Replacing a Paperwhite

synecdoche · 03-17-2021, 07:13 AM

I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I got back in 2015 that is starting to show its age. I am in the market for a new ereader but am not sure which one is the best one for me.

Most of the ebooks I have I purchased through Amazon (naturally), but I am a heavy user of Calibre for managing my library and loading books onto my device.

I do a lot of highlighting and sometimes type notes on the Kindle. I extract these using Readwise.io, which I don't believe is compatible with anything but Kindle at the moment, which pushes them to Evernote for me. This is an important part of my reading process for nonfiction.

I like the form factor of the Paperwhite, though sometimes I miss physical buttons for turning pages. I also wouldn't mind escaping the Amazon ecosystem (otherwise this decision would probably be easier).

Right now I am considering the Paperwhite but also looking at the Kobo H20. I've heard some people recommend Onyx Boox devices as well, but they seem to be hard to get in Canada. I was also wondering if it is likely that Amazon will refresh its Kindles in 2021, but it doesn't seem like there's anything but speculation on that score.

What would you all recommend for me?

JSWolf · 03-17-2021, 07:27 AM

Kobo is coming out with a new Reader. If you can, I suggest waiting to see what the new device is going to be like. But yes, go with a Kobo.

synecdoche · 03-17-2021, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Kobo is coming out with a new Reader. If you can, I suggest waiting to see what the new device is going to be like.

Is there any ETA on that? I saw some stories about them getting cleared by the FTC but I am not sure if that means it's coming out in the spring or for Christmas.

JSWolf · 03-17-2021, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synecdoche

Is there any ETA on that? I saw some stories about them getting cleared by the FTC but I am not sure if that means it's coming out in the spring or for Christmas.

Usually they come out in the fall (September or October). But we have no timeline at present.

Skydog · 03-17-2021, 02:00 PM

As one who owns and uses both Kobo and Kindle I will offer my humble opinion. If you are accustomed to the Kindle ecosystem, have you considered the Oasis 3? It has the same display size as the Libra H20 and both have a similar design. While I favor Kobo's firmware and customization abilities, the Oasis has a better display, in terms of even lighting, and its highlighting capability is far superior to that of Kobo.

JSWolf · 03-17-2021, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

As one who owns and uses both Kobo and Kindle I will offer my humble opinion. If you are accustomed to the Kindle ecosystem, have you considered the Oasis 3? It has the same display size as the Libra H20 and both have a similar design. While I favor Kobo's firmware and customization abilities, the Oasis has a better display, in terms of even lighting, and its highlighting capability is far superior to that of Kobo.

I'm not liking some of the recent changes to the Kindle firmware because you cannot do anything with these changes from Calibre and some I just don't like. The Kobo firmware works very well with Calibre. Kindles, not so much.

Even if you are used to the way a Kindle works, you'll easily get used to how a Kobo works.

Almamida · 03-17-2021, 03:44 PM

Chances are, if the limitations with Calibre were not a problem with the Paperwhite, they won't with another Kindle. I think I don't take advantage of the Kobo / Calibre integration (Maybe I'm missing something, will discover it later and be happy about it though)

I tend to read more with my Oasis 3 as the screen, buttons and performances are better. I simply forget the device with my Kindle, while I'm reminded I'm on a (slow) e-reader when I use the Libra.

If budget is tight, I would go with the Libra, if not, the Oasis 3 is a serious option.

JSWolf · 03-17-2021, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almamida

Chances are, if the limitations with Calibre were not a problem with the Paperwhite, they won't with another Kindle. I think I don't take advantage of the Kobo / Calibre integration (Maybe I'm missing something, will discover it later and be happy about it though)

I tend to read more with my Oasis 3 as the screen, buttons and performances are better. I simply forget the device with my Kindle, while I'm reminded I'm on a (slow) e-reader when I use the Libra.

If budget is tight, I would go with the Libra, if not, the Oasis 3 is a serious option.

Just because the OP may not have had an issue with the limitations with his Kindle and Calibre does not mean he may not want better.

I don't find my H2O to be too slow. I find it works just very well. I have a PW3 and I much prefer my H2O. ot just because of the larger screen, but because of the much better reading experience I get from the H2O.

The Libra is less expensive with more features and better firmware. The Oasis is more expensive with less features and some of the new features added in recent Kindle firmware are meh.

synecdoche · 03-17-2021, 04:53 PM

At this point it is between another Paperwhite and the Libra H20. I am not sure there is any advantage to the Oasis that is worth the price difference to me. I do like some of the additional Kobo feature that are accessible to me via the Calibre plugin are appealing, and that the Kobo feels a little less "locked in" than the Amazon ecosystem.

