Help me decide :) (mainly prs-900 or ipad)

[jjw]

Hello everyone,

After seeing the new Kindle announcement I have the itch to buy an ebook reader. I hardly ever use paper books since i got Stanza on my Iphone and I think I want to move up to something with a bigger screen.

Unfortunately being in Australia I can't try out many of the readers without buying them so i'm relying on your guys to help me out :P
I had a brief look at the Kobo at Borders and an Iriver at JB but they felt a bit cheap.

I've spent a few hours looking up reviews of different readers and i think i'm most tempted by the Sony PRS-900. I like the bigger screen size and that it doesn't have a big keyboard like the Kindle. Also i'm interested in how big a screen people like for their ebook readers. 6 inches seems to be the most popular size but the 7 inches on the PRS-900 seems closer to what an actual book would book like. Haven't tried either so i'd love to hear some peoples' opinions.

My friend suggested getting an Ipad but I think that might be overkill for just reading especially with the size and weight. Is there any compromise in its screen quality over a dedicated ebook reader? Ipad or PRS-900 seem to be the most appealing options right now, i would appreciate any help in deciding.


For me the most important features are:
Design/ergonomics
Screen quality (i've read about 20 books on the iphone so it doesn't have to be amazing)
Battery life
Size/weight

Not important:
Store availability

Thanks in advance for any advice, I enjoy agonising over any purchase and this one is proving to be a doozy :P

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by jjw

My friend suggested getting an Ipad but I think that might be overkill for just reading especially with the size and weight. Is there any compromise in its screen quality over a dedicated ebook reader? Ipad or PRS-900 seem to be the most appealing options right now, i would appreciate any help in deciding.

If you aren't interested in the other things you can do with it, an iPad is overkill for reading standard fiction. You will get a cheaper, lighter device with better battery life by buying an eInk device instead. eInk is much better for reading in bright light, while the iPad is better for reading in low light or darkness.

Of the available eInk units, the new Kindle has a new generation of screen which seems to have significantly better contrast than any of the other currently available readers.

[Noah98]

The screen on the Prs-900 is not very good, and the unit is overpriced for what it offers.

The best readers on the market right now are the following:

6":
Kindle 3
nook

LCD:
ipad

Large Format:
ipad
Kindle DX

Netbook Tablet:
Asus T91mt

Pocket:
Pocketbook 360

Touchscreen:
Bebook Neo

These are the only devices that I would recommend (and I have tested just about everything on the market now!)

[vxf]

Originally Posted by jjw

Hello everyone,

After seeing the new Kindle announcement I have the itch to buy an ebook reader. I hardly ever use paper books since i got Stanza on my Iphone and I think I want to move up to something with a bigger screen.

Unfortunately being in Australia I can't try out many of the readers without buying them so i'm relying on your guys to help me out :P
I had a brief look at the Kobo at Borders and an Iriver at JB but they felt a bit cheap.

I've spent a few hours looking up reviews of different readers and i think i'm most tempted by the Sony PRS-900. I like the bigger screen size and that it doesn't have a big keyboard like the Kindle. Also i'm interested in how big a screen people like for their ebook readers. 6 inches seems to be the most popular size but the 7 inches on the PRS-900 seems closer to what an actual book would book like. Haven't tried either so i'd love to hear some peoples' opinions.

My friend suggested getting an Ipad but I think that might be overkill for just reading especially with the size and weight. Is there any compromise in its screen quality over a dedicated ebook reader? Ipad or PRS-900 seem to be the most appealing options right now, i would appreciate any help in deciding.


For me the most important features are:
Design/ergonomics
Screen quality (i've read about 20 books on the iphone so it doesn't have to be amazing)
Battery life
Size/weight

Not important:
Store availability

Thanks in advance for any advice, I enjoy agonising over any purchase and this one is proving to be a doozy :P

I use a PRS900 and am very happy with it.
However, the main reason I like it is the touchscreen. Truly, if you want to make annotations - I do because I read a lot of academic PDFs on it - then it's probably the best option.
But the touchscreen comes at the expense of contrast (reduced) and glare (increased).
So my advice is to buy a PRS900 if you want the capability of taking free-hand annotations.
Otherwise, there are cheaper and better options out there.

