Thread: Which one should I buy autumn 2009(PRS-600, iLiad, Hanlin V3)?
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Old 08-08-2009, 05:33 AM   #2
mgmueller
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Posts: 3,308
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Augsburg (near Munich), Germany
Device: 26 Readers, 44 Tablets
Quote:
Originally Posted by emilianm View Post
Hello,

I would like to buy an ebook reader for the first time. At the beginning I tried to look on the internet at reviews and on "normal" forum and the information that I found was really disappointing. I found this https://www.mobileread.com/forums , and I was really impressed with the diversity of choices and with many ways that you can modify a reader. Now I am coming to you with the same old question : Which one should I buy?
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I am interested in reading mainly PDF and also CHM, DOC, HTML, MOBI, BBeB, RTF, TXT probably in this order.

The size is not very important, and with this I mean that I have seen the Sony PRS-505s 5" screen a with the zoom (reflow function) looks fine for my eyes. So something around 6" (between 5" and 8") should be very suited for me. A 9"-10" looks kind of big and I don't think it would be very easy to carry it with me very often.

A very important thing for me is the existence of a dictionary (with multiple languages if it is possible).I would like also a search function and a very easy way to use that dictionary. I am prepared to hack the device if is necessary .

I like the battery life of sonny devices (7500 pages) and I like also the eInk paper for my eyes.

I will consider a very big plus an WIFI/3G connection with a RSS feed and with a browser (and why not with a synchronization mechanism /timer).And also the Text to Speech function.

I am from Europe but I think I can order also from USA very easy.
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So having this in mind my list looks like this:
1.Sony PRS-600 Reader Touch Edition Or even PRS-700
2.iLiad
3.Hanlin V3

Pleas fill free to add any other device to this list!
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Thank you in advance for your advices and best regards!
For PDFs, it all depends on your source material and your reading habits.
Personally, I don't like the reflow function, changing the entire layout structure. For PDFs, I clearly prefer zooming instead.
Sony 505, before the firmware update, was able to do that. Since then, it's exclusively using the reflow function.
iRex iLiad instead is using zoom. Via its touchscreen you can mark any area you'd like to zoom and it's exploded to full screen.
So, for PDFs, iRex iLiad always would be my first choice. Especially, if you've got complex PDFs with various columns, images, ...

Ordering from the US won't be a problem for any of the devices.

I wouldn't focus on the file formats that much. Converting via "calibre" and similar tools is doing a great job. Only exception: If you've got a huge library of DRMed formats, it may be time consuming to strip them from their DRM (Digital Right Management = copy protection, so you can't convert them without some "tricks"). In that case, I'd buy some unit capable of that specific format. Some can do DRMed Mobipocket, others use proprietary unit specific formats like Sony or Amazon.

Checking out your list, I'd certainly advise against Sony 700. You'll find lots of criticism concerning its display quality (glare) in this forum, you probably can expect more from Sony 600 (being kind of 700's successor).

The dictionary function you mention, will eliminate lots of units. Sony 505 and 700 for example don't have that function at all. You can use any dictionary of course in the sense of reading it like a standard document. But if you want to mark a word in the book you're just reading, check it out in the dictionary and then jump back to the book you've read, both iRex units would be a good choice, both Amazon units as well.

"Text to Speech" limits your choices drastically, if that's a "must" for you.

With the exception of Sony 700, display quality for all eInk units more or less is same.

Meaning:
Question 1: Do you use any DRMed format? If so, you should choose a device being able to process that format natively. If not, more or less all the devices will do the job, converting formats is easy and convenient enough.
Question 2: You carefully should decide, what you'd like to do with WIFI/3G. If you'd like to use it for shopping in bookstores, it further eliminates your choices. Right now, Amazon would be best choice. The new Sony units may change that.
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