Which eReader Features are key??

WantToBuy · 08-13-2010, 04:50 PM

Hi everyone,

I am in the market for an eReader, but want to make sure I get the right one. All of the eReaders have different features (screen size, marketplace, file format support, connectivity, annotation, organization scheme, sharing, and other SW features) they support, but which are the most important ones that should drive the decision? Which features were the selling points for you when you bought yours?

Thanks so much for your advice and experience!

Elfwreck · 08-13-2010, 05:07 PM

I made a blog post a while back about this. The main parts:

Issues to consider:

e-Ink vs LCD screen (e-ink looks like paper but is slower, and black&white only; LCD can have color, but eats battery life; non-backlit LCD screens are much cheaper, but B&W only.)
Wifi or not
Allows annotations or not
Built-in dictionary or not
Filetype support (ebooks come in a handful of popular, easy-to-find formats, and several dozen obscure ones. And some readers support user docs in Word or RTF or TXT format; some don't.)
PDF support: reflow, zoom, something else
DRM support (Digital Rights Management, software that locks your ebook to a particular device)
folder support (do the files show up in folders, like on a computer, or does the managing software sort them in some other way?)
Firmware glitchiness/customer support
Stylus vs Keyboard, if it has an input option
Screen size: 5", 6" (which is most common), 8"+. (Larger costs more. A lot more.)
Battery life
SD Card support
Open-source firmware options--ability to play sudoku, have a clock, change fonts onscreen, etc.
Price ($150-500 mainly, and it goes up from there. We're still waiting on the under $100 basic ebook reader.)

Issues that some people care about, but I never have:

Acessories (covers, cases, AC adapter, headphones)
MP3 ability (theoretically for audiobooks)
Color options (Kindle is white only. Sony Readers come in about 4 colors. Astak readers have 6. Some brands have 2 or 3.)
Dedicated online bookstore
Probably several other things I don't think of because I don't care about them *and* they don't get discussed much. (While I don't personally care about wifi, I know it's important to a lot of people because it gets mentioned. If battery size is important to anyone, I haven't noticed.)

Issues that we wish were relevant, but aren't:

Warranty details (they range from "bad" to "useless")
Repair options (ditto)
Manuals & info about any uses other than "click here to pay for & install your book on the device" (All the user manuals are lousy.)
Ergonomics (there was a great ergonomic ebook reader 10 years ago. Still available. It reads two very obscure filetypes and weighs a pound and a half. Since then, everything's small and flat and about equally badly designed.)
User-adjustable software (it's not)
User interface (they range from "mediocre" to "awful;" apparently, it didn't occur to any of the sofware designers that if you could put 1500 ebooks on a card, you'd want a way to sort them other than alphabetically.)
Really *good* PDF support. (Not going to happen, ever; PDF was created as a print-ready format, and they're made in too many different ways for any viewer to ever be able to display them all well.)

MangaEbooker · 08-13-2010, 05:13 PM

"Ergonomics (there was a great ergonomic ebook reader 10 years ago. Still available. It reads two very obscure filetypes and weighs a pound and a half. Since then, everything's small and flat and about equally badly designed.)"

I am curios as to what this is..?

GA Russell · 08-13-2010, 05:39 PM

Welcome WantToBuy!

I recommend that you get a device with a processor that turns the pages very quickly.

The answer to your question depends on what you want to use the device for. For example, some people find a foreign language dictionary to be very important, while others have no use for it.

I recommend that you not make a decision without giving some consideration to the jetBook Lite, which is almost a year old and was on sale last week for $69.99. I'm still quite content with mine. It has the reflective TFT screen, which a number of us consider superior to the eInk vizplex screen.

texasnightowl · 08-13-2010, 05:50 PM

Welcome!

Honestly, which features are key is different for every person. Example, some of the items in Elfwreck's "Issues to Consider" would go in my "Couldn't Care Less" category.

I think to some extent what you care about is based on what type of reader you are. Fiction or Non-fiction? Fluff or Technical? If you are reading a non-fiction research or programming type book, you may want the ability to highlight, annotate, etc. whereas if you are reading the latest mystery best seller, that doesn't matter.

