So Confused, Kindle or Kobo?

[jocampo]

LucidDreams,

You maybe get one online, but you need a USA address in order to register. Also, unless you side load or buy from other stores, you won't be able to download books online from B&N directly. It will detect your IP address and not allowing you to buy or download, not unless you use a proxy.

And you are not locked into Amazon store. That's misleading and an old argument that non Kindle users keep repeating. There are a lot of stores online which sells on mobi format and Kindle reads mobi format with zero issues. Most popular titles are widely available on both formats. I actually buy some computer books from O'Reilly, which sells computer books without DRM and mobi format.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

.

The main reason for recommending the Nook Touch over others is that it seems to have all the right features at the right price. If the Kindle had a touch screen then I would recommend that device. I own a Sony PRS-350 and can say that the touch screen makes the reading experience better. Nothing like just touching a word and getting the definition. With the Kindle I would have to use the cursor and navigate it to the word I wanted the definition. The best analogy would be using a keyboard to move the cursor on a PC screen vs. using the mouse. While it can be done and it works, it's just more of a painful experience.

I disagree. While the touch screen has some cool benefits, especially for games, and the Kindle 5-way is imperfect, I find it more precise for lookups. On my PRS-350, I often tap the wrong word, or have to tap two or three times to get effect. The Kindle dictionary feature, which requires no clicks, just movement, is quick and precise. I also prefer Kindle for selecting books, both using the five way, or simply typing a title on the keyboard. Plus it keeps fingerprints off the screen.
To each his own. My big oily fingers are better suited to the Kindle. I can see how small dry fingers could prefer a touch screen.

[LucidDreams]

Originally Posted by ApK

I disagree. While the touch screen has some cool benefits, especially for games, and the Kindle 5-way is imperfect, I find it more precise for lookups. On my PRS-350, I often tap the wrong word, or have to tap two or three times to get effect. The Kindle dictionary feature, which requires no clicks, just movement, is quick and precise. I also prefer Kindle for selecting books, both using the five way, or simply typing a title on the keyboard. Plus it keeps fingerprints off the screen.
To each his own. My big oily fingers are better suited to the Kindle. I can see how small dry fingers could prefer a touch screen.

The PRS-350 has a 5" screen so that makes using the touch screen a bit more difficult (especially when using the small font size). That's why Sony included a stylist so that those with fat fingers can use the device more easily. The Nook has a 6" screen which will make it a bit easier to select a word. Movement vs clicks, is just like holding a key down on a keyboard to move a cursor. I just find navigating that way to be kludgy. It's also important to note that this is the first-gen of using this kind of touch technology on an eReader. I would expect that the touch accuracy to improve with future eReaders.

Amazon will most likely use a touch screen for it's next generation eReader. So it will be interesting how all those that love the buttons over the touch screen become converts (or not).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

Amazon will most likely use a touch screen for it's next generation eReader. So it will be interesting how all those that love the buttons over the touch screen become converts (or not).

A combination of the two works best. The BeBook Neo, for example, has a Wacom touch screen, but pretty much all aspects of the UI can also be accessed via buttons.

[ApK]

Yes, options are great when possible. I agree that amazon will likely add a touch screen, but I'm curious to see whether they will also keep some sort of 5 way or other option.

[LucidDreams]

Originally Posted by jocampo

You maybe get one online, but you need a USA address in order to register. Also, unless you side load or buy from other stores, you won't be able to download books online from B&N directly. It will detect your IP address and not allowing you to buy or download, not unless you use a proxy.

Using a USA address to register isn't really an issue, just pick a business address. Preferably the address of the company you bought the product from or B&N's corporate address. Since the person will be purchasing books from multiple stores they will have the same issues for loading books onto the eReader regardless of which one they purchase.

Originally Posted by jocampo

And you are not locked into Amazon store. That's misleading and an old argument that non Kindle users keep repeating. There are a lot of stores online which sells on mobi format and Kindle reads mobi format with zero issues. Most popular titles are widely available on both formats. I actually buy some computer books from O'Reilly, which sells computer books without DRM and mobi format.

ePub vs. mobi is a whole other issue. Some books might not look right and could be lacking in the mobi format. I prefer ePub since it offers advance text formatting and is an open standard, but that's a personal preference. Most public libraries use ePub with DRM so one will have to strip the DRM and convert to mobi (which might not format well) to view on the Kindle.

Amazon has purposely left out support for the ePub format. That has locked most people into using their eco-system eBook store even though they can buy books in the mobi format elsewhere.

[LucidDreams]

Originally Posted by ApK

Yes, options are great when possible. I agree that amazon will likely add a touch screen, but I'm curious to see whether they will also keep some sort of 5 way or other option.

