What is the most basic, no frills e-reader out there?

MikeOxlittle · 05-01-2012, 07:25 AM

Currently I do all my reading on either a laptop or an iPhone. While both work well enough I'd really like to get a simple e-ink reader that I can use as the eye strain can be problematic after a while on the backlit screens.

I do not need wi-fi, super long battery life, MP3, touch screen or anything fancy. Really the most basic one out there that won't break in one month is what I'm looking for.

I've looked through all the forums of the various brands and it's just too much to take in with comparing features of this versus that so I'm looking for your suggestions on choices I should look into.

The cheaper it is the better .. thanks for your help!

Denko · 05-01-2012, 07:38 AM

With the new NST, i'd say the old one is easy to get sub 99$. Great quality, low price.

jbcohen · 05-01-2012, 07:39 AM

Well I would recommend rather than transfering from a laptop and/or iphone to use an ereader in conjunction with what you have now. You will find that your iphone is better for situations where space is going to be a premium such as when you are going on vacation or back and forth to work. The place where the phone is a real pain is the fact that the such a small screen does not allow for the display of much text per screen so you will be hitting next page a lot.

That said the most basic one that I have run into would be an Aluratek Libra Pro. Not fancy but get the job done, has no wifi but does have the mp3 player and can read jpegs and gifs as well. I had two before I bought my current kindle. A kindle is good but its not the most basic one out there.

Harry_Y · 05-01-2012, 09:02 AM

The Basic Kindle is fairly inexpensive.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=famstripe_k

ProfCrash · 05-01-2012, 09:48 AM

I don't think that there are many e-readers out there that are less expensive then the Kindle Non Touch, aka K4, at $79. Go to Walmart and you can get one that comes with a $30 gift certificate to spend on something else.

You do not get all the bells ans whistles of a KT. There is less memory, it is not a touch screen, it does not have text to speech, and the battery life is not as good, but it costs $79.

I believe the Sony T1 is being sold at many a Best Buy for around $80, you might need to check on that.

The Nook Simple Touch, Kindle Touch, and Kobo Touch all have a $99 version. The Kobo Touch is the most basic of the three models but I would go for the KT or NST because they do offer more in terms of goodies on the device and why pay the same price and get less?

Essentially, the basic e-readers tend to have a good amount of goodies on them and cost under $100.

LuvReadin · 05-01-2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I believe the Sony T1 is being sold at many a Best Buy for around $80, you might need to check on that.

50 quid?? That's pretty much what the cover costs here!

ProfCrash · 05-01-2012, 10:24 AM

Sorry, I did not check your location. That price has been found only in the US. Now if you have a US based friend who would get one for you and ship it to you, you would be good to go.

Which of course negates the Walmart deal as well.

My bad.

Kobo and the KNT are your best bets for a cheap e-reader in the UK.

geertm · 05-01-2012, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't think that there are many e-readers out there that are less expensive then the Kindle Non Touch, aka K4, at $79. Go to Walmart and you can get one that comes with a $30 gift certificate to spend on something else.

You do not get all the bells ans whistles of a KT. There is less memory, it is not a touch screen, it does not have text to speech, and the battery life is not as good, but it costs $79.

I believe the Sony T1 is being sold at many a Best Buy for around $80, you might need to check on that.

The Nook Simple Touch, Kindle Touch, and Kobo Touch all have a $99 version. The Kobo Touch is the most basic of the three models but I would go for the KT or NST because they do offer more in terms of goodies on the device and why pay the same price and get less?

Essentially, the basic e-readers tend to have a good amount of goodies on them and cost under $100.

Nook Simple Touch is on sale now for only $79

tubemonkey · 05-01-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't think that there are many e-readers out there that are less expensive then the Kindle Non Touch, aka K4, at $79. Go to Walmart and you can get one that comes with a $30 gift certificate to spend on something else.

^ this. I bought 3 on Sunday - 1 for me, 2 for gifts.

Sale details:

Dates: Sun 29 Apr ~ Sat 05 May 2012
Price: $79 w/ free $30 gift card
gift card issued at time of sale
gift card can be used immediately to purchase other goods
in-store only - not available online
no quantity restrictions
limited to stock on hand - no rain checks

ProfCrash · 05-01-2012, 12:03 PM

delete

MikeOxlittle · 05-01-2012, 12:51 PM

Thanks for your help all. I ended up ordering the Kindle Special Offers off Amazon and look forward to receiving it soon.

LuvReadin · 05-02-2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Sorry, I did not check your location. That price has been found only in the US. Now if you have a US based friend who would get one for you and ship it to you, you would be good to go.

Kobo and the KNT are your best bets for a cheap e-reader in the UK.

No worries - it was more a gasp of astonishment that they're that cheap!

Even taking sales tax into account, that's a big difference - no wonder Americans think Europe is expensive!

