Which one

[Poppaea]

I do read a lot of history and historical fiction thats why I liked the Aura better than the HD. The Kobos do have a nice feature to show footnotes. They are displayed in a pop-up window and thus there is no going back and forth in the book. Very handy, if you ask me.

The main difference will be the shopping with the devices. While the Kindle is Amazons own brand there are other shops where you can buy mobi books. Though I understand there aren't many. With an epub-device there are more shops to choose from, which might or might not make for more books to choose from. With an epub device you can easily borrow books from public libraries via overdrive.

Both systems own stores (Amazon and Kobo, as well as B&N with their Nook) do have some DRM (Digital Rights Management) on their books unless you buy DRM-free ebooks books at third party stores. Most people aren't bothered by DRM as all they want to do is read their books and are fine to have it stored in the stores clouds. If you want to store them on your computer, you'll need to find Apprentice Alf and get rid of it.

This whole mobi vs epub thing is a bit like VHS vs Beta used to be. You go with one or the other. In case you want to buy books for example from Amazon but have your heart set on an epub device again Apprentice Alf and google are your best friends.

Here is a comparison video Paperwhite vs Aura, maybe this helps.



Most of the information you get here is a bit overwhelming in the beginning. Your best move would be to go into a store and have a good play. But no matter what ever you'll end up with, i am sure you'll love it to bits.

[mystika1]

I have a Kobo Glo(Kobo's first generation reader with integrated lighting) and a Kindle PW2. I get books from many sources. The PW2 is my favorite reader. I got mine about six weeks ago and read more than ever. I use it every single day. If I am not reading on it, I am playing one of the many word games available for it. The fonts are darker on the PW2 than on my Glo.(even after font adjustments available on the Glo) Honestly, I think that you could choose Kobo or PW2 and would be very happy either way. They are both excellent.

HTH,

Penny

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

I do read a lot of history and historical fiction thats why I liked the Aura better than the HD. The Kobos do have a nice feature to show footnotes. They are displayed in a pop-up window and thus there is no going back and forth in the book. Very handy, if you ask me.

The main difference will be the shopping with the devices. While the Kindle is Amazons own brand there are other shops where you can buy mobi books. Though I understand there aren't many. With an epub-device there are more shops to choose from, which might or might not make for more books to choose from. With an epub device you can easily borrow books from public libraries via overdrive.

Both systems own stores (Amazon and Kobo, as well as B&N with their Nook) do have some DRM (Digital Rights Management) on their books unless you buy DRM-free ebooks books at third party stores. Most people aren't bothered by DRM as all they want to do is read their books and are fine to have it stored in the stores clouds. If you want to store them on your computer, you'll need to find Apprentice Alf and get rid of it.

This whole mobi vs epub thing is a bit like VHS vs Beta used to be. You go with one or the other. In case you want to buy books for example from Amazon but have your heart set on an epub device again Apprentice Alf and google are your best friends.

Most of the information you get here is a bit overwhelming in the beginning. Your best move would be to go into a store and have a good play. But no matter what ever you'll end up with, i am sure you'll love it to bits.

There is a fair amount of misinformation here. First overdrive also support Kindle formats in the US although the number of books available in that format may be different from the number of ePub books and the popularity of Kindle may increase the waiting list.

Second, you do not need to store or keep your books in a cloud just because they have DRM protection. Books with DRM on them can be stored locally and can be available without any Internet connection. Many readers without Internet capabilities can still read books with DRM on them. Generally the license on books you read support several devices so you are not even limited to having them on one device.

Dale

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There is a fair amount of misinformation here. First overdrive also support Kindle formats in the US although the number of books available in that format may be different from the number of ePub books and the popularity of Kindle may increase the waiting list.

Second, you do not need to store or keep your books in a cloud just because they have DRM protection. Books with DRM on them can be stored locally and can be available without any Internet connection. Many readers without Internet capabilities can still read books with DRM on them. Generally the license on books you read support several devices so you are not even limited to having them on one device.

Dale

Might I ask where you know the OPs location from? I haven't seen they voluteered any. And as the US only cover about 15% of the land on earth if I am not mistaken, it is perfectly possible they are somewhere else. Which means a Kindle would be useless if they want to get their books from the library.

Secondly I never said DRMed books can't be read on an ebook reader.

You have a point about me being wrong about storing them on a computer. Yes, you can, but you can't handle to your hearts content unless you get rid of the DRM. All I wanted to do is let the OP know there are options in case she likes to shop Amazon but sets her heart on an epub device.

[eschwartz]

It is hardly unusual for people to live in the US.
I should think that makes it well worth the bother of making the distinction -- rather than implying that there is nowhere no matter how "obscure" that provides Kindle loans.
Note that no one claimed Kindle loans are offered everywhere.

More information allows for making better choices, and if we don't want that why are any of us saying anything to begin with?

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by mystika1

Honestly, I think that you could choose Kobo or PW2 and would be very happy either way. They are both excellent.

Agreed. I recommend either the Kindle PW2 or Kobo Aura HD.

[safrane]

Following all your advice will narrow down the the PW2 and Kobo Aura HD.
It would be nice to try out first but as far as I am aware , there are very few e-reader stores here in the Netherlands ( except of course internet stores ).
Does the Aura HD also have this ability to enlarge maps, photos etc ?.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by safrane

Following all your advice will narrow down the the PW2 and Kobo Aura HD.
It would be nice to try out first but as far as I am aware , there are very few e-reader stores here in the Netherlands ( except of course internet stores ).
Does the Aura HD also have this ability to enlarge maps, photos etc ?.

As far as I know only the Aura does the pinchy-thingy, not the Aura HD.