So key for me are:
formats supported
DRM (related to format) - how hard to get around it; more tied into where can I purchase books from
e-ink (I spend too much time in front of LCD screens as is)
price
size/ergonomics

Not important to me
wifi (I just transfer everything via USB from my PC with Calibre)
keyboard/stylus/ability to add notes
dictionary
PDF support
SD card support (I usually don't keep that many books at a time on my reader)
accessible battery (just because the company says it's not user replaceable doesn't mean it isn't)

Elfwreck · 08-13-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MangaEbooker

"Ergonomics (there was a great ergonomic ebook reader 10 years ago. Still available. It reads two very obscure filetypes and weighs a pound and a half. Since then, everything's small and flat and about equally badly designed.)"

I am curios as to what this is..?

The ebookwise/RocketEbook (same hardware; different software) is comfortable in the hand & easy to use; its biggest drawbacks are (1) 10+ year old battery tech = weighs more than a pound and (2) 10+ year old computer tech = 64mb max. The fact that it only reads a couple of filetypes is also annoying, but that's workable. Most people who have them, love them.

I really am surprised none of the e-ink screen companies have made a case that mimics the ebookwise.

MangaEbooker · 08-13-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

The ebookwise/RocketEbook (same hardware; different software) is comfortable in the hand & easy to use; its biggest drawbacks are (1) 10+ year old battery tech = weighs more than a pound and (2) 10+ year old computer tech = 64mb max. The fact that it only reads a couple of filetypes is also annoying, but that's workable. Most people who have them, love them.

I really am surprised none of the e-ink screen companies have made a case that mimics the ebookwise.

So this company never updated and came out witha ereader with the same feel I suppose...That is odd. Well at least its cheap, got that on its side.

clintbradford · 08-13-2010, 08:10 PM

If the unit is not comfortable for you to use - size, weight, screen, fonts used, et al - then you will not be enjoying eReading as much as you should/could.

My wife enjoys her Kindle2. But if *I* had Internet connectivity, I *know* I would find myself messing 'round with it - INSTEAD of reading. So, I bought a Kobo - and am throughly enjoying it.

There's a lot of features available for under $200 today. Stick with one of the major brands - who have support and should be around for a while. Refine a little what, exactly, you might be reading on such a device. And keep asking questions.

But do yourself a favor - don't micro-manage this to death. In that time you could have been reading eBooks!

boswd · 08-13-2010, 10:39 PM

for me I bought the nook for it's

color LCD navigation screen with book cover flow
epub
wireless capabilities
BN platform
screen contrast
styling
replacable battery
expandable memory w/micro sd card slot

clintbradford · 08-14-2010, 12:25 AM

For me, I bought a Kobo for its ...

- not having an unresponsive, battery-eating color LCD navigation screen
- not having wireless connectivity
- Borders platform
- screen contrast
- styling

Dif'rent strokes for dif'rent folks ...

I mean, if you compare on paper the FEATURE SETS and PRICING of the Kindle2 or Nook to, say, a meager Kobo - no on on the planet would ever purchase a Kobo.

But I bought a Kobo not only for what is COULD do, but for what it DOES NOT do.

It gets a little tense and testy as we promote what we like and dislike about our eReaders. And the current price wars add another factor in this equation!

shanghaichica · 08-14-2010, 04:29 AM

Issues that are/Would be important to me:

Screen contrast
Comfortable to read on for long periods
Visibility in direct light
Battery life
Screen size (at least 5'')
Portability/size
Memory(doesnt need to be expandable but I should be able to store at least 200 books on there as a minimum)
File formats supported
Accesibility of books for device
Ease of use

Those would be the main issues for me.

I went for the PRS-300 because it ticked all the boxes I listed above. The only other reader which I may have considered at the time of purchasing was the PRS-505 but it has been discontinued and I prefered the smaller size of the PRS-300.

I've now ordered the kindle 3 to have as a second reader. It doesnt meet all of my specifications but as I already have a reader which does, it doesnt matter now!!

bevdeforges · 08-14-2010, 06:21 AM

As most other folks have mentioned or hinted at, the most important features are based on how you plan to use your reader. (And, after you get into e-readers and e-books, your use may change a bit, too.)

