Choices, decisions and other nuissances

[xerxe]

Hello everyone,

I'm 25 years old from Romania (Europe).

I'm interested in buying an eBook. I'm currently at the stage where i think I know what I want. So, I would ask of you to give me some advice.

The purpose of my eReader would be mainly literature (belletristic), some pdfs with small pictures (chess problems), and, not so importantly, technical IT manuals (SQL, web etc). File formats are not such a big issue, as any file can be converted to .rtf, even .txt if necessary (for literature). As for pdfs, rebuilding the entire file with changed page size is feasible if the need arose.

I'm not interested in DRM support. The web is full of free eBooks. Classical literature ftw!

Oh, one more important thing: I would like the possibility to read books written in different languages, many with non-Latin characters (Romanian, French, Finnish, maybe Arabic and Japanese at some point ).

I've been browsing the forum and wiki for a few weeks, also other websites, gathering information on eReaders.

I'm looking to buy a 6" eInk device. I've narrowed down to: Sony PRS 505, BeBook, CyBook Gen3(?).

Honestly, I'm inclined more towards the Sony, because a colleague of mine has one, and has had only praise for it. (He promised that tomorrow he'll bring it at work, so I could see it )

I'm not sure about it being too old, though, seeing that 505 already 2 years of age. Alternatives would be the soon-coming 300(5"-too small & no SD) and 600(touchscreen not too tempting, and may be generating reflections).
Both of these are not very appealing. Actually, is there any reason to release new models? Isn't the eInk screen identical? Is it just a market initiative?

Also, I'm not just yet ready to push out BeBook, mainly because of continuous grow(firmware updates). The wide format support, as I said, is not a big plus, as I'm not afraid to experiment with converting.
What I don't like about it is the left-positioning of the page turn buttons.

The mp3 player functions of these 2 devices seem useless. More weight to hold.

About Bookeen's products. Opus is 5", which seems kind of small. Gen3 is ugly IMHO, but this is not a reason . Maybe I would consider it, if someone were to recommend it.

As I said I am open to any advice you could give me.

About ordering, there are some issues.
The 2 Europe devices: CyBook, BeBook are deliverable directly to Romania, from the official sites.
The Sony I can buy from eBay, with it's total price (product, transport, customs, VAT) being about 50 euros (65 USD) cheaper than the Gen3 and BeBook (which both are around 300 euros).
Are the 50 euros worth it, or should I go with the Sony? (this is more a rhetoric question than an ultimatum )

Thank you for your attention. Awaiting answers with great interest.

P.S.: Forgot one question:
When changing a page, the eInk screen resets to fully black, then displays the next page.
It sounds like it's very disturbing, when immersed in the plot of a good novel.
Are there any eReaders without this drawback?

[Patricia]

Welcome to the forum, Xerxe.

The Sony PRS505 still seems to be widely available and I suspect that Sony will keep it around for a while longer. I find that it's a sturdy device and very ergonomic for reading with either hand.

You can embed different fonts with no trouble and I've had no problems converting books with accented characters.

Incidentally, whatever you eventually choose, we have a book upload section with thousands of free books converted by members into a variety of formats.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by xerxe

P.S.: Forgot one question:
When changing a page, the eInk screen resets to fully black, then displays the next page.
It sounds like it's very disturbing, when immersed in the plot of a good novel.
Are there any eReaders without this drawback?

99% of people find that, after an hour of using an eInk device, they no longer consciously "see" this. Your brain just "erases" it. For the overwhelming majority of people it really is a total "non issue".

I have both a CyBook Gen3 and an Opus. Both are excellent devices.

[xerxe]

Thanks for the replies.

Originally Posted by Patricia

The Sony PRS505 still seems to be widely available and I suspect that Sony will keep it around for a while longer. I find that it's a sturdy device and very ergonomic for reading with either hand.

It seems that the new models do not bring major improvements over the 505 and 700. Hopefully, though, they will bring the price of the older models down, so maybe a little patience is due.

Originally Posted by Patricia

You can embed different fonts with no trouble and I've had no problems converting books with accented characters.

Sounds good. Worth some more investigation with other readers as well.

