[slammerkin]

I was really surprised to see almost universal pro-Kindle comments here, so maybe i'm just being dated with respect to this, but I know for me, epub is usually available far more than kindle/mobi formats are.

My ereader is a pandigital, it read pdf and epub. I belong to several libraries throughout the state of Ohio, where I live, and to a couple state libraries that are not Ohio's, for research purposes. While Kindle is certainly taking root as another option, about 60% of the ebooks available are only epub or pdf, and only about 40% have kindle/mobi options as well. That's for my regular public library- the research library comparison is closer to 90/10 with epub in the lead.

When I started looking to upgrade, I thought I wanted a Kindle. But another issue I was concerned with is that Kindle/Amazon seems to only sell you a license to their ebooks, and has the right to wipw them anytime. I presume the same goes for any ebook seller, but Kindle has a reputation for being fr more invasive than say, Nook.

I remember reading an article about a woman in the UK who bought a Kindle, and moved to the Netherlands. She continued to use the UK Kindle site though (maybe language reasons?). One day, she discovered her entire Kindle library was gone- something about her violating licensing rights by using the UK site when she was in the Netherlands. Amazon eventually gave her everything back, but that stuck with me as incredibly invasive. (I'm certain it's been discussed here too, so anyone with more info, please correct me if i”m incorrect on that outcome).

Another thing: I have Kindle for PC, even though I don't really use my laptop to read. A little while back, I bought Amazon Prime, b/c it has a Kindle lending library and a monthly free premium title borrow perk. Except it turns out, you can only get those perks with an actual Kindle device- not Kindle for PC. To be fair, they do state this in their fine print, so it was my own fault for not knowing it, but it still irked me.

Calibre does allow you to convert these very easily- I've gotten free Kindle for PC ebooks, and then uploaded the file from my Kindle for PC folder into Calibre, and converted it into epub to read it on my epub ereader, but that act is illegal with any copyrighted ebook, even if your intentions are totally innocent- so library books, for the most part, are going to be a problem.

If you got a kindle, and your library had an ebook only in epub and pdf, technically, you could still borrow it, and use calibre to convert it in Calibre to mobi, to make it readable on your kindle- the caveat being, just uploading the ebook into Calibre wipes out the DRM, so your library can't delete the book when the lending period is up. You're breaking a law, even if you intend to delete the book yourself at the end of the lending period- why go through that? And at least right now, you are going to find epub more than kindle. You could take the risk, but it just doesn't make sense to take one unnecessarily, when you could get an epub based reader.

In a couple years, I doubt it will be an issue, b/c yes, Kindle is moving forward to the front line with epub. But at least right now, I'm in the epub camp. When this pandigital dies, i'm buying a NOOK.

I can't really speak as to how effective Calibre is at converting epub to kindle either- if it goes smoothly, or if the conversion process produces a somewhat inferior copy- but someone who is skilled in Calibre tech would be better able to answer that question. I do believe Calibre is more epub-centric, but I could be wrong.

Again, this is all just my own experience- you mentioned being in BC, so for all I know, the BC could be the opposite. You might be better served by just downloading Kindle for PC, then going to your library's website, and trying to find some Kindle ebooks to borrow and read in the Kindle for PC. This would at least give you a real, region-sensitive feel for how hard or easy it will be to have a Kindle versus an epub reader.