Cybook is great but...

[Adamastorx]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I think Harry makes a good point - you really have to decide what's important to you before you decide which reader to buy.

Cybook has one button, Sony has two (sets). But Sony is a little heavier. So would your hand tire more from using only one button, or from holding a somewhat heavier reader?

Cybook has the dictionary lookup (so does the eBookwise, by the way, but it's definitely heavier, and it's not eInk).

Neither have great navigation choices for the list of books, but they are different. How many books do you think you are likely to put on a reader? I put 600 books on both my Sony (505) and Cybook. Getting from the front of the list to the end on the Cybook is absolutely horrid. The Sony 500 was worse, but with the secondary TOC level in the 505, it's much easier to find a book fairly quickly. However, if you don't put lots of books on the reader, I wouldn't think this would factor into your decision.

Cybook has the built-in ability to switch out fonts and choose more fonts sizes. (I'm told you can with Sony, but it involves hacking the font file and if not done correctly can "brick" the reader!!) This is actually a big reason why I bought mine (plus, I was upgrading from the 500 at the time, and the screen resolution is much better on the Cybook - and 505). But it turned out to be more of a gimmick for me. I played with it at first ... but then I settled on a font face and size, and seldom changed them again. I still wish I could get Calibre to imbed a san-serif font to my LRFs that will work (only works with serif for me, so far), but it's not enough to make me pick up the Cybook again.

Cybook's DRM'd format is Mobipocket. Sony is its own (BBeB) and Adobe ADE. I'm still watching for an eInk reader that will natively read DRM'd eReader. (And if you're willing to hack the books you own, the DRM is only an inconvenience factor...)

So, clear as mud?

Thanks. The Cybook is still the first choice for me, mainly because of the dictionary and also - though it's not much of a fuss to do file conversions and eventually remove DRM - because of the mobi support. For a moment I was getting very fond of the PRS-505, but I still think that maybe the Cybook is more adequate for my needs. I will read mainly novels and maybe do some proofreading of my translations or texts and I would also like to buy some Spanish books in some new Spanish e-stores that use the .prc format. Also, the dictionary function is very important.
Maybe now its just a matter of finding a good deal on the Cybook. I hope to enter the e-book world pretty soon.

[cheese bogart]

I'm also new to this site and had similar questions to the original poster.

I've had a go on the sony 505 and 700 and liked them both. As I have never owned an ereader before I had no problem with the screen on the 700. I also loved being able to use the screen to turn pages. But I must admit, even though this sounds shallow, I preferred the looks of the 505. Partly because its silver so it seems to be part of the screen (the books I read don't have black boarders around them). The other reason I liked them both was the weight. I know a lot of you prefer the lighter models.

Now... the other option I was looking at is the cybook. It has a feature I would find really useful and that is the dictionary. Also from reading this site it seems to have a lot more going for it in the software department. But the one major problem I have with buying this device is that I can't seem to find any shops in England that sell it so that I could take for a test drive. So if any one knows of any shops that I could walk in and test one, I'd be grateful for the info.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cheese bogart

But the one major problem I have with buying this device is that I can't seem to find any shops in England that sell it so that I could take for a test drive. So if any one knows of any shops that I could walk in and test one, I'd be grateful for the info.

Unfortunately I don't know of any shops which stock the CyBook. Where do you live? If it's anywhere in the NW of England I'd be happy to meet up with you and demonstrate mine to you, for the price of a cup of coffee .

[basschick]

cybook is a very good choice - and no, your thumb won't get tired. i have no awareness of my cybook while i read, which is how it should be imo, because i can focus on what i'm reading. i'll admit it took a few minutes to get used to the page turns and after that i never looked back

[Adamastorx]

Thanks.
I think I would go for the Cybook but maybe I'll a couple of months because there a some news products coming, so I think maybe I'll make my choice when this second generation ebook reads are on the market during this year.

[HarryT]

There will always be something better available in 6 months time. If you want a reader, buy one now .

[cheese bogart]

Thanks for the offer HarryT. But I live in Brighton.

I guess I might just have to give it a gamble and go for the Cybook. If I'm then displeased with it. I can always blame you lot on here for bigging it up

[DDHarriman]

Do not worry; you will not need to blame anyone, because you will be so involved in reading in the Cybook.

Good shopping,

[emellaich]

OK, I'm going to start by seconding what Harry said. I've said this elsewhere on this forum, but for me its like saying you aren't going to get a laptop because you heard that there is a faster, cheaper, more battery efficient laptop in six months. If you follow this reasoning you would never buy a laptop because there is always a better one around the corner.

