Kindle 3 vs. Ectaco jetBook

[Jack Tingle]

I just got my new Kindle 3. Comparing it to my jetBook, I have to say they're very similar based on a first impression.

The Kindle 3 is slightly larger, due to both the 1" larger screen and the keyboard. The EPD Pearl screen is as good as or perhaps slightly better than the jetBook's reflective LCD. It seems to vary with lighting condition and angle. Sometimes one is better, other times the other. This has been the jetBook's traditional advantage. It's now gone.

The controls are roughly equivalent in usefulness and layout (with the exception of the Kindle's tiny keyboard). The jetBook's slider bar and the K3's left-hand paging buttons work about alike. The D-pad and control buttons on both of them are similarly positioned and do sort of the same thing. The K3's right-hand paging buttons are occasionally handy, but I don't think they're a deal-maker/breaker for me. The power switch on both is on the bottom, so meh.

The key differences are:
Storage card: jetBook has one; K3, no. Advantage jetBook
Wireless: K3 has two, WiFi and 3G; jetBook none. Advantage K3
Battery life: jetBook, a week-ish; K3, supposedly a month-ish. Advantage K3
Case: jetBook comes with one; K3, I have to buy one*. Advantage jetBook

I have a suspicion that the first two above cancel out in a lot of ways. The convenience of _buying_ wirelessly, though, was the reason I bought the K3. That and the longer battery life. We'll see how long term use works.

I don't plan on getting rid of the jetBook. Its huge format flexibility and the ability to work with library books is too good to pass up. I think the two devices complement each other.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

*I believe a Case Logic 48 CD hardcase will hold the K3 and charger. I'm off to WalMart to check, and if so, a little Exacto knife work will clear out the CD sleeves.

[GA Russell]

Great review, Jack! But you forgot something:

Price: Advantage jetBook.

[LuBiB]

i definitely look for all the format support and since jetBook offers that to me i decided to go with it.

i dont really mind the no wireless part, i actually prefer no wireless as that definitely drains the battery out much faster. i like dragging/dropping books and making folders/sub folders, makes me feel more organized

plus i usually read at night by a lamp and i read for about 2 weeks every night before i charge my jetBook even though the low battery option doesnt come up.

nice review Jack and good luck with both devices!

[Kris777]

nice review, thanks!

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

I have a suspicion that the first two above cancel out in a lot of ways.

Your suspicion is correct; the Kindle's wireless can substitute for the SD card if you have a home PC and set up a web page offering up your ebook collection.

Similarly, the Jetbook supports folder-based file organization while the Kindle uses Collections to achieve similar effects.

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Great review, Jack! But you forgot something:

Price: Advantage jetBook.

Not really. I paid about $180 for the jetBook (including sales tax). I paid $189 for the K3. You can now buy a JBL for less that this, but Kindle has finally gotten low enough that the price isn't a driving factor.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[soondai]

yeah, I've considered the jetbook, but it's 100 dollars now, then there's the AA batteries and card which would push it to 120. Add in tax and it's almost a push. (I live in CA so Newegg charges sales tax)

If the Mini came out at 80 or 90, I might go that way, but I suspect the people predicting 120 or so (eventually dropping to 100) are probably right on

[GA Russell]

soondai, the jetBook does not take AA batteries. It is the jetBook Lite which takes those, and was on sale last month for $69.99.

[soondai]

I didn't realize it was a different model but I sure wish I got in on that price.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Your suspicion is correct; the Kindle's wireless can substitute for the SD card if you have a home PC and set up a web page offering up your ebook collection.

Similarly, the Jetbook supports folder-based file organization while the Kindle uses Collections to achieve similar effects.

Collections are folders.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Collections are folders.

Not quite.
Folders on ebook readers is how the physical files are physically organized/stored, not just how they are presented on-screen.
That's why I said they can be used to achive *similar* effects.

Readers with Folder-based organization expose the file structure through USB and the files are physically stored on the device in the folders. Managing the folder structure doesn't involve anything other than just moving the file within storage; there is no master database or app involved. Collections are more like tags or links; very useful but independent of the actual location of the file.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Collections are folders.

No, they aren't. Collections are tags. A folder is a "physical" organization on disk. A tag is simply a label, and a collection lists all the files which have that tag. That's why you can put the same book into multiple collections.

Each has pros and cons. Personally I prefer "real" folders.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, they aren't. Collections are tags. A folder is a "physical" organization on disk. A tag is simply a label, and a collection lists all the files which have that tag. That's why you can put the same book into multiple collections.

Each has pros and cons. Personally I prefer "real" folders.

I am not sure how it works on Kindles, but the biggest issue with collections that I have with my wife's Sony PRS-505 is that while a book can be in multiple collections, you can't have collections of collections.

Before my Jetbook broke, I basically had everything divided up into a two tier system; The top level was by genre -- Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Classics, etc. Then under that, each genre had a different folder for every Author. I only wish the Jetbook would have allowed links as well... then books could have been in multiple folders without multiple copies .

--
Bill

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

I am not sure how it works on Kindles, but the biggest issue with collections that I have with my wife's Sony PRS-505 is that while a book can be in multiple collections, you can't have collections of collections.

Before my Jetbook broke, I basically had everything divided up into a two tier system; The top level was by genre -- Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Classics, etc. Then under that, each genre had a different folder for every Author. I only wish the Jetbook would have allowed links as well... then books could have been in multiple folders without multiple copies .

--
Bill

Kindle collections work in exactly the same way as on the Sony. Single level only, but the same book can appear in multiple collections.

Like you, I prefer a real, multi-level folder hierarchy, but collections are a reasonable substitute. I have a collection for each author or series, and a collection for each genre.

[bob1xxx]

Kindle 3, Better screen, loads of books (both pay and public domain mobi been around for ever), insane battery life , wifi on the low cost model, both wifi and 3g on the standard, etc..... spend the extra money and get the k3 wifi if need to save money. If I known how much better the kindle2 was I would have bought the k2 eight months ago instead of Libre Pro . Thats my 2 cents.