What to do when you have the money to buy 10 e-readers? - Page 2

jj2me · 11-01-2011, 10:47 AM

The PC programs Calibre and Sony Reader Library both have viewers that emulate ebook readers. Maybe they will be useful for students to compare functionality with their e-readers.

For me, two major functional differences I've found between my Kindle Keyboard vs. Sony PRS-350 are:

1. Kindle allows a high level contents summary when viewing Calibre newspapers and magazines (and I suppose also for purchased newspapers and magazines), while Sony does not (I looked into this once on the Calibre forums and it's something lacking in Sony). It shows up on the Kindle as "View Sections and Articles" at the bottom of the Kindle screen. This gives you a real nice way to quickly read a magazine by showing sections and article titles and summary text, to compensate for how your eyes would quickly peruse a real magazine and newspaper.

2. Touchscreen is the only sensible way to view books and articles with lots of footnotes. Navigating on the Kindle Keyboard requires so many navigation clicks to get to the footnote, and then back again to the text.

Keloff · 11-02-2011, 02:31 PM

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, I wish Kobo would push into other markets - in fact, I wish that people realize there's a MASSIVE market in South Africa (and all other African countries with a high mobile penetration rate). The only things needed are cheap, but usable, e-readers. =)

Speaking about affordable - I'd love ordering the touch versions if 1) they were shipped to South Africa, 2) they didn't up the cost so much.

Looking into discounts for educators, and definitely going to use Calibre's emulation function!

vishcompany · 11-02-2011, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jj2me

For me, two major functional differences I've found between my Kindle Keyboard vs. Sony PRS-350 are:

1. Kindle allows a high level contents summary when viewing Calibre newspapers and magazines (and I suppose also for purchased newspapers and magazines), while Sony does not (I looked into this once on the Calibre forums and it's something lacking in Sony). It shows up on the Kindle as "View Sections and Articles" at the bottom of the Kindle screen. This gives you a real nice way to quickly read a magazine by showing sections and article titles and summary text, to compensate for how your eyes would quickly peruse a real magazine and newspaper.

Maybe I misunderstood, but if not, just for the record: The news I get downloaded through calibre show just fine in my PRS-350, summary, jumping between sections and all.
It maybe depends on the "recipe", which makes calibre download and compose a news-edition.

jj2me · 11-03-2011, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vishcompany

Maybe I misunderstood, but if not, just for the record: The news I get downloaded through calibre show just fine in my PRS-350, summary, jumping between sections and all.
It maybe depends on the "recipe", which makes calibre download and compose a news-edition.

The clickable "View Sections & Articles" you find in Calibre newspapers formatted for the Kindle will display, in two columns, just what it says: Sections in the left column and Articles in the right column.

Today's New York Times, left column (Sections):

The Front Page
International
National
Obituaries
Editorials
... etc.

next

Right column of Articles when, for example, "The Front Page" is highlighted:

Fed Lowers Its Forecast for Growth, but Takes no Steps
Cain Says Perry is Orchestrating a Smear Campaign
Experts Say N.Y. Police Dept. Isn't Policing Itself
Japan Revives a Sea Barrier That Failed to Hold
Purging Cells in Mice is Found to Combat Again Ills

prev | next

See nothing interesting in those articles? No need to click down to "next", as the Page Turn button does the same action. If at the end of the articles of that Section, the next press of the Page Turn button moves to the next Section and its set of Articles.

Of course, you can go directly to a particular Section or Article by moving down the column(s) and clicking on your selection (several clicks for the Kindle Keyboard, I assume Kindle Touch will be a direct tap?). Done reading that article? Back button gets you back to the super-index.

In use, your first click after the document opens activates "View Sections & Articles" (thank you Calibre). Then a bunch of page turn button presses to scan all the articles. As easy as it gets to quickly skim/read the newspaper.

I didn't see anything like that on my PRS-350, but I've only had the 350 for a week, and quickly gave up on using it for Calibre newspapers when I didn't see this feature, so please let me know if I missed it.

vishcompany · 11-04-2011, 01:19 PM

I don't have a subscriptiohn for the NYT, so I can't compare. Plus I don't have a Kindle. Plus my news get formatted in epub.

The news come with a main menu, then first section menu, articles, second section menu, articles, etc. At the beginning and the end of each section menu and article there are links to jump forward and back and to the appropriate menu.
Plus there is a navigation bar at the bottom of the page, which offers divers buttons (depending on what is displayed at the moment).

No columns here, but the links and buttons provided offer - in combination with touch - very fast and efficient means of navigation.

EDIT: But actually, aren't we getting a bit OT here?

Keloff · 11-05-2011, 10:52 AM

Update: The library's going to handle acquisition and ownership of the devices. This makes sense, since the funds were meant for a pilot course spearheaded by them anyways.

This doesn't change much about the plan, of course. Just noting it for future reference.

Sigyn · 11-06-2011, 02:28 AM

Dude, isn't your avatar what's-her-face from OOTS?

My very favorite coffee thing came from that comic!

Second to the line from that movie with what's-his-face and the bear. "I can't kill you, you're the only one who knows how I take my coffee." "Yeah, you like your coffee how you like your women, bitter and murky." Or close enough.

Anyway . . .

