Kindle 2 stolen - considering new device

[hyshnari]

Well, it finally happened. I spazzed out and left my Kindle on a red-eye flight. I was managing trying to get off the plane with a service dog, so I guess I had my hands full with carry-ons and sleep deprivation.

Anyway, I filed a police report and called Amazon so that the device will be blocked from being registered on a new amazon account (which I double checked using the serial number and my own account - it has). Some person tried to re-name the device from my name to "Miss Maliyah" and tried to purchase some dirty books using my credit card. Thankfully, everything was sorted out with a single phone call to Amazon, which I was pleased with - don't get me wrong. I have personally had nothing but good experiences with Amazon customer service.

However, I am still considering alternative ereader devices. I started out with the Kindle #1 and loved it, and purchased a Kindle 2 after selling my used Kindle 1 on Amazon. However, once I received my Kindle 2, I found that I didn't much care for the text-to-speech (I also use audible audiobooks - far superior, of course, since it's actual voice actors/readers) and I missed my removable battery and expandable memory card slot. I also preferred the gentler and easier-to-access pageturn button on the Kindle 1 (which some people didn't like since it was easily bumped).

These were the features I appreciated in my previous devices and are important to me:
- Expandable Memory (especially for audiobooks, which are large)
- Easily accessible pageturn buttons
- Removable battery
- Mobile web browser (for wikipedia, etc), which necessitates...
- Either a 3G or WiFi connection (WiFi-only is fine if expandable memory is available - I can download files using my phone)

These are the features which I didn't much use:
- Text to speech
- Annotations (I mostly just read)

Now, after looking through a couple review websites, I am torn between the BeBook Neo and the Nook. I live in the US, and while I'm not conveniently located near a Barnes and Noble store, one is available to me within a 1-hour bus drive, and getting out in public is something I would like to do more often as I am mostly stuck at home. However, knowing that all of my Kindle books are stuck in .azw format after my Kindle was stolen leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so I am intrigued by BeBook Neo's open-source architecture and ability to read many different formats of ebooks. I am also relatively unfamiliar with ebook stores outside of Amazon's, which would be a learning curve in itself but something I would gladly do to support more widely-usable DRM formats that don't lock you into a certain provider.

These are the features that I like in the Nook:
- In-store specials encourage getting me out of the house
- Book loaning (my friends do not use Nook but can download the PC/Mac/Apple software)
- Cover art (via bottom navigation screen)
And the features I don't like in the Nook:
- Pushes Barnes & Noble DRM, which isn't much different than being locked to Amazon's .azw


These are the features that I like in the BeBook Neo:
- Open-source
- Supports many book formats and book sellers - not pushing any single book seller
These are the features that I don't like in the BeBook Neo:
- No cellular connection, however with a SD slot I can at least copy books onto a memory card using my phone's data connection




Of course, I am open to alternative suggestions and will probably be purchasing my new ebook reader by mid-June (my birthday gift to myself). Does anyone have experience choosing between the Nook and the BeBook Neo? Or does anyone have any alternative ereaders that I should consider?

I am an avid reader, and I'd love to start supporting store-unspecific DRM (or even DRM-free) books, as long as they have a decent enough selection of the books that I read. I spend much of my day reading, and as a bit of a speed reader it's hard for me to lug around the weight of several paper books with me all day.

[boswd]

here is a review done here. It starts on Post #568

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=49817&page=38

[hyshnari]

That is a most excellent review, thanks a bunch for finding it.

I was leaning towards the Nook, and it's nice to hear a firsthand review between that and the Neo. I just finished getting myself some ePub versions of the books I already own, and there are only a few that don't look like they'd make it over to my new device. Ah, well.

I'm already finding myself missing my books since my Kindle is MIA. Software readers just don't seem fun to read on.

[NNolan]

If you don't mind spending a bit more, I highly recommend the Alex. It's my favorite of all the readers I own.

[davidspitzer]

Originally Posted by hyshnari

Well, it finally happened. I spazzed out and left my Kindle on a red-eye flight. I was managing trying to get off the plane with a service dog, so I guess I had my hands full with carry-ons and sleep deprivation.

Anyway, I filed a police report and called Amazon so that the device will be blocked from being registered on a new amazon account (which I double checked using the serial number and my own account - it has). Some person tried to re-name the device from my name to "Miss Maliyah" and tried to purchase some dirty books using my credit card. Thankfully, everything was sorted out with a single phone call to Amazon, which I was pleased with - don't get me wrong. I have personally had nothing but good experiences with Amazon customer service.

However, I am still considering alternative ereader devices. I started out with the Kindle #1 and loved it, and purchased a Kindle 2 after selling my used Kindle 1 on Amazon. However, once I received my Kindle 2, I found that I didn't much care for the text-to-speech (I also use audible audiobooks - far superior, of course, since it's actual voice actors/readers) and I missed my removable battery and expandable memory card slot. I also preferred the gentler and easier-to-access pageturn button on the Kindle 1 (which some people didn't like since it was easily bumped).

