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Old 03-05-2012, 04:55 AM   #1
jbaltsar
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Which reader for best library management and in-book navigation?

Hello everybody,
at the moment I'm reading with an Archos 70b. I like it, it does, what it's supposed to do, but of course it's somewhat on the heavy side and battery life is awfully short. So I'm planning to buy an e-ink device.

I have quite a large ebook collection and spent some time in calibre to categorize and tag it. How do the most common ereaders compare when it comes to finding a certain book via tags or folder navigation?

A second point I am concerned about: I like to jump back and forth in a book while reading it. On my Archos (using the inbuild reader or CoolReader) I can jump directly to a page. I like the design of the Kobo, but as I understand in-book navigation is only by scrolling through the book, right? This sounds somewhat clumsy in larger books.

At the moment I am considering
# Kindle (although I would like a reader with native epub support and SD slot better)
# Kobo (best looks for me but don't know if I wouldn't like something with buttons better)
# Sony (don't like the looks)
# Pocketbook Pro 612 (quite expensive and not so stylish as Kobo but otherwise ...?)
Thanks a lot for any comment

Judith
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Old 03-05-2012, 05:53 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by jbaltsar View Post
# Pocketbook Pro 612 (quite expensive and not so stylish as Kobo but otherwise ...?)
  • All models of PocketBook are excellent when it comes to book navigation.
  • They support large number of formats.
  • They support multi-level directory structure. You can set Calibre to export books to directories named after authors, author initials, series, tags, ... anything. Plus you can create "Catalog" - an e-book that has hyperlinked list of Authors, Book names, series, descriptions, covers. This Catalog isn't hyperlinked to the book on the SD card, it is hyperlinked within the catalog. So when you find an interesting book, you can follow the link and see other books you have from the same author, or you can explore series. This, of course, depends on how well you have organized metadata and descriptions in your Calibre.
  • there is "favorites" virtual folder where you can organize your books into virtual folders. All items here are symlinks, so the book can be in various categories and it is still just one file with the actual e-book content on the card or in memory. This favorites folder can be modified from outside the device, so you could write a program or plugin for Calibre to do that. Info about books in favorites virtual folder is stored in simple plain-text files that can be edited even manually.
  • PocketBook devices support file manipulations, so you can copy, move, delete file or directory
  • you can search for file name
  • you can access the list of 10 most recently read books from anywhere on device, even from inside opened book, so to switch between books you do not have to go to the library again and again.
  • The newest firmware has multitasking (please make sure it works also for non-touch versions) that lets you to have several books opened at the same time, so you can switch between books very quickly
  • They support SD card up to 32GB in size
  • the number of books on card/device doesn't affect the functionality. The device starts as quickly with no books as with 10000 of them. When you load more than 1000 books on Kindle, it will try to index all the books and will become very slow. There is similar problem with Sony and some other device that do not support hierarchical directory structure but have to index books for one loooooooooong list. And do NOT start me to talk about Kobo that has only a fraction of memory available for non-purchased content and keeps the book in an internal database [Grrrrrrrrrr!]
Oh ...
One more thing.
At the end of March there will [I hope] be new model PocketBook Touch 622 available. With capacitive multi-touch pearl screen. The first youtube videos of actual devices look very promising.
But! Do. Not. Hold. Your. Breath. This is just a promise from PocketBook company. They might decide to wait with introduction for particular market like they did several times in the past.

Last edited by kacir; 03-05-2012 at 05:56 AM.
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Old 03-05-2012, 06:11 AM   #3
jbaltsar
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Originally Posted by kacir View Post
[LIST]
And do NOT start me to talk about Kobo that has only a fraction of memory available for non-purchased content and keeps the book in an internal database
I try anyway
What does this mean? I cannot put as many free books on a Kobo as I wish? And what does this internal database thing mean?

Thanks a lot for your reply

Judith
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Old 03-05-2012, 07:32 AM   #4
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I try anyway
What does this mean? I cannot put as many free books on a Kobo as I wish? And what does this internal database thing mean?
Kobo uses sqlite database to store books
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94789

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=170000
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...80#post1831280
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82985

Please notice, there are several devices called kobo.
The very first one - non-touch, and Kobo Touch
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix
I do not own Kobo and I am not going to in a foreseeable future(*), so I do not pay close attention. I just noticed many people complaining about problems with the internal sqlite database used for storing books (or possibly just metadata and/or covers) on Kobo.
You see, there is nothing wrong with the sqlite database as such, it is a fine database for things that need to be put into database, but I am much happier when my device stores books and metadata in regular files. When something gets screwed up, you just delete one faulty file, the rest are perfectly usable.


Sorry, that space limitation was for Nook tablet. Out of 16GB memory, 15GB were reserved for purchased content and 1GB for user content. You can go to the store and request that they repartition the space for you (or so I heard).


(*) I am very happy PocketBook user and if I buy a new reader it will be most probably PocketBook. I am too spoiled by all those configuration possibilities (that I haven't mentioned in my post, such as ability to display up to 50 books per library page on my PB360). I have way too much know-how in configuration and customization of PocketBook devices. You see, I am a tinkerer. I want to set up everything *exactly* the way I like it. And I am very wary of devices that "call home" regularly - such as Kindle and Kobo.
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Old 03-05-2012, 08:46 AM   #5
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As far as the Kobo for navigation, I would suggest crossing it off your list at this point in time. From my experience, it has some nasty bugs that can make navigation very tedious (long/infinite delays, "stored" taps leading to unwanted page turns, ...)

