Hi and Suggestions for Reader

travelingsandy · 04-26-2011, 10:04 AM

Hi from Michigan. I am new to e-readers & new to this forum. I want to purchase an e-reader & do not know where to start. I just finished re-reading all of my hard cover books & donated them to the local library. I would like to purchase a reader that allows me to purchase e-books from different sites (not dedicated to one site) & I load free e-books to my computer from the local library & would like to load them into a reader. Please help with suggestions on how to start searching for the e-reader to fit my needs. Also--love this site.

jbcohen · 04-26-2011, 12:10 PM

Well the most important thing is to define what you are looking for in terms of a reader of which you have stated that you do not want one that is prorietary, and most of them are proprietary however there are a few that that multiple loyalties. Such as the Kobo which can read books from Kobo Books and Borders books and the Jet Book Lite which has the added advantage that it can read the widest number of formats available, no one can come close. Another thing to do if you don't want a proptietary reader is if you have a smart phone already such as a blackberry, an Android base phone or an iphone, many electronic book stores such as (amazon, Barns and Nobels, Mobipocket, borders and Overdrive Libraries) make available for free reader software that can read their books on your smart phone. Your smart phone is loyal to anyone that will get you a free reader adn therefore has no loyalties at all.

GeoffC · 04-26-2011, 12:26 PM

Welcome to Mobileread ....

May I invite you to follow two of the links in my signature - One goes to a matrix of all the readers on the market, and the other to a forum specifically for questions such as your own.

neilmarr · 04-26-2011, 12:33 PM

Good to have your company, Sandy. Download free Calibre Library software (http://www.calibre-ebook.com) and shop, save and catalogue wherever and whatever you like. Check out the devices, though. Kindle, for instance, uses only Amazon's own Mobi format, and this restricts you. My advice would be a device (good hardware but forget the software because there's none better than Calibre) and play the ePub field. Good luck and very best wishes. Neil

PS: It's considered bad form here to recommend a specific device. So I will NOT recommend the superlative Sony range. N

MickeyC · 04-26-2011, 09:34 PM

Hi travelingsandy and welcome to MobileRead

ImogenRose · 04-27-2011, 08:26 AM

Hello and welcome to MR!

Imogen

Valmore Daniels · 04-27-2011, 09:47 AM

welcome

travelingsandy · 04-27-2011, 02:32 PM

Thank you for the welcomes and suggestions for websites & reader matrix (someone put in a great deal of work)--I am trying to print it for a quick review.

bear4hunter · 04-27-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelingsandy

print

OH NO, more dead trees

(it's getting late in good ol' Germany, don't take it too serious)

travelingsandy · 04-28-2011, 12:07 PM

You're right bear4hunter; I decided just to study the matrix (not print) and do some internet searching on a few brands that look interesting. I am leaning towards Sony PRS900, now all I have to do is find a good price. Still looking @ reviews, etc.

hughes · 04-28-2011, 03:58 PM

Hi travelingsandy, welcome to MobileRead.

A nice first factor to consider regarding which ereader to buy is whether you wish to optimize long-run reading experience or apps and games and web browsing. It's a cut of the space of possibilities that's often easy to make, and it narrows the possibilities nicely. (There's no run-away favorite that handles both sides of that factor.)

Most people seem to favor the E Ink ereaders (Kindles, Sonys, Kobos, etc), especially those based on the latest version, Pearl, for long-run reading. The LCD-based ereaders (iPad, Nook Color, etc) shine for web browsing and apps and games.

There's lots more to consider, but the reading-vs-apps dimension can really help as a first cut to narrow the field.

04-26-2011, 10:04 AM	#1
travelingsandy Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 5302 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vero Beach, FL Device: Kindle Fire HD 7", Kobo Aura	Hi and Suggestions for Reader Hi from Michigan. I am new to e-readers & new to this forum. I want to purchase an e-reader & do not know where to start. I just finished re-reading all of my hard cover books & donated them to the local library. I would like to purchase a reader that allows me to purchase e-books from different sites (not dedicated to one site) & I load free e-books to my computer from the local library & would like to load them into a reader. Please help with suggestions on how to start searching for the e-reader to fit my needs. Also--love this site.

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04-26-2011, 12:10 PM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,033 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Well the most important thing is to define what you are looking for in terms of a reader of which you have stated that you do not want one that is prorietary, and most of them are proprietary however there are a few that that multiple loyalties. Such as the Kobo which can read books from Kobo Books and Borders books and the Jet Book Lite which has the added advantage that it can read the widest number of formats available, no one can come close. Another thing to do if you don't want a proptietary reader is if you have a smart phone already such as a blackberry, an Android base phone or an iphone, many electronic book stores such as (amazon, Barns and Nobels, Mobipocket, borders and Overdrive Libraries) make available for free reader software that can read their books on your smart phone. Your smart phone is loyal to anyone that will get you a free reader adn therefore has no loyalties at all.

04-26-2011, 12:26 PM	#3
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Welcome to Mobileread .... May I invite you to follow two of the links in my signature - One goes to a matrix of all the readers on the market, and the other to a forum specifically for questions such as your own.

04-26-2011, 12:33 PM	#4
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Sandy. Download free Calibre Library software (http://www.calibre-ebook.com) and shop, save and catalogue wherever and whatever you like. Check out the devices, though. Kindle, for instance, uses only Amazon's own Mobi format, and this restricts you. My advice would be a device (good hardware but forget the software because there's none better than Calibre) and play the ePub field. Good luck and very best wishes. Neil PS: It's considered bad form here to recommend a specific device. So I will NOT recommend the superlative Sony range. N

04-26-2011, 09:34 PM	#5
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Hi travelingsandy and welcome to MobileRead

04-27-2011, 08:26 AM	#6
ImogenRose PORTAL Posts: 7,204 Karma: 2884640 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (3G), iPhone	Hello and welcome to MR! Imogen

04-27-2011, 09:47 AM	#7
Valmore Daniels Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,592 Karma: 2822668 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle	welcome

04-27-2011, 02:32 PM	#8
travelingsandy Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 5302 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vero Beach, FL Device: Kindle Fire HD 7", Kobo Aura	Thank you for the welcomes and suggestions for websites & reader matrix (someone put in a great deal of work)--I am trying to print it for a quick review.

04-28-2011, 12:07 PM	#10
travelingsandy Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 5302 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vero Beach, FL Device: Kindle Fire HD 7", Kobo Aura	You're right bear4hunter; I decided just to study the matrix (not print) and do some internet searching on a few brands that look interesting. I am leaning towards Sony PRS900, now all I have to do is find a good price. Still looking @ reviews, etc.

04-28-2011, 03:58 PM	#11
hughes Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 1006020 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Akron, OH USA Device: Kindle PW, Galaxy Nexus, iPad 1	Hi travelingsandy, welcome to MobileRead. A nice first factor to consider regarding which ereader to buy is whether you wish to optimize long-run reading experience or apps and games and web browsing. It's a cut of the space of possibilities that's often easy to make, and it narrows the possibilities nicely. (There's no run-away favorite that handles both sides of that factor.) Most people seem to favor the E Ink ereaders (Kindles, Sonys, Kobos, etc), especially those based on the latest version, Pearl, for long-run reading. The LCD-based ereaders (iPad, Nook Color, etc) shine for web browsing and apps and games. There's lots more to consider, but the reading-vs-apps dimension can really help as a first cut to narrow the field.