What is it you want to read or store on your reader? Are you going to be buying books? Or preparing your own documents for use on the reader? Or just looking to download all the freebies you can from Gutenberg? (could easily satisfy all your reading requirements for the rest of your life!) Take a look at what formats are available for books you may be interested in and how many sources for the various formats. Also, if you have a library that loans out e-books, what formats do they have?

Don't know where you're at, but you may want to consider what potential geographical limitations you could be up against and what features do or don't complicate that for you. (things like traceability of the 3G network, etc.) I'm also a real book freak - on visits back to the US I normally come home with a suitcase full of books after making a couple of (expensive) passes through the local bookstores. This also rules out 3G for me, as I have no need of making it "too" easy to buy books on a whim.

I also ruled out wifi, mainly for the "distractibility factor." I really enjoy getting "into" my reading and while it might be nice to be able to make jumps to Internet links referenced in the newspapers I download, I think I prefer not to have Internet capabilities in my reader.

I went with a Sony PRS600 - and I really love it. The reflection on the screen is a little annoying at times, but usually easily fixed by adjusting the angle. And I prefer the e-Ink screen, too, as I spend long hours on the computer as it is and find the e-Ink easier on my eyes. But your mileage may vary.

Berylmary · 08-14-2010, 07:15 AM

I find the PRS600 with its ability to high light names and search back through the book very useful when reading murder/mystery type fiction with lots of characters. I am very keen on P D James but there sre so many possible suspects to keep track of.

patrickt · 08-14-2010, 07:32 AM

For me, international support is a major factor. I realize for many people it wouldn't be.

WantToBuy · 08-14-2010, 08:55 PM

Thanks everyone! This is has been very useful!

I want to use it for reading books (fiction mostly) but also for reading magazines or perhaps newspapers. I'm thinking it would be great to read my morning paper on it and some other magazines I like when I just have a few minutes here and there. That may push me to LCD screens, but I don't want to spend $500+ on an iPad.

Thanks for all your advice so far!

08-13-2010, 04:50 PM	#1
WantToBuy Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: iPad	Which eReader Features are key?? Hi everyone, I am in the market for an eReader, but want to make sure I get the right one. All of the eReaders have different features (screen size, marketplace, file format support, connectivity, annotation, organization scheme, sharing, and other SW features) they support, but which are the most important ones that should drive the decision? Which features were the selling points for you when you bought yours? Thanks so much for your advice and experience!

08-13-2010, 05:07 PM	#2
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I made a blog post a while back about this. The main parts: Issues to consider: e-Ink vs LCD screen (e-ink looks like paper but is slower, and black&white only; LCD can have color, but eats battery life; non-backlit LCD screens are much cheaper, but B&W only.) Wifi or not Allows annotations or not Built-in dictionary or not Filetype support (ebooks come in a handful of popular, easy-to-find formats, and several dozen obscure ones. And some readers support user docs in Word or RTF or TXT format; some don't.) PDF support: reflow, zoom, something else DRM support (Digital Rights Management, software that locks your ebook to a particular device) folder support (do the files show up in folders, like on a computer, or does the managing software sort them in some other way?) Firmware glitchiness/customer support Stylus vs Keyboard, if it has an input option Screen size: 5", 6" (which is most common), 8"+. (Larger costs more. A lot more.) Battery life SD Card support Open-source firmware options--ability to play sudoku, have a clock, change fonts onscreen, etc. Price ($150-500 mainly, and it goes up from there. We're still waiting on the under $100 basic ebook reader.) Issues that some people care about, but I never have: Acessories (covers, cases, AC adapter, headphones) MP3 ability (theoretically for audiobooks) Color options (Kindle is white only. Sony Readers come in about 4 colors. Astak readers have 6. Some brands have 2 or 3.) Dedicated online bookstore Probably several other things I don't think of because I don't care about them and they don't get discussed much. (While I don't personally care about wifi, I know it's important to a lot of people because it gets mentioned. If battery size is important to anyone, I haven't noticed.) Issues that we wish were relevant, but aren't: Warranty details (they range from "bad" to "useless") Repair options (ditto) Manuals & info about any uses other than "click here to pay for & install your book on the device" (All the user manuals are lousy.) Ergonomics (there was a great ergonomic ebook reader 10 years ago. Still available. It reads two very obscure filetypes and weighs a pound and a half. Since then, everything's small and flat and about equally badly designed.) User-adjustable software (it's not) User interface (they range from "mediocre" to "awful;" apparently, it didn't occur to any of the sofware designers that if you could put 1500 ebooks on a card, you'd want a way to sort them other than alphabetically.) Really good PDF support. (Not going to happen, ever; PDF was created as a print-ready format, and they're made in too many different ways for any viewer to ever be able to display them all well.)

