Hi everyone - another Aussie checking in

[ozgal]

Hi there,

So this is where all the bookworms hang out - and what a great site it is.

Unfortunately, I'm the sad owner of a Softbook 250e that has taken it's last breath and no longer shine it's little backlight so I can read thrillers until the wee hours of the morn.

Spose I'll be getting more sleep....! Anyway, been checking out this excellent site, which has so much information I'm a bit dizzy.

I'm tossing up whether to go for Sony PRS-550 or EB-1150. I've read all the specs and in the end it comes down to price and availability.

Can anyone suggest how I could purchase the $109 EB-1150 from USA and have it delivered to Australia? The only way I've seen possible is to use the "www.shoppingintheusa.com" site, which I think is also called "www.uspersonalshoppers.com". Bit fiddly though having to do things this way.

I believe my Softbook (rest its poor soul) is the equivalent of the ETI-2. I will really miss it as it has a huge screen that makes reading so easy. Am hoping its baby grandchild, the EB-1150, might be a suitable replacement. If unable to get one to Australia I will probably go for the Sony PRS-550.

Any suggestions would be welcome so I can decide.

Cheers to all and happy reading.

ozgal

[zelda_pinwheel]

hi ozgal, i got my eb1150 from an ebay seller named kascarlett*. she specifies that officially she can only sell to US buyers, but in fact if you send her an email she'll explain that you can buy overseas but you won't have the warranty. i recommend her with no hesitation (despite the rather inaccurate hype in her description of the eb1150... don't believe everything you read), the transaction went very smoothly for me. her price is a bit higher than 109$ but this is because she includes a 64mo memory card, and you will need this, so it's still a good deal. i love my eb1150, it's a brilliant device. if only it had an e-ink screen...

good luck making your decision ! i'm sure you can find lots of info around here to make it even harder to choose just one.

*i recommend you search directly in ebay US (ebay.com) ; when i do a search from ebay.fr for items kascarlett is selling, i get no results. i imagine this is because her auctions say delivery to US only, but as i said she will send to anywhere.

[MickeyC]

G'Day ozgal and welcome to the Forum. I've had a Sony 505 since January and like it a lot although I expect you'll be happy with the EB-1150.

And, if you're an incurable bookworm, you be among fellow addicts, er, friends here.

[ozgal]

Hi there Zelda,

Or should I call you Madame Broshinsky? Thank you so much for sharing the information on the EB-1150. I have sent an email to kascarlett* at ebay.com and hope to hear back from her soon.

Good to hear you have been enjoying your EB-1150.

E-ink (Sony) or backlight (EB-1150)? That's the question I now need to answer. Decisions, decisions!

Oh, one last thing, can you tell me if your EB-1150 came with an AC charger, or does it charge via USB? I think I recall reading somewhere that an adapter might be needed for non US/Canada countries.

Thanks so much for helping me out with the ebay information. Even if I go for the Sony at the moment I could perhaps wait for the Aussie dollar to recover and purchase the EB-1150 as a second unit when that happens.

Cheers and best wishes,

ozgal

[ozgal]

Hi Cassidy,

Thank you for the welcome and for your feedback on the Sony. I am feeling right at home here amongst my fellow addicts...er..um...book lovers (LOL!). I have quite a few ebooks ready to copy to the Sony or EB-1150 once I've made a final decision. I'm leaning towards the Sony as I can purchase that from another Aussie straight away, and as mentioned in my reply to Zelda (Madam Broshinsky) I might wait to order the EB-1150 when the Aussie dollar recovers (wonder how long that might be...not too long, I hope!).

I am kicking myself I did not order the EB-1150 a couple of months ago when the Aussie dollar was 97 cents compared to the US$.

I will let you all know how things go. Until then I have so much catching up to do reading all the great posts in the many sections on this forum.

Nice to hear from you, Cassidy, and happy e-reading!

Cheers and best wishes,

ozgal

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by ozgal

Hi there Zelda,

Or should I call you Madame Broshinsky?

if you do, it will cause a lot of confusion, especially since we already have a forum member named Madam Broshkina. while we are perhaps kindred spirits, and have never been photographed together, we are nonetheless two different people. (some might say *very* different )

Thank you so much for sharing the information on the EB-1150. I have sent an email to kascarlett* at ebay.com and hope to hear back from her soon.

Good to hear you have been enjoying your EB-1150.

