Most reliable eReader?

ReaderSpouse · 06-27-2011, 02:33 PM

My wife is looking for her next eReader. Her last was the Sony PRS-600 which was great but suffered from the notoriously evil and spontaneous "cracked substrate." Now that we've found that eReaders can spontaneously self-destruct, which eReader do you recommend as being most reliable. It doesn't have to be most durable, as we treated the former reader quite well and it died while sitting still on a cushion. Should we move away from e-ink altogether? We were thinking that e-ink substrates might be inherently flawed and therefore we should move to an LED unit -- the issue that then arises is that of battery life. It took us 15 hours to get from New York to Hawaii and the Sony handled that easily. Our guess is that an iPad or color Nook would die along the way. So what say you oh sages of eReaderdom?

pidgeon92 · 06-27-2011, 02:44 PM

Inherently flawed? I think you'll get a lot of disagreement. My K2 and K3 have never had an issue, nor has my Sony 300 or Sony 950, not my original nook. All have had dozens if not hundreds of hours of use, over several years.

That said, every eink screen is made the same way, with the glass substrate. It doesn't take that much pressure to crack it. A cat walking across it, an elbow leaning into it, a bottle opener dropped on it, etc., will all likely break the screen, even if it is in a cover. A sturdy, stiff cover with no give is what will keep it most safe, but nothing is unbreakable.

Pomtroll · 06-27-2011, 03:09 PM

All my reader' screens are doing fine. I've even dropped them. So it is something that just happens from time to time & some people are just unlucky....now I'm going to look for some wood to knock on.

HarryT · 06-27-2011, 03:49 PM

EInk screen substrates do not spontaneously break; if yours broke it's because you broke it. The answer is to get a decent case, and keep the reader in its case.

ReaderSpouse · 06-27-2011, 03:50 PM

@Pigeon92 and HarryT: The substrate problem is widespread and heartbreaking. Just type the word "substrate" into the search box at the top of this page and you'll get 14 pages of links to similar discussions. The most frustrating part is that it happens to brand-new units and happens spontaneously. Hence my post here....

HarryT · 06-27-2011, 03:57 PM

I can only repeat that screens do NOT break spontaneously; they break because you've either twisted or applied pressure to a point on the screen. Perhaps inadvertently, but that's the way it happens. Get a decent case and you'll be absolutely fine. I've owned more eInk devices than I can remember over the years, and have never had a problem. A case is absolutely essential!

Ditchleyportrait · 06-27-2011, 04:08 PM

my vote is kindle

Pomtroll · 06-27-2011, 04:29 PM

I've seen broken screens reported in all the readers I've looked at...Kindle included. Yes a good cover is a must, but some people claim they have a good cover & still have had substrate breakage. I know some kind of stress has had to occur, but I'm not sure if there aren't some problems with just out of the box screens having a weakness & usual use has been the final stress that breaks it.

I don't take my readers out of their covers. And I always close them & put the band around them so they can't open if they fall. Never thought about putting it face down, but will do that from now on.

Like I said in a previous post, I've had no problems with any of my readers.

graycyn · 06-27-2011, 04:55 PM

I agree about keeping in a case/cover. However, I've owned my Nook for nearly a year, a cat has walked on the screen a couple of times, no problems, though I do try to prevent that, but well, cats. They are fast, sometimes faster than I can get the cover closed.

My Sony 950 with the larger 7" screen was knocked off my bookshelf (in a cover) and survived.

