Comprehensive review sources out there assessing ALL (non-Kindle) devices?

[avid01]

Who are the main (non-Kindle) players (or just players) in the e-reader business?

Bookeen
Kobo
Nook
Onxy
Pocketbook
Tolino
Trekstor
What else?

In one universe, only Kindles go for me, since they have the Oxford Dictionary, which I thought was a must for me. In an alternative universe, however, really anything goes, but instead of picking a specific model, let's evaluate the companies making e-readers, based on factors like

- Support, warranty
- Design (hardware, software)
- Value (best bang for the buck)
- Using the latest and greatest technology (if such a thing exist in this field)
Hackability (the ability to add custom dictionaries, for example)
- Regional availability (Europe and North America, let's assume I have equal access to both markets, to make the competition even)

Do not assess specific models, but the brands themselves, based on the above parameters. To make it simpler, I don't care about the ecosystems (I read DRM-free, my only requirement is that I can add DRM-free material onto the device), just the devices (and the companies behind, support, design, etc.) themselves.

Feel free to give each company a star rating: 1 to 5 stars. Thank you!

Are there any comprehensive review sources out there assessing ALL (non-Kindle) devices?

[haydnfan]

Instead of demanding posters write a detailed report for you, perhaps you could simply do the research yourself. There are multiple blog sites that comprehensively review devices from all of those companies.

[avid01]

Originally Posted by haydnfan

Instead of demanding posters write a detailed report for you, perhaps you could simply do the research yourself. There are multiple blog sites that comprehensively review devices from all of those companies.

The topic title says:

Comprehensive review sources out there assessing ALL (non-Kindle) devices?

My sincere apologies for the confusion.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by avid01

The topic title says:

Comprehensive review sources out there assessing ALL (non-Kindle) devices?

My sincere apologies for the confusion.

That's what the title says. But, the post is demanding that we give a opinion.

Are you asking if there are reviews already existing with the details? If so, I don't think so. Most reviews are for a device and only mention in passing details about related devices from the same company.

[avid01]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That's what the title says. But, the post is demanding that we give a opinion.

You say I'm demanding something. Truly, I would like to think that I just asked something. It's a different tone.

Most people buy and use no more than one e-reader at a time. However, this is the premier forum for ebook and maybe more e-reader enthusiasts, and quite a few of our members buy quite a few readers just for the kick of it. I think it's not all unreasonable to ask for their 2 cents (like a 1 to 5 star rating), or is it?

I edited the first post for clarity.

[haydnfan]

Originally Posted by avid01

You say I'm demanding something. Truly, I would like to think that I just asked something. It's a different tone.

You provided instructions instead of questions with no "please" in sight. The tone you set is blunt and commanding.

You would be better off doing your own research and then politely asking specific questions after you've completed your own reading.

[Cinisajoy]

In a recent study it was found that all ereaders work in basically the same way.
Peter swears by kindle.
Paul swears by kobo.
Mary swears by something else.

So the answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

Personally I find it is too late for love since I like a three some with a kindle and a kobo.

And it is always best to do your own research.
Our tastes may not be the same. What I love about something, you may not can stand.

[avid01]

Seriously, I thought we are going to have a good discussion here about e-readers, not this meta-something about my English.

Originally Posted by haydnfan

You provided instructions instead of questions with no "please" in sight. The tone you set is blunt and commanding.

There was a thank you. I'm not a native speaker. I;ve read my piece again. It sounds to me clear, and yes, instructional (in a good way) about what I'd like to hear, because I know exactly what I'd like to know more about (is it bad?), but in a neutral, not demanding tone. With a thank you at the end. Isn't the thank you have the same effect as the please?

English speakers from various cultures around the globe: do you find my question/request not nice enough?

Originally Posted by haydnfan

You would be better off doing your own research and then politely asking specific questions after you've completed your own reading.

Seriously, I thought it's not at all unreasonable to ask a totally on-topic question, which is about e-readers on a forum about e-readers.

Ah! Maybe the problem is that my question is about a 'big picture overview' of the e-reader market, not about some nuanced detail about a specific model. But still, I myself find the question totally on-topic.