Originally Posted by HarryT

99% of people find that, after an hour of using an eInk device, they no longer consciously "see" this. Your brain just "erases" it. For the overwhelming majority of people it really is a total "non issue".

I'm glad to hear that. I'll try my colleague's Sony at work, to get a feeling of the eInk technology in general, and the PRS 505 in particular.

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have both a CyBook Gen3 and an Opus. Both are excellent devices.

I'll wait a few more weeks before finally deciding on any reader, although the wait will be difficult.

Cheers

[xerxe]

To make things more complicated, I'll add JetBook to the considered eReaders list.

Pros:
+ It's cheaper
+ Fast page turn
+ No flashing of the screen while turning the page
+ LCD is a mature technology, opposed to eInk which is in it's early stages

Cons:
- The LCD display consumes energy to hold the image
- Eyestrain greater that eInk?

Any thoughts?

[DrMoze]

Originally Posted by xerxe

To make things more complicated, I'll add JetBook to the considered eReaders list.

Pros:
+ It's cheaper
+ Fast page turn
+ No flashing of the screen while turning the page
+ LCD is a mature technology, opposed to eInk which is in it's early stages

Cons:
- The LCD display consumes energy to hold the image
- Eyestrain greater that eInk?

Any thoughts?

As a further clarification: The JetBook has a much lower resolution (640x480, vs. 800x600 for the 5"/6" e-ink displays). This makes a big difference when reading small print. And the "energy" issue is significant. The Jetbook battery lasts less than 1 day. I can use my Sony Reader for about 3 weeks between charges.

Having a "book-like" device (in terms of print quality and lack of constant recharging) is a big plus for the e-ink devices imo. And the JetBook is a 5" screen. If you want something smaller, I would recommend picking up a Sony Reader 300 when they come out.

The Jetbook website (with comparison between ebook devices) is very misleading. They reference their "hi-res" display, but fail to give the actual resolution. They mention battery charge time and number of page turns, but conveniently ignore battery life. (11,500 page turns? Really? This is in less than 24 hrs, which is the battery life of the JetBook. They must have been turning pages as fast as possible to come up with that bogus figure.) Their book capacity figures are bogus too.

The 'flash' between pages is a non-issue. It is no worse than the brief interruption when you turn a real paper book page, and it's ready to read when your eyes go back up to the top of the page.

[xerxe]

Originally Posted by DrMoze

The Jetbook website (with comparison between ebook devices) is very misleading.

Meanwhile I read a thread about the same topic, so it seems that the manufacturers are lying to get their product sold. Something smells fishy...

Originally Posted by DrMoze

Having a "book-like" device (in terms of print quality and lack of constant recharging) is a big plus

You're right, of course, I didn't know the battery runs out so quickly.

The 5 inch diagonal does it (thought it was 6")! JetBook is dropped from my list.

Thanks, DrMoze!

[jgray]

Yes, the jetBook screen is 480x640. Even with the smallest font, I find the text very readable. The difference in resolution isn't that noticeable on a five inch screen. Keep in mind that the very popular Ebookwise with its larger screen is only 480x320, which is half of the jetBook resolution. For ereaders with screens over 5-6 inches, more resolution is certainly desireable.

I'm not going to comment on what's on the jetBook web site. I don't care.

My reasons for buying a jetBook had to do with price, contrast and formats. At the $170 price from NewEgg (with free shipping), it was the least expensive option at the time.

I tried a Sony PRS-505 and did not like the contrast of eInk in low light situations. I would suggest that you try one yourself before buying to see if this is a factor for you. I find the jetBook screen much more readable in rather dim light. The screen is not backlit, just like the eInk screens.

As for the screen flash of eInk, I did find it annoying. But as some have stated, I guess you get used to it after a while.

With the newer firmwares, the jetBook does a respectable job of displaying several common ebook formats (yes, it could be better). There is no DRM format support at this time, but that is not an issue for me.

Given the current crop of ereaders, I'm happy with my jetBook purchase. It will serve me quite well until something significantly better comes along at an affordable price. That may be next year or five years from now.

[jgray]

Oh, I forgot to mention battery life. The stated battery life of 20+ hours is for continuous use. Unless you plan on reading for more than 20 hours straight, I don't think this should be a problem. Myself, I read for 1-4 hours at a time and then lay the jetBook aside. I usually recharge it about once per week. Charging a device once per week is not a hardship for me. The jetBook battery holds a charge quite well and does not self-discharge quickly. You could probably leave it unused for weeks without needing a charge.

