Argh! I Can't Decide!

[MorganM]

I have spent the last 2 or so weeks trawling this forum looking at different ereader thread and googling reviews. How does one possibly decide?

It's a toss up between the fancy Sony PRS 350 or the simple Aluratek Libre Pro.

[ProfCrash]

Flip a coin?

What is it that you are looking for in an e-reader? I see you already have a Kobo, why is it that you want to move away from the Kobo? What featuers are missing? If you look at the specs of the soon to be released Kobo Touch does it look like it addresses your needs?

I know nothing about the Libre Pro. I have not played with a Sony 350 but they have received rave reviews from their users.

I guess I would say, look at the Kobo Touch and see if it does what you want it to do. If it does, then wait and get that. You will end up with a nice 6 inch reader for about the same price as a nice 5 inch reader.

[MorganM]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Flip a coin?

What is it that you are looking for in an e-reader? I see you already have a Kobo, why is it that you want to move away from the Kobo? What featuers are missing? If you look at the specs of the soon to be released Kobo Touch does it look like it addresses your needs?

I know nothing about the Libre Pro. I have not played with a Sony 350 but they have received rave reviews from their users.

I guess I would say, look at the Kobo Touch and see if it does what you want it to do. If it does, then wait and get that. You will end up with a nice 6 inch reader for about the same price as a nice 5 inch reader.

I just want to try something different and I find the Kobo can be a bit sluggish sometimes. I suppose I should stick with a 6 inch as I wear glasses and a bigger screen does help. I think when the Kobo Touch does come to Australia it's gonna be expensive.

[ProfCrash]

OK. I would hope that the Kobo Touch will have addressed the sluggish nature of the Kobo but we won't know about that until it is released and people can play with it.

The Sony 350 has received rave reviews. I am sure you would enjoy it. Personally, I would not want a 5 inch screen. Then again, I bought the DXG because I wanted more reading room then the 6 inch screen.

[jbcohen]

I will address the Libra Pro question since I own one and Prof is correct, the answer to your question really depends on the answer to his question: what is it that you want out of the reader? While the 350 is an excellent reader (I have played with one) the Libra Pro is better for some situations. How will you use the reader? What is important for you in the reader?

[Pomtroll]

I wear glasses too & I have no trouble with the 5" screen of the Sony 350. But that doesn't mean someone else wouldn't have problems.

The Kobo touch looks interesting to me but in watching the videos the page turns still seem more sluggish than the page turns on the new Nook Touch. I don't know that for sure & won't till I can try both.

I agree with ProfCash, flip a coin. The Aluratrek people love their readers & the Sony people love theirs. Any reader you get will have things that are not up to your expectations though.

As for pricing...Isn't the Sony & Aluratek pretty expensive there too? I'm showing my ignorance again because I don't know what these readers are going for in your country.

[iandix]

Just buy the kobo touch from the US and ship it to Australia, it's cheaper than buying it from a store here. With the Australian dollar worth more than the US dollar and the freight for something of that weight would not too bad .. you might be surprised at how cheap it is

[ApK]

Buy both!

At worst you could always return or sell one if you decide you have a preference.

At best, you'll have both....

Seriously, especially if you make sure you can return one with out penalty, spending some time with them is the only way YOU will know for sure which YOU prefer.

ApK

[troberts]

The Kobo is dropping in price. I just picked one up from Best Buy for $109 Cdn. IT was hard to beat that price.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by troberts

The Kobo is dropping in price. I just picked one up from Best Buy for $109 Cdn. IT was hard to beat that price.

That is probably the original Kobo and not the Kobo Touch. If it is the Kobo Touch then that is an amazing price.

[MorganM]

How will you use the reader? What is important for you in the reader?

Hi,

Well basically I just want an ereader for reading books and that is it. Quick page turn is important to me as I read fast. I don't need anything with 3G, MP3 capabilities or a web browser. I would by the Kindle but the speakers, browser and little keyboard irk me. After thinking about it after turning off the computer I think a 6 inch would be better for me and my poor eyesight lol. I take my glasses off to read the Kobo as I'm short sighted and I can read on it pretty well. Anything else might cause me eye strain. I think I have sensitive eyes, if I look at anything to far away or to small my eye start to hurt. I have to made computer pages a lot bigger too even with glasses on.

[Pomtroll]

Too bad you can't get the Nook Touch there. I tried it tonight & was very impressed. It meets a lot of your criteria.

From what you say you want, then the new Kobo Touch or Sony 650 meet your criteria. Though the fonts may be an issue with the Sony if your eyes are sensitive & you need a bolder print.

Like I said before I do not know anything about the Libre Pro. We used to have a forum for it before, I don't see it now. Oh wait is is under Jetbook.

[delphin]

Originally Posted by MorganM

Hi,

Well basically I just want an ereader for reading books and that is it. . . .

If you can hold off a few weeks, you might want to wait see how the newly announced Kobo Touch and Nook Touch eInk readers shake things up, if not, I would go with the Sony.

When I purchased my Sony PRS-650 it was roughly 60 dollars more than the equivalent eInk Nook or Kindle. I have long forgotten the 60 dollars, but enjoy the Sony's simple intuitive touch screen interface every time I use my reader.

A few months back I looked at the Libre, but thought it ridiculously overpriced, given the recent price drops of quality eInk readers like the Sony, Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

Now that Aluratek has come down off their high horse a little on pricing, it's a little more competitive, but just barely (I would jump on the Libre as a knock-around reader for travel at $49 or $59, but at $89? Sorry, the market for eInk devices is too competitive now.)

I am sure that some Libre enthusiasts would beg to differ, but I just don't put "me-too!" no-name readers like the Libre in the same class as the eInk devices from major manufactures like Sony.

The LCD screen on the standard B/W Libre does have very good contrast when viewed in good light from the correct angle, and it doesn't have that brief photo-negative flash during page turns that some find annoying with eInk devices, but good as it is, the Libre's LCD is just not quite as 'paper-like' a reading experience as eInk devices like the PRS-350.

Also, though the Libre's menu driven navigation is ok compared to the original non-touch kobo, it's not even in the same class as the Sony's touch reader interface.

[MorganM]

Originally Posted by Pomtroll

Too bad you can't get the Nook Touch there. I tried it tonight & was very impressed. It meets a lot of your criteria.

From what you say you want, then the new Kobo Touch or Sony 650 meet your criteria. Though the fonts may be an issue with the Sony if your eyes are sensitive & you need a bolder print.

Like I said before I do not know anything about the Libre Pro. We used to have a forum for it before, I don't see it now. Oh wait is is under Jetbook.

I actually like the look of the Nook Touch. But yeah I can't get it here. I keep looking at Ebay AUS for a Sony 650 that I can afford they are way outta my budget. 2 have popped up on there in the last week and they are bid on way before the auction ends....I don't see the point in bidding till the last 5 min. Anyway!

I might hold off till the Kobo Touch is available on Borders US and maybe buy one.

Kindle still might be ok...

[iandix]

MorganM it's easy to buy a nook touch just use a freight forwarder such as comgateway.com I have both the nook classic and the nookcolor and that's how I got them