Thread: Trying to decide between Kobo and New Kindle 3
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Old 10-18-2010, 10:15 AM   #41
bill_mchale
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Maryland, USA
Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan_Phx View Post
If the choice is between Kindle and Kobo, there's really no comparison. Get the Kindle. There's no reason to go cheap on the Kobo when the Kindle is effectively the same price.
Honestly, there are some reasons to not get a Kindle... but for many users, the Kindle is absolutely the best reason to get the Kindle. Here is the list I can determine...

1. Tied to Amazon for DRM'd books: This is probably the biggest reason to not get a Kindle. Unlike the e-book readers that support ADE, there is only one store to get books with Kindle DRM. Now, you can (though potentially illegal) strip the DRM off ePub books and convert them to Kindle if you so choose, but that can get rather inconvenient. That being said, if there is any price difference in book prices between Amazon and other books stores, it tends to be in your favor. Amazon also has the best selection of newer books. So, choosing to skip the Kindle for this reason is more ideological than practical (Though to some of us, that is important enough).

2. No user expandable memory: With 4 GB of memory, this is not a real issue if you plan on using your ebook reader for well reading. It can be an issue though if you plan on storing a lot of music on the device.

3. No user replaceable batter: In all probability, barring damage, the battery in the Kindle will last for a couple of years. For most people, by then they will be ready to move on to the next generation of readers. I also believe Amazon will replace the unit if you send it in to them. Still, some of us like readers where you can easily replace the battery yourself.

4. It has a lot of buttons on it: This is a question of individual preference. The keyboard and other buttons on the Kindle work well, but some users prefer a cleaner design. For a wifi enabled device though, I can see many real practical alternatives other than a touch screen.

5. No support from public libraries: If your local library (or one you can access anyway) has a decent selection of e-books, this is probably the biggest strike against the Kindle. Again, you can strip the DRM off of library books...

Now, before anyone accuse me of bashing the Kindle, I would say, for most people (at least those who are not dedicated library users or who have ideological issues with Kindle's closed ecosystem) the Kindle is easily the best choice of ebook reader. It's third generation has the best display available, its design has been refined greatly since the first generation and its excellent integration with Kindle software for other platforms means that you can literally read your book regardless of where you are. Leave your reader at home? But have your smart phone? No problem, pull your book up on the Kindle App and start reading exactly where you left off (Though I am pretty sure you need to make sure the wireless on the Kindle needs to be on for this function to work..).

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Bill
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