[DrMoze]

Just a slightly off-topic aside to jgray: I also have an Asus 1000(H) netbook, and it's a solid machine. I'm thinking of shifting my ebooks (and device registration) to it. I have read pdf's on it by rotating in full-screen mode, and holding it like a regular book (right end on top), scrolling pages with my thumb hitting the trackpad buttons on the right edge. This is only for work stuff, though.

[jgray]

I like my Asus 1000HE very much. Before I bought the jetBook, I did use it for reading. It isn't too bad for PDF use, but unless I'm portable, I'd rather read those on my 21" LCD.

For general ebook reading (epub, mobi, etc.) I prefer the jetBook, due to its size and weight. The Asus is certainly lighter and smaller than a laptop, but you can't beat a reader that only weighs 1/2 pound. It's much more convenient in the bathroom

[jgray]

Just one more thought about ereaders. If I were going to buy an eInk device in the near future, I would consider the Astak 5" Pocket Pro and the Sony 600. From the descriptions here on MR, I like the price, features and format support of the Astak. The Sony 600 with dictionary might be interesting if the problem of the touchscreen bluring the display has been solved. Of course, selecting either of these would depend on whether these new units have better contrast in low light, compared to the current crop of ereaders. Just my two cents, based solely on the pre-release information here on MR.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by xerxe

To make things more complicated, I'll add JetBook to the considered eReaders list.

Pros:
+ It's cheaper
+ Fast page turn
+ No flashing of the screen while turning the page
+ LCD is a mature technology, opposed to eInk which is in it's early stages

Cons:
- The LCD display consumes energy to hold the image
- Eyestrain greater that eInk?

Any thoughts?

Pros:
+ It's cheaper - YES
+ Fast page turn - YES
+ No flashing of the screen while turning the page - YES
+ LCD is a mature technology, opposed to eInk which is in it's early stages
-YES

Cons:
- The LCD display consumes energy to hold the image - YES but I charge my jetBook one time per week that is not a problem

Eyestrain greater that eInk? No Eyestrain after 4-5 hours of non stop reading[/B]

[xerxe]

Originally Posted by jgray

I tried a Sony PRS-505 and did not like the contrast of eInk in low light situations. I would suggest that you try one yourself before buying to see if this is a factor for you. I find the jetBook screen much more readable in rather dim light. The screen is not backlit, just like the eInk screens.

I'll see the 505 soon. The low light-low contrast sounds only a bit concerning. Even with paper books, it is recommended to read in good lighting conditions.
Unfortunately I won't have the chance of getting my hands on a JetBook for testing.
More than that, 5"<6", and this is a pretty major point for me. Being able to see through just a keyhole sounds pretty grim. Considering this, I would optimally get an ILiad, but there are many other drawbacks.

Originally Posted by jgray

I would consider the Astak 5" Pocket Pro and the Sony 600.

Astak 5" Pocket Pro (I think it's mini BeBook in Europe) is the brother of Hanlin V5. I was considering BeBook, which is brother to Hanlin V3, which is 6". I'm stubborn about 6".
As for PRS 600, as I've already said, touchscreen doesn't interest me. I never annotate paper books, it just doesn't seem right . Dictionary, again is not that useful for me.

I can define better what I want now from an eReader: a simple, durable electronic device that acts like a book.

Thanks all for your answers, still waiting to hear some opinions on why CyBook gen3 or BeBook would be better.

[jchestnutt]

Originally Posted by xerxe

I'll see the 505 soon. The low light-low contrast sounds only a bit concerning. Even with paper books, it is recommended to read in good lighting conditions.

My experience with the 505 (and I expect all other e-ink readers would be similar), is that you'll need a light to read at night and in the evening, but not too much different from a paper book.

I found that on an airplane, with the cabin lights off, the reader sitting on the tray, and only using the overhead seat light, I could not read the smallest text size easily. However, bumping up the text size one notch made it easily readable for me (your eyes may vary).

The best way is really just to try one in person and see if it works for you. A lot of it seems to be personal preference.