For navigation it has:

Table of contents
A slider for navigation to a particular page #
Bookmarks (annotations)
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:37 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbaltsar View Post
# Sony (don't like the looks)
This is for the now discontinued PRS-x50 line of Sony Readers (much better looking than the PRS-T1).

default firmware:
  • library navigation: single-level collections (by default, Calibre automatically makes these from tags and series), search by title
  • in-book navigation: table of contents, history, bookmarks, slider bar, page # entry, search

PRS+ 2.1 default/tip:
  • library navigation: multi-level collections (can support Calibre subgroups), search by title, folder view, book history (user-customizable: 10,20,30,40 or 50), author list, full text/content search inside collection and author list views
  • in-book navigation: same as default

The default Sony firmware is already pretty decent. However, add PRS+ and it becomes excellent. Caveat, if you just directly copy books (e.g. via drag and drop) without going through Sony Reader or Calibre, initial start-up takes a long time due to indexing.

Last edited by ilovejedd; 03-05-2012 at 10:42 AM.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:37 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by jbaltsar View Post
H
# Sony (don't like the looks)
If that's the reason, I don't think anything anyone's likely to say about its functionality will change your mind. Although you could cover it up with a book or skin. Personally, I love the look of the Sony, but each to their own.

Re page navigation, you can navigate through a book just bu pressing a button to bring up the page navigation screen, and then entering the page number. If you've got bookmarks, highlights or notes on any of the pages, just pick the relevant one to go directly to it.
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Old 03-06-2012, 06:39 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbaltsar View Post
Hello everybody,
at the moment I'm reading with an Archos 70b. I like it, it does, what it's supposed to do, but of course it's somewhat on the heavy side and battery life is awfully short. So I'm planning to buy an e-ink device.

I have quite a large ebook collection and spent some time in calibre to categorize and tag it. How do the most common ereaders compare when it comes to finding a certain book via tags or folder navigation?

A second point I am concerned about: I like to jump back and forth in a book while reading it. On my Archos (using the inbuild reader or CoolReader) I can jump directly to a page. I like the design of the Kobo, but as I understand in-book navigation is only by scrolling through the book, right? This sounds somewhat clumsy in larger books.

At the moment I am considering
# Kindle (although I would like a reader with native epub support and SD slot better)
# Kobo (best looks for me but don't know if I wouldn't like something with buttons better)
# Sony (don't like the looks)
# Pocketbook Pro 612 (quite expensive and not so stylish as Kobo but otherwise ...?)
Thanks a lot for any comment

Judith
If you like coolreader and are comfortable rooting your device then I would recommend Nook Touch. Collreader works perfectly in nook touch.
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Old 03-07-2012, 06:21 PM   #9
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On the Kobo Touch you can't make shelves, but hopefully soon you will be able to, they have shelves but they aren't activated yet. But there is a plug-in that makes them usable.

The Kobo Touch will slow down a bit when you have a ton of books on it, but page turns WILL NOT be slower, just browsing your Library will be (Which you don't do much anyway).

I recommend the Kobo Touch, though I will say Amazon has a much better customer service.
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Old 03-07-2012, 07:10 PM   #10
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If you like coolreader and are comfortable rooting your device then I would recommend Nook Touch. Collreader works perfectly in nook touch.
You can do the same thing with a Sony T1 and have a better reader.
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Old 03-07-2012, 07:12 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbaltsar View Post
Hello everybody,
at the moment I'm reading with an Archos 70b. I like it, it does, what it's supposed to do, but of course it's somewhat on the heavy side and battery life is awfully short. So I'm planning to buy an e-ink device.

I have quite a large ebook collection and spent some time in calibre to categorize and tag it. How do the most common ereaders compare when it comes to finding a certain book via tags or folder navigation?

A second point I am concerned about: I like to jump back and forth in a book while reading it. On my Archos (using the inbuild reader or CoolReader) I can jump directly to a page. I like the design of the Kobo, but as I understand in-book navigation is only by scrolling through the book, right? This sounds somewhat clumsy in larger books.

At the moment I am considering
# Kindle (although I would like a reader with native epub support and SD slot better)
# Kobo (best looks for me but don't know if I wouldn't like something with buttons better)
# Sony (don't like the looks)
# Pocketbook Pro 612 (quite expensive and not so stylish as Kobo but otherwise ...?)
Thanks a lot for any comment

Judith
Forget the Kindle. Management is not that good. Forget the Kobo, way too many bugs. The Sony has collections and is VERY EASY to manage. Can't speak for the Pocketbook.
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Old 03-07-2012, 10:16 PM   #12
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Sony's customer support is among the worst. If you must have native ePub support, go with Kobo or a Nook.
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Old 03-08-2012, 10:30 AM   #13
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[LIST][*]All models of PocketBook are excellent when it comes to book navigation...
Kacir said it all. There really isnt any point of bringing up other devices after that unless you can match them point for point.
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Old 03-09-2012, 06:50 PM   #14
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Sony has very good support within MR though
Calibre in particular makes organizing your books pretty easy.
Not saying it is the best in that regard, but thinking it is
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Old 03-10-2012, 03:46 PM   #15
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Sony's customer support is among the worst. If you must have native ePub support, go with Kobo or a Nook.
There's no need for the manufacturer's customer support when the device works out of the box unlike Kobo which applies bandaid patches every two minutes.

Between the Sony & the Kobo, go with a Sony. Kobo is a horrid device, poor user interface, lousy device software & glitchy like crazy! There's tons of threads on it.
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