Cybook or Sony (UK customer)

[Vaseline]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Ok... not that I want to break up the CyBook love fest here. But. I think pretty much any book in mobi format is also available in Adobe Secure PDF which the Sony can display.

Even if not, removing DRM from a mobibook and converting it to LRF/ePUB for the Sony is a simple quick process once you get the right tools.

Finally, you can get RSS and news feeds for the Sony using calibre.

BOb

Hey BOb, thanks for some opposing input .

As to the first point, I have seen 1 or 2 books I've wanted to read which genuinely are available only in mobipocket format from what I can tell. Which is obviously a small amount, but I don't particulary want to have to fiddle around much with using conversion tools.

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

As Far as I've seen its a mixture.

For Some sites I get the whole article as well,for others it only gets the summary from the feed. It then creates a Mobi file which you can transfer to the Gen3.

You can always create your own items, but form my needs I found most feeds ready made.

The eNews is through the Mobipocket desktop reader, which is free to download. I would suggest you download and install it to try out the feeds.

Hmm, I tried that with some sites (e.g. BBC) and they all only had the title with a summary. It seemed to have the 'article extraction' on though. Does this only work when its created on a file for the device? Thanks

Originally Posted by petermillard

Yes, that's the case that comes with. The screen's probably the most delicate part of the whole device, and the matt finish almost makes it seem even more fragile; treat it as you would any other valuable device with a large screen and you should be fine - always assuming you use the case, of course...

I use mine mostly at home, but my wife travels with hers a lot and (so far) hasn't had any problems at all.

Sorry, can't help with the RSS support - not my thing at all!

Cheers, Pete

Thanks for that input, its very much appreciated

[Lordy]

I was in exactly the same position as vaseline (I posted a few months ago) and in the end didnt buy anything because, having sort of made a decision on the hardware, I started looking at the books available and gave up. I'm a current fiction paperback consumer, one or two a week, £4-8 a time, and while I could happily entertain myself for a while rereading the classics for free on my reader, if I want to read a new book (1) I have to pay something approaching (or exceeding) the hardback price and (2) there's naff all available. What's the point? I'm trying to save space and paper but not at the cost of price and choice. (Bear in mind I'm in the Uk so Kindle not an option tho I dont know if Amazon is any better/cheaper). I've read all the "where to get books" posts in all formats and I'm in shock. Its like having an Ipod but only being able to listen to stuff from before the 70s and maybe 1 song in 1000 from now, but not one you'd ever want to listen to, and at 10 times the price. Am I missing something?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Lordy

I was in exactly the same position as vaseline (I posted a few months ago) and in the end didnt buy anything because, having sort of made a decision on the hardware, I started looking at the books available and gave up. I'm a current fiction paperback consumer, one or two a week, £4-8 a time, and while I could happily entertain myself for a while rereading the classics for free on my reader, if I want to read a new book (1) I have to pay something approaching (or exceeding) the hardback price and (2) there's naff all available. What's the point? I'm trying to save space and paper but not at the cost of price and choice. (Bear in mind I'm in the Uk so Kindle not an option tho I dont know if Amazon is any better/cheaper). I've read all the "where to get books" posts in all formats and I'm in shock. Its like having an Ipod but only being able to listen to stuff from before the 70s and maybe 1 song in 1000 from now, but not one you'd ever want to listen to, and at 10 times the price. Am I missing something?

I honestly think that you couldn't be more wrong about there being "naff all available". I suppose it depends what type of books you like to read, but the vast majority of "best sellers" these days are available as eBooks, and generally at much lower prices than UK paperbacks. Take a look at a site like Fictionwise and you'll find that most eBooks sell for somewhere about $5-6 (£3-4), which is a heck of a lot less than buying paperbacks. I'm a fan of mysteries and SF/fantasy, and I have more available to read as eBooks than I could possibly get through in a lifetime.

[slayda]

Having both a Cybook Gen3 and a Sony (albeit a PRS-500) I have to agree with Harry's assessment of the two.

Yes you can relatively easily convert books to the Sony format or even to RTF but for a "one time read" type book, that soon becomes annoying.

I also have a Palm TX that I use and the Mobipocket can be read on the Cybook, The TX or my PC. So for the reasons Harry stated and my own set of reading devices, the Cybook is much superior.

[Vaseline]

Originally Posted by slayda

Having both a Cybook Gen3 and a Sony (albeit a PRS-500) I have to agree with Harry's assessment of the two.

