Replacing your reader

[jbcohen]

What criteria will you use to decide when to replace your current ebook reader? Clearly I will repalce it when my currrent one becomes unusable, will you replace it after a certain number of years?

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What criteria will you use to decide when to replace your current ebook reader? Clearly I will repalce it when my currrent one becomes unusable, will you replace it after a certain number of years?

When there is something superior available.
Went from PDA to Sony 505 because of increased battery life.
Went from 505 to iPad due to better night-reading while maintaining good battery life.
Went from iPad to Nook Color due to smaller form-factor.
Went from Nook Color to iPad3 due to increased resolution.
If a iPad Mini comes out, that would tempt me. If a Kindle with built-in even lighting that made it good for night reading came out, that might tempt me.
I'd say it is rare for devices to break before they become obsoleted by a better model becoming available.

[JoeD]

I don't have a set criteria, there just has to be a sufficient number of new features that I really want although I do try to get 5+ years out of devices I buy, with exceptions.

Originally I read on a Palm Tungsten C for about 5 years. I replaced that with a Hanlin for the larger screen, eInk display (for outdoor reading) and longer battery life. Easy choice even though the Hanlin was expensive. Whilst I'd replace it in a heartbeat if it broke, the cost was too high to justify upgrading whilst it still worked.

The upgrade to the kindle however turned out to be just a small feature jump, I wanted the wifi support and dictionary features but wasn't willing to pay a lot to get them as the Hanlin was/is still perfectly usable for me. The upgrade came when the kindle could be had for £50 from the USA. It hit the sweet spot price wise to make it attractive to upgrade from a still working/usable device for just a few features.

iPad I bought for work and despite the iPad 2 and 3 looking nice and having better specs, there's nothing about them that is a big enough feature upgrade to justify the cost. Not sure what hardware change would be needed for me to really want to upgrade at the current price structure. A new killer HW change not withstanding, it's more likely to be apps requiring the latest hardware to run reasonably, but it'll probably be another couple of revisions before that's an issue (there's a few apps now like that but none I have an interest in).

[elemenoP]

When a reader comes out that addresses all, or nearly all, the frustrations/limitations I have with my current reader (while not introducing new problems or bugs). Or else a reader that has an amazingly improved screen (which I think is unlikely in a b&w e-ink reader).

My reader (my first one) is 1 1/2 years old and the next generation has come out from all the major brands since then, and none has been the perfect combination of features that leads me to want to switch. I don't typically upgrade my electronics with every generation anyway. In the past I have had to upgrade small electronics when the battery goes (which I think is intentional!).

I am intrigued by the "glowlight" technology, that would be useful for me. But I will reserve judgement until I see it (and I would probably wait at least another year to get a new reader anyway).

[danskmacabre]

I won't be buying a new ereader until my Kobo Touch dies. so I expect not for 3+ years as I bought my KT mid last year.

No enforced DRM.

Will support ePub, PDF, RTF, TXT etc etc...

USB external media support, such as SD cards.

Not locked into using some software to upload books, I want to be able to mount it as a drive in windows (or whatever)

I want it to be Colour eInk or an equivalent technology that has the same great battery life as eInk.

It has a touch screen.

[Rob Lister]

When they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Or when something better comes along.

Whichever.

[DrNefario]

I already have two. I can't rule out buying another if I like the price and it sounds cool, but I think one spare is enough. I would certainly replace the Kindle if it broke - I don't see any reason to change it otherwise - but I'm not that sure I'd immediately replace the Kobo. I don't have anything like the same library for it.

[Casey57]

We have 2 K3-3G s, one Kindle Fire and one Kindle Touch wifi at this time. The K3 is just about perfect, IMHO. But I like many elements of the Kindle Touch too and that would become my “go-to” device if the K3s bite the dust. I don’t expect that to happen anytime soon as we’ve experienced no issues at all. So I think we are in good shape right now. I currently use the Kindle Touch mainly for reading in bed before I turn in for the night. The K3 stays in my work bag most of the time so I don’t leave it behind! I don’t use the Fire for reading much at all – maybe for magazines once in a moon.

[abookreader]

My Kindle Keyboard broke last year and I was just using my old K2 for a couple of months because I wanted to see what Amazon would release as a new product. I ordered the Kindle Touch the day it was announced mostly just because it was new.new.new and I really wanted the new toy.

I ended up regretting it and discovering that I liked the Kindle Keyboard so much better. I returned the Touch and bought a new Kindle Keyboard and then I bought a back-up Kindle Keyboard when I saw one on clearance at Target because I'm afraid that physical buttons are headed into obsolescence.

I think maybe that experience cured me of always wanting the latest generation but we'll see when Amazon announces the next one. I do tend to get caught up in the product release hype.

So right now I have functional

Kindle 2-US
Kindle Keyboard 3G No Ads
Kindle Keyboard with Ads
Kindle Fire
and all our various iDevices which I really don't count because I don't ever read on them

I think we can all agree I don't need another eReader.

[JoHunt]

I have not felt a need to replace my iPad 1 or my Sony 650, but I always buy the latest Kindle model. I really disliked the keyboard on the K3, so I got a Touch (which I love) and am planning on buying the "glow screen" version as soon as it's released

[tecweston]

I'm very happy with my Nook STR. I've only replaced my ereaders in the past when there were fundamental problems with them that would be solved by buying a different ereader. But since I have no major complaints with the STR, I can see myself continuing to use it until it breaks and needs to be replaced.

[RainingLemur]

Does it work? Can I read my existing library on it? Will Calibre work with it? How expensive is it?

[Duiker]

When Amazon comes out with a Kindle glow screen. Was going to get the Kindle touch this year to replace my Kindle keyboard but have decided to wait. I figure if B&N have their lit up reader already on sale, then Kindle will have to get on board ASAP.

[calibrated]

I'd love to say that I'll replace it when there's something better, or when it breaks, but if I'm honest with myself I have to admit that isn't true. The truth is, as with my other electronic toys, I'll probably replace it when something new and shiny and cool comes out and I just *have* to have it.

Case in point: my Kindle 3 was working perfectly fine, and I was happy with it, and several months after buying it I bought the Fire. And, as much as I love the Fire, I can't help casting envious glances at the Galaxy Tab 7, and the iPad, and the upcoming Windows 8 tablets. I'm hopeless.

[bgalbrecht]

I replaced my original nook with a nook simple touch because of the improved battery life. I did not expect to replace the NST with anything else until it died, but the nook glowlite sounds tempting. It would be even more compelling with a higher resolution flexible eInk screen that is nearly indestructible. I still worry that my NST screen could crack.