Still, e-ink is glass... it is fragile, and one needs to be careful, no matter what brand reader you have. You might want to consider something like a Square Trade accidental damage/extended warranty for your next e-reader. Nook and Sony also offer their own extra warranties I believe, not sure about Amazon/Kindle, though I hear Amazon is good about replacing units, sometimes even out of warranty.

pidgeon92 · 06-27-2011, 07:05 PM

Sorry, but in my opinion these cases of "spontaneous" fractures are simply an exercise in denial. Accidents happen. It may have been a bump the day previous that didn't crack right away. I haven't broken an eink screen yet, but my husband did. His K1 was in his bag, in a cover, and something heavy bumped it and it was broken.

wallcraft · 06-27-2011, 07:15 PM

I suggest buying a Kindle, because their customer support is without equal (if it breaks under warranty they will send you a new one immediately). Get the 2 year extended warranty if you want peace of mind, although at 1/4 of the device price it probably isn't a good deal.

laitsabr · 06-27-2011, 08:22 PM

I would root for the Sony PRS-350 (was and maybe still at $100 at Borders). If you don't mind refurbished units, the 950 is available by calling Sony.com for $150 thereabouts.
I too experienced a broken screen on my first Sony (505), but felt dissatisfied with other replacement alternatives until I got another Sony (600). I found that the build quality and feel greatly contributed to my enjoyment of the reading experience, which only another Sony could satisfy (call me a snob!). I am pleased with the reliability (and longevity) of the Sony readers I have had the privilege of owning. No broken screens since the 505, and my readers get knocked around quite a bit in their cases.

JSWolf · 06-27-2011, 08:24 PM

I would want and see if Sony releases a Harry Potter themed reader in October.

Ditchleyportrait · 06-27-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would want and see if Sony releases a Harry Potter themed reader in October.

harry's going to magically prevent any hardware frailties

vxf · 06-27-2011, 11:13 PM

I have used three SONYs, a PRS900, a PRS950 and a PRS350. No problems with screens. I keep them in cases (all have the SONY cases with lights), but aside from that, I carry them everywhere, on the beach, to the gym, I dropped each one at least a couple of times (the 900 and 950 even have dents on the outer shells), but had no problems with the screens whatsoever. I even sit on my 350 at least twice. Maybe I just got lucky... but, in my experience, it's not that easy to break one.

06-27-2011, 02:33 PM	#1
ReaderSpouse Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 352 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Sony Reader PRS-600	Most reliable eReader? My wife is looking for her next eReader. Her last was the Sony PRS-600 which was great but suffered from the notoriously evil and spontaneous "cracked substrate." Now that we've found that eReaders can spontaneously self-destruct, which eReader do you recommend as being most reliable. It doesn't have to be most durable, as we treated the former reader quite well and it died while sitting still on a cushion. Should we move away from e-ink altogether? We were thinking that e-ink substrates might be inherently flawed and therefore we should move to an LED unit -- the issue that then arises is that of battery life. It took us 15 hours to get from New York to Hawaii and the Sony handled that easily. Our guess is that an iPad or color Nook would die along the way. So what say you oh sages of eReaderdom?

06-27-2011, 08:22 PM	#12
laitsabr Daily Learner Posts: 36 Karma: 174 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-950, 350, 300, 600(sold), 505(dead), Coby 7024	I would root for the Sony PRS-350 (was and maybe still at $100 at Borders). If you don't mind refurbished units, the 950 is available by calling Sony.com for $150 thereabouts. I too experienced a broken screen on my first Sony (505), but felt dissatisfied with other replacement alternatives until I got another Sony (600). I found that the build quality and feel greatly contributed to my enjoyment of the reading experience, which only another Sony could satisfy (call me a snob!). I am pleased with the reliability (and longevity) of the Sony readers I have had the privilege of owning. No broken screens since the 505, and my readers get knocked around quite a bit in their cases. Last edited by laitsabr; 06-27-2011 at 08:24 PM.

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06-27-2011, 02:44 PM	#2
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Inherently flawed? I think you'll get a lot of disagreement. My K2 and K3 have never had an issue, nor has my Sony 300 or Sony 950, not my original nook. All have had dozens if not hundreds of hours of use, over several years. That said, every eink screen is made the same way, with the glass substrate. It doesn't take that much pressure to crack it. A cat walking across it, an elbow leaning into it, a bottle opener dropped on it, etc., will all likely break the screen, even if it is in a cover. A sturdy, stiff cover with no give is what will keep it most safe, but nothing is unbreakable.

