06-28-2011, 01:43 PM | #1 |
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Sony PRS-650 Touch, Pocketbook Pro 603... Other suggestions?
Only recently I bought my first eReader, a BeBook one refurbished. I had been doubting which one to buy for quite some time, because it is difficult to find out what you really want if you aren't used to the 'service' at all.
So I went for this one, because of the low price, and bought it merely to find out what I liked, disliked or missed, and to be able to make a better informed choice for a future device. So far, I like the device, but... - 6 inch is just what I like, smaller would be to small, and a larger one shouldn't fit comfortably in my bag. - eInk is excellent, since I like to read outdoors. - I don't like the black flash of the screen when I turn a page, but it seems this is something inherent to eInk? - Wifi connectivity would be nice, but is not a must. No 3G needed. - What I really miss is the possibility to take short notes or at least to highlight parts of the text, and I really want a search functionality (preferably not only English) and dictionary lookup (multiple languages). I think this means a touch-screen too. - It would be nice to be able to arrange books into folders... (I haven't found out yet a comfortable way to arrange my books on my BeBook.) - Being used to work on a Linux computer, it would be nice the device offers some way of 'customization', 'hackability'. From what I read until now, I think the Pocketbook Pro 603 comes closest to my wishes, but if someone has other suggestions, remarks... I listening! |
06-28-2011, 04:23 PM | #2 |
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The back flash is perfectly "normal" on eink devices. That's how the devices refresh the screen.
Now, based on your requirements, I would recommend Kindle 3. It has wifi, you can highlight and takes notes and you can organize your books by collections. It is not touch screen though. The PDF capabilities are good enough for its size and price, like zooming and landscape. The PRS 650 is a good option for you as well, based on your location and some of your requirements. But I personally find Sony readers too expensive for being just a mere eink device. Last edited by jocampo; 06-28-2011 at 11:57 PM. Reason: Fixing some typos |
06-29-2011, 06:17 AM | #3 |
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Besides the devices already mentioned you can have a look at the Bebook Neo.
Yes, the Pocketbook Pro 603 comes close to your wishes. It is very customisable, but it still has some problems with note taking. So it's best to inform yourself in the Pocketbook subforum. |
06-29-2011, 06:50 AM | #4 | |
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Sure, and there is no content available in Dutch and hardly anything in French. Unless you are living in the UK or Germany/Austria and with some restrictions Switzerland the Kindle hardly offers any content in Europe. The PRS 650 is the way to go. |
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06-29-2011, 08:00 AM | #5 | |
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It is not a reader issue though, but a publisher one. There are thousands of mobi books in foreign languages. I do have hundreds of classic in Spanish, mobi format that I can read on my Kindle 3 |
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06-29-2011, 09:31 AM | #6 |
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Thank you for those replies...
@jocampo: I should have mentioned that the device should be able to handle DRM-protected ePub, since my primary language is Dutch, and I do want to be able to read Dutch books. Only Bol.com has already 7000+ Dutch titles, including very recent ones. (And there are several more publishers of ebooks on the Dutch market.) As you say: I will buy an e-reader based on the kind of books (which includes Dutch ones ;-)!) I read... And besides the languages of the books... It simply doesn't feel good to me to have an ereader that doesn't give me the choice which store to buy from, but that's something very personal of course... So I'll keep informing myself about the two devices I already thought about... |
06-29-2011, 05:59 PM | #7 |
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Given your location and dictionary request, I think the Sony 650 would be ideal. It comes preloaded with two English dictionaries for definitions and ten dictionaries to translate between French, Italian, Spanish, German, or Dutch and English. Simply tap on a word twice and the entry pops up in a box at the bottom of the screen. Tap anyplace inside that box for the full page dictionary. Tap in the corner to close the box or page and you're right back where you were in the book.
The Sony will let you write notes freehand on the screen or there's on on screen keyboard. You can also highlight and export highlighted text, but there are some limitations with DRM encrypted books. The Sony out of the box uses collections to organize books. Install Calibre and it becomes very easy to use these. Calibre is easy to use right away, but has a ton of customizing available to folks who think in code and like tinkering. PRS+ was developed independently and is not supported by Sony, but it is easy to install and adds folder functionality to the collections that already exist. |
06-29-2011, 06:43 PM | #8 | |
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But I would like to clarify something and it's that Kindle does not dictate from which store you can buy or choose from. Like I said, as long as the book is DRM free, you can buy and use mobi books directly or any DRM free ePub via Calibre conversion. I actually own and have books that I did not buy on Amazon. Granted, is easier to buy a book which comes on the native format, but Kindle users do not need to buy from Amazon only. |
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06-30-2011, 06:58 AM | #9 | |
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06-30-2011, 07:53 AM | #10 |
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06-30-2011, 08:26 AM | #11 | |
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OP would like ... -wifi -eink -6 inch screen and you can organize books into collections. a Kindle 3 basically does that. She did not mention primary language on 1st post. And still, for DRM free books Kindle is an option via Calibre conversion. On this particular case, a Sony probably would make more sense. Check my 2nd post. Last edited by jocampo; 06-30-2011 at 08:28 AM. |
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06-30-2011, 09:03 AM | #12 | |||
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eink - well the Kindle (you may have heard) isn't the only eink-device out there; and neither is it the only one with a 6 inch screen. Organizing books on the device is offered by a lot of other devices also - she can have a pick out of a far wider range of readers other than the Kindle and not be locked into Amazon for DRMed content. Quote:
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Nothing really against the Kindle, it's a nice enough reader (but the keyboard has to go) - but you run into quite a few hurdles when you'd like to switch to another device (most likely a Sony here in Europe) and would like to read your Amazon-purchases on it. |
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06-30-2011, 09:09 AM | #13 | |
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I have nothing against other ereaders and I don't mind recommend those if I believe or know they can be better of those I actually own and use. Your comments about the keyboard are subjective and actually has nothing to do with the initial post. I'm not interested in start a silly debate about Sony vs Kindle, or ebook formats. I believe both are excellent choices for those not living in USA. And please do not say Kindle users are locked into Amazon online bookstore, that's not correct. We are not. We are NOT forced to buy from Amazon bookstore. As long as the ebook is DRM free, we can sideload books on mobi or ePub format (via Calibre conversion) Last edited by jocampo; 06-30-2011 at 09:12 AM. |
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06-30-2011, 09:14 AM | #14 | ||
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Moreover, the possibility to sideload has a much higher priority than wifi... But it is only after having read a few posts on this forum in the last few hours that I came to realize that maybe not every ereader has that possibility. Quote:
Well, here you're underestimating tiny little Belgium... We don't have just two, but three official languages... In the east of Belgium is a region where the primary language is... German! |
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06-30-2011, 09:16 AM | #15 | |
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But all things considered both are not equally excellent choices. But for most of the current mainstream releases you ARE locked into Amazon as a Kindle-user. |
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