making a good start : new or used ?

[zelda_pinwheel]

I just discovered these forums and have been learning a lot in the past few days, thanks to all of you.

I've wanted an ebook reader for quite some time, mainly for all the gutenberg texts which i have enthusiastically saved on my computer but cannot bear to read on the screen (i spend all day staring at the screen for work and that is enough, and also i really like to read in bed but my pc is not very cuddly). Now i am ready to buy one and i have been doing my research... But some enlightened opinions would be appreciated.

I am very tempted by the Cybook Gen3 but it is a big investment so i am thinking of starting out with an eBookwise 1150 first, to make sure i like using a device for reading. Then I can buy a Gen3 later.

I have found a new eb-1150, but i also saw a used RCA eBook REB 1100.

my questions are :

1. are there any big differences in features / quality between the reb 1100 and the eb-1150 ? i have not found much reference to the 1100.

2. apparently i cannot change the battery in these devices, this is why i am more tempted to get a new one, however the used ones are much cheaper !! is it worth it ? is battery life a problem in used devices ? even if i do get a Gen3 later, there are many features on the eb-1150 which seem nice to me (touchscreen for taking notes, dictionary, ergonomy --reviews have said it is very well-designed) so i don't want to buy a device which will only be useable a few months.

3. since i would like to get a Gen3 later on if all goes well (e-ink looks nice ! and easy on the eyes... my eyes are tired after a long day of staring at my computer), i think that if i do buy any books for the reader (you never know) i should buy them in mobi format (for my future Gen3) and then convert them for the eb-1150, is this difficult ?

thanks in advance for any advice ! hopefully i will buy my device this week...

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

I just discovered these forums and have been learning a lot in the past few days, thanks to all of you.

I've wanted an ebook reader for quite some time, mainly for all the gutenberg texts which i have enthusiastically saved on my computer but cannot bear to read on the screen (i spend all day staring at the screen for work and that is enough, and also i really like to read in bed but my pc is not very cuddly). Now i am ready to buy one and i have been doing my research... But some enlightened opinions would be appreciated.

I am very tempted by the Cybook Gen3 but it is a big investment so i am thinking of starting out with an eBookwise 1150 first, to make sure i like using a device for reading. Then I can buy a Gen3 later.

I have found a new eb-1150, but i also saw a used RCA eBook REB 1100.

my questions are :

1. are there any big differences in features / quality between the reb 1100 and the eb-1150 ? i have not found much reference to the 1100.

2. apparently i cannot change the battery in these devices, this is why i am more tempted to get a new one, however the used ones are much cheaper !! is it worth it ? is battery life a problem in used devices ? even if i do get a Gen3 later, there are many features on the eb-1150 which seem nice to me (touchscreen for taking notes, dictionary, ergonomy --reviews have said it is very well-designed) so i don't want to buy a device which will only be useable a few months.

3. since i would like to get a Gen3 later on if all goes well (e-ink looks nice ! and easy on the eyes... my eyes are tired after a long day of staring at my computer), i think that if i do buy any books for the reader (you never know) i should buy them in mobi format (for my future Gen3) and then convert them for the eb-1150, is this difficult ?

thanks in advance for any advice ! hopefully i will buy my device this week...

Yes, the firmware and capabilities of the the 1100 and 1150 are quite different. They will not read the same books. the 1100 read rb files while the 1150 read imp files. The 1150 is newer and there is more material available in that format including quite a bit at mobileread. People who have used both units say that like the font support of the 1100. It is only black/white, no grays with the 1150 supports 16 gray levels. The battery seems to last a long time. It is not difficult to convert some mobi files, not DRM. If you buy multi-format books from Fictionwise you can just download another format later.

Dale

[zelda_pinwheel]

thanks very much for the information. I have decided to buy the new eb1150 ; i found it for sale on ebay, at a discounted holiday price (112$). Shipping to France was 35$ (also a holiday discount), because the seller only ships by express mail to have some proof, but with the exchange rate it still is pretty cheap for me (note to any other europeans who want one !). Now i just have to wait for it to arrive, I am feeling very impatient !

Next step will be learning how to convert all my pdf, txt, rtf and doc (and mobi, which i began to download when i was thinking of getting a gen3 straight away...) files into the eb format... i think i already have enough ebooks to last the rest of my life.

[pshrynk]

So, did you ever get an eink device?

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

So, did you ever get an eink device?

wouldn't you like to know.

[vivaldirules]

Hey, you haven't changed a bit, Zee. Same smile, same attractive attire, same ebook reader (which one is that again?). I do see that you started your first ever post to the forum with a grand total of 7 sentences in a row that begin with a capital letter (unbelievable!)....and then you quickly gave that up befoer the post was finished and we've never seen another one since. Nice consistency!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Hey, you haven't changed a bit, Zee. Same smile, same attractive attire, same ebook reader (which one is that again?). I do see that you started your first ever post to the forum with a grand total of 7 sentences in a row that begin with a capital letter (unbelievable!)....and then you quickly gave that up befoer the post was finished and we've never seen another one since. Nice consistency!

well now that's just not true. when i joined, i didn't have a liseuse at all yet !!!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Hey, you haven't changed a bit, Zee. Same smile, same attractive attire, same ebook reader (which one is that again?). I do see that you started your first ever post to the forum with a grand total of 7 sentences in a row that begin with a capital letter (unbelievable!)....and then you quickly gave that up befoer the post was finished and we've never seen another one since. Nice consistency!

LEAVE HER ALONE. SHE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX HER SHIFT KEY BECAUSE SHE IS SAVING UP FOR AN EINK BASED DEVICE. ZELDA, FEEL FREE TO HAVE SOME OF MY CAPITAL LETTERS. I HAVE PLENTY OF THEM. HERE YOU GO... JUST CUT AND PASTE AS NEEDED. YOUR CTRL KEY WORKS RIGHT?


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BOB