Best E-Reader for bed-bound arthritis sufferer?

[BearMountainBooks]

If the person wishes to do email and some socializing with the device a tablet type device such as the Kindle Fire would likely be best--it is also backlit. (I don't know if it is available in the UK, but would be worth considering/waiting until it is.) I helped my neighbor pick a device just recently and so much depends on expectations. I showed her my K3 (keyboard) and she didn't like the keyboard, but loved the page buttons. She also wanted color because she was so used to a computer screen. The backlight didn't bother her and in fact was something she wanted because again, her expectations were more of a computer than a "book."

She has been very happy with the fire because it does email, has facebook, plays Sudoku and she says she is planning on downloading a movie. She loves that it is bright and backlit so she can "see" it in the evenings. She also loves the color. It helps her see and read things on the front page better--and the book covers are in color.

For someone used to TV or a computer, going to a black and white device can be a problem due to expectations, color contrast and actually being able to spot things quickly.

Hope this helps. I do recommend if the person has access to ANY of the readers to show it to the person. Then you can base the purchase on the complaints or lackthereof and get an idea of what they expect.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

It is a different chip but Amazon promises global 3G coverage for Kindles with 3G. That means that I should be able to have 3G coverage any where in the world with my Kindle that was purchased in the US.

There is one chip for the US and Canada and another chip for the rest of the globe. I believe that this is reflected in the serial number so Amazon knows what they are dealing wtih. Both work globally. No issues.

Sorry ProfCrash - just realised I've been consistently getting your name wrong.
I wonder if the chip is the only difference or if anything else is restricted? Otherwise I think I'd be tempted with by the Kindle Touch.
Just watched a demo of the Touch and I do like the page turning, though there are some more fiddly operations like pinching in/out to change font size. I just don't know how she's going to cope with fine controls on either device. So it will probably come down to outside help in the end which is sad.
I wish Amazon had stores like Apple, then I'd go and try them all out properly.
Thanks
David.

[ProfCrash]

It is not restricted. I don't know how many times I have to say this but you can use the 3G across the globe for downloading books from the Kindle store. It is not restricted. If it was they could not advertise that the 3G works anywhere in the world. Plenty of folks have traveled with it and had no issues with the 3G.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

If the person wishes to do email and some socializing with the device a tablet type device such as the Kindle Fire would likely be best--it is also backlit. (I don't know if it is available in the UK, but would be worth considering/waiting until it is.) I helped my neighbor pick a device just recently and so much depends on expectations. I showed her my K3 (keyboard) and she didn't like the keyboard, but loved the page buttons. She also wanted color because she was so used to a computer screen. The backlight didn't bother her and in fact was something she wanted because again, her expectations were more of a computer than a "book."

Thanks for the reply Marie,
Well I hadn't been considering the Kindle Fire at all, because it's unavailable in the UK, but I like the sound of it. Unfortunately until speech recognition comes of age then I don't think email is going to be an option for her.
I was originally hoping to persuade the carer to ditch the E-Reader idea and go with a tablet so that she would have access to the WWW and multimedia, as well as books. It would really open her world up. I did a U turn on that though after realising the PC-like learning curve for a non technical, non PC person, plus battery life, weight, contrast, and inevitable weird PC problems vs the straight forward process of ordering books and reading them on an E-Reader. Now maybe the Kindle Fire doesn't even have those problems. I'm sure I read that the Fire isn't so easy on the eyes and has a shorter battery life. I really liked the look of a colour E-Reader that I saw on a youtube demo yesterday - can't remember which one that was now - Jetbook maybe? If the Fire looked like that, and did 3G(that worked in UK) then it would be an interesting prospect.

She has been very happy with the fire because it does email, has facebook, plays Sudoku and she says she is planning on downloading a movie. She loves that it is bright and backlit so she can "see" it in the evenings. She also loves the color. It helps her see and read things on the front page better--and the book covers are in color.

I would *dearly* love to give her access to all of this, but I may have to keep it simple and see how she gets on with a basic E-Reader. It would be horrible dangling a big fancy box of tricks in front of her that she can't even use. Mind you that's potentially exactly what we'll be doing with th eE-Reader. Like I said to the carer earlier today, if she is able to use the Kindle interface successfully, we could consider putting together for a tablet afterwards. I must admit that I'm feeling a little despondent about the whole thing this evening. I think the carer may have underestimated how much interaction is required to get books and read them on such a device, and I may have underestimated just how restricted her hand/arm movement is. So perhaps we're naively trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Still there's always Kacir's idea's about integrating a third party interface into the E-Reader if all else fails. I'll be severely p#ssed off if she doesn;t get one that works now.

Hope this helps. I do recommend if the person has access to ANY of the readers to show it to the person. Then you can base the purchase on the complaints or lackthereof and get an idea of what they expect.

