Looking for Ebook Reader (UK)

[gavinjb]

Hi,

I am looking for an EBook Reader to use in the UK and I am currently considering the Sony PRS300S and the Kindle 3 (3G + Wifi Edition) I am leaning towards the Kindle as it seems to win with the Ease of use but I have a few questions about both if anyone can help

Sony PRS300S

1. How Easy is it to Transfer EBooks to the Device
2. Are there many Stores Availble in the UK that support Sony

My Main concern with this device is compared to Amazon which seems nice and easy to get your Books I have heard that the software for Buying and Transfering Books is not the best and you have to have access to a Pc to transfer new books

Kindle

1. Can you Sync your Books between Kindle and Pc Kindle or do you have to buy multiple copies
2. On the Sony I have heard you can bring up a list of Authors and by selecting one see all the books by that Author, does Kindle have anything similar to this as it would be very usefull to me
3. Does the Wifi Support WPA2 (AES) Encryption

The 2 Main things which are a definately plus at the moemnt for me with the Kindle are that you can Purchase books (even from feedbooks) without needing access to a PC and the large Store at Amazon

Also feedback from your use of the devices (or Ebook Readers in General) on how well they work compared to a paper book would be helpful as all I seem to see on Videos on the Internet are the marketing blurb from Amazon or Sony.

Thanks for your Help,



Gavin,

[shanghaichica]

Hi, I have a sony prs-300 so I can answer your questions about it. I dont have a kindle but ive ordered one. Once i recieve it I'd be able to make a better comparison.

Sony PRS300S

1. How Easy is it to Transfer EBooks to the Device.

It is very easy and there are several ways to do it. The first thing I'd recommend is not to bother with the official Sony software. It's not easy to use and can be quite fustrating. You'll need two pieces of software, Calibre and Adobe digital editions.
Calibre can be used to transfer non protected (DRM Free) books to the reader. It's free and easy to use. You simply add your DRM free files to the library and then connect your ereader to the computer and the select transfer to device. The books are then sent to your Sony reader. Calibre can also be used to convert your books into different formats e.g epub to PDF, LRF to epub, to arrange your books and download newspaper content which can then be transfered to your device.

For DRM protected books, which are most likely the books you will buy from the online store you will need to download Adobe Digital editions (ADE). Once you've downloaded it it will ask you to set up and account and will authorise your computer. When you connect your reader to the computer ADE will ask you to authorise your device. When you buy ebooks online you need to open them with ADE, connect your Sony reader and then drag and drop the books to transfer to the reader. You must first open them in ADE before you transfer to the Sony otherwise you wont be able to open the books on your reader.


2. Are there many Stores Availble in the UK that support Sony

Well in the UK there are WH Smiths, Waterstones and the book depository which sell epub and PDF books which are supported by the Sony and probably more that I dont know about. There are also many American stores such as KOBO and books on board and others which sell Epub books. Basically what you need to know is what files the Sony supports and buy from stores which sell those files. Amazon sell ebooks in the mobi format which is not supported by the Sony device. You could buy these in theory and then remove the DRM and then convert them to epub or another format that the Sony uses and be able to read them. I've never removed DRM before so I can't tell you how easy or hard it is. But basically there are many more stores which sell books for the Sony than there are that sell books for the Kindle.

I've got the Sony PRS-300 and I really like it. The contrast on the screen is very good and it doesnt suffer from glare in sunny conditions. I find it very easy and comfortable to read on the device for long stretches. It's very compact, easy to use and i've found it very easy finding the books I wanted online and buying them. I suppose if it had built in wifi it would be quicker to buy books and get them on your device but it really isnt that hard and doesnt take that long so it's not a problem for me. Battery life is pretty good, I get about 2 weeks from a single charge with heavy usage (4-5 hours/day).



