Consumer Reports Rates eBook Readers

[Klim Chugunkin]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

the PocketBook 360 is the best 5 inch model on the market

Shouldn't this be followed up by a disclaimer that you are a for-profit pocketbook dealer?

[Dulin's Books]

The disclaimer is right in my signature. The whole reason I sell them in the first place is that ebook reader. If i was out of business I would say the same thing. I sell it because I am a fan.

5 years ago when i was brainstorming all sorts of eink products (i have a notebook full of ideas) I designed an ebook reader, sketching out the hardware design and writing out how i thought it should operate. I sketched out two designs for covers- one that was attached with a hinge that made it sleep or wake when closed or open. the other was able to clip on the front for travel and then clip on the back when the reader was in use.

3 years ago when i decided it would be too costly to try to get it made on my own i looked around and found the prototype from netronix that charbax had filmed. eventually found it was going to be built for PocketBook and thats why im in business. because they had built what i had in my head and notebook. Plus it operates beautifully. the added benefits of changing pages with the accelerometer, home screen thems etc that came from the community of owners make it even better

[pwjone1]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Well, if every CR article about something that I know about has errors, then do I assume that ONLY those are wrong?

And they DO sensationalize. They do not use good science in their reviews where I know about the subjest.

And finally, I DO ignore their reviews.

My understanding of CR's methodology is that they hire test engineers, buy products on the open market, test them, publish the results. Because the market is at times so complex, it's impossible to cover everything, even if they could do it today, there would be a new product tomorrow. They do reader surveys, those are used to establish reliability and other results. No process is perfect, with an engineer you just get one person's trained input, maybe a little better than typical journalist's understanding of the field and how to test things, but trained input or not, as with anything, there will be errors from time to time. But then if we ignored everything/everyone that didn't have an occasional error, we would not have much in the way of input (we'd not be reading here, for one). Your average consumer is not going to have the time to pour through enthusiast forums (and even if they did, enthusiasts serve a valuable function, but they can get tied up on esoterics at times). The consumer likes their information in a simple form, 1 page rankings, another page or two on trade-offs and things to know before making a purchase. And mostly that's what CR does.

So let me ask this question, maybe put it into context. Nobody is saying CR is perfect. But I think the larger question is, is there anything you would like to offer up as better?

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by pwjone1

My understanding of CR's methodology is that they hire test engineers, buy products on the open market, test them, publish the results. Because the market is at times so complex, it's impossible to cover everything, even if they could do it today, there would be a new product tomorrow. They do reader surveys, those are used to establish reliability and other results. No process is perfect, with an engineer you just get one person's trained input, maybe a little better than typical journalist's understanding of the field and how to test things, but trained input or not, as with anything, there will be errors from time to time. But then if we ignored everything/everyone that didn't have an occasional error, we would not have much in the way of input (we'd not be reading here, for one). Your average consumer is not going to have the time to pour through enthusiast forums (and even if they did, enthusiasts serve a valuable function, but they can get tied up on esoterics at times). The consumer likes their information in a simple form, 1 page rankings, another page or two on trade-offs and things to know before making a purchase. And mostly that's what CR does.

So let me ask this question, maybe put it into context. Nobody is saying CR is perfect. But I think the larger question is, is there anything you would like to offer up as better?

Nice post, and right on the money. Between CR and people doing reviews on Amazon, I can get a pretty good idea on what to expect when I buy a product.

[Pinecone]

As I mentioned, every CR test that I have seen that covered something I know about had flaws in it, sometimes seriously. So I have to assume all their reviews have flaws, sometimes major ones.

If you like them, use them. I don't, so I don't. Just offer up my viewpoint for others to accept or not.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by cassidym

The September 2011 Consumer Reports rates eBooks Readers. For regular sizes (6 inch screens), they rate them in this order

- Nook Simple Touch
- Amazon Kindle 3g + WiFi
- Sony Daily Edition, PRS-950C
- Kindle WiFi
- Kindle WiFi with special offers
- Nook Color
- En Tourage Poket Edge
- Sony Touch Edition PRS-650C
- Nook 1st edition

For small models (5inch screens) they rate the Sony Pocket Edition first followed by the Alluratek and Ectaco.

