What sort of ebook reader do we really want?

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Begemot

Summary is kind of a cool idea for those bookworms like me who read too many books at once.

Sometimes you return to a book a few months later.

I usually do all that when I make a backup copy of a book in calibre. I often will get a book because it's free/cheap, or because it was recommended, and I make a note of all that to remind myself the origin of putting it in my library.

There are a lot of things I do on calibre that I'd love to do via my e-reader, so the two work hand in hand for me.

I'm also not a monogamous reader, and put things aside and revisit them later, so that is one thing I am happy to have.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

I usually do all that when I make a backup copy of a book in calibre. I often will get a book because it's free/cheap, or because it was recommended, and I make a note of all that to remind myself the origin of putting it in my library.

There are a lot of things I do on calibre that I'd love to do via my e-reader, so the two work hand in hand for me.

I'm also not a monogamous reader, and put things aside and revisit them later, so that is one thing I am happy to have.

Are you aware that you can tell Calibre to insert a "metadata jacket" page into the book? This will contain all the book's metadata, description, etc, so that it'll be in the book itself.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are you aware that you can tell Calibre to insert a "metadata jacket" page into the book? This will contain all the book's metadata, description, etc, so that it'll be in the book itself.

Yes, I do that too.
I download the book's metadata and choose my own cover if I want.

But in the metadata (which is editable) I also add my own notes. I just bought "The BeeKeeper's Apprentice" because my father in law recommended it, for instance, and that way I always know when I look at the "jacket".

So yes, I use both imported and personally edited options.

[Cinisajoy]

I don't know about the newer Kobos, but my old one does show the cover of the book I am reading when it is sleeping. Powered off shows the words powered off.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by barryem

I think the focus of the design of an ereader should mostly be about reading.

I can mostly agree with that, and I do very little other than that ... pretty rare actually to use Wikipedia even.

With my Tablet, it is a different story, but that's pretty normal.

Like I've said though, emulating normal physical books, for me, is also important ... I guess old habits (some 50 years) just die hard ... and artwork should have a chance to be appreciated.

While I've always liked tech and been interested in an ereader, I didn't get one until the Kindle Keyboard came out on special in AUS ... probably a year or so after its USA release. A friend bought one, and it impressed me enough.

That was sometime after my join date here ... couple of years probably at least. I'd been checking ereaders out for years, but none had been good enough until then ... the sturdy cover and built-in light being important aspects too. I'd read a lot about broken screens. All my Kindles and Tablets have very sturdy covers ... tough but cushioned as well ... I have a high bed.

[RZetlin]

I would also to add large storage capacity (32 GB and higher).

4 GB and 8 GB is not cutting anymore in 2016.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by RZetlin

I would also to add large storage capacity (32 GB and higher).

4 GB and 8 GB is not cutting anymore in 2016.

Depends what you read. If it's PDFs or Manga, you may perhaps need more, but a reader with 4GB storage can store 2000+ typical novels. That really is more than sufficient for the average user. Very few people need to store - or even have - multi-thousand book libraries. Consumer devices are aimed at the needs of the typical user, not the extreme fringe cases.

[Cinisajoy]

I have an older kindle and even with 400 books on it, I still have 700M left on it.
Even with just 400 on it, books tend to get lost. I couldn't see keeping all my books on it.
Oh and thanks for the reminder that I need to send my latest book to my Fire.

[Timboli]

I guess some go to the trouble of removing ebooks from their devices, I haven't bothered and haven't had to do so yet. Not sure how many I have on there, but an awful lot.

I guess I see my Kindles as a kind of library as well as ereader, and I often refer back to something I've read, especially with series. Having to pre-determine what I want to read next, would often be onerous, so best to just pick something already on the reader when I am ready ... that suits my mood at the time. That said, I do have a loose schedule.

I think, we are gonna see more people with a lot more ebooks on their devices ... despite cloud access. If you have the capacity, why not. You'll only have to be caught out once, somewhere with no connectivity, and wanting to read something in particular. I've even had trouble with Amazon a few times, where an ebook refuses to download to a device ... their fault not mine. DRM is well and good for sellers, but rarely does any favors to the buyer.

P.S. A lot of ebooks, provided you have a good folder regime, is not an issue.

[DaleDe]

I think that the subject should be separated between what an eBook Reader should be able to do and what an eBook itself should have in it. From an eBook Reader standpoint there should be a way to read the metadata.

Dale

[McGonigle]

For me, I think the more storage the better:

Having a complete copy of your library on a separate media, on a different location, seems to me to be an excellent and easy way of maintaining an always up to date back up of your files.

Besides, I always want the book that is not currently on the device. :-)

I agree that a large library on the e-reader makes it a very sluggish business to index and sort and handle your books on the device; a limitation with today’s current devices of which I’m not too fond.

I agree that PDFs are too large and thus I generally minimize the amount of PDFs in my library.

CBRs are huge too, and again I really feel I cannot use my e-readers for that purpose. The screens are also too small for CBRs and PDFs for my tastes.

I suspect that the poor handling of PDFs on most e-book readers might be due in part to the all too often puny size of the RAM; 512 MB which in this day and age to me seems to be far too small.

Thumbs of the book covers, if I understand the workings of e-readers and some programs like Calibre Companion correct, are stored in the RAM, and this makes 512 MB insufficient in my view.

Ideally, I’d personally like to see an e-reader with heavily beefed up specs, and I wouldn’t mind sacrificing some battery charge to get an e-reader, with an E-ink screen that was more snappy and closer to a tablet in performance.

If I’m away, I always carry a charger anyway, for the phone and the tablet.

Yes, I know I’m very demanding, but in my view todays devices are woefully under-spec’ed and cumbersome to use. No wonder the sale of e-book readers are reported down, and that people are not upgrading as often as is the case with phones and tablets.

[Tarana]

The only change I would make to the Voyage which otherwise meets all my needs:

1. font sizes on the large end (currently, go from medium large to giant - I need some steps in between)
2. Ability to sort into folders via computer.
3. Ability to unsync collections in the cloud. (what a nightmare it is now with multiple family members all having science fiction collections!).

I would also like an 8 inch e-ink with all the same features as the Voyage in future as my vision worsens. Using the really big type is hard on a 6 inch screen, not so bad on my larger Nook HD+.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by McGonigle

I agree that a large library on the e-reader makes it a very sluggish business to index and sort and handle your books on the device; a limitation with today’s current devices of which I’m not too fond.

What would you consider to be a large library? Checking my Kindle Voyage, I see that I currently have 1874 books on it, and it's not the slightest bit sluggish.

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Tarana

The only change I would make to the Voyage which otherwise meets all my needs:

1. font sizes on the large end (currently, go from medium large to giant - I need some steps in between)
2. Ability to sort into folders via computer.
3. Ability to unsync collections in the cloud. (what a nightmare it is now with multiple family members all having science fiction collections!).

I would also like an 8 inch e-ink with all the same features as the Voyage in future as my vision worsens. Using the really big type is hard on a 6 inch screen, not so bad on my larger Nook HD+.

Yes ! I would like more font sizes too. Also an 8 inch e-ink screen just like my Voyage. Perfect ! I like the size of the Voyage, but I would also like to see a larger one too .

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Wearever

Yes ! I would like more font sizes too. Also an 8 inch e-ink screen just like my Voyage. Perfect ! I like the size of the Voyage, but I would also like to see a larger one too .

That would be the Kobo Aura One. You get a good 300dpi Carta screen and many more font sizes.