Sony, Nook, Kindle

[HarryT]

So you don't like the Kindle, then?

[delphin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

So you don't like the Kindle, then?

Ya think?

I wanted to like the Kindle, I really did, but the combination of the poorly thought out ergonomics, and primitive on-board software, just did not live up to it's billing as a sophisticated 3rd generation product.

Maybe I would have had a better initial impression if Amazon had spent a little more time and money on product development, and a little less on a slick national advertising campaign hyping the hell out of the Kindle.

And then add in that business of Amazon not supporting EPUB so you can also buy from others, and not supporting Adobe ADE so I can check out library books using Overdrive, and I will admit that I found the Kindle pretty hard to fall in love with.

[tm3]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Anyone with experience using all three of these readers - how do these readers compare to each other? What one do you preferr?

if at all possible, you really need to audition all 3 in person because so much of the choice is simply personal preference.

the appeal to me of the K3 is the wireless connectivity, lifetime 3g, ergonomics, battery life, and amazon.

but something else may strike your fancy.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by tm3

if at all possible, you really need to audition all 3 in person because so much of the choice is simply personal preference.

the appeal to me of the K3 is the wireless connectivity, lifetime 3g, ergonomics, battery life, and amazon.

but something else may strike your fancy.

I agree, we can all give you reasons why we each love one over the other.

I love the nook the best out of all the eink's due to it's wireless capabilities, the in Store features, Barnes and Noble's ebookstore, replacable battery, expandable memory, support for ePub and of course I love LOVE the second LCD screen. I like to scrool and see my book cover art, i like the navigation, it feels the most modern out of them all. IMHO it's desigin is head and shoulders above the rest, it's sleak and gorgous almost like Apple desgined it. Love the rubberized back and how it feels holding when not in the cover. I think it offers the best bang for buck.

and I can tell you what I don't care for about the other two

Kindle - outdated design and navigation and ugly keyboard, no support for epub. Feels a little too light and airy almost cheap feeling. though I don't thinks it's made cheaply, just feels that way.

Sony - worst bang for your buck on the market. Waaay overpriced especially for the non wireless models and the 950? Might as well get the Xoom or an iPad for that price. Sony's platform bookstore doesn't compare to Amazon or barnes and noble, it just doesn't, it's basically second rate. Kobo is also head and shoulders above Sony's bookstore.
Their Hardware? That I do like, but everything else is just falls flat and it's not worth the price.


So you've heard why people like Sony, Kindle, and the Nook, but you should go give each one a good amount of play time, Best Buy has all three and for the nook I would also go to your nearest Barnes and Noble so you can get any questions asked and be able to demo the More in Store feature and the reading any book in the stores etc.

But all comes down to your likes good luck

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by delphin

Ya think?

I wanted to like the Kindle, I really did, but the combination of the poorly thought out ergonomics, and primitive on-board software, just did not live up to it's billing as a sophisticated 3rd generation product.

Where Amazon really win (for me) is in understanding that the customer is not buying just a reader, but a book reading "system". Say what you will about the Kindle, but it can't be denied that, especially with the 3G version of the Kindle, Amazon have made it amazingly easy to buy and read ebooks, without needing to know anything about computers, or even to own a PC. Browse the bookstore on the device itself, download any book sample for free, or click the "Buy" button, and your book is in front of you in seconds. Pretty much anywhere in the world. It just "works", and that's very, very important. Combine that with a world-class customer service operation, and you've got a winner.

[jbcohen]

Yeah its a great product, however I have only one qualm about it - Its too expensive, i want to pay no more than $100 and there are a few readers that are willing to sell for that price.

[pidgeon92]

I anticipate the Kindle will be below $100 by the end of the year.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Anyone with experience using all three of these readers - how do these readers compare to each other? What one do you preferr?

I think that people should buy a device based on the books they read and like. That will provide a hint of the kind of online bookstore that you will need or that will sell most of your favorites titles.

Having said that, I used to have a Nook and now own two Kindles. Like the Kindle for several reasons:

-Text to speech
-The Kindle does landscape mode
-The Kindle allows you to expand embedded images, you can't on Nook
-The screen on Kindle is more clear and crisp (better eink technology)
-8.5 oz only! Really light and comfortable on your hands
-1 month of battery life (Nook about 5 days and with wifi off)
-Biggest online bookstore in USA and maybe the world: Amazon

Only thing I miss from Nook: being able to read free books in-store

[SCION]

I was hesitant to stick my head in here because of the thread title. All is calm.

