Best E-Reader for bed-bound arthritis sufferer?

[BearMountainBooks]

The side buttons ROCK. They are right where you hold the device and the page forward (the one used most frequently) is larger than the page back. To turn it off, there's a large slide button on the bottom. To select a book, you get to use a fairly large button/toggle thingie. You don't have to use the keyboard (letters). If she does need to use those, I recommend keeping a old pencil with an eraser handy. The eraser is the perfect size to press those buttons! Fat fingers are much...fatter.

I talked to my friend who has very bad arthritis. She highly recommends the regular kindles over the fire. She says the fire is heavier for her to hold (she has both). She prefers reading on the Kindle because she holds it for longer periods. For game playing she likes the Kindle Fire. She has no problems with the touch pad, but another friend chimed in and says she doesn't like the touch feature because it doesn't respond as well as she would like.

There you go!!! Good luck with it. And don't hesitate to tell us what books she likes because we can happily recommend "similar" ones I'm sure!!!

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by 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.

Thanks for the reply Chi Cygni,
No I'm useless at all this to be honest.
I will check out whether they've already tried audio books when I next speak to the carer(who's surprisingly hard to get hold of!) and if not, I'll suggest it as an alternative to the E-Reader.
Feels like a total cop-out from my point of view of course, but maybe it's more appropriate for her. I would imagine that only a faction of books are available in audio book format, otherwise it would be ideal.
Thanks,
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

The side buttons ROCK. They are right where you hold the device and the page forward (the one used most frequently) is larger than the page back. To turn it off, there's a large slide button on the bottom. To select a book, you get to use a fairly large button/toggle thingie. You don't have to use the keyboard (letters). If she does need to use those, I recommend keeping a old pencil with an eraser handy. The eraser is the perfect size to press those buttons! Fat fingers are much...fatter.

Thanks again Maria(sorry I got your name wrong back there as well - "dyslexics of the world, untie!"),
Well I can't be sure, but they sound like they might be usable to her. I think we can forget the keyboard but we'll see.

I talked to my friend who has very bad arthritis. She highly recommends the regular kindles over the fire. She says the fire is heavier for her to hold (she has both). She prefers reading on the Kindle because she holds it for longer periods. For game playing she likes the Kindle Fire. She has no problems with the touch pad, but another friend chimed in and says she doesn't like the touch feature because it doesn't respond as well as she would like.

It sounds like there's a lot of variation in arthritis, and it's horses for courses in terms of which device fits a person best. So I'll only really know once she actually tries something out.
I tried the local library as someone suggested just now, but they don't lend E-Reader devices - perhaps that's just a US thing. He did suggest a home library that can visit the person's home and lend books(inc' audio books) though, so that's something I can ask/suggest too.

There you go!!! Good luck with it. And don't hesitate to tell us what books she likes because we can happily recommend "similar" ones I'm sure!!!

Thank you - yes if/when she's using it I will endeavour to feed back here as it could be useful to someone else when the subject comes up again. It could be some time yet though as I'll have to first liaise with the guys working on the stand, to decide which is the best E-Reader all round. Sounded like they will look at it when they're good an ready as they're doing it for free.
Thanks,
David.

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

I would imagine that only a faction of books are available in audio book format, otherwise it would be ideal.
Thanks,
David.

It is definetely only a fraction, but a significant one. Many of the classics are available, many bestsellers - even the sophisticated reader should be satisfied ...

[polly]

It's worth pointing out that Amazon has a really good return policy for the Kindle. Why not just buy one, put it in front of her, and see what happens. If it doesn't work, then you have more information for trying something else. You simply won't know until you try.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by polly

It's worth pointing out that Amazon has a really good return policy for the Kindle. Why not just buy one, put it in front of her, and see what happens. If it doesn't work, then you have more information for trying something else. You simply won't know until you try.

Hmmm - I was wondering about doing that anyway wihout worrying about returning it - my thinking being that I could give it my mother if it wasn't suitable. If I could return it though then that's foolproof. I'll think on that one.
Hey maybe I could order every E-Reader going and just return them one by one if no good? That'd make up for a lifetime of hardly returning anything!
Thanks
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

It is definetely only a fraction, but a significant one. Many of the classics are available, many bestsellers - even the sophisticated reader should be satisfied ...

