E-reader noob. Need help!

prushellen · 01-02-2012, 04:24 AM

I've been reading lots of books and friends would told me to get an e-reader but i didn't thought of getting one. Until i saw someone using it, and i find it quite tempting to get 1. So i went to research a few sites like Best-E-Book-Reader but i still figure out which to get. I will be mainly using it for reading though.

So if anyone can recommend a good one

Billi · 01-02-2012, 04:36 AM

They are all good!

Where do you live? For some devices this might be important.
Do you want to use a Kindle and the big Amazon shop behind or do you prefer going ePub?
Would you feel more comfortable using a reader with a touchscreen or with a non-touchscreen and buttons?
Is a Pearl screen a must?
Do you have a limit on the price?

tm3 · 01-02-2012, 09:41 PM

much of what is "good" is simply personal preference, so nothing beats a hands-on audition.

do you have a best buy, barnes and noble, or even walmart nearby where you can have a direct look and see what appeals to you?

other than that, reading some of the many comparison threads here as well as online reviews should help narrow it down.

prushellen · 01-03-2012, 10:56 AM

Oh basically as simple purely for reading purpose and maybe with mp3 feature. Not sure if there are any local stores selling them. Kindles can only be bought from amazon right?

HarryT · 01-03-2012, 11:00 AM

Your profile says that you already have a Kindle?

prushellen · 01-03-2012, 11:09 AM

I just chose that option but i didn't thought that it actually means that i own that product?

HarryT · 01-03-2012, 11:18 AM

Yes, that's exactly what your profile is intended to convey: the reading device that you actually have

.

soulfuldog · 01-03-2012, 11:29 AM

If you are in the US, you can buy a Kindle in places like Best Buy, Target and Walmart, so no, they aren't just available directly from Amazon.

ProfCrash · 01-03-2012, 12:21 PM

If you live in the US you can go to Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Staples and other places in order to test all of the big name ereaders, so the Kindle, Nook, and Sony.

Lupin · 01-03-2012, 02:26 PM

Kindle Touch might be nice, but that means you by your books from Amazon and if you have more than about 200 books, you can not keep them all with you. If you have a wi-fi available (or by a 3G version) that will not matter much as long as you have faith on Amazon cloud.

I do not know how kindle gets it's firmware upgrades. Typically you need to run some software which is windows-only and connect your reader to the computer. Some of the software might run on macs. If your are a Gnu/Linux user, choose device which gets updates OTA or at the minimum, you can download the firmware on the devices memory or on a memory card which you can insert in the device. At least Booken's Orizon and Odyssey are of this type: Both OTA and download into device is supported.

Do you plan to use it for other thing than reading e-books? If so, by a tablet. If not, choose device with e-paper, it is easier to your eyes plus the battery lasts much longer.

I'm not able to recommend any device as I am a newbie myself. Bookeen's Odyssey works, but still has some bugs. But then again, if you read this forum it comes soon clear that there is no such thing as "perfect" device. They all seem to have a bug or two.

I recommend state of the art model if you can spare the money: they are more likely to be supported a year from now. Used well kept reader might be also good choice if you get it at a good price.

And if you want to hack the thing, Android base devices seem to be the best bet.

ProfCrash · 01-03-2012, 03:19 PM

ummm You can store 3,500 books on the Kindle Touch and you can buy books from many independent dealers that sell Mobi books. Pretty much any e-book store that is not tied to an e-reader sells Mobi books because there are so many Kindle users out there.

You can save your purchases from Amazon on your computer, I have all of my books saved on my computer, and there are ways of removing DRM if you want.

Kindle gets its firmware updates over the WiFi or 3G connection. They can also be sideloaded if you want to.

prushellen · 01-04-2012, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, that's exactly what your profile is intended to convey: the reading device that you actually have

.

I thought the option was refering to which reader would we get in future

bill_mchale · 01-04-2012, 02:05 PM

Kobo, Sony, Nook and Kindle all work reasonably well. The big issues are supported file formats. Kindle uses its own proprietary DRM with what is essentially mobi. As a result, it is relatively easy to transfer non DRM'd mobi titles to Kindles. As others have pointed out however, if a book is not sold by amazon, then odds are you are not going to find it anywhere else (except maybe author's website, in which case it is likely not DRM'd.

Kobo and Sony both use ADE for DRM. Books bought from either should work on either provided they both use the same ADE authorization. I think the Nook can read these as well, but I am not 100% sure. In regards to DRM, nook is nice in that its DRM is more social than not (i.e., pretty much anyone can read the book if you are willing to give them your credit card number

).

Which one is best will depend a lot on your own desires and preferences. Amazon certainly has the richest eco-system; if you you have the kindle app installed on your smartphone, you can read there, and then switch to your reader and the reader will know where you left off. On the flip side, this also means that Amazon is tracking your reading habits; probably benignly, but perhaps not.

I am using an old reader (a Sony PRS-505) and Aldiko on my Android, but as a general rule I prefer to buy from B&N if I must buy a book with DRM because its DRM scheme is by far the friendliest (as I reckon things). But for someone who just wants to read, the Kindle is hard to beat.

--
Bill

ProfCrash · 01-04-2012, 03:36 PM

The Nook DRM cannot be read on a Sony or a Kobo. There are some EPub readers that can read the BN DRM but they tend to be smaller brands. So while you can read Sony and Kobo books on the Nook, you cannot read BN books on a Sony or a Kobo unless you strip the DRM.

bill_mchale · 01-04-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The Nook DRM cannot be read on a Sony or a Kobo. There are some EPub readers that can read the BN DRM but they tend to be smaller brands. So while you can read Sony and Kobo books on the Nook, you cannot read BN books on a Sony or a Kobo unless you strip the DRM.