06-27-2011, 03:09 PM	#3
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	All my reader' screens are doing fine. I've even dropped them. So it is something that just happens from time to time & some people are just unlucky....now I'm going to look for some wood to knock on.

06-27-2011, 03:49 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	EInk screen substrates do not spontaneously break; if yours broke it's because you broke it. The answer is to get a decent case, and keep the reader in its case.

06-27-2011, 03:50 PM	#5
ReaderSpouse Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 352 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Sony Reader PRS-600	@Pigeon92 and HarryT: The substrate problem is widespread and heartbreaking. Just type the word "substrate" into the search box at the top of this page and you'll get 14 pages of links to similar discussions. The most frustrating part is that it happens to brand-new units and happens spontaneously. Hence my post here....

06-27-2011, 03:57 PM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I can only repeat that screens do NOT break spontaneously; they break because you've either twisted or applied pressure to a point on the screen. Perhaps inadvertently, but that's the way it happens. Get a decent case and you'll be absolutely fine. I've owned more eInk devices than I can remember over the years, and have never had a problem. A case is absolutely essential!

06-27-2011, 04:08 PM	#7
Ditchleyportrait Fanatic Posts: 504 Karma: 780086 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: ny Device: Kindle DX Graphite	my vote is kindle

06-27-2011, 04:29 PM	#8
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I've seen broken screens reported in all the readers I've looked at...Kindle included. Yes a good cover is a must, but some people claim they have a good cover & still have had substrate breakage. I know some kind of stress has had to occur, but I'm not sure if there aren't some problems with just out of the box screens having a weakness & usual use has been the final stress that breaks it. I don't take my readers out of their covers. And I always close them & put the band around them so they can't open if they fall. Never thought about putting it face down, but will do that from now on. Like I said in a previous post, I've had no problems with any of my readers.

06-27-2011, 04:55 PM	#9
graycyn Wizard Posts: 1,591 Karma: 11722446 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NE Oregon Device: Kobo Sage, Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma, Kindle Oasis 2	I agree about keeping in a case/cover. However, I've owned my Nook for nearly a year, a cat has walked on the screen a couple of times, no problems, though I do try to prevent that, but well, cats. They are fast, sometimes faster than I can get the cover closed. My Sony 950 with the larger 7" screen was knocked off my bookshelf (in a cover) and survived. Still, e-ink is glass... it is fragile, and one needs to be careful, no matter what brand reader you have. You might want to consider something like a Square Trade accidental damage/extended warranty for your next e-reader. Nook and Sony also offer their own extra warranties I believe, not sure about Amazon/Kindle, though I hear Amazon is good about replacing units, sometimes even out of warranty.

06-27-2011, 07:05 PM	#10
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Sorry, but in my opinion these cases of "spontaneous" fractures are simply an exercise in denial. Accidents happen. It may have been a bump the day previous that didn't crack right away. I haven't broken an eink screen yet, but my husband did. His K1 was in his bag, in a cover, and something heavy bumped it and it was broken.

06-27-2011, 07:15 PM	#11
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I suggest buying a Kindle, because their customer support is without equal (if it breaks under warranty they will send you a new one immediately). Get the 2 year extended warranty if you want peace of mind, although at 1/4 of the device price it probably isn't a good deal.

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06-27-2011, 08:24 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,722 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I would want and see if Sony releases a Harry Potter themed reader in October.

06-27-2011, 11:13 PM	#15
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	I have used three SONYs, a PRS900, a PRS950 and a PRS350. No problems with screens. I keep them in cases (all have the SONY cases with lights), but aside from that, I carry them everywhere, on the beach, to the gym, I dropped each one at least a couple of times (the 900 and 950 even have dents on the outer shells), but had no problems with the screens whatsoever. I even sit on my 350 at least twice. Maybe I just got lucky... but, in my experience, it's not that easy to break one.