Yes - it's something to fall back on anyway if all else fails. Will cover it off when I next talk with the carer.
Thanks,
David.

[LuBiB]

Hi David, i saw you mentioned the jetBook and i just wanted to touch base on my experience with the jetBook Color. I wrote an entire review on it here if you're interested in getting the nitty/gritty details.

It large, has auto-page turn functions, audiobook capabilities, languauge learning programs - from what i've seen don't require you to touch the screen at all.

It's also color which is a plus, and not backlit (which makes it a good choice for your eyes).

Just throwing it out there as something to consider.

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

Hi David, i saw you mentioned the jetBook and i just wanted to touch base on my experience with the jetBook Color. I wrote an entire review on it here if you're interested in getting the nitty/gritty details.

It large, has auto-page turn functions, audiobook capabilities, languauge learning programs - from what i've seen don't require you to touch the screen at all.

It's also color which is a plus, and not backlit (which makes it a good choice for your eyes).

Just throwing it out there as something to consider.

Oh, and forgot to mention the most important feature, you can download any book to this and have it read to you via text to speech (TTS) - it's like a human reading it lol

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Hmmm - I was wondering about doing that anyway wihout worrying about returning it - my thinking being that I could give it my mother if it wasn't suitable. If I could return it though then that's foolproof. I'll think on that one.
Hey maybe I could order every E-Reader going and just return them one by one if no good? That'd make up for a lifetime of hardly returning anything!
Thanks
David.

Sadly, not every eReader vendor is as easy to deal with as Amazon has been. However, we know that with Amazon you won't have any issues returning it if it doesn't work well for her. And even if it doesn't work, you'll learn a fair amount in the process about why it didn't work, and can make an even more informed decision going forward.

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

Oh, and forgot to mention the most important feature, you can download any book to this and have it read to you via text to speech (TTS) - it's like a human reading it lol

TTS has developped quite a bit, but there are worlds between an audiobook spoken by an actor and a computer voice.
Then, why should you go a detour, if you don't read anyway?
There are price considerations too - not to talk about handling.
TTS is great, but has its limits and serves a different purpose.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

've made a note to check out the audio book option - I'd be staggered if she hasn't already explored audio books, but who knows. Worth checking out at any rate.
.

Definitely - you can pick up cheap MP3 players easily, and most are expandable with microSD cards, so you can fit a lot of books on. I use mine for car journeys because I get travel-sick so can't read, and it's really useful. If her hands are as bad as it seems, this might be a good alternative. Borrowing them from the library or the RNIB is easy, and there's quite a good selection. Plus there's all the freebies (about 5000) on www.librivox.org.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Well I asked the carer, but I contacted the home in case she'd got the wrong end of the stick and they confirmed that there's no WiFi.
I agree with you - I think there ought to be WiFi throughout the building, or the folks that run it shouldhelp out with that - but it doesn't sound like it quite works that way I'm afraid.

Very odd, isn't it? Now, suggestion (and I'm not about to suggest something illegal, so please, moderators, don't delete this!) Have you thought of taking a laptop with you and seeing if there's a free wireless connection in the vicinity? There may be one if there's a pub or something else nearby. If there was, it would expand the range of possible options again.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Regardless of that though, she could not physically get up out of bed and go down to an office, but would be reliant on the next carer doing it. Ideally I want to give her full control so she can say what books she has and when. Of course I *could*| sign her up to a £20 a month ISP contract, but without a PC that's money down the drain, especially when 3G is bundled in with the Kindle.

Right, as you said - it does seem she's far more disabled than originally thought, and yes, it is a waste if she's not going to use a PC. However, if she's pretty much bed-bound, have you checked if 3G can work from her room?

Originally Posted by Carnyx

You raise a good point about the library. I'd heard library access is an option, but didn't realise the Kindle was restricted on library access. Why's that - a choice by Amazon or just format incompatibility, or something else? In my naivety I'd always imagined her buying(or being bought) current books, but you may well be right - perhaps she would prefer the cheaper library option. I need to check this out as well.