The experience of buying a book and the breadth of the library on the Amazon site seems preferable to me compared to the Kobo store, but I suppose with some capabilities through Calibre I'm hardly locked in.

I wonder about the experience of extracting highlights through a Kobo device—it is an important part of how I use my e-reader. From what I've read you have to edit a file on the device to enable the feature. Readwise from what I've read definitely doesn't support automatic pulling of highlights or notes. Neither of those things is a dealbreaker, but I would like to know more about it.

JSWolf · 03-17-2021, 06:42 PM

You can extract the annotations on a Kobo using the Annotations plugin with Calibre.

With the DeDRM plugin, you aren't locked in and can buy from Amazon and read on Kobo.

An advantage of the Libra vs. the PW4 is that you get a 7" screen instead of a 6" screen. I have a Kobo Aura H2O with a 6.8" screen and I much prefer the larger screen to the 6" screen. After using the H2O for so long, a 6" screen seems small.

davidfor · 03-17-2021, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Usually they come out in the fall (September or October). But we have no timeline at present.

Kobo usually releases in April/May or September/October. We haven't missed the first timeslot and I think we will see something.

Uncle Robin · 03-18-2021, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Kobo usually releases in April/May or September/October. We haven't missed the first timeslot and I think we will see something.

I'm currently amassing store credit vouchers with my preferred online Kobo reseller for just this hoped-for outcome.

Almamida · 03-18-2021, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Just because the OP may not have had an issue with the limitations with his Kindle and Calibre does not mean he may not want better.

Fair enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I don't find my H2O to be too slow. I find it works just very well. I have a PW3 and I much prefer my H2O. ot just because of the larger screen, but because of the much better reading experience I get from the H2O.

Like you said :

Just because you not have had an issue with the limited performances with you Kobo does not mean you may not want better.

And in fact, you seem to wish for a better CPU / RAM for the next Kobo. If it's not for better performances, then what for?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Libra is less expensive with more features and better firmware. The Oasis is more expensive with less features and some of the new features added in recent Kindle firmware are meh.

The Libra is less expensive but I wouldn't say it has a better firmware. If it was the case, there wouldn't be a need for all these tweaks and it would be more stable, which is not my experience when I go to the store / use the reading menu in a book.
But at the end of the days, things are more nuanced. If I have to compare the Libra with the Oasis it would be :

Performance : Oasis > Libra
Stability : Oasis > Libra
Front Light : Oasis > Libra
Contrast : Oasis > Libra
Buttons : Oasis > Libra
Calibre : Oasis < Libra
Battery : Oasis < Libra
Price : Oasis < Libra

Quote:

Originally Posted by synecdoche

At this point it is between another Paperwhite and the Libra H20. I am not sure there is any advantage to the Oasis that is worth the price difference to me. I do like some of the additional Kobo feature that are accessible to me via the Calibre plugin are appealing, and that the Kobo feels a little less "locked in" than the Amazon ecosystem.

The experience of buying a book and the breadth of the library on the Amazon site seems preferable to me compared to the Kobo store, but I suppose with some capabilities through Calibre I'm hardly locked in.

I wonder about the experience of extracting highlights through a Kobo device—it is an important part of how I use my e-reader. From what I've read you have to edit a file on the device to enable the feature. Readwise from what I've read definitely doesn't support automatic pulling of highlights or notes. Neither of those things is a dealbreaker, but I would like to know more about it.

I think you should give the Libra a shot if you're hesitating between the Paperwhite and the Libra. The paperwhite 4 will be too close to your actual Kindle and you might not feel the upgrade.

rcentros · 03-18-2021, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synecdoche

I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I got back in 2015 that is starting to show its age. I am in the market for a new ereader but am not sure which one is the best one for me.

I'll throw out a couple other choices. Since you seem fairly happy with the Amazon infrastructure and form factor of the Paperwhite (but would like buttons) you might want to look at a Kindle Voyage. You can still buy them new or refurbished on eBay. Right now new ones are selling for about $125 to $160. Refurbished ones, $75 to $85. These are definitely a step up from the Paperwhite (best Kindle screen made, in my opinion). But there's also the fact that the new Voyage you buy could be older than your current Paperwhite. (It's still getting the newest updates, however.) The Voyage is a nicely built eReader.

