MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Tempted... (or kindle vs pocketbook, vs sony)

omk3 · 09-25-2010, 12:26 PM

I currently have a prs-600 and though I do love many of its features, I get increasingly frustrated by some aspects of it - yes the screen clarity is one of them, also the inability to load more dictionaries (I like reading in different languages) and the proper lack of international font support (always having to embed fonts in my greek epubs is a nuisance). The new prs-650 seems to solve the screen problem, and includes more dictionaries, but it still doesn't let you add your own, I believe. What if I'm not interested in the specific languages it offers?

I wanted my next ebook reader to be a pocketbook. I bought the pocketbook 360 for my mother, and I love its cuteness, but most of all its customizability. Fonts, directories, dictionaries, startup screens, skins, everything can be user defined. I absolutely love that, and don't understand why other devices don't let the user more freedom.

But. The pocketbook is still rather expensive, even if it's not the latest model any more, and out came the new kindle, alluringly cheap. I didn't want a kindle, because I didn't really want a wireless connection, with all the privacy compromises it brings. But then... But then the Kindle store seems to be the best in range and price, and the kindle offers the ability to load more dictionaries, if I understand correctly, and browse the internet (I keep wanting wikipedia access more and more while I'm reading). (I'm perfectly aware that I'm contradicting myself about wireless connectivity, by the way)

So, what do you think? Will I be disappointed if I go for the kindle instead of the pocketbook in terms of freedom? Can I really load my own dictionaries? Does it read greek? How about japanese? How about loading my own fonts? What are the things I can do with a pocketbook but not with a kindle, or vice versa?

And lastly, though it's been done to death, is it okay to load drm-liberated files on the kindle, or are its contents checked by the mothership? Please don't start about tinfoil hats, it's an honest concern.

Thanks for any insight.

09-25-2010, 12:26 PM	#1
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	Tempted... (or kindle vs pocketbook, vs sony) I currently have a prs-600 and though I do love many of its features, I get increasingly frustrated by some aspects of it - yes the screen clarity is one of them, also the inability to load more dictionaries (I like reading in different languages) and the proper lack of international font support (always having to embed fonts in my greek epubs is a nuisance). The new prs-650 seems to solve the screen problem, and includes more dictionaries, but it still doesn't let you add your own, I believe. What if I'm not interested in the specific languages it offers? I wanted my next ebook reader to be a pocketbook. I bought the pocketbook 360 for my mother, and I love its cuteness, but most of all its customizability. Fonts, directories, dictionaries, startup screens, skins, everything can be user defined. I absolutely love that, and don't understand why other devices don't let the user more freedom. But. The pocketbook is still rather expensive, even if it's not the latest model any more, and out came the new kindle, alluringly cheap. I didn't want a kindle, because I didn't really want a wireless connection, with all the privacy compromises it brings. But then... But then the Kindle store seems to be the best in range and price, and the kindle offers the ability to load more dictionaries, if I understand correctly, and browse the internet (I keep wanting wikipedia access more and more while I'm reading). (I'm perfectly aware that I'm contradicting myself about wireless connectivity, by the way) So, what do you think? Will I be disappointed if I go for the kindle instead of the pocketbook in terms of freedom? Can I really load my own dictionaries? Does it read greek? How about japanese? How about loading my own fonts? What are the things I can do with a pocketbook but not with a kindle, or vice versa? And lastly, though it's been done to death, is it okay to load drm-liberated files on the kindle, or are its contents checked by the mothership? Please don't start about tinfoil hats, it's an honest concern. Thanks for any insight.