08-13-2010, 10:39 PM	#9
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	for me I bought the nook for it's color LCD navigation screen with book cover flow epub wireless capabilities BN platform screen contrast styling replacable battery expandable memory w/micro sd card slot Last edited by boswd; 08-14-2010 at 06:43 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Shorty key on my K3	pen_sq	Amazon Kindle	1	09-04-2010 12:34 PM
What in the world is a key file?	surrealmind	IMP	2	04-08-2010 12:21 AM
I am looking for the ff. features in an eReader	chris1	Which one should I buy?	1	02-07-2010 11:15 AM
access key	RandallFlagg	Calibre	4	03-25-2009 11:50 AM
Hot key for CF card?	nekokami	iRex	2	03-22-2007 07:38 AM

08-13-2010, 05:13 PM	#3
MangaEbooker Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 24 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	"Ergonomics (there was a great ergonomic ebook reader 10 years ago. Still available. It reads two very obscure filetypes and weighs a pound and a half. Since then, everything's small and flat and about equally badly designed.)" I am curios as to what this is..?

08-13-2010, 05:39 PM	#4
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Welcome WantToBuy! I recommend that you get a device with a processor that turns the pages very quickly. The answer to your question depends on what you want to use the device for. For example, some people find a foreign language dictionary to be very important, while others have no use for it. I recommend that you not make a decision without giving some consideration to the jetBook Lite, which is almost a year old and was on sale last week for $69.99. I'm still quite content with mine. It has the reflective TFT screen, which a number of us consider superior to the eInk vizplex screen.

08-13-2010, 05:50 PM	#5
texasnightowl Guru Posts: 699 Karma: 1001556 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Device: Oasis 3, K4B(NT), K3/KK	Welcome! Honestly, which features are key is different for every person. Example, some of the items in Elfwreck's "Issues to Consider" would go in my "Couldn't Care Less" category. I think to some extent what you care about is based on what type of reader you are. Fiction or Non-fiction? Fluff or Technical? If you are reading a non-fiction research or programming type book, you may want the ability to highlight, annotate, etc. whereas if you are reading the latest mystery best seller, that doesn't matter. So key for me are: formats supported DRM (related to format) - how hard to get around it; more tied into where can I purchase books from e-ink (I spend too much time in front of LCD screens as is) price size/ergonomics Not important to me wifi (I just transfer everything via USB from my PC with Calibre) keyboard/stylus/ability to add notes dictionary PDF support SD card support (I usually don't keep that many books at a time on my reader) accessible battery (just because the company says it's not user replaceable doesn't mean it isn't)

08-13-2010, 08:10 PM	#8
clintbradford Older ... slower ... Posts: 450 Karma: 1924 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jurupa Valley CA US Device: Kobo, Kindles 2/3/Keyboard/Fire/Fire HD, HDX.	If the unit is not comfortable for you to use - size, weight, screen, fonts used, et al - then you will not be enjoying eReading as much as you should/could. My wife enjoys her Kindle2. But if I had Internet connectivity, I know I would find myself messing 'round with it - INSTEAD of reading. So, I bought a Kobo - and am throughly enjoying it. There's a lot of features available for under $200 today. Stick with one of the major brands - who have support and should be around for a while. Refine a little what, exactly, you might be reading on such a device. And keep asking questions. But do yourself a favor - don't micro-manage this to death. In that time you could have been reading eBooks!

