11-26-2007, 03:52 PM | #1 |
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simple needs
I am an avid book reader. I average a book a week. I only read just before going to bed. I don't like reading books on a computer because it strains my eyes. I have lots of pdf books that I have never read. The Kindle announcement renewed my interest in ebook readers. I have been all through this forum reading about all the readers. Lots of pro's and con's, lots of opinions. But my needs are very simple:
NON-issues: Battery life Aesthetics File formats and conversions DRM Weight WiFi, network connectivity Bluetooth Pictures, graphics, artwork Music Non-free books Dictionary lookups and other non-essentials Protective covers Boot time Power management Highlighting / selecting text Touch screens / stylus pens IMPORTANT issues: Download free ebooks Convert file format if necessary Transfer book using USB Read Bookmarking would be nice, but not necessary. Page turning should be fast Adjusting text size, font type, line spacing Recharging using USB or included power adapter 4x6 reading area, like a standard paperback book Sharp, clear text Easy on the eyes, no strain Memory card expandability I may be asking for too much. Readers have come a long way since they were first introduced. If I can get a reader to fit my needs from between $300US and $350US, I would be pleased. Thank You |
11-26-2007, 04:09 PM | #2 | |
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Quote:
That said, if you crop the margins from a paperback book it is much closer to 8" diagonal. If you really want 10" diagonal then you will need a tablet PC type solution, which will be an LCD screen and you then lose "Sharp, clear text" and "Easy on the eyes, no strain" All your other "must haves" are met by all e-ink readers on the market (as far as I can remember) |
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11-26-2007, 10:19 PM | #3 |
reader
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If you are in the US, then there are three options that all use the same identical 6" E-Ink screen: Sony PRS-505, Bookeen Cybook, Amazon Kindle. The Sony has a newer screen controller and can do 8 level grey scale (vs 4 level in the other two). Page turns is the fastest available with E-Ink and should be comparable between the three. The Sony is the cheapest, and you can probably get it before Christmas (and see one in person first at a Border's bookstore). There is no compelling reason to pay more in your case for the others. Note that you will need to use the software from this site to convert many of your e-books for the Sony.
If you are outside the US, the Bookeen is probably your best choice - even though the lack of access to the Sony and Amazon e-books stores is not an issue for you. None of these are very good with PDFs - you are much better off with a reflowable format. With a reflowable format, the 6" screen is big enough (and you can change the font size as needed, the larger the font the fewer words per page). |
11-26-2007, 11:05 PM | #4 | |
Booknut
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Quote:
A 10" diagonal would correspond to, for example a 6" x 8" display, which is huge. Last edited by DrMoze; 11-26-2007 at 11:08 PM. |
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11-26-2007, 11:12 PM | #5 | |
Hermit
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Quote:
not 10. Under 7, usually, for the text area: standard six-inch screen. But margin cropping is more than most people want to bother with, really. |
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11-27-2007, 02:26 AM | #6 | |
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Ignore me, or at least my maths... Sorry |
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11-28-2007, 09:52 PM | #7 |
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Thanks folks. I ordered a Sony PRS-505. For my needs, I think it will work splendidly. I will be downloading lfr books either from here or manybooks.net or the gutenberg project, or any other place I can find free books.
Thanks again. |
11-28-2007, 10:23 PM | #8 |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
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Another place to look at is Munsey's.
www.blackmask.com I would recommend avoiding Manybooks. The quality is disappointing. |
11-29-2007, 02:06 AM | #9 | |
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11-29-2007, 03:04 AM | #10 | |
Wizard
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Quote:
I am very satisfied with Sony Reader PRS500 There are many, many books freely downloadable from the net. Just search this forum. Do not forget to check http://craphound.com/ or http://www.baen.com/library/ |
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11-29-2007, 05:54 PM | #11 |
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11-29-2007, 05:57 PM | #12 |
Gizmologist
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They're just a bit rough, is all -- they're machine translations of Project Gutenberg texts, and have the usual issues associated with that process.
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