[SolRaven]

I have a Kindle and have owned 4 Sony's. I gave away 2, kept 2. My favorite? I use the Sony 700 the most because it has built in LED side lights and I like to read at night, but my favorite that doesn't included reading lights would be the Sony 650. (I'm hoping Sony comes out w/ a 750; the 650 w/ LED reading lights.) However, when I use the Kindle, I still love it, it's just not my "favorite".

I would go with my gut. Whichever appeals to you the most will be the best reader for you. You'll pick a winner no matter which you choose. However, if you plan to use your library, I'd cross the Kindle off the list. I have a decent library and whenever I have to wait, it's never too long. The library is getting better and better every week. If I wanted more library options, I would ask relatives that live in other areas to let me use their card to get books from their library online, but I have yet to do that, and my sister in Cali already had 5 library cards before I gave her my Sony 505. We have a lot of "readers" in my family.

[lor2ie]

"Kindle 3 doesn't support the new world standard EPUB format used by virtually EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET.

This means that Kindle 3 doesn't support the current EPUB based checkout of free library titles (and NO I don't "fully expect libraries to eventually adopt the kindle format." My local library, and hundreds of other libraries around the country, have DUMPED what few books they did have in MOBI format, so why in hell would they buy more?)."


use Calibre Ebook management (free to download) to convert any format to suit your reader..easy and fast.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by lor2ie

"Kindle 3 doesn't support the new world standard EPUB format used by virtually EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET.

This means that Kindle 3 doesn't support the current EPUB based checkout of free library titles (and NO I don't "fully expect libraries to eventually adopt the kindle format." My local library, and hundreds of other libraries around the country, have DUMPED what few books they did have in MOBI format, so why in hell would they buy more?)."


use Calibre Ebook management (free to download) to convert any format to suit your reader..easy and fast.

Hmmm "everyone else on the planet" is a big assumption.

It is clear ePub is the facto standard but that does not mean is being used by all users or in a bigger number. Lot of people simple do not need what is available on Public Libraries (me one of those) so having an ereader which supports that format means nothing to me.

To give you an idea: you won't find recent MS-SQL, Oracle or DB2 books on public libraries, even on B&N. So I had to sell my Nook, buy a Kindle, in order to use and enjoy the bigger and better collection we do have on Amazon. Yeah, great! ... I had an ereader which uses or support ePub... but then? ... if I can't find the books I like or need, then the supported format is just a mere technical spec. to me.

For someone who lives close to a public libraries, not willing to spend money on ebooks or just read pure text books or novels, ePub probably is a good choice, but I would not extrapolate your opinion to others.

By the way, let's be clear and say, non DRM ePub books. Because B&N, Sony and even Apple, sell ePub books, but they are DRM protected. So you can only read on their own devices; Sony is the exception, which you can move and read to B&N readers, but you cannot use or read B&N or Apple books outside of their own world. If you take that into consideration, breaking DRM and using Calibre, also breaks any format barrier and makes Kindle an option, which for sure is what lot of people are doing and both ways, B&N and Amazon users.

[delphin]

Originally Posted by lor2ie

. . . use Calibre Ebook management (free to download) to convert any format to suit your reader..easy and fast.

Thank you, this is good advice, but first of all, not everyone will be able to figure out how to strip the DRM so it is possible to convert mainstream titles (and of those who can figure out how to strip DRM, some would prefer not to, if it can be avoided).

And second, it's not really that fast to convert EPUB->MOBI for use on the Kindle at the moment. Calibre is taking 15 to 30 minutes per title on my Netbook to covert EPUB->MOBI and some folks have reported it takeing HOURS for some titles.

Calibre is a wonderful program, but EPUB->MOBI conversion speeds are currently pretty PATHETIC. I can trans-code a Gigabyte sized video file into another format faster in some cases than I can convert a simple 1 Megabyte EPUB to MOBI.

[wyndslash]

@delphin: really? wow. it only takes a few minutes for calibre to convert EPUB > MOBI for me.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

@delphin: really? wow. it only takes a few minutes for calibre to convert EPUB > MOBI for me.

Yeah, that sounds like a PC problem to me. I have a 1y/o netbook that was top of the line when I bought it. It's much slower than my computers. I don't use it that much, so I was considering putting it back into out of box condition to see if it helped. I can't figure why it should be slow at all. I think it's made for surfing the net and that's it.