So confused

[yankgirl]

Hi, I'm new here and was hoping someone here could help me.

I'm looking to buy myself an ereader and I've done so much research and reviews, I've confused myself completely. I'm techo-dumb. So anything explained as if I were 4 would be greatly appreciated

Here is what I'm looking for:

something with a 5" or 6" or bigger screen
fairly light
MAC compatible
eInk preferred
under $300.00


Also my BF would be using it when he travels and he has a lot of books that he has downloaded through torrents. Most of them I think are in RAR, PDF and TXT formats.

I was looking at the Cool-er, but I'm not sure.



Thanks!

[desertgrandma]

Welcome to MobileRead, yankgirl.

Lots of opinings coming your way......until then, you might want to look at some of the free ebooks available here......

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by yankgirl

something with a 5" or 6" or bigger screen
fairly light
MAC compatible
eInk preferred
under $300.00

Based on this I would say the Kindle 2 or the Sony 505. The Sony 505 is in your price range. The Kindle a bit higher. The issue with the Sony is that you need a Windows PC to authorize it to your AdobeID. Once you do that though, you can use Digital Editions Mac to buy/manage your eBooks.

Originally Posted by yankgirl

Also my BF would be using it when he travels and he has a lot of books that he has downloaded through torrents. Most of them I think are in RAR, PDF and TXT formats.

RAR is just a compression format... not an ebook format. PDF is iffy on any 6inch device depending on what it is. They all read .txt just fine.

BOb

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by yankgirl

I was looking at the Cool-er, but I'm not sure.

I suggest waiting to see what reviews of the Cool-er from actual readers say. The reviews from professional reviewers don't tell us much except that the D-pad is stiff (which might get fixed in the production version) and the software is bare-bones. This might be ok. The DRM (encrypted) ebook types it supports are Adobe ePub and PDF, and it is using the same Adobe software as the Sony PRS-505 (but presumably a newer version with fewer bugs). The Cool-er should be able to use a MAC to authorize Adobe access, but, as pilotbob says, on a PRS-505 that just requires a one-time access to a Windows PC. On the Sony, in addition to Adobe ebooks you can read Sony's own LRX (from the Sony ebook store) and LRF formats. On the Cool-er you can also read a few other ebook formats, but Calibre (has its own forum here) can convert any DRM-free ebook format to any other. So all you need on an ebook reader is one good format.

[yankgirl]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Based on this I would say the Kindle 2 or the Sony 505. The Sony 505 is in your price range. The Kindle a bit higher. The issue with the Sony is that you need a Windows PC to authorize it to your AdobeID. Once you do that though, you can use Digital Editions Mac to buy/manage your eBooks.

I only have access to a PC at work - not sure how the boss would like if I connect, but if I do I really have to do it once? Then I can add books through my MAC?

Originally Posted by pilotbob

RAR is just a compression format... not an ebook format. PDF is iffy on any 6inch device depending on what it is. They all read .txt just fine.

BOb

I told you I was techo-dumb!

I was doing more research online and saw the BeBook. It's in my price range and they say it's mac comp. Does anyone have them? Are they good?

Thanks!

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by yankgirl

I was doing more research online and saw the BeBook. It's in my price range and they say it's mac comp.

The BeBook is a Hanlin V3. In the US they are sold as the EZ Reader (or you can order the BeBook from Europe). There is a forum here for the Hanlin. The best place to get an EZ Reader is probably FRYS.com. The standard list price is $299, but Fry's often has sales. We know that the EZ Reader will be on sale July 4th and 5th at Fry's, with likely the best price of the year, see http://www.robertbez.blogspot.com/.

I have three EInk readers, and I like my EZ Reader the best. It is a no frills device with solid hardware and good software. It also supports an alternative 3rd party firmware, but the original firmware is also good. It can read lots of DRM-free formats, but the EZ Reader is about to switch from MOBI to Adobe ePub/PDF for DRMed (encrypted) ebooks. You will have the option of picking one or the other (MOBI or Adobe), but if you are starting from scratch I suggest picking Adobe even though MOBI is currently more popular in the US. Adobe is what is on the Cool-er and the Sony Readers.

[yankgirl]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The BeBook is a Hanlin V3. In the US they are sold as the EZ Reader (or you can order the BeBook from Europe). There is a forum here for the Hanlin. The best place to get an EZ Reader is probably FRYS.com. The standard list price is $299, but Fry's often has sales. We know that the EZ Reader will be on sale July 4th and 5th at Fry's, with likely the best price of the year, see http://www.robertbez.blogspot.com/.

I have three EInk readers, and I like my EZ Reader the best. It is a no frills device with solid hardware and good software. It also supports an alternative 3rd party firmware, but the original firmware is also good. It can read lots of DRM-free formats, but the EZ Reader is about to switch from MOBI to Adobe ePub/PDF for DRMed (encrypted) ebooks. You will have the option of picking one or the other (MOBI or Adobe), but if you are starting from scratch I suggest picking Adobe even though MOBI is currently more popular in the US. Adobe is what is on the Cool-er and the Sony Readers.

Thanks so much everyone for your help! Just ordered my bebook. Ordered it directly from the site (ordered it before I read your reply) Since there are no Fry's by me, it's ok. Just hope that it gets here soon! I don't even know where it's shipping from! I can't wait though!!!

[no.guru]

Your shopping style seems very familiar - I do that, too. Consider, think, consider - out of my way!

Hope you enjoy your reader!