Simple reader with a dictionary

puqq · 05-09-2011, 10:29 AM

I am looking for a basic reader with an English dictionary that could be used relatively easy while reading any kind of book. In addition, relatively simple upload process of ePub or PDF would be advantageous, as I have a couple of somewhat rare books on ePub that are hardly available in stores as well as a whole bunch of PDFs (e.g. lecture notes)

Price- as low as possible, 2nd hand from eBay UK

At the moment, I am considering Samsung e60, Sony PSR 600 or 350 (the latter two are a bit pricey).

I am also quite tempted by iRiver Story, though this one does not have dictionary :/

Any other models worth looking at?

Dulin's Books · 05-09-2011, 11:47 AM

PocketBook 360 starts at $129

kleykenb · 05-09-2011, 11:50 AM

Cybook Gen3 is a very nice e-reader, very simple to use, extremly light.
Books are put on the Gen3 by means of a USB connection with your PC.
It will show up as an extra disk and then it's just a matter of copying the content to the map "eBooks" on that disk. No wifi, no touchscreen though, but all devices that have those features are more power-hungry and therefor require battery recharges far more often (which, over time also means they last less long, because most of these devices are not designed to allow the user to replace batteries themselves, and having them replaced is often too expensive to bother with).

Talking about PDF : keep in mind that PDF files tend to be very hard to read on a 6" devices. You'd need a bigger reader (8+ inch) if most of your content is going to be PDF.

puqq · 05-09-2011, 09:00 PM

Thanks. Both these machines seem really nice. However, for some odd reason, they both retail at above £200 in the UK, which is way above my budget. I could get a 2nd hand Sony PRS 350 for £70-80....

paola · 05-10-2011, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puqq

Thanks. Both these machines seem really nice. However, for some odd reason, they both retail at above £200 in the UK, which is way above my budget. I could get a 2nd hand Sony PRS 350 for £70-80....

the pocketbook 360 is £99 from greenreader

Rizla · 05-10-2011, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kleykenb

Cybook Gen3 is a very nice e-reader, very simple to use, extremly light.

Yes, it is nice, but the dictionary only works with the mobi-compatible firmware, not the epub compat. firmware. Strange, I know. I think you would have to convert everything to mobi in order to use the dictionary. And it's an old unit. Only take this route if its very cheap. The other issue is there are two versions. If you get the earlier version, the memory is very limited and I think the unit quite slow. Also ease of dictionary use cannot compare to the Sonys.

You should be a able to get a Prs-600 dirt cheap somewhere, but the screen sucks. It can be improved with custom fonts and above all a light.

The 350 is a very good reader. If you can find the spondulicks, go with the 350. It will last.

Re: pdf, learn to convert the nasties to epub if they're not too complex, though the sonys will read them acceptably without conversion.

Another possibility might be a Kindle 3.

JSWolf · 05-10-2011, 09:51 PM

If you do think the 600 is for you, scrap it and get a 650. the 650's screen is so much nicer and the touch blows away the touch layer on the 600.

Andrew H. · 05-13-2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you do think the 600 is for you, scrap it and get a 650. the 650's screen is so much nicer and the touch blows away the touch layer on the 600.

+1
I avoided getting a e-reader for the longest time because the only one I had seen was the 600 and I thought that its fuzziness was just the way that all e-ink looked.

So unless you are in the habit of smearing vaseline over the pages of your books before reading them (not that there's anything wrong with that...), you should get a 650.

puqq · 05-20-2011, 03:49 AM

I got a Sony 350 in the end... And, in short, it's perfect. The screen is wonderful, UI is good, touchscreen is very responsive, dictionary is also very cool. The screen is actually good enough (just) for viewing an entire page of PDF (w/ diagrams) of 12-point font.

Pomtroll · 05-20-2011, 11:11 AM

Congratulations. I really like my 350 & now use it most of the time.

05-09-2011, 10:29 AM	#1
puqq Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	Simple reader with a dictionary I am looking for a basic reader with an English dictionary that could be used relatively easy while reading any kind of book. In addition, relatively simple upload process of ePub or PDF would be advantageous, as I have a couple of somewhat rare books on ePub that are hardly available in stores as well as a whole bunch of PDFs (e.g. lecture notes) Price- as low as possible, 2nd hand from eBay UK At the moment, I am considering Samsung e60, Sony PSR 600 or 350 (the latter two are a bit pricey). I am also quite tempted by iRiver Story, though this one does not have dictionary :/ Any other models worth looking at? Last edited by puqq; 05-09-2011 at 11:07 AM.

05-09-2011, 11:50 AM	#3
kleykenb Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 99 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: DR1kS/Cy3	Cybook Gen3 is a very nice e-reader, very simple to use, extremly light. Books are put on the Gen3 by means of a USB connection with your PC. It will show up as an extra disk and then it's just a matter of copying the content to the map "eBooks" on that disk. No wifi, no touchscreen though, but all devices that have those features are more power-hungry and therefor require battery recharges far more often (which, over time also means they last less long, because most of these devices are not designed to allow the user to replace batteries themselves, and having them replaced is often too expensive to bother with). Talking about PDF : keep in mind that PDF files tend to be very hard to read on a 6" devices. You'd need a bigger reader (8+ inch) if most of your content is going to be PDF. Last edited by kleykenb; 05-09-2011 at 12:07 PM.

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05-09-2011, 11:47 AM	#2
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	PocketBook 360 starts at $129

05-09-2011, 09:00 PM	#4
puqq Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	Thanks. Both these machines seem really nice. However, for some odd reason, they both retail at above £200 in the UK, which is way above my budget. I could get a 2nd hand Sony PRS 350 for £70-80....

05-10-2011, 09:51 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,252 Karma: 145488788 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If you do think the 600 is for you, scrap it and get a 650. the 650's screen is so much nicer and the touch blows away the touch layer on the 600.

05-20-2011, 03:49 AM	#9
puqq Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	I got a Sony 350 in the end... And, in short, it's perfect. The screen is wonderful, UI is good, touchscreen is very responsive, dictionary is also very cool. The screen is actually good enough (just) for viewing an entire page of PDF (w/ diagrams) of 12-point font.

05-20-2011, 11:11 AM	#10
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	Congratulations. I really like my 350 & now use it most of the time.