[sun surfer]

Thanks for the advice everyone and thanks for the welcome neilmarr.

Hm, so I've gotten recommendations for Kindle 2 or Sony PRS-600.

I'm wondering why the Kindle 2 over the nook? My first instinct before I started investigating (when I still thought there were only 2 kinds of e-reader, the Kindle and nook) was the nook to at least support a place with a brick and mortar book store too.

I think I'm slowly finding though that the Kindle seems superior to the nook. That colour screen at the bottom of the nook doesn't seem necessary to me. Now, if it were full screen, that'd be different because then I could read colour graphic novels, but it's not. And its touchscreen keyboard looks cumbersome, which I've noticed people have pointed out in reviews. Not a deal-breaker, just makes it less appealing.

On the Kindle side, its physical keyboard is better than the nooks it seems, but still reviews say it can be hard to use, so I may have to accept having a difficult typing experience either way.

So, Kindle has a dictionary inside and you can highlight, take notes, save passages and all that stuff, right?

I also won't mind if Kindle comes out with a newer one soon; I'd just sell mine on e-bay to get the new one, if the new one's price was in my range.

But, the main thing Kindle doesn't have is an easy way to read books not on Kindle's site. That worries me. I'm not sure, but I think I may prefer one with more options of different types of files, since I'm planning on getting a bunch of free older books and stuff that should be in public domain. I don't like the idea of being locked into one bookstore, although I'm not terribly opposed to it if it still gave me enough of what I wanted. Really though, from people who know, how important is it to be able to read all the different types of files on your e-reader? (keep in mind I plan on reading plenty of public domain books and stuff so I definitely need support for whatever type they use)

That's why, when I was originally considering and only looking at the nook, Kindle and neo, the neo looked appealing. It seems I can get files from about anywhere with it. And it has a stylus for typing which I think would be preferable to a small touchscreen like nook or the small physical keyboard of Kindle. What I was worried about with the neo is, what if I wanted to buy a book from B&N or Amazon, would it work on neo?

Also, what is the boox? I've read here that neo is just another version of boox, so is boox better?

As to the Sony PRS-600, I'm going to look into it, because I haven't yet. But a quick look at its wikipedia page makes me worried about its reflective screen. That could be annoying, especially if I'm getting one that doesn't have wireless internet too.


So my questions now:

-Why the Kindle 2 over nook?

-So, Kindle has a dictionary inside and you can highlight, take notes, save passages and all that stuff, right? What about nook or neo?

-Really, how important is it to be able to read all the different types of files on your e-reader? (keep in mind I plan on reading plenty of public domain books and stuff so I definitely need support for whatever type they use)

-With the neo, what if I wanted to buy a book from B&N or Amazon, would it work on neo?

-What is the boox? I've read here that neo is just another version of boox, so is boox better?

-Any other different recommendations? Because I really have no idea about all the other ones out there.


ETA - Also, which e-readers do offer handwriting to text? I forget the name, but there was one I was looking at the other day that costs way too much (like $600 or something). I thought they'd all be that much, but I was just googling for those types of e-readers and through the mess I found ASUS DR-900 and Samsung E-60, which the Samsung is apparently only priced at $300? Anyone know anything about these or any others that you can handwrite on with a stylus?