Yeah it definitely helps. As somebody with no experience of E-Readers, I need as much info and doifferent angles as possible before choosing one... or not.
Thank you,
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

It is not restricted. I don't know how many times I have to say this but you can use the 3G across the globe for downloading books from the Kindle store. It is not restricted. If it was they could not advertise that the 3G works anywhere in the world. Plenty of folks have traveled with it and had no issues with the 3G.

Ok, I heard that! I just wondered if there might be anything *other* than the 3G that might be a problem in the UK. If not then great.

[BearMountainBooks]

David, the simple Kindle reader is pretty simple. But most of the ordering for books I do on my computer. For another person I know who is NOT computer savvy, she has her daughter (I actually know the daughter) do all the ordering. The Mom pays for a gift card periodically that is attached to her account. She then asks for particular books and the daughter buys them and sends them directly to the kindle. This is perhaps the greatest tool. So when the mom turns on the device, the books download and her only task is to choose one to open and read. She does not have to "Shop" on the device or know how to connect to Amazon and the web. All she has to do is see the list of books, select one and read it. Those commands are very simple from any of the kindles.

The daughter does not live nearby, but she can manage the buying and delivery of books. THe mom supplied the amount of the gift card. Anyone could perform this function for the lady.

She would need to set up an account, buy the kindle and get it registered. Then someone would have to show her how to turn it on and open books or go down the list of books to select what to read (very simple tasks.) When it comes to getting a new book, she could ask the care giver to order the book and have it delivered to the Kindle.

I have heard several people say they now use a Kindle because of arthritis. It is VERY light. I recommend a case to keep the Kindle from slipping and to make it easier to hold. The buttons on the 3g Keyboard are on either side of the kindle to turn the pages--this makes it very easy to switch hands or to turn pages. VERY easy, very light device.

If someone can take some time to understand what she likes to read, they can even help select books for the person. To get her started, if someone has time, they can pre-load some selections (perhaps some free titles or if she is like many in that generation, she might like things like Agatha Christie and the like. I think a few are public domain, but am not sure.)

Thoughts only.

[speakingtohe]

In Canada many libraries lend ereaders to patrons. For some reason they are mostly kindles although we have few if any kindle ebooks available for library loan.

They often come preloaded with 51 books mostly bestsellers.

Might be an option in England and worth a try if it is.

The big issue is if the lady in question can actually use and enjoy an ereader. Other things can be figured out later.

Helen

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Hello all,
I've been asked to source an E-Reader for a Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer in England. They're advanced in years, bed-bound, very withered(I believe they've also suffered a bone withering disease), but have some movement in their head/neck/upper body/arms.
I don't possess an E-Reader and know very little about arthritis or accessibility issues, so I'm really punching above my weight here.
I have spent a fair old chunk of time *trying* to research this on the WWW, and while it's given me some background knowledge on E-Readers, I've found it very difficult gleaning which E-Reader's best for such a user.
In terms of weight, contrast, ease of downloading books without a PC or WiFi, all roads *appear* to point to Kindle, but I was disappointed that the Kindle Touch isn't available in the UK, as I thought Touchscreen might be useful.
From my research, it appears that some E-Readers that are available in the US are not available in the UK, and I believe that, likewise, some books are also unavailable in the UK due to copyright issues. I emailed Amazon and Barnes & Noble explaining the situation, and asking what benefits their E-Readers might offer somebody in this position. To my surprise, both sent unhelpful automated replies. However I gathered from the B&N auto reply that they don't sell the Nook in the UK so I've provisionally crossed that off the list.
I don't want to miss any important considerations and pick the wrong one, so I thought that I'd put the question to the experts on this forum. Is anybody here in a position to make any recommendations on the best E-Reader to go for?
On a separate note, the carer who asked me to look into this is also considering getting a stand to hold the device so that it hangs above the bed within reach. Again I have had a look at some online, which are a variety of metal stands/tripods that lean/hang over the bed with a place to attach the E-Reader. There was also the bookseat though I'm not sure how practical that would be in this case. So I wondered if anyone has any suggestions on this, but don't worry if not as the E-Reader's my main concern at the moment.
Thank you for your time,
David.

Why not forget about reading and move on to audiobooks?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

Why not forget about reading and move on to audiobooks?

Now there's an idea

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

It is not restricted. I don't know how many times I have to say this but you can use the 3G across the globe for downloading books from the Kindle store. It is not restricted. If it was they could not advertise that the 3G works anywhere in the world. Plenty of folks have traveled with it and had no issues with the 3G.

That's not entirely true, Prof. For example, a (US) Kindle Touch cannot (currently) be used to buy books from the Kindle Store at "amazon.co.uk". If you have an account at "amazon.com" then yes, you can buy books anywhere in the world.