Yeah, that is right, I forgot to mention that. That being said, since the Nook DRM does not depend on any particular information on a device, it should in theory be easier to read on other platforms. For example, I think Aldiko on Android import Nook Books.

--
Bill

01-02-2012, 04:24 AM	#1
prushellen Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	E-reader noob. Need help! I've been reading lots of books and friends would told me to get an e-reader but i didn't thought of getting one. Until i saw someone using it, and i find it quite tempting to get 1. So i went to research a few sites like Best-E-Book-Reader but i still figure out which to get. I will be mainly using it for reading though. So if anyone can recommend a good one

01-03-2012, 02:26 PM	#10
Lupin Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Finland Device: Bookeen Cybook Muse HD, ReMarkable	Kindle Touch might be nice, but that means you by your books from Amazon and if you have more than about 200 books, you can not keep them all with you. If you have a wi-fi available (or by a 3G version) that will not matter much as long as you have faith on Amazon cloud. I do not know how kindle gets it's firmware upgrades. Typically you need to run some software which is windows-only and connect your reader to the computer. Some of the software might run on macs. If your are a Gnu/Linux user, choose device which gets updates OTA or at the minimum, you can download the firmware on the devices memory or on a memory card which you can insert in the device. At least Booken's Orizon and Odyssey are of this type: Both OTA and download into device is supported. Do you plan to use it for other thing than reading e-books? If so, by a tablet. If not, choose device with e-paper, it is easier to your eyes plus the battery lasts much longer. I'm not able to recommend any device as I am a newbie myself. Bookeen's Odyssey works, but still has some bugs. But then again, if you read this forum it comes soon clear that there is no such thing as "perfect" device. They all seem to have a bug or two. I recommend state of the art model if you can spare the money: they are more likely to be supported a year from now. Used well kept reader might be also good choice if you get it at a good price. And if you want to hack the thing, Android base devices seem to be the best bet. Last edited by Lupin; 01-03-2012 at 02:30 PM. Reason: Correcting typos, added last line.

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01-02-2012, 04:36 AM	#2
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	They are all good! Where do you live? For some devices this might be important. Do you want to use a Kindle and the big Amazon shop behind or do you prefer going ePub? Would you feel more comfortable using a reader with a touchscreen or with a non-touchscreen and buttons? Is a Pearl screen a must? Do you have a limit on the price?

01-02-2012, 09:41 PM	#3
tm3 Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 56678 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3	much of what is "good" is simply personal preference, so nothing beats a hands-on audition. do you have a best buy, barnes and noble, or even walmart nearby where you can have a direct look and see what appeals to you? other than that, reading some of the many comparison threads here as well as online reviews should help narrow it down.

01-03-2012, 10:56 AM	#4
prushellen Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	Oh basically as simple purely for reading purpose and maybe with mp3 feature. Not sure if there are any local stores selling them. Kindles can only be bought from amazon right?

01-03-2012, 11:00 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Your profile says that you already have a Kindle?

01-03-2012, 11:09 AM	#6
prushellen Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	I just chose that option but i didn't thought that it actually means that i own that product?

01-03-2012, 11:18 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, that's exactly what your profile is intended to convey: the reading device that you actually have .

01-03-2012, 11:29 AM	#8
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	If you are in the US, you can buy a Kindle in places like Best Buy, Target and Walmart, so no, they aren't just available directly from Amazon.

01-03-2012, 12:21 PM	#9
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	If you live in the US you can go to Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Staples and other places in order to test all of the big name ereaders, so the Kindle, Nook, and Sony.

01-03-2012, 03:19 PM	#11
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	ummm You can store 3,500 books on the Kindle Touch and you can buy books from many independent dealers that sell Mobi books. Pretty much any e-book store that is not tied to an e-reader sells Mobi books because there are so many Kindle users out there. You can save your purchases from Amazon on your computer, I have all of my books saved on my computer, and there are ways of removing DRM if you want. Kindle gets its firmware updates over the WiFi or 3G connection. They can also be sideloaded if you want to.

01-04-2012, 02:05 PM	#13
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Kobo, Sony, Nook and Kindle all work reasonably well. The big issues are supported file formats. Kindle uses its own proprietary DRM with what is essentially mobi. As a result, it is relatively easy to transfer non DRM'd mobi titles to Kindles. As others have pointed out however, if a book is not sold by amazon, then odds are you are not going to find it anywhere else (except maybe author's website, in which case it is likely not DRM'd. Kobo and Sony both use ADE for DRM. Books bought from either should work on either provided they both use the same ADE authorization. I think the Nook can read these as well, but I am not 100% sure. In regards to DRM, nook is nice in that its DRM is more social than not (i.e., pretty much anyone can read the book if you are willing to give them your credit card number ). Which one is best will depend a lot on your own desires and preferences. Amazon certainly has the richest eco-system; if you you have the kindle app installed on your smartphone, you can read there, and then switch to your reader and the reader will know where you left off. On the flip side, this also means that Amazon is tracking your reading habits; probably benignly, but perhaps not. I am using an old reader (a Sony PRS-505) and Aldiko on my Android, but as a general rule I prefer to buy from B&N if I must buy a book with DRM because its DRM scheme is by far the friendliest (as I reckon things). But for someone who just wants to read, the Kindle is hard to beat. -- Bill

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01-04-2012, 03:36 PM	#14
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	The Nook DRM cannot be read on a Sony or a Kobo. There are some EPub readers that can read the BN DRM but they tend to be smaller brands. So while you can read Sony and Kobo books on the Nook, you cannot read BN books on a Sony or a Kobo unless you strip the DRM.