It would be nice to have both touch and a multi-directional keypad. But Amazon and other eBook makers will probably abandon such things, at least for now, in order to keep costs low and the form factor as small as possible. More so since there's a lot of focus on producing eReaders below the $99 mark.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

convert to mobi (which might not format well) to view on the Kindle.

Never seen a problem.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

Using a USA address to register isn't really an issue, just pick a business address.

How? If you don't live at USA, which address are you going to put there? Moreover, on a new device, how are you going to fix any hardware issue if B&N does not provide support out of USA? Just the shipping back to USA will exceed the cost of your initial purchase. Honestly, I think that you should not give that advice to someone who is learning about readers. B&N does not provide support outside of USA, period.

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

ePub vs. mobi is a whole other issue. Some books might not look right and could be lacking in the mobi format. I prefer ePub since it offers advance text formatting and is an open standard, but that's a personal preference. Most public libraries use ePub with DRM so one will have to strip the DRM and convert to mobi (which might not format well) to view on the Kindle.

Sorry, lot of misinformation on your comment. A book in epub format, let's say from B&N looks exactly the same on azw. Minor differences can be appreciated on those books with images, tables and complex layouts, even file size, but a novel reads exactly the same.

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

Amazon has purposely left out support for the ePub format. That has locked most people into using their eco-system eBook store even though they can buy books in the mobi format elsewhere.

Amazon chose mobi long time before you and I started talking about epub. Nook or Sony were not even in the picture. Amazon was doing R&D with mobi already.

What has locked users is not a format but DRM, which is also implemented by B&N and Apple, among others. Conversion for DRM free books is a breeze via Calibre!

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by LucidDreams

Amazon will most likely use a touch screen for it's next generation eReader. So it will be interesting how all those that love the buttons over the touch screen become converts (or not).

That maybe is true. But people won't buy a device just because is touchscreen. There are some Kindle users that just dislike it. I actually own an iPad 2 and have to keep cleaning the screen frequently in order to remove fingerprints. There are other users, believe it or not, that sweat a lot; they don't have an iPad but they love their Kindle. I doubt those users will enjoy a touchscreen. Highlighting is faster and more accurate for me, using buttons. I've found myself selecting the wrong word or lines when using my iPad.

Something I think is still missing on the new Nook? ... landscape mode! A must for poetry and programming book. Just because that, I would never buy a Kindle again if for some reasons that feature is missing or removed on future releases.

[RoxyJ]

As a fellow Canadian I would suggest the new touch Kobo. I really like their "inteface" and how you can view the book covers.

They are Canadian, so you don't have to worry about the extra shipping and duty.

They also offer better book prices, and they frequently offer discount codes.
Edited to add: They DO charge all Canadian taxes for Canadian purchases, which DOES cause some books to be higher priced than Amazon, but they do offer lots of coupon codes.

If the new kobo had been out when I purchased my kindle, I would have chosen the touch kobo.(at the time they just had the plain kobo with no perl screen or wifi, those were my only requirements).

The only difference I can think of is that Kobo may not have as many self-published books as amazon, and amazon seems to be developing their electronic offerings (like music, movies, apps etc...) if that's something you may want to take advantage of, you will have to decide if it's important to you that you keep everything together in one place.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by RoxyJ

As a fellow Canadian I would suggest the new touch Kobo. I really like their "inteface" and how you can view the book covers.

Have they fixed the problems which plagued the old Kobo? Can you, for example, now follow hyperlinks in a book?

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The original poster specifically states that they live in Canada. I am a little puzzled why you would suggest that they consider a reader that is only sold in the United States?

Because it appears to be superior to the Kobo (it has buttons).

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Because it appears to be superior to the Kobo (it has buttons).

That's a bit like losing your keys inside, but looking for them outside because the light's better.

Ha! I crack me up.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by RoxyJ

As a fellow Canadian I would suggest the new touch Kobo. I really like their "inteface" and how you can view the book covers.

They are Canadian, so you don't have to worry about the extra shipping and duty.

They also offer better book prices, and they frequently offer discount codes. If the new kobo had been out when I purchased my kindle, I would have chosen the touch kobo.(at the time they just had the plain kobo with no perl screen or wifi, those were my only requirements).

The only difference I can think of is that Kobo may not have as many self-published books as amazon, and amazon seems to be developing their electronic offerings (like music, movies, apps etc...) if that's something you may want to take advantage of, you will have to decide if it's important to you that you keep everything together in one place.

Well, as a Canadian with a Kindle, I'd have to say I prefer the experience, the quality, the interface and the availability of books on my Kindle. I do buy some books from Kobo for the odd occasion when they have something that isn't on Kindle (recent Giller Prize book, for example.) And it's a non-issue to convert those books to Kindle format.

Even though the new Kobo reader looks like a big improvement, my vote still goes to the Kindle.