It was incompatibility at first - the Kindle wouldn't work with the software (Overdrive). However, that's now been worked out in the US. However, several of the major book publishers have pulled out of the deal in the US because (as I understand it anyway) it's too easy to pirate those books. Hence, for the moment at any rate, Overdrive have ceased to support any change to allow the Kindle to be used with libraries in the UK. Thus, for library use, it's either the Sony or Kobo. I looked into that quite closely, because it was one of my top essentials for an ereader.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

That's exactly the kind of info I was hoping to get on here - saying what's available on what device, so thank you. I liked the look of the Kobo but no-one recommended it, and I don't think it has 3G. I also thought Kobo was created by Borders bookshop, and thought they'd gone out of business for some reason, so had written it off early on. Looks like thats' wrong.

Well, the Kobo is more Europe and the Nook USA, and given the makeup of this site's users, it's not surprising the Kobo would get fewer mentions. It does seem to be quite a good little device, though, and the basic one is currently on offer for £67 in Asda (worth checking out www.moneysavingexpert.com to see which ereaders are on offer at any particular time). However, as you say, even the higher-end ones don't seem to have 3G: http://www.kobobooks.com/ereaders

Originally Posted by kacir

If you ever decide to go down the "hacking" route, there is no need to purchase *new* device. You are going to blow warranty anyway opening the device, so why not buy a second-hand one.

That's just what I was thinking! Given the cost of ereaders in the UK and the points others have raised about difficulties with returns, it's worth having a look on ebay - ereaders do tend to keep their value well, but it's still a lot less than buying new. And if it turns out to be unsuitable, resell it - a third-hand ereader isn't going to lose much of the value from a second-hand one.

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

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.

David, just so you know, the Kobo also has a dedicated online bookstore in the UK, but the Sony hasn't yet. However, there's nothing to stop you using any of the ereaders with any online bookstore (subject to the geographical restrictions HarryT mentioned), provided you have an account with it; it's just that the ereader won't connect automatically to a store other than the one that it's linked with.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

THe did suggest a home library that can visit the person's home and lend books(inc' audio books) though, so that's something I can ask/suggest too.
.

Definitely worth a shot - surprised the home isn't on their delivery list!

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

Hi David, i saw you mentioned the jetBook and i just wanted to touch base on my experience with the jetBook Color. I wrote an entire review on it here if you're interested in getting the nitty/gritty details.

Thanks for the reply LuBib,
That's a nice concise review. Turns out I had previously contacted Ectaco about it. They were the only company to respond properly on this, while Amazon and B&N just ignored all my questions and fobbed me off with auto-replies.
Unfortunately, the guy from Ectaco said it doesn't have a 3G connection in the UK(though will have WiFi after April 1st). If it weren't for that I'd be tempted to try it as I like the look of it in every other respect. That said, I'm not entirely sure if the stylus would be workable in this case.

It large, has auto-page turn functions, audiobook capabilities, languauge learning programs - from what i've seen don't require you to touch the screen at all.

It's also color which is a plus, and not backlit (which makes it a good choice for your eyes).

Just throwing it out there as something to consider.

Thank you - I appreciate you taking the time. Nice snooty penguin there by the way!
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

Oh, and forgot to mention the most important feature, you can download any book to this and have it read to you via text to speech (TTS) - it's like a human reading it lol

Yes - Ectaco man also mentioned that, though he initially described it as voice recognition which was unfortunate - got my hopes up!
Thanks again,
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Sadly, not every eReader vendor is as easy to deal with as Amazon has been. However, we know that with Amazon you won't have any issues returning it if it doesn't work well for her. And even if it doesn't work, you'll learn a fair amount in the process about why it didn't work, and can make an even more informed decision going forward.

Yes, good point and I aim to take full advantage of that with Amazon after all the money I've thrown theiur way over the years!
Is it me or does Amazon deliberately not sell any other E-Readers? I'm sure Ive been unable to find anything but accessories for others on there - e.g. Jetbook, Nook.
Thanks,
David.