08-14-2010, 12:25 AM	#10
clintbradford Older ... slower ... Posts: 450 Karma: 1924 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jurupa Valley CA US Device: Kobo, Kindles 2/3/Keyboard/Fire/Fire HD, HDX.	For me, I bought a Kobo for its ... - not having an unresponsive, battery-eating color LCD navigation screen - not having wireless connectivity - Borders platform - screen contrast - styling Dif'rent strokes for dif'rent folks ... I mean, if you compare on paper the FEATURE SETS and PRICING of the Kindle2 or Nook to, say, a meager Kobo - no on on the planet would ever purchase a Kobo. But I bought a Kobo not only for what is COULD do, but for what it DOES NOT do. It gets a little tense and testy as we promote what we like and dislike about our eReaders. And the current price wars add another factor in this equation!

08-14-2010, 04:29 AM	#11
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 989 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11, iPhone 13 Pro Max,iPad mini 6, PW5	Issues that are/Would be important to me: Screen contrast Comfortable to read on for long periods Visibility in direct light Battery life Screen size (at least 5'') Portability/size Memory(doesnt need to be expandable but I should be able to store at least 200 books on there as a minimum) File formats supported Accesibility of books for device Ease of use Those would be the main issues for me. I went for the PRS-300 because it ticked all the boxes I listed above. The only other reader which I may have considered at the time of purchasing was the PRS-505 but it has been discontinued and I prefered the smaller size of the PRS-300. I've now ordered the kindle 3 to have as a second reader. It doesnt meet all of my specifications but as I already have a reader which does, it doesnt matter now!!

08-14-2010, 06:21 AM	#12
bevdeforges Addict Posts: 288 Karma: 1094000 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Essonne, France Device: Kobo Forma; Sony PRS600B; Sony 350; Sony T-2	As most other folks have mentioned or hinted at, the most important features are based on how you plan to use your reader. (And, after you get into e-readers and e-books, your use may change a bit, too.) What is it you want to read or store on your reader? Are you going to be buying books? Or preparing your own documents for use on the reader? Or just looking to download all the freebies you can from Gutenberg? (could easily satisfy all your reading requirements for the rest of your life!) Take a look at what formats are available for books you may be interested in and how many sources for the various formats. Also, if you have a library that loans out e-books, what formats do they have? Don't know where you're at, but you may want to consider what potential geographical limitations you could be up against and what features do or don't complicate that for you. (things like traceability of the 3G network, etc.) I'm also a real book freak - on visits back to the US I normally come home with a suitcase full of books after making a couple of (expensive) passes through the local bookstores. This also rules out 3G for me, as I have no need of making it "too" easy to buy books on a whim. I also ruled out wifi, mainly for the "distractibility factor." I really enjoy getting "into" my reading and while it might be nice to be able to make jumps to Internet links referenced in the newspapers I download, I think I prefer not to have Internet capabilities in my reader. I went with a Sony PRS600 - and I really love it. The reflection on the screen is a little annoying at times, but usually easily fixed by adjusting the angle. And I prefer the e-Ink screen, too, as I spend long hours on the computer as it is and find the e-Ink easier on my eyes. But your mileage may vary.

08-14-2010, 07:15 AM	#13
Berylmary Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bury St Edmunds Suffolk Device: Cybook Opus, iPod Touch 3G, Sony PRS600, iPhone 3Gs	I find the PRS600 with its ability to high light names and search back through the book very useful when reading murder/mystery type fiction with lots of characters. I am very keen on P D James but there sre so many possible suspects to keep track of.

08-14-2010, 07:32 AM	#14
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	For me, international support is a major factor. I realize for many people it wouldn't be.

08-14-2010, 08:55 PM	#15
WantToBuy Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: iPad	Thanks everyone! This is has been very useful! I want to use it for reading books (fiction mostly) but also for reading magazines or perhaps newspapers. I'm thinking it would be great to read my morning paper on it and some other magazines I like when I just have a few minutes here and there. That may push me to LCD screens, but I don't want to spend $500+ on an iPad. Thanks for all your advice so far!

Advert

Advert