Yep, the Kobo is currently the cheapest here - a lot cheaper than the Kindle.

ProfCrash · 05-02-2012, 10:24 AM

Yeah, Europe is way expensive. I am always shocked when I travel there. It is nuts. The VAT is a large part of that difference but overall, things are just more expensive.

LuvReadin · 05-02-2012, 11:02 AM

Yep - dollars = pounds, pretty much. Although at least the VAT's included; no further
shocks at the till!

ProDigit · 05-02-2012, 01:28 PM

I personally have seen several chinese versions with LCD screen going for as low as $35! Though they only have upto 4 hours of battery life.
For e-ink,I preferred the astak EzReader Pro, because it's just a gem! Long battery life, many file formats, simple but solid OS, and I bought mine for only $50 at geek.com!

05-01-2012, 07:25 AM	#1
MikeOxlittle Say my name very fast ... Posts: 131 Karma: 1387009 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The High Seas Device: Kindle	What is the most basic, no frills e-reader out there? Currently I do all my reading on either a laptop or an iPhone. While both work well enough I'd really like to get a simple e-ink reader that I can use as the eye strain can be problematic after a while on the backlit screens. I do not need wi-fi, super long battery life, MP3, touch screen or anything fancy. Really the most basic one out there that won't break in one month is what I'm looking for. I've looked through all the forums of the various brands and it's just too much to take in with comparing features of this versus that so I'm looking for your suggestions on choices I should look into. The cheaper it is the better .. thanks for your help!

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05-01-2012, 07:38 AM	#2
Denko Member Posts: 11 Karma: 206564 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle 3	With the new NST, i'd say the old one is easy to get sub 99$. Great quality, low price.

05-01-2012, 07:39 AM	#3
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Well I would recommend rather than transfering from a laptop and/or iphone to use an ereader in conjunction with what you have now. You will find that your iphone is better for situations where space is going to be a premium such as when you are going on vacation or back and forth to work. The place where the phone is a real pain is the fact that the such a small screen does not allow for the display of much text per screen so you will be hitting next page a lot. That said the most basic one that I have run into would be an Aluratek Libra Pro. Not fancy but get the job done, has no wifi but does have the mp3 player and can read jpegs and gifs as well. I had two before I bought my current kindle. A kindle is good but its not the most basic one out there.

05-01-2012, 09:02 AM	#4
Harry_Y Addict Posts: 305 Karma: 704492 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NY Device: Kindle 3, Kindle DX, Galaxy Tab 2	The Basic Kindle is fairly inexpensive. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=famstripe_k

05-01-2012, 09:48 AM	#5
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I don't think that there are many e-readers out there that are less expensive then the Kindle Non Touch, aka K4, at $79. Go to Walmart and you can get one that comes with a $30 gift certificate to spend on something else. You do not get all the bells ans whistles of a KT. There is less memory, it is not a touch screen, it does not have text to speech, and the battery life is not as good, but it costs $79. I believe the Sony T1 is being sold at many a Best Buy for around $80, you might need to check on that. The Nook Simple Touch, Kindle Touch, and Kobo Touch all have a $99 version. The Kobo Touch is the most basic of the three models but I would go for the KT or NST because they do offer more in terms of goodies on the device and why pay the same price and get less? Essentially, the basic e-readers tend to have a good amount of goodies on them and cost under $100.

05-01-2012, 10:24 AM	#7
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Sorry, I did not check your location. That price has been found only in the US. Now if you have a US based friend who would get one for you and ship it to you, you would be good to go. Which of course negates the Walmart deal as well. My bad. Kobo and the KNT are your best bets for a cheap e-reader in the UK.

05-01-2012, 12:03 PM	#10
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	delete

05-01-2012, 12:51 PM	#11
MikeOxlittle Say my name very fast ... Posts: 131 Karma: 1387009 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The High Seas Device: Kindle	Thanks for your help all. I ended up ordering the Kindle Special Offers off Amazon and look forward to receiving it soon.

05-02-2012, 10:24 AM	#13
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Yeah, Europe is way expensive. I am always shocked when I travel there. It is nuts. The VAT is a large part of that difference but overall, things are just more expensive.

05-02-2012, 11:02 AM	#14
LuvReadin Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 1925568 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: England, UK Device: Sony PRS-T1 and Cool-ER	Yep - dollars = pounds, pretty much. Although at least the VAT's included; no further shocks at the till!

05-02-2012, 01:28 PM	#15
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,553 Karma: 11499146 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, + Mini, +Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro, PPW1, Aura H2O	I personally have seen several chinese versions with LCD screen going for as low as $35! Though they only have upto 4 hours of battery life. For e-ink,I preferred the astak EzReader Pro, because it's just a gem! Long battery life, many file formats, simple but solid OS, and I bought mine for only $50 at geek.com!

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