These were the features I appreciated in my previous devices and are important to me:
- Expandable Memory (especially for audiobooks, which are large)
- Easily accessible pageturn buttons
- Removable battery
- Mobile web browser (for wikipedia, etc), which necessitates...
- Either a 3G or WiFi connection (WiFi-only is fine if expandable memory is available - I can download files using my phone)

These are the features which I didn't much use:
- Text to speech
- Annotations (I mostly just read)

Now, after looking through a couple review websites, I am torn between the BeBook Neo and the Nook. I live in the US, and while I'm not conveniently located near a Barnes and Noble store, one is available to me within a 1-hour bus drive, and getting out in public is something I would like to do more often as I am mostly stuck at home. However, knowing that all of my Kindle books are stuck in .azw format after my Kindle was stolen leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so I am intrigued by BeBook Neo's open-source architecture and ability to read many different formats of ebooks. I am also relatively unfamiliar with ebook stores outside of Amazon's, which would be a learning curve in itself but something I would gladly do to support more widely-usable DRM formats that don't lock you into a certain provider.

These are the features that I like in the Nook:
- In-store specials encourage getting me out of the house
- Book loaning (my friends do not use Nook but can download the PC/Mac/Apple software)
- Cover art (via bottom navigation screen)
And the features I don't like in the Nook:
- Pushes Barnes & Noble DRM, which isn't much different than being locked to Amazon's .azw


These are the features that I like in the BeBook Neo:
- Open-source
- Supports many book formats and book sellers - not pushing any single book seller
These are the features that I don't like in the BeBook Neo:
- No cellular connection, however with a SD slot I can at least copy books onto a memory card using my phone's data connection




Of course, I am open to alternative suggestions and will probably be purchasing my new ebook reader by mid-June (my birthday gift to myself). Does anyone have experience choosing between the Nook and the BeBook Neo? Or does anyone have any alternative ereaders that I should consider?

I am an avid reader, and I'd love to start supporting store-unspecific DRM (or even DRM-free) books, as long as they have a decent enough selection of the books that I read. I spend much of my day reading, and as a bit of a speed reader it's hard for me to lug around the weight of several paper books with me all day.

you should check with this guy to see if he has your Kindle

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84585

[hyshnari]

It seems new and it only have five book on it.

Not likely... I think my Kindle has at least 50+ books on it.

I'm spending my ebook reader deprivation time learning how to scan in my old paper books. I found a Nook on craigslist for $200, but... then again, there's a $50 giftcard promotion that just started today (and ends in July) when you buy a brand new Nook, so that just might sell me right there.

I took a look at the Alex, but I'm not really sure I'm sold on the whole bottom touchscreen - I'm really not much of a fan of it on the Nook to be honest. Most of what I like about the Nook is the more social aspect: book sharing and in-store features.

[boswd]

I was looking at the Alex the other day as well, and though I find it interesting, I'm not seeing the value, it's very oddly priced, in one sense it's trying to give you things like an Android SmartPhone but it's only around $100 less than an iPad which can give you all those features on a much different and better level.
But at the same time it's over $150 more than a Nook or Kindle and those smart phone like features don't seem to be worth the extra $150.

It's a very oddly priced product.

[NNolan]

Yeah, you have to wonder what they were thinking when they set that price, besides Must.Recoup.Development.Costs. I don't regret a single penny I spent on it, though; it's been such a pleasure to use. If the new Kindle 3 was going to be a Mobi version of the Alex I'd be all over it (although it's better for my budget that it's not).

Hyshnari - personally, the social aspects of Barnes & Noble have no appeal for me. When I get home from work I just want to grab one of my readers, park my butt on the deck and wait for hummingbirds to buzz by my head. To each his own.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by NNolan

Yeah, you have to wonder what they were thinking when they set that price, besides Must.Recoup.Development.Costs. I don't regret a single penny I spent on it, though; it's been such a pleasure to use. If the new Kindle 3 was going to be a Mobi version of the Alex I'd be all over it (although it's better for my budget that it's not).

Hyshnari - personally, the social aspects of Barnes & Noble have no appeal for me. When I get home from work I just want to grab one of my readers, park my butt on the deck and wait for hummingbirds to buzz by my head. To each his own.

yeah it's like they are a year too late with this device which in a sense is too bad but who knows, eventually they'll have to realize in order to move this they'll have to lower it sing. below the iPad which hopefully will have a domino effect on the Nook and the Kindle and the Sony and that's great for everyone.

[pboss]

Sorry to hear about losing your Kindle. Here's a nice comparison of Alex, Nook, K2, KDX. It may or may not help you getting closer to pull the trigger on the Nook.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/04...ed-comparison/