My favorite reader is the PocketBook HD3, which I recently bought from NewEgg. Very good screen (warm light), great battery life, has page turn buttons and is extremely open (ADE is built-in, so I can download .ascm files from anywhere and directly download the ePub to the PocketBook). It integrates with the PocketBook Cloud and Dropbox for online storage (and synchronization). It also has has Bluetooth built-in and it will read books to you or you can listen to audio books (these features I don't use). You would still need to convert your Amazon purchases to ePub via Calibre. The integration is good between it and Calibre, but I don't do any fancy book management so others would have to give you a more complete information on this. Don't know about the highlights, but I think PocketBook has a way to save them.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Skydog · 03-18-2021, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almamida

Chances are, if the limitations with Calibre were not a problem with the Paperwhite, they won't with another Kindle. I think I don't take advantage of the Kobo / Calibre integration (Maybe I'm missing something, will discover it later and be happy about it though)

I tend to read more with my Oasis 3 as the screen, buttons and performances are better. I simply forget the device with my Kindle, while I'm reminded I'm on a (slow) e-reader when I use the Libra.

If budget is tight, I would go with the Libra, if not, the Oasis 3 is a serious option.

I concur with your observations. The OP's experience with his/her Kindle + Calibre should be no different with the Oasis 3. Not only is the display (lighting), buttons, and performance better, it handles footnotes and highlighting much better. As the OP indicated he/she does a fair amount of highlighting on the Kindle it will be a frustrating experience with a Kobo. I wish Kobo would improve these last two fuctions.

03-17-2021, 07:13 AM	#1
synecdoche Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Kindle	Replacing a Paperwhite I have a Kindle Paperwhite that I got back in 2015 that is starting to show its age. I am in the market for a new ereader but am not sure which one is the best one for me. Most of the ebooks I have I purchased through Amazon (naturally), but I am a heavy user of Calibre for managing my library and loading books onto my device. I do a lot of highlighting and sometimes type notes on the Kindle. I extract these using Readwise.io, which I don't believe is compatible with anything but Kindle at the moment, which pushes them to Evernote for me. This is an important part of my reading process for nonfiction. I like the form factor of the Paperwhite, though sometimes I miss physical buttons for turning pages. I also wouldn't mind escaping the Amazon ecosystem (otherwise this decision would probably be easier). Right now I am considering the Paperwhite but also looking at the Kobo H20. I've heard some people recommend Onyx Boox devices as well, but they seem to be hard to get in Canada. I was also wondering if it is likely that Amazon will refresh its Kindles in 2021, but it doesn't seem like there's anything but speculation on that score. What would you all recommend for me?

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03-17-2021, 07:27 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,745 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Kobo is coming out with a new Reader. If you can, I suggest waiting to see what the new device is going to be like. But yes, go with a Kobo.

03-17-2021, 02:00 PM	#5
Skydog Wizard Posts: 2,286 Karma: 7409537 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83 Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Libra Colour, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Oasis3, Voyage	As one who owns and uses both Kobo and Kindle I will offer my humble opinion. If you are accustomed to the Kindle ecosystem, have you considered the Oasis 3? It has the same display size as the Libra H20 and both have a similar design. While I favor Kobo's firmware and customization abilities, the Oasis has a better display, in terms of even lighting, and its highlighting capability is far superior to that of Kobo.

03-17-2021, 03:44 PM	#7
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	Chances are, if the limitations with Calibre were not a problem with the Paperwhite, they won't with another Kindle. I think I don't take advantage of the Kobo / Calibre integration (Maybe I'm missing something, will discover it later and be happy about it though) I tend to read more with my Oasis 3 as the screen, buttons and performances are better. I simply forget the device with my Kindle, while I'm reminded I'm on a (slow) e-reader when I use the Libra. If budget is tight, I would go with the Libra, if not, the Oasis 3 is a serious option.

03-17-2021, 04:53 PM	#9
synecdoche Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Kindle	At this point it is between another Paperwhite and the Libra H20. I am not sure there is any advantage to the Oasis that is worth the price difference to me. I do like some of the additional Kobo feature that are accessible to me via the Calibre plugin are appealing, and that the Kobo feels a little less "locked in" than the Amazon ecosystem. The experience of buying a book and the breadth of the library on the Amazon site seems preferable to me compared to the Kobo store, but I suppose with some capabilities through Calibre I'm hardly locked in. I wonder about the experience of extracting highlights through a Kobo device—it is an important part of how I use my e-reader. From what I've read you have to edit a file on the device to enable the feature. Readwise from what I've read definitely doesn't support automatic pulling of highlights or notes. Neither of those things is a dealbreaker, but I would like to know more about it.

03-17-2021, 06:42 PM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,745 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	You can extract the annotations on a Kobo using the Annotations plugin with Calibre. With the DeDRM plugin, you aren't locked in and can buy from Amazon and read on Kobo. An advantage of the Libra vs. the PW4 is that you get a 7" screen instead of a 6" screen. I have a Kobo Aura H2O with a 6.8" screen and I much prefer the larger screen to the 6" screen. After using the H2O for so long, a 6" screen seems small.