I have pre-ordered a kindle 3 because of the additional features at a low price but had the kindle 3 been out when I had bought my PRS-300, I would still buy the 300. The one thing I dont like about the Kindle is that it doesnt support epub books and this makes the sites which you can buy from very limited, you would almost be restricted to amazon's kindle store. As I don't have the kindle i'm not sure about the questions you've asked but I do know that you can sync your books between devices, i.e pc, iphone, kindle, android phone etc and you only have to buy the book once. You can also share your books with your friends and family if they register their devices to your amazon account. Another nice thing is that when it syncs across your devices it will remember where you are in the book. For example if you got up to page 100 in the kindle, when you open the book on your iphone app it will know what page you were at when you last read it on another device.

Once I have the kindle obviously I mind might change my mind. I think it depends on what you want. If you want all the whistles and bells, the ability to buy direct tou your device and are not bothered by the lack of ePUB support then maybe you should go with the kindle. If ePub support and more choice in where you are buying books from is important to you then the 300 may suit you more. The screen size may also be important to you, with the kindle being bigger. The kindle also has a larger internal memory than the Sony.

[BooksOnBowser]

My only disagreement with shanghaichica's posting would be, I personally use the Sony Reader software as I found Calibre to be complicated.

With the Sony software, when you buy a book from WhSmith or Waterstones it is simply a matter of downloading the small link file which automatically opens in the Sony Reader software, it then downloads the content for you. You can then set various collections to automatically sync.

With ADE you have to drag and drop onto the PRS.

My other comment would be on the screen size, I bought a Nook which has a 6" screen and whilst not as portable as the Sony it means less page turning and more words per page.

I have also ordered a Kindle 3 as I think the combination of the screen plus Amazon's network will be great.

p.s. two riders to the above, I use the Mac versions of Sony Reader and ADE which may differ from PC
The Sony is pocketable and handy just to have around, but looks increasingly expensive against the Kindle

[shanghaichica]

Prehaps the Mac version of the Sony Reader software is better because I've never really gotten to grips with it. But the Calibre was as easy as ABC to me. Once I'd downloaded it I was easily able to get books onto my device, some thing with ADE.

I'm also wondering how I will find the 6'' screen of the kindle. An inch more doesnt sound like a lot but i've seen the kindle in a video and the screen looks much bigger and holds a lot more text.

[ZenRunner]

Originally Posted by gavinjb

Does the Wifi Support WPA2 (AES) Encryption

The Kindle 3 is supposed to support WPA2 security. On page 133 in the user's guide there's a screenshot that shows WiFi security options of none, WEP, WPA, and WPA2. I have a network with WPA2(AES) so it's a feature that's important to me too.

[gavinjb]

Originally Posted by ZenRunner

The Kindle 3 is supposed to support WPA2 security. On page 133 in the user's guide there's a screenshot that shows WiFi security options of none, WEP, WPA, and WPA2. I have a network with WPA2(AES) so it's a feature that's important to me too.

Hi thanks for all the info, I have decided to go for a Kindle as I would prefer to be able to access most books without the hasle of using a PC to transfer them to the device, Hopefully it will work with the WPA2 Encryption but on a worse case at least 3G is available.

I currently use Calibre to Convert eBooks to Mobi format (currently I use Kindle for PC for viewing EBooks as I found it was much quicker at loading EBooks than most of the other PC Ebook Readers), which should hopefully allow me to view books that are not available on Kindle Store.



Gavin,

[ProfCrash]

There are many stores outside of the Amazon store that you can buy books for the Kindle. Most bookstores offer the EPub or Mobi format. If you can buy a non-DRMed Mobi book you can put it on your Kindle. If you can buy a non-DRMed E-pub book you can put it on your Kindle.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

If you can buy a non-DRMed E-pub book you can put it on your Kindle.

... after converting it from ePub to Mobipocket format, of course.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by HarryT

... after converting it from ePub to Mobipocket format, of course.

Yup.