[Cinisajoy]

Please and thank you are not the same. Please is asking for help. Thank you is for after you get the help.
If you want to use thank you the way you did, say thank you in advance.

Since you asked, no your OP does not seem reasonable or nice.

Your English in itself is pretty good. The phrasing on the other hand needs work.

I can translate how most people read your first post.
I am looking for a new ereader. Give me very long and detailed answers on what you think of each company so I don't have to do any work myself.
It came across as being told what to do, not asking for opinions. Comprehensive review is a very bad choice of words.

If I was going to ask for help, the first thing I would do is see if there are sub forums dedicated to the company and read the stuff there. Then I would start a thread that read something like this.
"Hi. I am in the market for a new ereader. I have been reading the forums and would like your opinions on the following companies (list of companies still interested in) if you have dealt with them. Thank you in advance."

Hope this helps.
I just wanted to add English is a difficult language. On another site, we are forever having English to English problems.

[radius]

Hi avid01, I would agree that your tone could seem demanding, but I also think if you had been a more well known poster, you might not have received the push back that you did.

I can't add anything, unfortunately, since the only device maker I have experience with from your list is Kobo but I don't own one. I think this will be true for most North American members since Kindle is far dominant with, I believe, iBooks in second (or maybe Kobo?)

One thing though, is I think most reader/enthusiasts can tell you what they like or don't about the feel and ease of operation, but do people really care about warranty, support and so on for such an inexpensive item? These aren't iPhones we are talking about after all

[barryem]

I wasn't really bothered by the tone of the original post until I read the responses and then the OP's response to the responses. People took the original post as harsh and then the OP, instead of trying to soften things, talked about how they got it wrong. Anyway, if the OP still wants responses I suggest he try asking instead of demanding.

If the goal is simply to get information and reviews I suggest Youtube.

If the goal is really to start a discussion I suggest asking a question.

[edit]By the way, I do think a thread on the differences and opinions about all ereaders would be interesting, especially with the focus, as the OP said, on the devices and not the ecosystems. My preference would be to include all ereading devices including Kindles, phones, tablets, etc.

So, would anyone like to discuss the advantages of the various ereading platforms? I would.[/edit]

Barry

[shalym]

Originally Posted by avid01

Who are the main (non-Kindle) players (or just players) in the e-reader business?

Bookeen
Kobo
Nook
Onxy
Pocketbook
Tolino
Trekstor
What else?

In one universe, only Kindles go for me, since they have the Oxford Dictionary, which I thought was a must for me. In an alternative universe, however, really anything goes, but instead of picking a specific model, let's evaluate the companies making e-readers, based on factors like

- Support, warranty
- Design (hardware, software)
- Value (best bang for the buck)
- Using the latest and greatest technology (if such a thing exist in this field)
Hackability (the ability to add custom dictionaries, for example)
- Regional availability (Europe and North America, let's assume I have equal access to both markets, to make the competition even)

Do not assess specific models, but the brands themselves, based on the above parameters. To make it simpler, I don't care about the ecosystems (I read DRM-free, my only requirement is that I can add DRM-free material onto the device), just the devices (and the companies behind, support, design, etc.) themselves.

Feel free to give each company a star rating: 1 to 5 stars. Thank you!

Are there any comprehensive review sources out there assessing ALL (non-Kindle) devices?

Have you taken a look at this thread? 8+ Readers in Comparison I know that it's a little over a year old, but it still may be worth looking at?

Shari

[avid01]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Please and thank you are not the same. Please is asking for help. Thank you is for after you get the help.
If you want to use thank you the way you did, say thank you in advance.

Thank you for the English lessons! Truth to be told, not everyone grey up in America, being familiar with American manners. As a thought experiment, if you move eastwards from Europe to Asia, the tone of people interact with each other on a daily basis change accordingly. Everyone is fine with it. what can you do if you grew up in a different culture, and you are (just virtually) thrown into a different one? Other people might find you not so nice. For behavior which is completely the norm back home. So what to do?

There are 7 billion people on Earth, (300 million in the US), many speak English as a second language, but still bring their cultural backgrounds to the table. Is this an American or a World forum?

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I can translate how most people read your first post.
I am looking for a new ereader. Give me very long and detailed answers on what you think of each company so I don't have to do any work myself.
It came across as being told what to do, not asking for opinions. Comprehensive review is a very bad choice of words.

