1st E-reader - which one????

[Casse]

Hi all,

I'm an avid fiction reader almost every evening - I just love to read

I also travel quite a bit (work and fun) so not having to take a bunch of books or read off my i-Touch would be great Also DF would love for the stacks of paperbacks to be gone

Last weekend we went to Boarders and checked out the new Sony's and saw one of the 505's at Target on clearance. But I've also been looking at the Kindle 2 or the new Nook - so my question is which one should I buy????

Amazon seems to win the pricing at this time of course this may change or I just may not know where to look for e-books.... My local library does not have e-books so can I "borrow" from other libraries?

Any suggestions on which to purchase would be appreciated!

[brecklundin]

First consider the display size...for a recreational reader I like a 5" display size. I am waiting for the Pocketbook 360 but there are other options, including the Sony. I just like the simple design of the PB 360, the integrated cover and a bunch more things. Plus the platform is open for developers which should be a good thing for buyers of the device. Only problem is, they have yet to reach the US. Soon though...I hope? hehehehe

PB 360 videos:
http://techvideoblog.com/ifa/5-pocke...-e-ink-reader/

You can also find video of pretty much any erading device on YouTube...kinda cool that way.

Also the Nook looks interesting but currently, nobody really knows what it offers beyond what appears to be a rather clumsy store interface that is already done better on the Kindle. I just need to see more from the device before knowing if it does more...if you just want a basic reader, I would pass on the Nook just now. Anyway, it is not yet shipping so well, it is automagically in the wait and see category.

Just because your local library does not have ebook lending does not mean you cannot borrow books from other libraries on a Sony. Others will be along with more info about this aspect of ebook reading. I like the idea of all three of the new Sony readers...but apparently they have some issues as well, read their forum.

I think the question I would ask you is do you want a reader NOW or can you wait 3-4, maybe 5-months? If you want just a simple reader, I see no reason to wait. If you feel you might be interested in a device with a few more functions, wait a few months.

My two fav readers of the current crop are the Pocketbook 360 and the Sony PRS-300. The choice between a K2 and a Sony PRS-600 is a personal preference...I feel Amazon is going to have a new reader before February.

If you can grab a Sony PRS-505 under $200 new, I say that it's a nice/good deal and you won't be disappointed. The nice thing is, until this month, reading devices have been pretty stagnant for the past 3ish years...but you will be buying right when these old designs will begin to drop rather quickly in price. I mean look at the Nook it's priced right even with the K2 and has a LOT more features like wifi AND 3G...still if it does not have a web browser then the wifi is not really a "feature" and it will drain your battery quickly.

To me, in the US right now, today, the Sony PRS-505 readers found at clearance prices are EXCELLENT deals...one caveat, Sony has a long history of turning devices into "abandonware" very shortly after production stops. That means no more firmware updates. These updates are where the ability to read new or altered book file formats comes from...I do not know where the 505 stands in this area but I would find out first. Personally I imagine you are safe for a couple years anyway.

It will not be a simple choice but there really are no bad choices from the list of readers that can be purchased today.

[daffy4u]

One thing to think about it that the K2 and your iPod Touch (using the Kindle for iPhone app) can sync so that you can start reading on one an pick up where you left on the other.
I think the new B&N reader will have the same functionality.

You may want to wait until the B&N reader has been delivered and people are able to report their impressions.

[JSWolf]

One other thing to think of is that the iRex DR800SG will be out soon at Best Buy. So also give that one a look. It will have an 8.1" screen for better PDF viewing then any 6" eink device. Also, you may find you like the screen size better then a 6" screen. And then there is also the forthcoming Sony PRS-900 (Daily Edition) whch is some sort of 7" screen.

Don't go for a Kindle. You'll be locked into Amazon for DRMed eBooks. ePub is the way to go these days and Amazon doesn't support ePub.

[desertgrandma]

There are some really interesting points here about the Nook (why oh why did they choose that name???) from Barnes and Noble....

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/support/

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Don't go for a Kindle. You'll be locked into Amazon for DRMed eBooks. ePub is the way to go these days and Amazon doesn't support ePub.

I still haven't found a need to have a book in ePUB. Of course YMMV.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

There are some really interesting points here about the Nook (why oh why did they choose that name???) from Barnes and Noble....

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/support/

I actually think Nook is a good name. Nooks are places that people go to read.

