 screens yet
6) Sony PRS 600 - my BFF has it and she loves it, but I noticed some glare and not so sure about that for me.
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You might also want to look at the EZReader Pocket PRO (supports 20+ formats). As far as specs this one is great it only lacks on requirements 5 & 7. It also comes in six different colors
I know you don’t think much of 3G, I surly didn’t until I had a 3G device. Having the option to read blogs/forums at the local coffee shop or any unplanned downtime is quite an excellent experience. It’s also nice being able to read on an eInk device over 3G and not be concerned about battery life because eInk measures battery time in weeks not hours.
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Originally Posted by Gwen2479
I didn't mention Kindle since it only really has 1 format for books, but I am curious about the new one coming later this year. There are so many selections right now and it can get really confusing  and I really want to make sure that I am happy with my choice since I love to read. |
You have some misconceptions on the Kindle I’d like to clarify. The Kindle supports three formats Topaz, MOBI and PDF. (You can scratch topaz as irrelevant, I’m just presenting the facts).
Myth on Multiple stores
Many people think that having access to more bookstores gives one a better selection of books and prices. This is far from the truth. Amazon in general has the best book and better prices than all the bookstores combined. But don’t take my word for it. Go to inkmesh.com and use that search engine.
Over my years reading eBook there’s one thing I’ve observed, if you live in the states. While I had the SONY and could buy at multiple stores what I found that I had to do so more by force than by choice. While most books stores carry the same title, some specialized more than others which force one to by at bookstore X if one wants that book. Discounts I would receive on one bookstore obviously did not carry over to the next. The result is I have several accounts scattered across different books stores. I have lost books due to contract changes from these stores or DRM changes. And customer support from these stores is not the best.
Every time I bought a book I would look at the Amazon store only to find that same book in one store location at a better price. There was that odd occasion where books where cheaper elsewhere or a killer sale would arise.
Since I bought the Kindle shopping is much easier and Amazon customer service is the best. This is important since it is one location for supporting your device and books.
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Originally Posted by Gwen2479
I also don't know if I should take the plunge and get one now or see what is coming this summer or fall. Your advise and experiences will be very helpful. Thank you.  |
You know what I’ve come to the conclusion, I’ve owned a PRS-505, used a PRS-300, and own a Kindle. I also read on my phone on occasion. The end result is I enjoy reading on all these devices about the same. I do like the eInk slightly over the phone because of the screen size and clarity. I have no doubt that regardless of any device you pick you will love, the true joy is not in the device, but the experience of reading electronically. The benefits and cost savings are a huge plus. You want proof jump into any device forum and you will see mostly raves of device x,y, z.
The only reason I like the Kindle more than any other device is because of it's TTS and annotation features. There are a lot of folks here who could care less for those features and once removed the experience is quite the same across all readers.
In the end you the most important thing to remember when buying an eReader is to evaluate the following three categories.
1) Content
2) Customer service
3) Key features (Expandable memory, TTS, touch screen, dictionary, etc...)
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