Yes you can relatively easily convert books to the Sony format or even to RTF but for a "one time read" type book, that soon becomes annoying.

I also have a Palm TX that I use and the Mobipocket can be read on the Cybook, The TX or my PC. So for the reasons Harry stated and my own set of reading devices, the Cybook is much superior.

Yeah I agree. I really want to avoid having to fiddle around with this sort of thing as much as possible. Thanks for your help

Originally Posted by HarryT

I honestly think that you couldn't be more wrong about there being "naff all available". I suppose it depends what type of books you like to read, but the vast majority of "best sellers" these days are available as eBooks, and generally at much lower prices than UK paperbacks. Take a look at a site like Fictionwise and you'll find that most eBooks sell for somewhere about $5-6 (£3-4), which is a heck of a lot less than buying paperbacks. I'm a fan of mysteries and SF/fantasy, and I have more available to read as eBooks than I could possibly get through in a lifetime.

Originally Posted by Lordy

I was in exactly the same position as vaseline (I posted a few months ago) and in the end didnt buy anything because, having sort of made a decision on the hardware, I started looking at the books available and gave up. I'm a current fiction paperback consumer, one or two a week, £4-8 a time, and while I could happily entertain myself for a while rereading the classics for free on my reader, if I want to read a new book (1) I have to pay something approaching (or exceeding) the hardback price and (2) there's naff all available. What's the point? I'm trying to save space and paper but not at the cost of price and choice. (Bear in mind I'm in the Uk so Kindle not an option tho I dont know if Amazon is any better/cheaper). I've read all the "where to get books" posts in all formats and I'm in shock. Its like having an Ipod but only being able to listen to stuff from before the 70s and maybe 1 song in 1000 from now, but not one you'd ever want to listen to, and at 10 times the price. Am I missing something?

That was definately a very different post to the rest of those in this thread :P. I'm afraid I have to agree with HarryT though, I'm really surprised by the amount of books available for it that were on my 'to read list'. In a lot of cases, pretty obscure titles I was not expecting. Sure it's not comprehensive, but its pretty impressive I think. Price isn't bad on places like fictionwise either. I suppose it depends on what type of books you read though.

I've ordered a cybook, thanks for all the help guys!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Vaseline

Which is obviously a small amount, but I don't particulary want to have to fiddle around much with using conversion tools.

Ok... but just to put it in perspective it takes less time and effort to convert an ebook that it did for you to post this response.

BOb

[redbaron101]

hi vaseline,

I'm from the uk as well, remember you have a third option the bebook (hanline clone). I was very tempted by the cybook - great price. Like one of the other guys mentioned, you can get it delivered to a store for collection. Remember with the 505, you can buy from Waterstones or the high street Sony Shop (if you have one near you) - I didn't realise the Sony shops on the high street do them, and although they don't advertise the fact, even on their shop windows, they do! (I had always presumed it was only high end hi-fis and tvs)

[gwynevans]

There's also John Lewis in the UK, who have an exclusive on the Red version of the Sony 505!

[kougei]

Well I was hovering between the two, and had almost decided on the CyBook from WHSmith, mainly due to the great price, and direct support of MobiPocket format.

However, in looking through various videos on Youtube, I actually had the chance to play with the Sony in my local Waterstones, and the reviews are correct, it seems the nicest, and sleekest looking. So the chance to actually see one brought the Sony back in the reckoning, apart from the price.

Then 2 things swung it this morning :-

1. Confirmation that most popular formats could be converted to the Sony, with a bit of hackery, which I'm no stranger to

2. Waterstones today reduced the Sony online price to £184, so I just ordered it for delivery to my local branch. Unfortunately, the store won't match it, or sub my order, so I have to wait.

3. I used Quidco for 3.5% cashback on the Waterstones order, I've never used Quidco before but it certainly seems reliable and reputable from what I've read elsewhere

By the way, this site is fantastic, easily the best source of information on e-book reading I found on the web

[ravenlife]

2. Waterstones today reduced the Sony online price to £184, so I just ordered it for delivery to my local branch. Unfortunately, the store won't match it, or sub my order, so I have to wait.

is that a typo? i went a lookin' an itsnnow £194

[kougei]

Looks like it only went down for the day or weekend. Definitely got mine at £184

[ravenlife]

damn thats 2 sales i have missed