E-ink (Sony) or backlight (EB-1150)? That's the question I now need to answer. Decisions, decisions!

glad i could help you. i love my eb1150 for the ergonomy, but i do really wish it had an e-ink screen (and weighed about 2/3 less, at least). i'm not one of the people who like a backlit screen so there is no reason (for me) to be faithful to lcd. one of the original factors that made me choose the eb1150 was the comparatively low price, since i wasn't yet sure i would like the experience. but once i got it i was immediately convinced, to the point that now i get very impatient with paper books (they're so heavy and awkward ! and you need two hands ! and in bed the top half is always blocking the light from the other half, which unfortunately is the page you're reading ! and you can't read one-handed !! and... )

Oh, one last thing, can you tell me if your EB-1150 came with an AC charger, or does it charge via USB? I think I recall reading somewhere that an adapter might be needed for non US/Canada countries.

it does come with an AC adapter, but this has an american plug on it. so either you need a plug adapter, or you can buy a universal transformer / adapter which allows you to switch the output voltage and plug tip, which is what i did. these can be found quite inexpensively online or in DIY / electronics shops. for more details see here.

Thanks so much for helping me out with the ebay information. Even if I go for the Sony at the moment I could perhaps wait for the Aussie dollar to recover and purchase the EB-1150 as a second unit when that happens.

Cheers and best wishes,

ozgal

heh... if the aussie dollar is weak now and will probably get stronger in the foreseeable future, i might get the (far cheaper) eb1150 now, and get the 505 later. then again, the eb1150 is very nice for reading at home (in bed, for instance) but a bit too heavy (in my opinion) to carry around town, so if you will want it to read in the subway or whatnot then perhaps the 505 is a better choice for you right away. good luck figuring it out !! it's hard to choose just one. but there are plenty of people and ressources here to help you make up your mind. both are very good liseuses.

another thing to keep in mind is format : the eb1150 uses a closed proprietary format, so pretty much anything you buy must be converted. luckily, with tools just as lit2osb and lit2mobi this is a trivial matter of a few seconds, but worth keeping in mind. the 505 however will read epub, the new industry standard format. this is another advantage.

i should also mention we have a very impressive ebook library right here of books formatted by hand by our members (click the "e-books" link in the blue bar at the top of the page). you can get enough free books there (already formatted for the eb1150 or the 505) to last you several lifetimes, depending on your taste...

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by ozgal

reply to Zelda (Madam Broshinsky)

Zelda and Madam Broshinsky are actually two different people. When Zelda was new on the scene... not long ago there was a thread about her getting an Avatar and several people (with much more artistic abillity than I) stepped up and created some pretty cool Avatar's for her. As such a gracious person she gives credit where credit is due and her current Avatar.. which is one of my favories was done my Madam Broshinsky.

Now I'm wanting a etch-a-sketch avatar. Is that to needy?

BOb

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Zelda and Madam Broshinsky are actually two different people. When Zelda was new on the scene... not long ago there was a thread about her getting an Avatar and several people (with much more artistic abillity than I) stepped up and created some pretty cool Avatar's for her. As such a gracious person she gives credit where credit is due and her current Avatar.. which is one of my favories was done my Madam Broshinsky.

Now I'm wanting a etch-a-sketch avatar. Is that to needy?

BOb

thank goodness you're here bob, i must be rather stupid today (or maybe i need a nap. yeah, let's say that) as it did not even occur to me that the avatar props were the origin of this rather amusing confusion.

i could lend you my etch-a-sketch avatar but that might be even more confusing. i can see why you'd want one though. maybe if you asked Madam Broskinsk-- heu, Broshkina very nicely, you could have one of your own.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i could lend you my etch-a-sketch avatar but that might be even more confusing. i can see why you'd want one though. maybe if you asked Madam Broskinsk-- heu, Broshkina very nicely, you could have one of your own.

Maybe I could go here and do my own. Although I just can't get nice rounded lines.

BOb

BTW: Apologies to Madam on the typo when I spelled here psuedo.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Maybe I could go here and do my own. Although I just can't get nice rounded lines.

BOb

BTW: Apologies to Madam on the typo when I spelled here psuedo.

that'll teach you to choose a name like "BOb". should've gone for something more angular.


...like "ZELDA".

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

that'll teach you to choose a name like "BOb". should've gone for something more angular.


...like "ZELDA".

Hey,

You've got some curves in your D and P.

Wait... that didn't come out right.

BOb

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Hey,

You've got some curves in your D and P.

Wait... that didn't come out right.

BOb

(you should see my lower case "E"s)