Let me translate back to my language how I feel you mistranslated me.
You say that I ask for members here to write original long posts, so I don't have to do original research. Which is not the case, at least, not what I intended. My assumption is that original research (long posts) already exist somewhere on the Internet, I would just like this topic to gather them to a convenient location.

Let's assume the Internet is a vast space and various people have already done their original research on this and that. Let me translate to myself how I understood your though process: If I understand you correctly, you suggest that people should do their research for themselves AND keep for themselves, not to publish it on an online forum, blog, or YouTube video (because it would just be too good for everybody to share... let's just keep it for ourselves). Otherwise, if people already publish their findings online, it is also reasonable (in my view) to collect links to others' previous findings in a convenient single post/thread for easy reference, which you suggest is too much, would be too much goodness of others' work, for reasons beyond me (against the spirit of the Internet as I see it). ;(

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

If I was going to ask for help, the first thing I would do is see if there are sub forums dedicated to the company and read the stuff there. Then I would start a thread that read something like this.
"Hi. I am in the market for a new ereader. I have been reading the forums and would like your opinions on the following companies (list of companies still interested in) if you have dealt with them. Thank you in advance."

If I'm asking for opinions on a bunch of e-readers, for me it's more logical to ask in the General forum, than pick X brand and ask its respective sub-forum. My 2 cents. Thanks.

[Seriously, I can't believe this topic.]

[avid01]

Originally Posted by radius

One thing though, is I think most reader/enthusiasts can tell you what they like or don't about the feel and ease of operation, but do people really care about warranty, support and so on for such an inexpensive item? These aren't iPhones we are talking about after all

Support is still very important - even for a cheap item -, if it's for a piece of advanced technology you intend to use heavily every day (aka. "power user"). You are right, maybe software support (that it "just works") is more important than hardware support - if you buy the inexpensive item, but nowadays more e-book reader companies offer cheaper and more expensive readers, and they do not distinguish between level of support between their cheaper and more expensive items. My experience otherwise show that level of hardware and software support go hand in hand: if a company tends to care about they produce good software (which just works, they fix bugs, etc.), they are more likely be better with hardware support as well, as they are simply a nice company. Isn't it the case?

[avid01]

Originally Posted by barryem

I wasn't really bothered by the tone of the original post until I read the responses and then the OP's response to the responses. People took the original post as harsh and then the OP, instead of trying to soften things, talked about how they got it wrong. Anyway, if the OP still wants responses I suggest he try asking instead of demanding.

It seems to me there is still misunderstanding and confusion about what I wanted to say (I think about @Cinisajoy, and this very post by you, too; again, I'm not a native speaker, I can't be 100% sure you understood what I wanted to say), so is it unreasonable that I want to explain myself in further posts? I don't think so.

Originally Posted by barryem

If the goal is simply to get information and reviews I suggest Youtube.

Indeed, good point. Lot's of good information on YouTube. But as we are here on this forum (the premier e-book forum on the Internet), is it entirely unreasonable to collect, say the best YouTube reviewers into one convenient topic here (or everyone on this forum should keep their YouTube finding secret for herself?)? I don't think so.

Originally Posted by barryem

If the goal is really to start a discussion I suggest asking a question.

For example? How would you do this differently than I did? I guess, I asked some question in the beginning, albeit a complex one, I agree.

Originally Posted by barryem

By the way, I do think a thread on the differences and opinions about all ereaders would be interesting, especially with the focus, as the OP said, on the devices and not the ecosystems. My preference would be to include all ereading devices including Kindles, phones, tablets, etc.

Indeed. But the Kindle is all over the place, though, that's an easy reference to compare everything with, I agree. If we were to include not only e-Ink devices but all gadgets with LCD screens... that would be a discussion of a completely different scope (it would be too much of everything).

Originally Posted by barryem

So, would anyone like to discuss the advantages of the various ereading platforms? I would.

One paragraph above you agree a discussion, as I suggested, about the devices, not the platforms would be interesting. One paragraph below, here you suggest a discussion about the platforms, not the devices would be interesting. A little bit confusing to me, never mind.