Please keep in mind you won't be able to borrow library books with the PW2 as I recall the system in the Netherlands to be adobeDRM epub/overdrive. It used to be epub all over Europe, I am not sure if there were any changes in the last two years making the PW2 usable for library lending in your country, but you should check, in case you want to use your reader to borrow books from the library.

Buying online doesn't have to be a bad thing here. In Germany you are allowed to send everything bought on the internet back for full refund in two weeks time. If there is a similiar law in the Netherlands (which should as we're all Europe) you'd be able to try both at home for two weeks and send the one you don't like back.

Another fine reader, which was already suggest here I think, is the Pocketbook Touch Lux 2. Pocketbook does some very impressive epub readers, which are endlessly costumizible and have an extensive range of dictionaries.

[jandrew]

Originally Posted by safrane

Does the Aura HD also have this ability to enlarge maps, photos etc ?.

On the aura hd you can double-tap an image to get full screen view in which you can zoom, pan, and rotate the image orientation.

[safrane]

Originally Posted by jandrew

On the aura hd you can double-tap an image to get full screen view in which you can zoom, pan, and rotate the image orientation.

That sounds great , haven't found it on the user's guide though !.

Many thanks none the less.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Might I ask where you know the OPs location from? I haven't seen they voluteered any. And as the US only cover about 15% of the land on earth if I am not mistaken, it is perfectly possible they are somewhere else. Which means a Kindle would be useless if they want to get their books from the library.

Well, this is kind of "snarky." I would think that statistics about the land mass of the United States and the statistics about the percentage of U.S. eReaders in the world, probably don't coincide. But more importantly, the poster to whom you responded, specifically said "in the US." If the OP doesn't live in the U.S. then -- obviously -- this doesn't apply to him or her.

I am from the United States and almost all eBooks I've borrowed from my local library were in Kindle format. Since the vast majority of eBook users in the U.S. use the Kindle, this makes sense. I'm guessing -- here in the U.S. -- that the number of Kindle eBook titles available for borrowing will eventually overtake those in the ePub format. So this is definitely something for U.S. residents to consider.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by safrane

That sounds great , haven't found it on the user's guide though !.

It is a fairly new function added to the Kobo firmware. The image zoom is actually on all the devices. But it is supported in kepubs only.

The multi-touch gestures are only enabled for the Aura. So, pinch to zoom and two fingers to adjust the light levels only work on the Aura. Someone has created an alternative kernel that enables these on the other devices.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Well, this is kind of "snarky." I would think that statistics about the land mass of the United States and the statistics about the percentage of U.S. eReaders in the world, probably don't coincide. But more importantly, the poster to whom you responded, specifically said "in the US." If the OP doesn't live in the U.S. then -- obviously -- this doesn't apply to him or her.

I am from the United States and almost all eBooks I've borrowed from my local library were in Kindle format. Since the vast majority of eBook users in the U.S. use the Kindle, this makes sense. I'm guessing -- here in the U.S. -- that the number of Kindle eBook titles available for borrowing will eventually overtake those in the ePub format. So this is definitely something for U.S. residents to consider.

Well, in my book its "snarky" to assume everyone owning or wanting to an ereader has to be an US citizen. Last time I looked this were the International forums not everybody-lives-in-the-States-and-no-other- country-in-this-world-exists-for-us-forums.

And since the vast majority of ereaders used outside the US are epub devices and furthermore the libraries in Europe work on epub this is definitely something to consider as you say.

So, it would have been more considerate and easier to either ask for the location before jumping to conclusions or give the full information.

All in all the prejudice shown by assuming everyone just has to be in the States just added to my prejudice.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Well, in my book its "snarky" to assume everyone owning or wanting to an ereader has to be an US citizen. Last time I looked this were the International forums not everybody-lives-in-the-States-and-no-other- country-in-this-world-exists-for-us-forums.

And since the vast majority of ereaders used outside the US are epub devices and furthermore the libraries in Europe work on epub this is definitely something to consider as you say.

So, it would have been more considerate and easier to either ask for the location before jumping to conclusions or give the full information.

All in all the prejudice shown by assuming everyone just has to be in the States just added to my prejudice.

Then isn't it hysterical, that the one and only peron who did not give both sides is you yourself?

Everyone else had to jump all over you and point out that while outside the US you are correct, within the US there are Kindle loans. You however went ahead and started assuming that the only people out there are non-US citizens.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Well, in my book its "snarky" to assume everyone owning or wanting to an ereader has to be an US citizen. Last time I looked this were the International forums not everybody-lives-in-the-States-and-no-other- country-in-this-world-exists-for-us-forums.

You seem to be oversensitive about this. Here's what the poster (you responded to) said:

There is a fair amount of misinformation here. First overdrive also support Kindle formats in the US although the number of books available in that format may be different from the number of ePub books and the popularity of Kindle may increase the waiting list.

(Emphasis mine.)

What part of this assumes that "everyone owning or wanting an ereader has to be a US citizen?" The poster specifically qualifies his statement with "in the US." And, as I mentioned in my last post -- it's a valid consideration for those living the United States. "Kindle" is almost synonymous with "ereader" in this country and (as I mentioned) almost all library books I've borrowed have been in the Kindle format. I understand, and appreciate that this is not the case elsewhere in the world. But I live in the United States, and know that the reality of the situation here in the US makes a strong case for buying a Kindle. As you mentioned, we didn't know where this poster was from -- had he been a U.S. citizen (as opposed to a German citizen, for example) different guidelines would have applied. This is really nothing to get upset about. I sincerely doubt that it was meant to be offensive.