I'm going to get an eBook reader for the first time. Which one should I get?

[erictoma]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

All of the bookstores are going to be "disabled" for Canadian users. That has nothing to do with Amazon. Geo Restrictions negatively impact B&N, Kobo, Sony, and every other e-book store out there.

You seem like you are an Amazon representative who are so so numerous here.
Kindle doesn't allow people to buy eBooks from other store.
That means that canadian customers who use Kindle have no solution when they face GEO restriction !
Canadians who own other eareader could easily buy eBooks from other stores which is impossible for candian kindke owner.

[ProfCrash]

And how does a Canadian Nook owner get around geo restriction? If the book is restricted at one store it will be restricted at another store.

The only way to get a geo restricted book, no matter what store you use, is to have a US address and some thing to mask your IP address.

If you wish to believe that Amazon is the only store effected by geo restrictions feel free to continue to believe that. You are wrong but you are free to continue to be wrong.

[erictoma]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

And how does a Canadian Nook owner get around geo restriction? If the book is restricted at one store it will be restricted at another store.

The only way to get a geo restricted book, no matter what store you use, is to have a US address and some thing to mask your IP address.

If you wish to believe that Amazon is the only store effected by geo restrictions feel free to continue to believe that. You are wrong but you are free to continue to be wrong.

Canadian book owners would simply buy from Canadian, American or even Chinese stores which is impossible for kindle owners.
It is very easy to understand that Kindle store are really weird toward canadian customers.

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Frankly, I think the OP would do well with a 5" Sony 350, which handles PDF issues better than most,
and is in the price range.

+1

From your list of wants, the 650 is the best choice except in price. The 350 is the same, only 1" smaller and is cheaper, well in your price range.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by FF2

I have purchased/gotten books from Smashwords and Bewrite for the Kindle. You are NOT limited to purchasing from Amazon.

But you are limited to Amazon if you are trying to purchase eBooks with DRM.

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But you are limited to Amazon if you are trying to purchase eBooks with DRM.

There may be an obvious answer to this, but if given a choice, why would I want a DRM book over a non-DRM book?

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by speedlever

There may be an obvious answer to this, but if given a choice, why would I want a DRM book over a non-DRM book?

You wouldn't.

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

You wouldn't.

That's what I thought. But Jon's response implied that one may wish to do so. I am curious why that would be? (I have much to learn about the ebook world).

[mikeayers]

I have a kindle and use calibre on my computer to converter from epub and other formats.
then it puts them on the kindle with no problems.... don't know about DRM problems
so far everything i have read has been free.

[Soul_Est]

FutureShop is having a sale on the Sony Readers at $30.00 off the PRS-650 until tomorrow. http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/categ.../10153712.aspx

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by erictoma

I'm a newbie lol, but I have read that sonny 650 has less glare ! but is still has this issue.
I hate sonny gadgets by the way
thanks for the info about kobo

I have the new 950 with touchscreen and can state that glare is not a problem with the new screens. The glare that exists is the same glare that occurs on any Kindle, nook, Kobo, or other device. NONE of the devices are 100% glare free; it depends on how the light hits the screen (angle of vision). The first touchscreen Sonys (300/600/900) had a glare problem because of the second layer of screen. The new models (350/650/950) no longer have this second layer of screen and do not have the glare problem.

That you "hate sonny [sic] gadgets" perhaps colors your opinion a great deal?

[ProfCrash]

Everything I have read says that the glare is no longer an issue. I find that I have some glare issues from time to time on my Kindle due to the way the light hits the screen. It is rare but it does happen.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by speedlever

There may be an obvious answer to this, but if given a choice, why would I want a DRM book over a non-DRM book?

Given a choice, you wouldn't but, OTOH, if you want to read the the newest Stephen King or James Patterson novel, you have to buy it with DRM.

I think it is never a good idea to suggest to someone who is seeking advice about which device to buy that the DRM can be stripped and format problems solved because a lot of people may buy the device and then find themselves unable to figure it out or do it. I think it is better to assume that most people looking to buy a device are both new to the idea of ebooks and are incapable of stripping DRM (I don't consider myself to be a tech dummy but I will admit it took me a very long time to figure out how to strip even the B&N DRM). That way, the buying advice would probably be more valuable to the requestor and less misleading.

Also, and please correct me if I am wrong, doesn't Amazon use two types of DRM, one of which has been cracked and thus can be stripped by the tech savvy and a second scheme that has yet to be cracked (TPZ?)? How do you know which DRM scheme infests a book?

[viviena]

Originally Posted by speedlever

That's what I thought. But Jon's response implied that one may wish to do so. I am curious why that would be? (I have much to learn about the ebook world).

I took Jon's comment to suggest that most big publishers will put out their ebooks DRMed -- let's ignore for the moment that effective DRM is delusional thinking by the big publishers. If you wish to purchase a book from the big publishers, with a Kindle you have no choice but to purchase from Amazon, as the same big publishers won't release a book in a format not protected by DRM, and the Kindle doesn't support EPUB. If a big publisher wants to access the largest slice of the ebook market share in North America, they have no choice but to sell through Amazon or to sell an unprotected ebook. Any unprotected MOBIs you purchase will most likely be cheap classics, indie works, or works put out by smaller publishers. (Why did Amazon decide to do away with an already existing DRM encryption for MOBI in order to implement their unique DRM for AZW/MOBI, anyway?) In the end, there is a lack of choice and competition to benefit the user, that not it necessarily matters for most people, considering the current range and competitiveness of the Kindle store.

I can understand that it can be frustrating to hear people point out constantly that the Kindle is very restricted and locked-down, when your own experiences may differ. That said, the user that knows how to strip DRM and format shift is not the average user, and honestly, it is disingenuous to claim that the Kindle doesn't try to lock-in its users, and that Kindle is as open a hardware platform as other readers. It uses a proprietary format based on a DRM scheme exclusive to Amazon, and supports no other formats with DRM schemes that would conceivably be used by most commercial publishers, thus ensuring most commercially available books for the Kindle are obtainable through one store only. Even if you don't feel that constrained by the hardware and software, Amazon's intent is surely for a form of vendor lock-in.

And there ends my teal deer. To answer the original post, based on the bolded I'd suggest a Sony first. The price is a bit more than you're looking for (unless you opt for the often overlooked 350 ), but it nails your criteria perfectly, including probably the best PDF support out of the four ereaders. KoboBooks does have some Canadian-exclusive titles, despite what was said about geographic restrictions earlier, so a Sony Reader + EPUBs from KoboBooks sounds like a good idea. The Kobo is okay, if not as good as the other two, but for a Canadian, I wouldn't even bother with the Nook.

EDIT: Cross-posted with rhadin. I'm too slow a typer.

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by rhadin

snip
How do you know which DRM scheme infests a book?

Not only which.. but if a book is infested?

Seems the point of my original question revolves around inferring what Jon was intending to communicate. The answer appears to be intuitive to those of you well versed in the world of ebooks. But to the newbie like me, it was much more open ended. Thanks for the explanation. You too, viviena.

I think it is better to assume that most people looking to buy a device are both new to the idea of ebooks and are incapable of stripping DRM (I don't consider myself to be a tech dummy but I will admit it took me a very long time to figure out how to strip even the B&N DRM).

I agree. I spent a lot of time figuring it out too. Siimple in retrospect, but complex in getting there. At least it was for me.