Would like an E-reader - but complicating factors

Lyanna · 08-30-2009, 12:29 PM

I've been turning the i-net upside down, but I still haven't find the real answer to the question "Which e-reader should I get?"

I'll scetch my situation:

- I live in the Netherlands
- I have several eReader books with DRM that I would like to read on it. Am willing to remove DRM if necessary
- wifi/inet connection is not necessary
- I want e-ink
- I want a reader in which I can slot some extra memory

Basically, I'm looking for an e-reader which looks nice, is easy to handle, for which I can download books in a store that is available to me being a European citizen instead of an American one.

I am leaning towards the Sony PRS 600 that will be available in a couple of days here, because of the ePub format and the availability of dutch and english books at one of our online bookstores here in the Netherlands. I also saw some UK bookstores which sell ebooks for the Sony - not sure if I can buy my books there but I think/hope so.

Do you have any other suggestions? The different formats in which these ebooks come really drive me nuts.

wallcraft · 08-30-2009, 01:25 PM

Any EInk reader that includes mobile Adobe Digital Editions can read Adobe ebooks (PDF and ePub) from all the sources you list. The Sony readers were the first with ADE, but now practically all the EInk devices sold in Europe include this because Adobe ePub has become standard for ebooks in Europe (at least in UK, Germany and now the Netherlands).

In the "nice looking" category, I would also consider the Bookeen Opus which has a 5" screen and may be the best ePub device available today. Factoring in both hardware and software, the PRS-600 is probably your best current option with a 6" screen.

Unlike the US stores, which (because of complaints by European publishers) at least minimally try to exclude non-US customers, UK ebook stores will sell to anyone.

There will soon be EInk devices that handle eReader DRM, but they will likely only be available in the US. You are probably better of stripping the DRM from your existing ebooks and buying Adobe ePub from now on.

Lyanna · 08-31-2009, 10:07 AM

I think it's going to be the Sony PRS-600. I really like the dictionary feature, plus the touch screen. Up until now I've been used to reading my ebooks on my iPhone and thusly I am also used to flicking pages with my fingers.

The Opus also looks promising as far as functionality is concerned, but I think the Sony wins it. I also like the way the Sony looks I guess. Better than the Opus.

Ah well, seems I will have to strip my former eBooks. Luckily it's no more than ten I think. I'm just not a stickler for going the illegal way - but all these formats and the geographical restrictions are really annoying. While I can buy a lot of what I want in the european online bookstores, most of the fantasy I read is only available at say Fictionwise or BooksonBoard. Which I can't buy (legally) because I am not a US resident.

Right now I feel that all these restrictions drive people who want to be on the right side of the law into illegality nonetheless. It's really frustrating

HarryT · 08-31-2009, 10:25 AM

Bear in mind that the Sony has a pretty poor implementation of ADE on it - eg it won't display fully-justified text. The ADE implementation on the Opus is a lot better.

JSWolf · 08-31-2009, 10:28 AM

The Opus crashes more then Sony.

HarryT · 08-31-2009, 10:33 AM

It crashes occasionally, yes, but it's a complete non-issue. Just re-boot and carry on reading. I know that I'd prefer fully-justified text and the occasional (once every few days) reboot, than left-justified books.

Lyanna · 08-31-2009, 10:48 AM

Sorry, but I think the Opus is pretty ugly. Yeah, I know, shallow, but hey, the eye wants something too

Not displaying fully justified text: does that mean the Sony won't display the text at all or will it display the text left-justified?

HarryT · 08-31-2009, 12:01 PM

It displays it left-justified.

DrMoze · 08-31-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Bear in mind that the Sony has a pretty poor implementation of ADE on it - eg it won't display fully-justified text. The ADE implementation on the Opus is a lot better.

Huh? I'm reading an ADE book (borrowed from the NYPL) right now on my 300 Reader (and my 505 as well) that has nice full justification, at all font sizes. C'mon Harry. We know you like to tout your favorite devices (was Cybook, now appears to be Opus), but this is blatant misinformation. Have you ever actually used a Sony Reader yourself to read a book?

I'll take justified text and no crashes, thankyouverymuch.

wallcraft · 08-31-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMoze

Huh? I'm reading an ADE book (borrowed from the NYPL) right now on my 300 Reader (and my 505 as well) that has nice full justification, at all font sizes. C'mon Harry. We know you like to tout your favorite devices (was Cybook, now appears to be Opus), but this is blatant misinformation. Have you ever actually used a Sony Reader yourself to read a book?

I don't have a PRS-505 or an Opus, but Harry is undoubtedly correct that Bookeen's ePub implementation is the best currently available. All vendors are getting the same SDK from Adobe, but which parts of it they implement and how it is integrated into their device is up to them. Sony started out with an old version of the SDK on the PRS-505 and 700, and so far as I can tell have not upgraded it at all for the PRS-300 and 600. So they have unfixed bugs and lack features for ePub that all newer implementations of mobile ADE include. Of the new implementations, Bookeen's is the cleanest and most full featured for ePubs. I expect the Netronix and Hanlin versions to improve over time, via firmware upgrades, but Sony is stuck with ADE's ePub rendering from 2008 essentially forever.

Your ADE ebook from the NYPL is a PDF. I have not detected any difference in PDF reflow between the Sony ADE and the more recent mobile ADE implementations. So in this area Sony is up to date. Bookeen does not use ADE reflow for PDFs at all, but rather zooms the PDF. My preference would be for all 6" devices to implement both zoom and reflow for PDFs.

Lyanna · 08-31-2009, 03:03 PM

What strikes me as odd however is that nowhere in reviews I see people complaining about the inability to fully justify - I would have expected many more people to complain about it?

