First E-reader, help me choose

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Darqref

Unlike all the other respondents, I'd like to offer different advice. Go to the store and HOLD each of them. Preferably without a security cord that will unbalance them. Which feels better in your hands? Move them around. Try them at different angles from the available light. Are you going to be reading on this device only at home, or will you take it with you? Does it fit easily in however you want to carry it?

I've owned 4 different readers, and the biggest difference to me, was how comfortable each was to hold, and turn pages. Ergonomics above everything.

Yes, if they are available in your local stores this is a good idea. When I bought my first ereader all the major brands were still available in stores in the US and one reason I chose my first Sony reader was because it was the best fit in my hands.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I find my Kobo Aura H2O with a 6.8" screen to be very portable. So I don't see why the Libra would not be just as portable.

What size/shape is "portable" will be different for each person depending on whether it fits in their particular pocket, handbag, or whatever. Even between my 6 inch readers, not all of them are quite the same size and shape.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I find my Kobo Aura H2O with a 6.8" screen to be very portable. So I don't see why the Libra would not be just as portable.

Originally Posted by 4691mls

What size/shape is "portable" will be different for each person depending on whether it fits in their particular pocket, handbag, or whatever. Even between my 6 inch readers, not all of them are quite the same size and shape.

The only reader I can comfortably carry in a normal sized shirt pocket, when it's in its case, is the Sony PRS-T3 (which isn't front-lit but the case does have a built-in light). I have a Kobo Aura HD (6.8") and I think it's about the same size as the original H2O. It's a nice reader, but it's definitely not what I would consider easily portable. If I don't use a case, I have several 6" readers that will fit in my shirt pocket but I know a Libra H2O definitely would not do so.

EDIT: Should mention that the Kobo Mini would fit very well in my pocket in a Mini OEM case, but original Kobo Mini cases are impossible to find and the one I have for it is very bulky. The Mini without a case, however, feels almost non-existent in my shirt pocket.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by stumped

from online stores maybe.
there are no actual physical stores in Europe who sell and support pocketbook AFAIK,

so good luck with any warranty if it ever goes bad.

unless you don't mind shipping it to China at your expense. & it probably has to be shipped - on a boat - you cant airmail to/from china nowadays

Kobo don't have the greatest customer service reputation either but it's the better option, unless you feel lucky

as I check, I went here
https://www.pocketbook-int.com/int/s...ervice-centers
I click on service centres near you ( I am in UK) i get a blank
so I click on all service centres, I still get a blank
just an email address that I can write to

either they don't have any, or they have a broken web site

does not inspire confidence

Actually they do have awesome customer support!!! There is one guy who used to be very active here on Pocketbook, nick is Forkosigan, who does handle most stuff personally when you drop him a line. He still is on one German board and handles things swiftly and effectively. They are even known to switch broken screens within a certain time of purchase (at least in Germany). And as we all know a broken screen is caused by wrong handling and thus exempt from any guarantee ever, which makes this all the more awesome.

Furthermore I don't know what makes you think China???? The company was founded in Ukraine and is now located in Switzerland. They do have an American subsidiary in Kansas and are sold in 35 countries around the world. They are the most sold ereader in the former soviet states and do have a significant share of the European ereader market.

It is now the second time (IIRC) you spread this nonsense about sending Pocketbooks to China, I'd really like for you not to scare people away with wild assumptions and unfounded, uninformed fears!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

The only reader I can comfortably carry in a normal sized shirt pocket, when it's in its case, is the Sony PRS-T3 (which isn't front-lit but the case does have a built-in light). I have a Kobo Aura HD (6.8") and I think it's about the same size as the original H2O. It's a nice reader, but it's definitely not what I would consider easily portable. If I don't use a case, I have several 6" readers that will fit in my shirt pocket but I know a Libra H2O definitely would not do so.

EDIT: Should mention that the Kobo Mini would fit very well in my pocket in a Mini OEM case, but original Kobo Mini cases are impossible to find and the one I have for it is very bulky. The Mini without a case, however, feels almost non-existent in my shirt pocket.

But it's not a good idea to put your Reader in your shirt pocket. Imagine a crowded subway station. Getting bumped and ending up with a broken screen. There are other ways the screen can get broken in a pocket. That's why I will never put any Reader in a pocket as I don't want to break it.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Cherwell

Hello everybody,

I finally decided to switch from reading on mobile phone and computer screen to dedicated E-reader.
After some research, I narrowed my choice to Kobo Libra H20 and Pocketbook Touch HD3.
Looking for recommendations, pros, cons, experiences with one or both of them...

