Which 5-inch reader for ordinary reading?

[WigglePig]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The same device is available in Europe as the BeBook Mini. But I still wouldn't recommend it.

Actually, I was originally looking at the BeBook mini (sold in Foyles) as I quite like the layout. I'm curious as to why you wouldn't recommend one.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

By putting the eink screen in your pocket, you run a greater risk of breaking it. So being able to put it in your pocket is not a good thing at all.

In my pocket in the well-padded slipcase I made for it. The Elonex is actually very sturdy, made of very rigid plastic with a metal rim, so it's more a risk of scratching the screen than breaking it.

And as others have pointed out the 360 has a clip-on case to protect it.

Graham

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by WigglePig

Actually, I was originally looking at the BeBook mini (sold in Foyles) as I quite like the layout. I'm curious as to why you wouldn't recommend one.

Because, as I said, they've gone down the route of trying to display "everything", with the result that it doesn't really display any of it terribly well. For example, it's the only eInk device (that I know of) that claims to display LIT files, but it does it so poorly, that it's really not worth doing at all. It's OK for ePub files, but again not great - very clumsy hyperlink support, for example.

[fjtorres]

The Hanlin ebook readers are good readers; they're just not great.
They do a lot of things well enough to be worth consideration.
Unfortunately for them, some of their competitors (in price and targetted market) are in fact *great* at what they actually do.

I own a Hanlin V3; I got it because of the LIT support.
I eventually figured out how to get through a full LIT book without a crash but it pretty much excludes all BAEN lits.
Everything else, from RTF to ePub it is just adequate. (With *any* of the available firmwares.) And adequate is fine, *if* there are no better alternatives. When I got mine two years ago there were no better alternatives.
Today they are.

Let's just say that stability is *not* one of the things my BeBook does well-enough and leave it at that.

[Ea]

I've had Hanlin V3 - but only for a few months. It isn't exactly bad, it's just not all that great either.

[abadboy]

On your Hanlin V-3 install L-Book firmware and use Epub.
It solved all my problems until I dropped it on the floor and broke the eink screen.

[fjtorres]

Lbook? Tried it.
Tirwal?
Buggins?
OpenInkpot?
Tried them all.

The best experience was OpenInkpot and ePub was still short of 100% reliable.
A year of the Firmware of the week club was enough for me.

Doesn't mean it's bad; The hardware is decent. The software needs work, though.
It's a fun platform for hobbyists.

But for just "ordinary reading" as the OP wants?
I wouldn't recommend it. (shrug)

[KunoK]

Originally Posted by WigglePig

Well, the PB360 looks pretty good but they don't ship to the UK.

/edit: I just spotted that you run an online store...I'll have a read!

I think you can buy a pocketbook in the uk. Try one of these:
www.electronicreading.eu
www.ebookreaderdiscounter.com
www.greenreader.co.uk

Some of the cybook and pocketbooks are the same hardware with different software. I have not tried a pocketbook, but I have a feeling that it is more customisable and with more frequent software updates. Choose pocketbook from those 2.

[JSWolf]

I'd like to suggest one of the new lower price readers with a 6" screen such as the Kobo, nook, or 600.

[WigglePig]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'd like to suggest one of the new lower price readers with a 6" screen such as the Kobo, nook, or 600.

These are all too big, as I really really want a reader to put in my pocket.

[WillAdams]

WigglePig --- my Sony PRS-600 (and 505 before it) fits in the pockets of my Travelsmith shirts --- before that I used to have shirts tailor-made to accommodate my Newton.

William

[WigglePig]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

WigglePig --- my Sony PRS-600 (and 505 before it) fits in the pockets of my Travelsmith shirts --- before that I used to have shirts tailor-made to accommodate my Newton.

William

Indeed. I wear neither shirts nor have custom-made pockets.

5-inch for me I'm afraid.

[Ken Maltby]

There are always the Aluratek Libre and the Ectaco Jetbook and Jetbook Lite.

Luck;
Ken

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

There are always the Aluratek Libre and the Ectaco Jetbook and Jetbook Lite.

Luck;
Ken

To be honest, I would not go with a device that does not support library eBooks at all.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To be honest, I would not go with a device that does not support library eBooks at all.

Several of the recent Jetbook firmware has users reading library eBooks.

Ectaco has announced that both the Jetbook and Jetbook Lite, sold
after 22 July (Tomorrow), will also support ADE.

I'm not sure about the Aluratek Libre.

One thing I am sure of is that you can pocket any of these 5-inch ereaders.

Luck;
Ken