Frankly, if I didn't need the touchscreen, I would probably buy a Kindle, or more likely a KindleDX.

The iPad is a different story. It's an LCD screen, so if you plan on reading for extensive periods of time, your eyes will notice. It seems to bother some people more than others - yet, it's not as pleasant as eink. Also, battery life is sensibly less. Which you may or may not care about. I fly around a lot and often take trips for which the 10 hours of an iPad are just not enough. But, again, this is subjective. Then there is the weight and size issue.
If you don't need the added features and just want an eReader, the iPad is sub-optimal. It's not the cost - there are other compromises, as above.

[jjw]

Originally Posted by Noah98

The screen on the Prs-900 is not very good, and the unit is overpriced for what it offers.

The best readers on the market right now are the following:

6":
Kindle 3
nook

LCD:
ipad

Large Format:
ipad
Kindle DX

Netbook Tablet:
Asus T91mt

Pocket:
Pocketbook 360

Touchscreen:
Bebook Neo

These are the only devices that I would recommend (and I have tested just about everything on the market now!)

Thanks for the rundown
Hmm now i'm waffling towards the Kindle 3 again. I just wish it didn't have that keyboard taking up so much space.
Also i'd have to wait until next month for it to be in stock :P

[jjw]

Originally Posted by vxf

I use a PRS900 and am very happy with it.
However, the main reason I like it is the touchscreen. Truly, if you want to make annotations - I do because I read a lot of academic PDFs on it - then it's probably the best option.
But the touchscreen comes at the expense of contrast (reduced) and glare (increased).
So my advice is to buy a PRS900 if you want the capability of taking free-hand annotations.
Otherwise, there are cheaper and better options out there.

Frankly, if I didn't need the touchscreen, I would probably buy a Kindle, or more likely a KindleDX.

The iPad is a different story. It's an LCD screen, so if you plan on reading for extensive periods of time, your eyes will notice. It seems to bother some people more than others - yet, it's not as pleasant as eink. Also, battery life is sensibly less. Which you may or may not care about. I fly around a lot and often take trips for which the 10 hours of an iPad are just not enough. But, again, this is subjective. Then there is the weight and size issue.
If you don't need the added features and just want an eReader, the iPad is sub-optimal. It's not the cost - there are other compromises, as above.

The touchscreen is what made me interested in the Sony as well. I don't have to write notes or anything, it would be purely for entertainment so that probably isn't that necessary for me. I just thought the design on it looked a lot better than the keyboard readers.

Also there doesn't seem to be many options for readers larger than 6". The Kindle DX is probably a bit too big for my purposes and 380U$ compared to the PRS-900 at 250$

[GeoffC]

Make your mind up by looking at the wiki resource on e-readers ... here <>

[davidspitzer]

kindle 3 looks tiny even with the keyboard to me - I am seriously thinking about getting one to augment my ipad - if I can slide the expense past the CFO (Chief Female Officer)

[Noah98]

Originally Posted by vxf

I use a PRS900 and am very happy with it.
However, the main reason I like it is the touchscreen. Truly, if you want to make annotations - I do because I read a lot of academic PDFs on it - then it's probably the best option.
But the touchscreen comes at the expense of contrast (reduced) and glare (increased).
So my advice is to buy a PRS900 if you want the capability of taking free-hand annotations.
Otherwise, there are cheaper and better options out there.

Frankly, if I didn't need the touchscreen, I would probably buy a Kindle, or more likely a KindleDX.

The iPad is a different story. It's an LCD screen, so if you plan on reading for extensive periods of time, your eyes will notice. It seems to bother some people more than others - yet, it's not as pleasant as eink. Also, battery life is sensibly less. Which you may or may not care about. I fly around a lot and often take trips for which the 10 hours of an iPad are just not enough. But, again, this is subjective. Then there is the weight and size issue.
If you don't need the added features and just want an eReader, the iPad is sub-optimal. It's not the cost - there are other compromises, as above.

I think the Wacom touchscreen in the Bebook Neo is the better option since it doesn't degrade the screen quality.

[jjw]

Noah could you tell me what the problems with the Sony screen are?
Like is it actually straining to read or is it just not that good compared to what the others offer?