Also open to other suggestions within the price range of those two.

Try them out in the shop if possible. To get an idea about a 7 inch screen you could take a look at an Oasis at your local Mediamarkt.

They both are very fine readers. They do have different features in their software, so it would be smart to play with them for a while until you get a feeling if you like one of them better than the other.

That being said, my first ereader was quite basic (this was waaayy back, about a decade ago, so this was what we had) and I still loved it to bits. In the end, you'll love it anyway and being picky about certain features seems to be an aquired thing that comes with a certain time of ownership. Most things that can bug people about their reader are only discovered while using said reader for a while.

Personally I'd go with the Libra. I like it better than the Pocketbook I've owned, because of the software. And I also like the bigger screen a lot better. 7 inch is still quite portable IMO while giving you a significant chunk more words per page.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by stumped

Yes, we are leaving , apparently. Not something I voted for.

This time I wasn't harping about the unfortunate Brexit.
I was trying to say that in many countries in mainland Europe they do sell Pocketbooks in [brick and mortar] shops or in well established reputable on-line stores.

Originally Posted by stumped

How do you explain the broken pocketbook support website. Does that work in your country?

The average user is not going to try to troubleshot broken e-ink reader. [S]He brings it back to the shop or to the pick-up point of on-line shop or sends it back. Bigger chain-stores and big eshops will often just return money rather than bicker about the warranty return. (Not as generous as Amazon, but still very customer friendly).

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Furthermore I don't know what makes you think China???? The company was founded in Ukraine and is now located in Switzerland. They do have an American subsidiary in Kansas and are sold in 35 countries around the world. They are the most sold ereader in the former soviet states and do have a significant share of the European ereader market.

PocketBook readers are, indeed, manufactured in China ;-)
The company that sold them was originally from Ukraine and now has headquarters in Switzerland. At the very beginning they were using generic Netronix hardware from Chinese manufacturer Netronix and just installing their fantastic firmware. Those were times when PocketBook 301 and PocketBook 360° were THE best e-ink readers in the world [software-wise The hardware was generic OEM stuff]. T
Later on they switched to other Chinese manufacturer.
I do not know who manufactures hardware now, but I think it is Chinese company (just like in case of iPhones, flagship Android phones, Segways, and other high-end hardware)

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Actually they do have awesome customer support!!! There is one guy who used to be very active here on Pocketbook, nick is Forkosigan, who does handle most stuff personally when you drop him a line. He still is on one German board and handles things swiftly and effectively. They are even known to switch broken screens within a certain time of purchase (at least in Germany). And as we all know a broken screen is caused by wrong handling and thus exempt from any guarantee ever, which makes this all the more awesome.

Furthermore I don't know what makes you think China???? The company was founded in Ukraine and is now located in Switzerland. They do have an American subsidiary in Kansas and are sold in 35 countries around the world. They are the most sold ereader in the former soviet states and do have a significant share of the European ereader market.

It is now the second time (IIRC) you spread this nonsense about sending Pocketbooks to China, I'd really like for you not to scare people away with wild assumptions and unfounded, uninformed fears!

Ok. But one helpful guy on a forum is not how most international companies do customer support. And I still await an explanation of that rubbish web site.wnich offers zero support except for am email address

As for China, ok maybe I confused them with other actual Chinese products, or saw lots of Chinese sellers on eBay, but I fail to find any retailers in my country. If I am wrong about that please name some. And likewise give the locations of their European service centers.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by kacir

PocketBook readers are, indeed, manufactured in China ;-)
The company that sold them was originally from Ukraine and now has headquarters in Switzerland. At the very beginning they were using generic Netronix hardware from Chinese manufacturer Netronix and just installing their fantastic firmware. Those were times when PocketBook 301 and PocketBook 360° were THE best e-ink readers in the world [software-wise The hardware was generic OEM stuff]. T
Later on they switched to other Chinese manufacturer.
I do not know who manufactures hardware now, but I think it is Chinese company (just like in case of iPhones, flagship Android phones, Segways, and other high-end hardware)

Well, what has any of this, which I am well aware of, got to do with the claim made by stumed you'd have to send your device to China because they don't offer service in Europe?