[arckal]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

One other thing to think of is that the iRex DR800SG will be out soon at Best Buy. So also give that one a look. It will have an 8.1" screen for better PDF viewing then any 6" eink device. Also, you may find you like the screen size better then a 6" screen. And then there is also the forthcoming Sony PRS-900 (Daily Edition) whch is some sort of 7" screen.

Don't go for a Kindle. You'll be locked into Amazon for DRMed eBooks. ePub is the way to go these days and Amazon doesn't support ePub.

Today bestbuy updated its ereader section on website:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218124206221

But price is really higher then it was expected, now only thing I left is to try it in local stores before buy. I would love to see how they support PDF's in this new monster.

[Superlucky]

If you mainly read fiction, then the 505 or similar may be the most bang for your buck. You probably don't need note-taking, search and dictionary features, so I wouldn't pay for them. You probably also don't need a gigantic screen for pdf viewing. Go snag a 505 while they're cheap.

What do you read? If you read best-sellers, they are $9.99 at both Amazon and the Sony store and if you read classics they are free everywhere. For in-between stuff you'll have to shop around to get a feel. B&N's prices are pretty bad at the moment, but I'm sure they'll drop.

[Eric Qel-Droma]

I just bought a Sony PRS-505 on clearance at Target for $70. It comes with a cover. The screen is darker than I'd expected (it's definitely gray and black, not white and black), and it's not the single most comfortable reading experience ever. I've thought seriously about taking it back.

However, it can do both DRM'ed EPUB and PDF, which gives it a fair amount of flexibility on formats. I've bought one book in PDF, and I do not enjoy reading it on the 505, as it does not reflow the text very well. I end up with a nicely spaced page of text, and then I turn the page (which takes 1-2 seconds) and get a single line. Then I have to turn the page again, which severely interrupts the reading experience. So the PDF reading experience isn't great for me.

That said, the Sony-format books, of which I've downloaded two free promotional ones (tie-ins to the current Star Wars series), look great, reflow wonderfully, and will supposedly be converted to DRM'ed EPUB by the end of the year. (Sony's changing its entire store over to EPUB.) So, my understanding is that my Sony-purchased books should be available to me later on any device that can read DRM-EPUB, as Nook is supposed to be able to do. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm very new to all of this.

So, for me, the price is right, the format shouldn't lock me in too badly, and the sudden ability to buy out-of-print books without paying ridiculous prices is huge. I'd like some of the cooler Nook/Kindle features, but I don't need them--and it's certainly not worth it to me to spend 4x as much money right now.

The guy at Target also told me that I can return the opened reader as long as its in sellable shape if it's "not what I want or expect." So I'm giving it a trial run with a couple of books. We'll see how that goes.

I hope that helps with some of your decision making.

[kelly1010]

I have the 505, and the library ebooks were what drew me toward the son. I wasn't really impressed with the new sony readers, so if you could find the 505 on clearance somewhere, I'd definitely reccommend that. I don't know anything about the Nook, I'm actually going to research that one myself.

As far as libraries go,you CAN check out ebooks from other libraries as long as you have a card. I'm not sure where you live but most libraries in California allow you to get a card as long as you live in the state of California. So, I was able to go to several libraries in the northern California area and get cards, expanding my options for books. Ironically, I end up BUYING more books than I check out from the library. Oh well Hopefully in time that will change.

Good luck and I'll be interested to see what you end up with.

[emellaich]

Originally Posted by Eric Qel-Droma

I just bought a Sony PRS-505 on clearance at Target for $70. It comes with a cover. The screen is darker than I'd expected (it's definitely gray and black, not white and black), and it's not the single most comfortable reading experience ever. I've thought seriously about taking it back.

If it really cost you $70, you could probably make a profit on e-bay (or even here) rather than take it back. For example, there is a unit that was used as a store demo unit currently bid at $97, while brand new units seem to be going for $250 ish.

MLH

[Casse]

I'm leaning towards the Kindle due primarily for the price point and availability of the books that I enjoy reading. I don't have a library anywhere close that supports ebooks so that's not a consideration.

Any reason I should pick the Sony or wait for the Nook?

[LilMissMarie]

I just bought a Sony PRS-505 on clearance at Target for $70. It comes with a cover.

wish the target here had it that cheap! i could buy it tonight. but its just under $200 here and the last one....i may miss it.

[LilMissMarie]

Originally Posted by emellaich

If it really cost you $70, you could probably make a profit on e-bay (or even here) rather than take it back. For example, there is a unit that was used as a store demo unit currently bid at $97, while brand new units seem to be going for $250 ish.

MLH

id buy it!