I think the CyBook is a good choice. I had one (the first generation of the Gen III) from the initial release. I think there bold font and user replaceable fonts made them one of the most readable on the market.

For me, I somewhat agree with your comment on the corner button. Its not so much the repetitive stress issue. Its that, if you try to hold it one-handed, you find yourself pinching the corner to hold this device. However, I think this is a problem with all of the current generation devices. They all go for thin frames. With buttons on the sides you find yourself pinching the thin frame to hold the entire device. In one thread here we talked about the old rca/rocketbook as being one of the most comfortable to hold. It has a meaty handle you can get ahold of. Of course, the reader is quite old now, and its not one I would recommend as a new purchase these days.

On the Cybook, however, I don't find all perfect about it. There were some issues with the page turn on clicking on the device. They had a software update or two that improved it for some, but not for all. I haven't kept close watch since my reader was broken about five months ago; however, last I saw they were not the most responsive in terms of customer service. Maybe if you bought from one of their retailers you would be better off. I also had some problems with the reader software and they were not fast in updating it.

One of my problems was that I liked to keep my entire 500 book library on the device, and every time you started it up it needed to scan the library. As a result it took a minute or so to get into reading the book. I now have the Kindle-2 and I can turn it on and be reading a book within five seconds. Not to say the K2 is perfect it has its own issues.

Even with these nits, I think the Cybook is a worthwhile reader. As is the Kindle. I would probably also check out the Astak EZreader -- you can get it from Fry's. I don't have experience with the Sony but I hear good things from those who have them. Just make the plunge and don't look back. I'm sure that every one of them has pluses and minuses. Figure out what one or two features is most important for you and make your choice based on that.

Michael

[cheese bogart]

I've just seen the thread on the wizpac txtr. I think I'm going to wait for that one now. It seems to have everything I wanted from an e-reader. Hopefully they will keep it white. The added bonus is that it can be switched from either hand and the controls are always under your thumb. Plus its by far the best looking (in my opinion).

[sigma8]

Originally Posted by cheese bogart

I've just seen the thread on the wizpac txtr. I think I'm going to wait for that one now. It seems to have everything I wanted from an e-reader. Hopefully they will keep it white. The added bonus is that it can be switched from either hand and the controls are always under your thumb. Plus its by far the best looking (in my opinion).

That's an interesting looking device. I'm a little suspicious about the included 3G modem. 3G connectivity is never close to free. The other wireless support sounds really great, though.

FWIW, the little round disc in the lower left corner on the 505 allows for easy one-handed holding and page-flipping. I'd expect the same with the Cybook, except its button-disc is on the lower right.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by sigma8

That's an interesting looking device. I'm a little suspicious about the included 3G modem. 3G connectivity is never close to free. The other wireless support sounds really great, though.

Maybe you do not have to use the 3G for so much data. The cost for 3G were you pay for what you use seems to be around 2 euro per Mbyte. So you can download a couple of books and synchronize a lot of data for 2 euro.

[cheese bogart]

I think they have said that they will be models without the 3G

[D.I. Thomas]

Well, I have been a lurker now for quite some time, apart from revealing to the world, somewhat shamefacedly, that I was a Psion junkie in the past. I now have an HP iPaq Enterprise 214 PDA with a four inch screen that I use with a folding keyboard and is becoming indispensible. The screen is just wonderful and really blows your socks off. Oh, and there is the small matter of an HTC TouchPro mobile telephone with the horror of Windows Mobile 6.1 (which it shares with the HP 214) but a wonderful keyboard. There speaks a dyed-in-the-wool Mac man (yes, I have a black MacBook). But, I digress.

I decided that life is too short to fart about dithering about which e-reader to get. The HP would be good except the battery would be far too short in duration and the clarity of the screen does not make up for the fact that it is really too short to do much serious reading. So, it came down to a choice between the Taiwanese Cybook or the Chinese BeBook. It was after I had narrowed it down to these two that I had almost terminal indecision. Anyway, after months of introspection, I found out that my local Expansys in Hong Kong can supply a Cybook Deluxe (with the charger, cover, SD and spare battery). The fog lifted and I found myself handing over the details of my much battered credit card. Should be with me in about two weeks, give or take. Not too painful after all.

So now to start downloading some books! Will report on first impressions in due course.

Regards,

Ian Thomas.