This restriction does not apply to the 3G Kindle Keyboard. It CAN be used to buy books from "amazon.co.uk".

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

David, the simple Kindle reader is pretty simple. But most of the ordering for books I do on my computer. For another person I know who is NOT computer savvy, she has her daughter (I actually know the daughter) do all the ordering. The Mom pays for a gift card periodically that is attached to her account. She then asks for particular books and the daughter buys them and sends them directly to the kindle. This is perhaps the greatest tool. So when the mom turns on the device, the books download and her only task is to choose one to open and read. She does not have to "Shop" on the device or know how to connect to Amazon and the web. All she has to do is see the list of books, select one and read it. Those commands are very simple from any of the kindles.
The daughter does not live nearby, but she can manage the buying and delivery of books. THe mom supplied the amount of the gift card. Anyone could perform this function for the lady.

She would need to set up an account, buy the kindle and get it registered. Then someone would have to show her how to turn it on and open books or go down the list of books to select what to read (very simple tasks.) When it comes to getting a new book, she could ask the care giver to order the book and have it delivered to the Kindle.

Yes I'd been considering the remote ordering option as a fallback solution, but now you mention it, I think this is how we'll have to use it full stop. I gather she's just getting a new phone that she can actually use, so she could just call me whenever she wants a new book I would get it on her behalf. If I had to physically go back and forth to achieve this, it could quickly become unworkable. This is why the Kindle Keyboard is the obvious option here. I'm just slightly concerned whether she'll be able to actually switch the thing on/off, select a book, that kind of thing. Anyway the proof will be in the pudding. I'd still like to see her have full control over the E-Reader, but it just seems that the appropriate interfaces just aren't there yet.

I have heard several people say they now use a Kindle because of arthritis. It is VERY light. I recommend a case to keep the Kindle from slipping and to make it easier to hold. The buttons on the 3g Keyboard are on either side of the kindle to turn the pages--this makes it very easy to switch hands or to turn pages. VERY easy, very light device.

Good feedback - I had wondered what the buttons were like on the keyboard version - I'd got it into my head it was all done with the 4-way control. Side buttons sound better.

If someone can take some time to understand what she likes to read, they can even help select books for the person. To get her started, if someone has time, they can pre-load some selections (perhaps some free titles or if she is like many in that generation, she might like things like Agatha Christie and the like. I think a few are public domain, but am not sure.)

Thoughts only.

Well if/when we get this deivce I do aim to pre-load some of the free books that people have pointed me to onto the device. I know there's some on here and I have some other sources in my notes.
Thanks for the detailed response Marie. Very helpful stuff.
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

In Canada many libraries lend ereaders to patrons. For some reason they are mostly kindles although we have few if any kindle ebooks available for library loan.

They often come preloaded with 51 books mostly bestsellers.

Might be an option in England and worth a try if it is.

The big issue is if the lady in question can actually use and enjoy an ereader. Other things can be figured out later.

Helen

Thanks for the reply Speakingtohe,
That actually sounds like a sensible idea - had never considered that. The main problem here has been the inability to get her to a shop to try them out. Plus she appears to be surrounded entirely by Amish people who don't have PCs or E-Readers. There was some vague suggestion that someone knew someone with a basement where you could try these out, but in my experience these vague things never come to fruition.
So your idea is a good one - I will call the library and find out.
Thanks,
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

Why not forget about reading and move on to audiobooks?

Thanks for the reply Beryll,
Well the simple answer to that is that I was asked by the carer to find the best E-Reader for her. Clearly there's no-one else in her circle with an E-Reader or even a PC so I was happy to oblige.
That said, I kind of agree with you - maybe E-Readers in their current form just aren't appropriate for this lady. I need to ask the carer about audiobooks - forgot last time.
Thanks,
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's not entirely true, Prof. For example, a (US) Kindle Touch cannot (currently) be used to buy books from the Kindle Store at "amazon.co.uk". If you have an account at "amazon.com" then yes, you can buy books anywhere in the world.

This restriction does not apply to the 3G Kindle Keyboard. It CAN be used to buy books from "amazon.co.uk".

Would the same be true of an imported Kindle Touch 3G I wonder? or would that just work the same in the UK too?
I prefer the Touch though dubious whether she'd be able to handle certain operations like pinching in and out for font.
Thanks,
David.

[Chi Cygni]

just wondering, many audiobooks loaded on a cd (dvd?) and buy a cd player? I guess carer would have less problem setting it up. And don't some of the players come with a remote? radio would be a bonus too I guess, even with headphones. And you can always send a new cd by post once in a while.

somehow I do not see an ereader work if hands are not very mobile.

I admire the care and consideration you showed.