Elfwreck · 08-31-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyanna

What strikes me as odd however is that nowhere in reviews I see people complaining about the inability to fully justify - I would have expected many more people to complain about it?

Ssshh... next thing you know, you'll be thinking that maybe people mostly don't care about book layouts, as long as the text is of a size they can read and they can tell where the paragraphs end.

Lyanna · 08-31-2009, 03:27 PM

:P

I just wish I could see the thing in action. The only way to really get it here in the Netherlands is ordering it online. Ah well, two more days to wait and then I can make a decision (it'll be for sale here then).

HarryT · 08-31-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMoze

Huh? I'm reading an ADE book (borrowed from the NYPL) right now on my 300 Reader (and my 505 as well) that has nice full justification, at all font sizes. C'mon Harry. We know you like to tout your favorite devices (was Cybook, now appears to be Opus), but this is blatant misinformation. Have you ever actually used a Sony Reader yourself to read a book?

I'll take justified text and no crashes, thankyouverymuch.

We are talking at cross-purposes. You've got a PDF book; I was referring to ePub. The Sony will not display ePub files fully-justified. Download any of the files in our ePub book downloads forum here at MR and see for yourself.

DrMoze · 08-31-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

We are talking at cross-purposes.

No, we are not. You said, and I quote: "Bear in mind that the Sony has a pretty poor implementation of ADE on it - eg it won't display fully-justified text."

That is a false statement.

I have ADE files loaded on my Reader that are fully justified. ADE != ePub, fyi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I don't have a PRS-505 or an Opus, but Harry is undoubtedly correct that Bookeen's ePub implementation is the best currently available.

That may well be, but he clearly stated ADE, not ePub. I stand by my comments.

08-30-2009, 12:29 PM	#1
Lyanna Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	Would like an E-reader - but complicating factors I've been turning the i-net upside down, but I still haven't find the real answer to the question "Which e-reader should I get?" I'll scetch my situation: - I live in the Netherlands - I have several eReader books with DRM that I would like to read on it. Am willing to remove DRM if necessary - wifi/inet connection is not necessary - I want e-ink - I want a reader in which I can slot some extra memory Basically, I'm looking for an e-reader which looks nice, is easy to handle, for which I can download books in a store that is available to me being a European citizen instead of an American one. I am leaning towards the Sony PRS 600 that will be available in a couple of days here, because of the ePub format and the availability of dutch and english books at one of our online bookstores here in the Netherlands. I also saw some UK bookstores which sell ebooks for the Sony - not sure if I can buy my books there but I think/hope so. Do you have any other suggestions? The different formats in which these ebooks come really drive me nuts.

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08-30-2009, 01:25 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Any EInk reader that includes mobile Adobe Digital Editions can read Adobe ebooks (PDF and ePub) from all the sources you list. The Sony readers were the first with ADE, but now practically all the EInk devices sold in Europe include this because Adobe ePub has become standard for ebooks in Europe (at least in UK, Germany and now the Netherlands). In the "nice looking" category, I would also consider the Bookeen Opus which has a 5" screen and may be the best ePub device available today. Factoring in both hardware and software, the PRS-600 is probably your best current option with a 6" screen. Unlike the US stores, which (because of complaints by European publishers) at least minimally try to exclude non-US customers, UK ebook stores will sell to anyone. There will soon be EInk devices that handle eReader DRM, but they will likely only be available in the US. You are probably better of stripping the DRM from your existing ebooks and buying Adobe ePub from now on.

08-31-2009, 10:07 AM	#3
Lyanna Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	I think it's going to be the Sony PRS-600. I really like the dictionary feature, plus the touch screen. Up until now I've been used to reading my ebooks on my iPhone and thusly I am also used to flicking pages with my fingers. The Opus also looks promising as far as functionality is concerned, but I think the Sony wins it. I also like the way the Sony looks I guess. Better than the Opus. Ah well, seems I will have to strip my former eBooks. Luckily it's no more than ten I think. I'm just not a stickler for going the illegal way - but all these formats and the geographical restrictions are really annoying. While I can buy a lot of what I want in the european online bookstores, most of the fantasy I read is only available at say Fictionwise or BooksonBoard. Which I can't buy (legally) because I am not a US resident. Right now I feel that all these restrictions drive people who want to be on the right side of the law into illegality nonetheless. It's really frustrating

08-31-2009, 10:25 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Bear in mind that the Sony has a pretty poor implementation of ADE on it - eg it won't display fully-justified text. The ADE implementation on the Opus is a lot better.

08-31-2009, 10:28 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,538 Karma: 129670952 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The Opus crashes more then Sony.

08-31-2009, 10:33 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It crashes occasionally, yes, but it's a complete non-issue. Just re-boot and carry on reading. I know that I'd prefer fully-justified text and the occasional (once every few days) reboot, than left-justified books.

08-31-2009, 10:48 AM	#7
Lyanna Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	Sorry, but I think the Opus is pretty ugly. Yeah, I know, shallow, but hey, the eye wants something too Not displaying fully justified text: does that mean the Sony won't display the text at all or will it display the text left-justified?

08-31-2009, 12:01 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It displays it left-justified.

08-31-2009, 03:03 PM	#11
Lyanna Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	What strikes me as odd however is that nowhere in reviews I see people complaining about the inability to fully justify - I would have expected many more people to complain about it?

08-31-2009, 03:27 PM	#13
Lyanna Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	:P I just wish I could see the thing in action. The only way to really get it here in the Netherlands is ordering it online. Ah well, two more days to wait and then I can make a decision (it'll be for sale here then).

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