It is different saying that the Kindle does not support Epub then "The one thing I dont like about the Kindle is that it doesnt support epub books and this makes the sites which you can buy from very limited, you would almost be restricted to amazon's kindle store. " This is not the case as a large number of posters have stated for a long time. Some books require conversion, some do not. There are plenty of Kindle users who have gone through the conversion process. Which means that there are a large number of stores available for Kindle users and that they are not tied to Amazon's store. Amazon's store might be the most convienent but it is not the only option or even one of a few options.

Not to mention, Amazons book store is pretty large. I have no idea how big the UK Amazon store is but I am guessing it is close to the size of the US store. Compare that to the availablity of books in the UK Sony store or the UK B&N store.

It would not be honest to tell someone that they are limited to books sold in those companies stores because they are not international ereaders. There are plenty of Epub books people can buy for Sony, Kobo, and Nook ereaders without those stores.

[BooksOnBowser]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Prehaps the Mac version of the Sony Reader software is better because I've never really gotten to grips with it. But the Calibre was as easy as ABC to me. Once I'd downloaded it I was easily able to get books onto my device, some thing with ADE.

I'm also wondering how I will find the 6'' screen of the kindle. An inch more doesnt sound like a lot but i've seen the kindle in a video and the screen looks much bigger and holds a lot more text.

I take back what I said about Calibre. Having discovered unswindle, I am happily using Calibre to convert mobi files to epub, and sending them to my Nook. I love the fact it actually shows you what you have with a simple tick rather than the two screens you use in Reader.

As a new user buying books in the UK, Reader on the mac has been seamless for me, download the acsm file, double click to open, up pops Reader and downloads the file, no fuss.

p.s. I am using calibre on Vista, but comments equally apply to mac version

[BooksOnBowser]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I'm also wondering how I will find the 6'' screen of the kindle. An inch more doesnt sound like a lot but i've seen the kindle in a video and the screen looks much bigger and holds a lot more text.

Going back to my Sony after three weeks of the Nook and the screen seems tiny and washed out.

I'm looking forward to the 50% better contrast

[BooksOnBowser]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Compare that to the availablity of books in the UK Sony store or the UK B&N store.

Is there a UK Barnes & Noble store? My Nook will be pleased and I will be pleased I don't have to mess around with Hotspot Shield

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by BooksOnBowser

Is there a UK Barnes & Noble store? My Nook will be pleased and I will be pleased I don't have to mess around with Hotspot Shield

Not at this time. The Nook has not gone international. I suspect that B&N is working on changing that but right now the Nook is sold in the US.

Amazon might not support EPub and you will have to go through extra steps to convert the EPud book to a mobi file and side load it to your Kindle. You will have to go through some extra steps to load books on to a Nook or Sony because you cannot buy books for them through their stores.

I don't know what the process for loading books to the Nook or Sony but I think I read that you have download a version of Adobe (not difficult) and run the books through that, and then move the books on to your EReader.

[BooksOnBowser]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Not at this time. The Nook has not gone international. I suspect that B&N is working on changing that but right now the Nook is sold in the US.

Not sure on this as they don't have any stores in the UK, B&N to me are a classic brick & click retailer, I always chuckle when my Nook offers me a free cookie if I buy the economist in store. (It would be an expensive cookie)

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't know what the process for loading books to the Nook or Sony but I think I read that you have download a version of Adobe (not difficult) and run the books through that, and then move the books on to your EReader.

For the Sony, you simply install the reader software, click on the shop link which takes you to WhSmith or Waterstones and buy your book, you need to connect the device by USB of course.

For books from Books On Board, Kobo etc. you download the file but open in Adobe Digital Editions which handles transfers to the Sony/Nook, (I am talking here of DRM'd EPUBs)

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by BooksOnBowser

For books from Books On Board, Kobo etc. you download the file but open in Adobe Digital Editions which handles transfers to the Sony/Nook, (I am talking here of DRM'd EPUBs)

You can also have the Sony software open the acsm files from BoB, Kobo, etc. and not use ADE at all if you want to.