First eReader

[vanillabean]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I am a little late to the e-reader party. My fiance wants to buy me one for my birthday (which is next month, but we are buying it sooner) so the time has come. The thing that has kept me from getting one before now is the whole file issue. Essentially, I hate that Amazon won't play nice with the other kids in the sandbox.

In researching, I have found some things I like and don't like about e-readers in general, and I am hoping I can get some recommendations here.

- It absolutely cannot have a hard refresh every single page turn. That is a deal-breaker for me. Every few pages is OK.
- I prefer that it not have a touch screen, as I find the touch screens don't always take my finger taps.
- Removeable memory is a big plus. Barring that, side-loading capabilities would be awesome. I own lots of paper books, I don't see e-books being much different.
- The widest range of e-book format support possible. My library uses EPUB mostly, but has some MOBI files as well.
- I don't plan on using my e-reader for anything other than reading, so mp3's, photos, etc are not necessary.
- The lower the price, the better.
- No backlit. I have enough eye strain from working on my laptop all day and playing games in my free time.
- A replaceable battery would definitely be a pro.

I am located in Canada, and don't plan on changing that any time soon. I can load up a bunch of books before I head off on a trip, so buying books on the go is not an issue.

Here are some models I am somewhat considering:
- Kindle (basic model, but then I'd be stuck with buying all my books from Amazon)
- Kobo Touch (the basic model does a hard refresh every page turn, downside is I dislike Chapters as a company)
- Sony (little on the pricey side, but it might be worth it?)

- Aluratek Libre Pro (haven't been able to see one of these in action to check out the refresh issue)
- Hip Street HD Multimedia eReader (also haven't seen one of these in action)

I think that is everything. Happy to add more if I need to. Any recommendations?

(in advance)

[ProfCrash]

If you are planning on using the library, get something with EPUB. I would go with the Sony. It is more reliable than the Kobo and has more features. But you will not get a non-touchscreen or replaceable battery.

You can still buy the Kindle Keyboard. I think it is the only non-touch screen model available on the market. The problem is that it refreshes with every page turn (seriously, it is hardly noticable), it does not have removeable memory (but it holds 3,00 books and you have access to your archive to download what you want easily enough), It is MOBI (format really doesn't matter unless you want to use the library outside the US, then you should go EPUB), the only version of the Kindle Keyboard left is the 3G/WiFi which is about $150 US.

I don't think any of the mainstream e-readers have a replaceable battery these days.

You are not stuck buying all your books from Amazon. Independent bookstores that sell EPUB also sell MOBI. Also, I understand that it is perfectly legal in Canada to remove DRM from products so you can legally buy books from other stores, remove the DMR and convert if needed. More importantly, Amazon has the vast majority of books that are found at the various EPUB stores, for the same price. So the virture of the EPUB format is that you can go to more stores to buy the same books that you can buy from Amazon for about the same price.

[vanillabean]

The basic Kindle is a non-touchscreen (the one that goes for $79 in the US... it is considerably more here, but I digress). And it doesn't have the hard refresh (and by that I mean the flash of white text on black screen, which to me is quite noticeable).

As far as I know, it is illegal to remove DRM here, or it very soon will be.

[Pomtroll]

Many e-readers are becoming touch screen. I'm only familiar with Kindles, Nooks & Sonys. I have the K3, Kindle Touch, Sony Prs 350 & Sony T1. It's a toss up between the Sony & the Kindle for which one I like best. When I was first looking at e-readers I went with Nook because of the B&N store here where I live. But then I found so many bargains at amazon which weren't available at B&N at the time. So I got a K3.

It wasn't till I fell in love with the Sony Prs 350 that I learned to side load books & there was no turning back. I love my Sony readers. Why? Who knows. There was just something about them that felt comfortable in my hands. I still like the way the T1 feels in my hands. But have no problem reading on the Kindle Touch. Oh & I like touch screens but I know many don't. If that is a real deal breaker for you then go with The Kindle 3. Some of the touch readers do have buttons but not all people like them like the ones on the K3.

So where am I going here? Go with the one that appeals to you whether mobi or epub. They all have things that aren't perfect. I doubt you will find the perfect reader.

And like ProfCrash has said you can get your books many places. You are not locked into one specific store. I buy from many places including Smashwords, Kobo, Books on Board, B&N, Sony & Amazon....I can't remember all I buy from. There are just so many places.

Oh & you may end up doing what I did in the end...Just purchase one & enjoy the reading. Good luck.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

If you are planning on using the library, get something with EPUB. I would go with the Sony. It is more reliable than the Kobo and has more features. But you will not get a non-touchscreen or replaceable battery.

You can still buy the Kindle Keyboard. I think it is the only non-touch screen model available on the market. The problem is that it refreshes with every page turn (seriously, it is hardly noticable), it does not have removeable memory (but it holds 3,00 books and you have access to your archive to download what you want easily enough), It is MOBI (format really doesn't matter unless you want to use the library outside the US, then you should go EPUB), the only version of the Kindle Keyboard left is the 3G/WiFi which is about $150 US.

I don't think any of the mainstream e-readers have a replaceable battery these days.

You are not stuck buying all your books from Amazon. Independent bookstores that sell EPUB also sell MOBI. Also, I understand that it is perfectly legal in Canada to remove DRM from products so you can legally buy books from other stores, remove the DMR and convert if needed. More importantly, Amazon has the vast majority of books that are found at the various EPUB stores, for the same price. So the virture of the EPUB format is that you can go to more stores to buy the same books that you can buy from Amazon for about the same price.

