Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin8or
Well, I agree with almost everything SmokeAndMirrors says. I'm certainly not going to defend the Kindle in the field of the format wars. Locking the Kindle out of reading .epubs is just plain rotten. 
However, druggist61 already has a Kindle, and now s/he knows how to get around the restriction.
Keeping customers blind to what they're buying, a la B&N, stinks too.
My only departure from SmokeAndMirrors is on how important the formats are when choosing an e-reader.
You spend untold hours holding and staring at your e-reader, giving no thought to file formats as you're lost in your books. For this reason, I believe the actual feel, look, and performace of the e-reader is of greater importance than the formats it reads, or the restrictions of its native online store. For example, I tried a relative's Kobo reader, and it felt heavier, with squared edges, compared to the Kindle. I preferred the Kindle.
By contrast to your actual reading, the time you'll spend on administrative tasks is minimal. Formats are a consideration here, and the Kobo's openess is a strong selling point. I just don't think it's as important as SmokeAndMirrors does.
In the original Beta v. VHS question, the OP wondered if he might be stuck with an obsolete device or formats. My answer is no. The interoperability here makes the analogy break down. It will take you a few extra clicks of the mouse (for conversion), but you can make your VHS ePub files play on your Betamax Kindle, and your Beta .mobi files play on, well, anything.
So anyway, try a Kobo, a Nook, a Sony, any kind you can get your hands on. It's only then that you'll see and feel the differences. |
Really? I like the quiltiness and the angles.
Everyone has their own criteria. But format combined with DRM compatibility and store honesty can greatly affect the amount of time you have to spend doing something other than enjoying your ereader. Smart purchasing and some basic knowledge of what causes these issues can help you avoid problems down the line.
I do think this is an under-appreciated issue - which is shocking, considering how often consumers complain about it without know what is causing all the problems they're having.
Ultimately, if consumers would educate themselves about what causes these problems, and then make purchases based on that knowledge, these problems would cease to exist. And so would all the extra not-enjoying-my-ereader time that one currently has to spend to ensure the viability of their Kindle books (or B&N... or hey, anything that's DRM'ed).
I've always been someone to research the hell out of anything I plan to buy that will cost more than $100. Not because I'm that awesome, but because I'm that broke... and that obsessive.
But it's a habit that's paid off. And when one uncovers issues under the hood that are frankly egregious, I think it's imperative to sound the alarm.
And to be fair, the question is about formatting.
But, you're right, how a device plays with you is important. And depending on what else the OP's criteria might be outside of format concerns, the answer changes considerably. The KT is getting a lot of firmware features, which is great, but it's still a pretty spartan reader in a lot of ways - that suits me fine. If you want more features, my recommendation would change (Pocketbooks are pretty powerful feature-wise, and very, very open).
But talkin' formats? Open Epub readers. I can't recommend anything else in good conscience. I happen to own a KT, so that's what I know.