Just thinking about the cost and Kindle 3g with cover and power adaptor comes to 230$ and the Sony is 250$, again that extra inch on the screen is still tempting me and the other larger readers are all pretty expensive.

EDIT: The Nook is looking pretty good now as well. No keyboard and still has the good quality display?

[Noah98]

Originally Posted by jjw

Noah could you tell me what the problems with the Sony screen are?
Like is it actually straining to read or is it just not that good compared to what the others offer?

Just thinking about the cost and Kindle 3g with cover and power adaptor comes to 230$ and the Sony is 250$, again that extra inch on the screen is still tempting me and the other larger readers are all pretty expensive.

EDIT: The Nook is looking pretty good now as well. No keyboard and still has the good quality display?

I think the poor contrast and horrible screen glare (although not as bad as the PRS-600) make it a strain to read. In my humble opinion, it kind of defeats the purpose of eink which is supposed to provide a great paper-like reading experience. Contrast and clarity are very important. Also, screen glare makes it tough to read with a light source, and since the screen is not backlit...

The nook has an excellent display (although not as nice as the new Kindle 3) and I think a great interface (touchscreen vs physical keyboard).

[vxf]

Originally Posted by Noah98

I think the poor contrast and horrible screen glare (although not as bad as the PRS-600) make it a strain to read. In my humble opinion, it kind of defeats the purpose of eink which is supposed to provide a great paper-like reading experience. Contrast and clarity are very important. Also, screen glare makes it tough to read with a light source, and since the screen is not backlit...

The nook has an excellent display (although not as nice as the new Kindle 3) and I think a great interface (touchscreen vs physical keyboard).

The PRS900 does indeed suffer from glare/poor contrast. But how bad the problem is, is debatable.

Poor contrast is only a problem with poor lighting. And glare can usually be eliminated by a slight change in positioning - it is often a matter of a small change.

I have found that both problems are solved with a good reading light - a clip-on of some sorts. With a well-positioned light, glare is not existent and contrast is not a problem.

Then again, it is never bothered me much - keep in mind, the glare is nothing, compared to, say, an iPad. And the contrast is not that low - although I have to recognize, in some cases, I wish I could increase it.

[ProfCrash]

Check the e-book stores for the models you are looking at. Which one offers the books that you like at a price point that you like? There are a multitude of other book stores you can use to buy books but it is always nice to know that the main bookstore is available for you.

I believe you will find that the only bookstore that currently sells books to Australia is Amazons. Yes, you can download books from other stores but you lose some of the convience factor. The other benefit is that you should find it easier to work with Customer Service with an ereader that is available in Australia and not one that you have to jump through hops to get to you.

I have the 6 inch K1 and the larger DXG. I prefer reading on the DXG because I like the larger screen. The extra inch on the PS 900 would be nice to have but I still think that the K3 will be the better device. It is lighter, holds a charge longer, has a bookstore that you can easily use, has a better screen, and is fully supported in your country.

[jjw]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Check the e-book stores for the models you are looking at. Which one offers the books that you like at a price point that you like? There are a multitude of other book stores you can use to buy books but it is always nice to know that the main bookstore is available for you.

I believe you will find that the only bookstore that currently sells books to Australia is Amazons. Yes, you can download books from other stores but you lose some of the convience factor. The other benefit is that you should find it easier to work with Customer Service with an ereader that is available in Australia and not one that you have to jump through hops to get to you.

I have the 6 inch K1 and the larger DXG. I prefer reading on the DXG because I like the larger screen. The extra inch on the PS 900 would be nice to have but I still think that the K3 will be the better device. It is lighter, holds a charge longer, has a bookstore that you can easily use, has a better screen, and is fully supported in your country.

Yeah that's definitely a consideration.
I am holding off buying the Nook just because it seems like such a hassle to get it forwarded from the US by a proxy company. The Sony is more convenient since I can just order it from BHPhoto.
I have a relative going to the States next month so I might put off my decision until then. That way if I decide on the Kindle they will hopefully be in stock and if I decide on getting the Nook they can pick it up for me.
Also maybe some new models will be announced by then (I can hope )

[HistoryWes]

Get the iPad.