Keloff · 11-11-2011, 01:38 AM

Sigyn,

There's actually a bunch of folks on the GiTP forum that make avatars like that for friends. Lost contact with the guy who made this ages ago, but looking back I realize that I really am just a book gnome. =)

TonyToews · 11-19-2011, 03:43 PM

Sigyn, excellent point. However hardware such as the Touch/Vox doesn't have much of a profit margin compared to software. So the outlets might not be able to offer much of a discount.

Keloff · 01-16-2012, 07:47 AM

Update:

The Kindles have arrived!

The library acquired a bunch of Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi + 3G models and I can pick them up tomorrow. I intend to use them formally next semester, in a digital publishing course, but before then I hope to use them to spread awareness about ebooks and to use in demonstrations.

Besides those Kindles, the library's purchasing a variety of other ereaders and media tablets. This is only part of the library's ongoing e-reading initiatives, but it's the most exciting one, personally.

CRussel · 01-16-2012, 04:42 PM

Excellent, Keloff. And thanks for following up. I've casually lurked the thread since you first posted, and am glad to get a status update.

Filark · 01-17-2012, 03:33 AM

Congratulations! I, too, have wondered off and on how you made out in your quest.

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11-01-2011, 10:47 AM	#16
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	The PC programs Calibre and Sony Reader Library both have viewers that emulate ebook readers. Maybe they will be useful for students to compare functionality with their e-readers. For me, two major functional differences I've found between my Kindle Keyboard vs. Sony PRS-350 are: 1. Kindle allows a high level contents summary when viewing Calibre newspapers and magazines (and I suppose also for purchased newspapers and magazines), while Sony does not (I looked into this once on the Calibre forums and it's something lacking in Sony). It shows up on the Kindle as "View Sections and Articles" at the bottom of the Kindle screen. This gives you a real nice way to quickly read a magazine by showing sections and article titles and summary text, to compensate for how your eyes would quickly peruse a real magazine and newspaper. 2. Touchscreen is the only sensible way to view books and articles with lots of footnotes. Navigating on the Kindle Keyboard requires so many navigation clicks to get to the footnote, and then back again to the text.

11-02-2011, 02:31 PM	#17
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I wish Kobo would push into other markets - in fact, I wish that people realize there's a MASSIVE market in South Africa (and all other African countries with a high mobile penetration rate). The only things needed are cheap, but usable, e-readers. =) Speaking about affordable - I'd love ordering the touch versions if 1) they were shipped to South Africa, 2) they didn't up the cost so much. Looking into discounts for educators, and definitely going to use Calibre's emulation function!

11-04-2011, 01:19 PM	#20
vishcompany Addict Posts: 283 Karma: 138550 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Gen3(†); PB302(↓); PRS-350; T1; voyage	I don't have a subscriptiohn for the NYT, so I can't compare. Plus I don't have a Kindle. Plus my news get formatted in epub. The news come with a main menu, then first section menu, articles, second section menu, articles, etc. At the beginning and the end of each section menu and article there are links to jump forward and back and to the appropriate menu. Plus there is a navigation bar at the bottom of the page, which offers divers buttons (depending on what is displayed at the moment). No columns here, but the links and buttons provided offer - in combination with touch - very fast and efficient means of navigation. EDIT: But actually, aren't we getting a bit OT here?

11-05-2011, 10:52 AM	#21
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Update: The library's going to handle acquisition and ownership of the devices. This makes sense, since the funds were meant for a pilot course spearheaded by them anyways. This doesn't change much about the plan, of course. Just noting it for future reference.

11-06-2011, 02:28 AM	#22
Sigyn Junior Junior Member Posts: 87 Karma: 32996 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Dude, isn't your avatar what's-her-face from OOTS? My very favorite coffee thing came from that comic! Second to the line from that movie with what's-his-face and the bear. "I can't kill you, you're the only one who knows how I take my coffee." "Yeah, you like your coffee how you like your women, bitter and murky." Or close enough. Anyway . . .

11-11-2011, 01:38 AM	#23
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Sigyn, There's actually a bunch of folks on the GiTP forum that make avatars like that for friends. Lost contact with the guy who made this ages ago, but looking back I realize that I really am just a book gnome. =)

11-19-2011, 03:43 PM	#24
TonyToews Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 351398 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Vox and Glo	Sigyn, excellent point. However hardware such as the Touch/Vox doesn't have much of a profit margin compared to software. So the outlets might not be able to offer much of a discount.

01-16-2012, 07:47 AM	#25
Keloff Electronic media explorer Posts: 64 Karma: 169796 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Device: Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation), iPad 2	Update: The Kindles have arrived! The library acquired a bunch of Kindle Keyboard Wi-Fi + 3G models and I can pick them up tomorrow. I intend to use them formally next semester, in a digital publishing course, but before then I hope to use them to spread awareness about ebooks and to use in demonstrations. Besides those Kindles, the library's purchasing a variety of other ereaders and media tablets. This is only part of the library's ongoing e-reading initiatives, but it's the most exciting one, personally.

01-16-2012, 04:42 PM	#26
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Excellent, Keloff. And thanks for following up. I've casually lurked the thread since you first posted, and am glad to get a status update.

01-17-2012, 03:33 AM	#27
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 1,421 Karma: 2463560 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: enTourage eDGe & Pocket eDGe, Samsung Galaxy Note II	Congratulations! I, too, have wondered off and on how you made out in your quest.