iLiad or CyBook?

bluegirl · 02-12-2009, 10:21 AM

I don't really know which one is best...I don't have a problem with big screens (it would actually be a blessing), but I just can't decide which one to buy. And also, why is the iLiad Book Edition cheaper? what other difference is between the iLiad 2nd Edition and the Book Edition?

Sweetpea · 02-12-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegirl

I don't really know which one is best...I don't have a problem with big screens (it would actually be a blessing), but I just can't decide which one to buy. And also, why is the iLiad Book Edition cheaper? what other difference is between the iLiad 2nd Edition and the Book Edition?

The book edition doesn't have wifi, which the 2nd edition does have. Beside that, I don't think there's much of a difference...

Ea · 02-12-2009, 10:53 AM

I've had a Cybook (I broke it) and then I bought an iLiad Book ed.

I like the larger screen of the iLiad and the flipbar, but it's also over twice as heavy and it feels a little cumbersome to sit and hold it for a long time compared to the Cybook. One thing I didn't like about the Cybook is the page turn button, it's put in an awkward place and the flipbar on the iLiad is much superior.

With regards to file formats, Cybook is probably the best there is for mobi/prc. It's not very good for HTML (for instance it can't handle tables so downloaded web pages often didn't look good) and I found it crashed often with PFDs.

I read a lot of fiction off the Internet (often fan fiction) and for that purpose the Cybook wasn't especially good. Mobipocket files created from saved web pages didn't work well becuase the original HTML formatting often weren't up any standards, and then I tried creating PDFs based on Word files, and they looked okay, but it crashed about once every hour or two.

That's why I bought the iLiad. You can install a developer package and install your own applications for instance. The native support of mobipocket on the iLiad is far below Cybook, but it has good support of PDFs. The native browser on the iLiad didn't meet my needs, and I would have had to install a different one. I've actually never gotten further than creating custom sized PDFs, but it's easy and it fits my needs well.

It's a lot easier to install your own fonts on the Cybook than the iLiad.

The iLiad has folder support, which the Cybook doesn't.

As you may guess, what you need it for, what you want to read on it, is an important issue. Size isn't much of an issue compared to this. I've actually been thinking about getting a BeBook because I think the iLiad really is a bit too large and heavy for ease of use and portability.

wallcraft · 02-12-2009, 11:23 AM

You did not ask about the Hanlin V3 (BeBook, EZ Reader, lots of other names) but to me it is the closest to the iLiad of the 6" devices. In summary:

iLiad (get the Book Edition): great for PDFs, functional for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, use FBReader for everything else (perhaps including MOBI for DRM-free ebooks). 1 day battery life, weird "travel hub" for power, slowest page turns. Great hardware, promising but frustrating software. No new software from iRex.

Cybook: Great for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, user provided fonts. Not good for PDFs. Pedestrian hardware, and they could do with more programmers (software slow to improve). Few day battery life.

Hanlin V3: Great for FB2, ok for MOBI. Can't reference MOBI dictionaries from inside another MOBI (yet). Supports many formats, most only marginally. PDF support not good. Alternative firmware (Open Inkpot) available with FBReader and Cool Reader. Good hardware and good software. Three to four week battery life, never have to turn the device off.

Note that I have an iLiad and an EZ Reader but not a Cybook.

bluegirl · 02-12-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

You did not ask about the Hanlin V3 (BeBook, EZ Reader, lots of other names) but to me it is the closest to the iLiad of the 6" devices. In summary:

iLiad (get the Book Edition): great for PDFs, functional for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, use FBReader for everything else (perhaps including MOBI for DRM-free ebooks). 1 day battery life, weird "travel hub" for power, slowest page turns. Great hardware, promising but frustrating software. No new software from iRex.

Cybook: Great for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, user provided fonts. Not good for PDFs. Pedestrian hardware, and they could do with more programmers (software slow to improve). Few day battery life.

Hanlin V3: Great for FB2, ok for MOBI. Can't reference MOBI dictionaries from inside another MOBI (yet). Supports many formats, most only marginally. PDF support not good. Alternative firmware (Open Inkpot) available with FBReader and Cool Reader. Good hardware and good software. Three to four week battery life, never have to turn the device off.

Note that I have an iLiad and an EZ Reader but not a Cybook.

no, I didn't mention the other ones, because those are my only two options

But thanks

Ea · 02-12-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

You did not ask about the Hanlin V3 (BeBook, EZ Reader, lots of other names) but to me it is the closest to the iLiad of the 6" devices. In summary:

....

I almost wrote that myself

And I forgot about the battery life issue. It's not bit, but the iLiad do require recharging every other or third day.

02-12-2009, 10:21 AM	#1
bluegirl Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: don't have one	iLiad or CyBook? I don't really know which one is best...I don't have a problem with big screens (it would actually be a blessing), but I just can't decide which one to buy. And also, why is the iLiad Book Edition cheaper? what other difference is between the iLiad 2nd Edition and the Book Edition?

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02-12-2009, 10:53 AM	#3
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I've had a Cybook (I broke it) and then I bought an iLiad Book ed. I like the larger screen of the iLiad and the flipbar, but it's also over twice as heavy and it feels a little cumbersome to sit and hold it for a long time compared to the Cybook. One thing I didn't like about the Cybook is the page turn button, it's put in an awkward place and the flipbar on the iLiad is much superior. With regards to file formats, Cybook is probably the best there is for mobi/prc. It's not very good for HTML (for instance it can't handle tables so downloaded web pages often didn't look good) and I found it crashed often with PFDs. I read a lot of fiction off the Internet (often fan fiction) and for that purpose the Cybook wasn't especially good. Mobipocket files created from saved web pages didn't work well becuase the original HTML formatting often weren't up any standards, and then I tried creating PDFs based on Word files, and they looked okay, but it crashed about once every hour or two. That's why I bought the iLiad. You can install a developer package and install your own applications for instance. The native support of mobipocket on the iLiad is far below Cybook, but it has good support of PDFs. The native browser on the iLiad didn't meet my needs, and I would have had to install a different one. I've actually never gotten further than creating custom sized PDFs, but it's easy and it fits my needs well. It's a lot easier to install your own fonts on the Cybook than the iLiad. The iLiad has folder support, which the Cybook doesn't. As you may guess, what you need it for, what you want to read on it, is an important issue. Size isn't much of an issue compared to this. I've actually been thinking about getting a BeBook because I think the iLiad really is a bit too large and heavy for ease of use and portability.

02-12-2009, 11:23 AM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	You did not ask about the Hanlin V3 (BeBook, EZ Reader, lots of other names) but to me it is the closest to the iLiad of the 6" devices. In summary: iLiad (get the Book Edition): great for PDFs, functional for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, use FBReader for everything else (perhaps including MOBI for DRM-free ebooks). 1 day battery life, weird "travel hub" for power, slowest page turns. Great hardware, promising but frustrating software. No new software from iRex. Cybook: Great for MOBI and MOBI dictionaries, user provided fonts. Not good for PDFs. Pedestrian hardware, and they could do with more programmers (software slow to improve). Few day battery life. Hanlin V3: Great for FB2, ok for MOBI. Can't reference MOBI dictionaries from inside another MOBI (yet). Supports many formats, most only marginally. PDF support not good. Alternative firmware (Open Inkpot) available with FBReader and Cool Reader. Good hardware and good software. Three to four week battery life, never have to turn the device off. Note that I have an iLiad and an EZ Reader but not a Cybook.

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