The Nook Color is a tablet, not an ereader.

And I don't rely on CR for buying electronics but actual reviews, from people. Amazon's reviews, when not perfect, help me on that matter.

[rxmom03]

Originally Posted by jocampo

The Nook Color is a tablet, not an ereader.

I've always had the impression that BN markets the Nook Color as an ereader on steroids But, even more important, if you buy the Square Trade warranty for the NC, they consider it an ereader (and therefore the warranty is a little cheaper!)

Mary

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

As I mentioned, every CR test that I have seen that covered something I know about had flaws in it, sometimes seriously.

You've said that a couple of times now. How about some examples with proof?

[Pinecone]

Since I don't read CR, I go on various reports I have seen over the years. I do not remember all the details.

But the one cited on the "toxic" metals in suppliments has serious flaws. As in not determining the statistical significance of the numbers. Not using ESTABLISHED standards. Not comparing the exposure to other sources of the same meterial.

BTW, ALL metals are toxic. But many are also essential nutrients.

[radleyp]

No wonder you think CR is a sensationalist publication, you don't read it, you read summaries of it in the newspapers and it is the newspapers and TV commentators that choose to highlight a CR report that make it into sensationalist matter. CR itself does no such thing.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

PocketBook 360 is the best 5 inch model on the market. especially in the new Plus version. Yes the Sony is very nice and its aluminum shell counts for allot but the 360 is the better reader- more formats supported, more languages supported, more ways to sort your books, more ways to personalize the experience for you etc etc and the cover is brilliant.

I like my pb360 a lot. The snap on cover is great! I do not understand why the other manufacturers do not 1-up Pocketbook and make reader that can take both snap on and traditional covers.

The multiple formats and the UI are also great, but I am very frustrated by the occasional instability and its inability to suspend.

Sony has screwed me on too many devices over too many decades to buy from them again. That is not even counting that I refuse to infect any of my systems with software from microsoft, apple, or adobe just so I can put a book on a reader.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

its inability to suspend.

i still dont understand why they havent implemented it. it does only take 20 seconds or so to start up but a sleep would be nice.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by radleyp

No wonder you think CR is a sensationalist publication, you don't read it, you read summaries of it in the newspapers and it is the newspapers and TV commentators that choose to highlight a CR report that make it into sensationalist matter. CR itself does no such thing.

No, I have read there articles in the past, and found the same thing.

I did not read the actual article on the protein suppliments, as I am not interested in paying them for it.

If someone would send me a copy, I would be glad to read it and retract my statements if warranted.

[pwjone1]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

No, I have read there articles in the past, and found the same thing.

I did not read the actual article on the protein suppliments, as I am not interested in paying them for it.

If someone would send me a copy, I would be glad to read it and retract my statements if warranted.

Most libraries carry Consumer Reports, as their readers generally find it useful, so if you really wanted, you could probably go read one for free. And subscriptions are fairly low priced, low $20s, depending on how much you shop. The magazine is not all that thick, but remember the ads are pretty minimal, it's amazing to me how many ad pages a lot of magazines have. But I suspect your mind is made up, wouldn't make much difference, and that's OK, I can respect that.

I don't think anyone (including Consumer Reports) is claiming it's perfect, it makes mistakes, there are corrections, sometimes they get a bad product or a lemon, have to print later a correction or modified report. And I, too, have found occasion when I knew enough about a topic, to think they did not get it quite right. eReaders, I do think they got just about right, but I'm not claiming to be an expert there. I guess people react differently, if I disagree with something I'm reading in a periodical, I don't generally quit reading it entirely.

But let me ask one question:

Are there any better resources, commercial or non-profit, online or off, that are consistently and reliably better at rating a range of products?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

The multiple formats and the UI are also great, but I am very frustrated by the occasional instability and its inability to suspend.

It boots rapidly enough that I don't personally see the inability to suspend as being an issue.

Does the "Plus" have a Pearl screen? I'll have to get one if it does; I share the view that the 360 was, in its day, the best 5" reader on the market.