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by stumped

Ok. But one helpful guy on a forum is not how most international companies do customer support. And I still await an explanation of that rubbish web site.wnich offers zero support except for am email address

As for China, ok maybe I confused them with other actual Chinese products, or saw lots of Chinese sellers on eBay, but I fail to find any retailers in my country. If I am wrong about that please name some. And likewise give the locations of their European service centers.

I never said one guy alone handles their complete customer support.

As for your demands for me to provide you with names and adresses: I owe you jack. They obviously do not sell their readers in Britain. But as you seem to have a hard time navigating their website here's a screenshot

[stumped]

Originally Posted by kacir

This time I wasn't harping about the unfortunate Brexit.
I was trying to say that in many countries in mainland Europe they do sell Pocketbooks in [brick and mortar] shops or in well established reputable on-line stores.

The average user is not going to try to troubleshot broken e-ink reader. [S]He brings it back to the shop or to the pick-up point of on-line shop or sends it back. Bigger chain-stores and big eshops will often just return money rather than bicker about the warranty return. (Not as generous as Amazon, but still very customer friendly).

Yes, and I was trying to say that no such shops or even online stores appear to exist in the UK.

I agree completely that the average user just wants a simple return or repair service. But when I went through a simulation of trying to do that online, I hit that useless dead end support site.

I accept that things are different in germany. And that I was off target re China.

In current times all imports, exports may be disrupted. It's going to be better to shop in-country if you can.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by kacir

This time I wasn't harping about the unfortunate Brexit.
I was trying to say that in many countries in mainland Europe they do sell Pocketbooks in [brick and mortar] shops or in well established reputable on-line stores.

The average user is not going to try to troubleshot broken e-ink reader. [S]He brings it back to the shop or to the pick-up point of on-line shop or sends it back. Bigger chain-stores and big eshops will often just return money rather than bicker about the warranty return. (Not as generous as Amazon, but still very customer friendly).

Yes, and I was trying to say that no such shops or even online stores appear to exist in the UK.

I agree completely that the average user just wants a simple return or repair service. But when I went through a simulation of trying to do that online, I hit that useless dead end support site. I see you found more helpful pages. My dead ends came from trying obvious direct routes e.g. Google shopping , Google search for "pocketbook support"

I accept that things are different in germany. And that I was off target re China.

In current times all imports, exports may be disrupted. It's going to be better to shop in-country if you can.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by stumped

Yes, and I was trying to say that no such shops or even online stores appear to exist in the UK.

I agree completely that the average user just wants a simple return or repair service. But when I went through a simulation of trying to do that online, I hit that useless dead end support site. I see you found more helpful pages. My dead ends came from trying obvious direct routes e.g. Google shopping , Google search for "pocketbook support"

I accept that things are different in germany. And that I was off target re China.

In current times all imports, exports may be disrupted. It's going to be better to shop in-country if you can.

How is their having shops or not in Britain relevant to the OP when they said they can buy it in their country at Mediamarkt?????

They would have to deal with Mediamarkt in case they needed support and Mediamarkt would then deal with Pocketbook.

As for me having "found more helpful pages", this is the companies international website, they do have some country specific ones for certain countries, too. Next time you wanna know something about a company try their website. Companies set them up for a reason.

[stumped]

Yawn.
Once again for the slow readers

1. The OP, when asked said Europe, non specific. post #3. The early posts never named any retailers.
As we have not left yet, I replied as someone who is also in "Europe", saying they were only available as imports, with knock on I 0lications for servicing, warranties...

2. Google search for pocketbook support takes me to
https://www.pocketbook-int.com/int/s...ervice-centers
Which looks like an official company web site ( though it's could be a sneaky grab of the top search result, as i see pocketbook-int.com not pocketbook.com )
Thats the site that fails to show me ANY service centres.

3. I've already said that I was wrong about China.

What else you you expect? If you want blood, send a bottle

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by stumped

Yawn.
Once again for the slow readers

I don't know what slow reading has to do with whatever point you are trying to make.

I do, however, find it offensive. Reading slowly, in itself, is no sign of any deficiency.

Originally Posted by stumped

What else you you expect?

I would prefer that, before you respond to an ambiguous (to you) post with an aggressive rant seeking to impose your opinions and values, you seek clarification.

By the way, finding a definitive official corporate web site for Pocketbook has been problematic for around 10 years. I agree that is not good, but do not personally see it as a deal breaker.