All good points, except I would add that one certainly CAN use the public libraries here in Canada with a Kindle. It does, however, require the DRM removal, but that is not difficult. I get many books from the BC Library system, which has a pretty decent online library.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by vanillabean

-- I prefer that it not have a touch screen, as I find the touch screens don't always take my finger taps.
-
- Kobo Touch (the basic model does a hard refresh every page turn, downside is I dislike Chapters as a company)

Just wondering why, if you don't like touch, you're considering the Kobo Touch? Why not the WiFi? Especially as it's your first reader - the WiFi's one of the cheapest out there, and I was quite impressed with it when I tried one recently. I love my Sony, but if I was buying again, I think the price differential between the two would make me think twice; of course, in Canada, this might not be such an issue.

[vanillabean]

Originally Posted by LuvReadin

Just wondering why, if you don't like touch, you're considering the Kobo Touch? Why not the WiFi? Especially as it's your first reader - the WiFi's one of the cheapest out there, and I was quite impressed with it when I tried one recently. I love my Sony, but if I was buying again, I think the price differential between the two would make me think twice; of course, in Canada, this might not be such an issue.

Because the plain jane Kobo WiFi (at least the Canadian model) has a hard refresh every page turn. I don't know if hard refresh is the proper term, but it flashes black with white text. Some people don't find it noticeable, but I personally do... especially because it is my first e-reader. I am sure I would probably get used to it over time, but I also might not...

The Kobo Touch is $99 here, the Kindle is $109 and the Sony is $149. The Sony is the absolute most I would spend, and I am trying to figure out if it is worth it. I have read you can... modify... them to read Amazon books as well, but I have never modded anything in my life so it makes me nervous.

I watched a video review of the Aluratek Libre Pro, and it is going for $47 right now... and it doesn't have a touch screen or the hard refresh issue... but it is bloated with buttons. It also doesn't have WiFi, but I am fine to side-load my books. Its biggest downside is that it uses LCD eInk technology, which seems like it would be similar to a computer screen?

[kennyc]

There is no such thing as "hard refresh" eInk screens inherently must clear the page before displaying the new page, it does this every time, not every few times.

[Cdesja5]

If you watch for a sale, you can get the Sony for $119.99, in fact, you just missed the Mother's Day sale at Future Shop and Best Buy...
No need to mod the reader itself to be able to read your Amazon books, get Calibre for your computer and then Google "apprentice alf" for add-ons and instructions to allow you to modify your purchased books to epub format.
An LCD screen will use a lot more power than e-ink therefore your charge will not last anywherenear as long as an e-ink device. For that reason I wouldn't recommend the Allurtek even though it is a little cheaper.

[Xanthe]

No hard refresh/flashing with the Aluratek Libre Pro, because it doesn't use the e-ink type of display used on the Kindles, Nooks, & Sonys. They call their display e-paper; it's a reflective TFT LCD screen. Pages advance seamlessly. It's very good in well-lit locations and not that bad in low-light. There's probably a YouTube video somewhere that shows how it works. With heavy use, you'd probably have to charge it once a week; which is no big deal - you plug it in at night while you sleep and let it charge. Otherwise, the charge probably lasts about two weeks.

Since I have both e-paper and e-ink type ereaders, and since I will read for hours on both, I can say that I really don't have any issues with battery times. I mean, I don't go anywhere that I would be away from an electrical socket for weeks at a time, so unless that's in your future, battery times aren't really a major issue with e-readers.

I still like and use mine.

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Reflective_LCD

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/02/02/...er-pro-review/

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by vanillabean

Because the plain jane Kobo WiFi (at least the Canadian model) has a hard refresh every page turn.

AFAIK, this was fixed in a recent product/firmware upgrade. Originally it had an incomplete refresh every page and people complained about ghosting, but it's supposed to have a setting now that lets the user set the frequency of refresh.

[ProfCrash]

I have read that the allowing the screen to wait to refresh has led twosome ghosting which is annoying. All I know is that the refresheverypagedoes not other. Me and the vast majority of folks who thought it would have found that. It didn't.

[vanillabean]

I know that when I went into Chapters, they told me there was no way to fix the white-text-on-black-screen that flashed every page turn.

Chapters is the main seller of the Kobo here, though you can get it at Staples, Future Shop, Best Buy, etc.

Again, I don't know if my terminology of "hard refresh" is correct, but when I say hard refresh, I am referring to the white-text-on-black-page flash.

Here is another question, since I am so new to the e-reader scene. If I bought an e-reader that didn't support say, EPUB, and then six months down the line EPUB was declared to be the standardized format for e-books... is it likely that my e-reader and entire collection would have to be re-purchased?

Xanthe: Thanks for the info on the Aluratek.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by vanillabean

Here is another question, since I am so new to the e-reader scene. If I bought an e-reader that didn't support say, EPUB, and then six months down the line EPUB was declared to be the standardized format for e-books... is it likely that my e-reader and entire collection would have to be re-purchased?

A few people in this thread have already explained format shifting and DRM stripping.

If you really don't like Amazon or Kobo, where are you planning to buy ebooks from? Or are you planning to only read library and public domain books?

[JSWolf]

There is a modified reader app that you can install on a Sony T1 that allows you to control how many screen refreshes you get before the flash. You can adjust this to suit your needs. The T1 has page turn buttons as well as the touch screen.

Have you tried IR Touch on an eink screen? It is different then the touch you get on a tablet. The T1 uses a swipe to change pages, not a tap. So if you have a problem with a tap, you might find a swipe works better.