Looking for something ~7" preferably with no light

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

And if you’ve got something you can trade in (it doesn’t necessarily have to be a Kindle, depending on the device), you’ll get a 20% discount right off the bat.

Only in the US (and maybe UK).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

First, not everyone wants to use Send to Kindle for various reasons, of which privacy is one. Second, as a former Kindle user (for a decade), I wouldn't say my opinion of Kindles is merely a bias.

Yes, there are many happy Kindle users here - mostly those who either buy and download directly from Amazon, or use Send to Kindle for all their sideloads. And there are also many disappointed former Kindle users here, who strongly dislike the direction Amazon is taking their devices. Of the latter, yes, I'm one.

Obviously people can and do prefer one maker to another. But when that moves toward blanket condemnation of a device, it starts looking like bias to me. Nuance is called for; no one device gets it all right while the other gets it all wrong. And just as one example, even if someone doesn’t like to use send-to-kindle, that doesn’t mean it’s not a valuable option for someone else. I also question, given the foibles of most people here, if most of the happy Kindle users only buy and direct download from Amazon or use STK. But I don’t know, of course.

I’m going to repeat: no matter your preferences, it’s always a head-scratcher for me when people ignore value for money. As a device, it seems to me that the Paperwhite is by far the best value out there. And budget for the OP is the primary consideration; if s/he is willing to wait it out, the Paperwhite will meet their limit. And, it’s new! Refurbs are a gamble.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

As a device, it seems to me that the Paperwhite is by far the best value out there.

To you, it may be. To me, it's certainly not, and not only because it's an Amazon device. There are other reasons - no buttons, no lopsided shape (which I strongly prefer), too few customization options, updates these days require wifi (as some features will only be switched on later over the wifi connection, not when you actually install the update), to name the main ones. Yes, obviously YMMV, but it's not true that the PW is the best value for money to everyone. Personally I wouldn't want it if it were free.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

I think there’s a ton of FUD here regarding Kindles. In terms of bang for your buck, the Paperwhite is by far the best device out there, IMO. As for Amazon deleting sideloaded books, use send to Kindle (a phenomenal option which I wish Kobo would provide). Or turn on WiFi occasionally. And as for download and transfer no longer being available for the newest devices, ho-hum. Either buy from Amazon and direct download, or buy elsewhere and sideload/use send-to-Kindle.

I don’t like to cast aspersions (I really don’t) but in this case I feel compelled to say that there’s significant anti-Kindle bias among some of the Kobo people here and I think their comments should be considered, but taken with a grain (or two, or three) of salt. I think especially they don’t take price into account. There are a lot of happy if not ecstatic Kindle users on this board, also.

Why would you buy used/refurbished when you can get a brand-new, state of the art device? I’m not even saying go over your budget, but the Paperwhite will be available for less. And if you’ve got something you can trade in (it doesn’t necessarily have to be a Kindle, depending on the device), you’ll get a 20% discount right off the bat.

I like the PW5. I dislike the PW6. I dislike what Amazon has done with the PW6. Amazon is doing their best to make it harder to use.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Personally I wouldn't want it if it were free.

I suspect the OP would and that’s my point.

[John F]

I'm with Issybird, we all have our biases, but if you want to be helpful, provide full disclosure.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

In this I agree with Jon: these days Kindles are only suitable if you plan to buy all your ebooks from Amazon and don't care about making your own backups. For sideloading, Kindles are no longer a good option, given Amazon's recent habit of deleting sideloaded books from users' devices.

Really they delete sideloaded* conrtent? So if I use send to Kindle, the book will get deleted? If I sideload and use wifi, sideloaded books will be deleted? If the book is marked as pdoc, it will be deleted? Can kobos sync sideloaded books across multiple devices?

And I won't go into the backup kerfuffle. How is that for bias?

*I consider send to kindle as sideloading,

[John F]

And I would take a free Kindle. Or even a cheap Kindle.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by John F

I'm with Issybird, we all have our biases, but if you want to be helpful, provide full disclosure.


Really they delete sideloaded* conrtent? So if I use send to Kindle, the book will get deleted? If I sideload and use wifi, sideloaded books will be deleted? If the book is marked as pdoc, it will be deleted? Can kobos sync sideloaded books across multiple devices?

And I won't go into the backup kerfuffle. How is that for bias?

*I consider send to kindle as sideloading,

And I don't consider StK as sideloading. To me sideloading is sending from my computer directly to the ereader whether using USB or WiFi. I prefer not to leave copies of ebooks on Amazon's servers when there is no need to do so.

I see from your comment about PDOC that you are aware of the issue that Amazon has created with sideloaded ebooks that are labelled as EBOK. The one that has and continues to result in mass deletion of ebooks from Kindle ereaders. Even my poor old PW4 has displayed that cockup in Amazon's ebook management when for testing purposes, I left it offline for several weeks and then reconnected to WiFi. At which point the test books I had sideloaded were removed without even the courtesy of informing me that they were being removed.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I suspect the OP would and that’s my point.

Your point was that anyone who doesn't think the current PW is good value for money is biased against Kindles. And that's just not true. I liked and used Kindles for a very long while. I don't like the current crop of Kindles, for several reasons - part of which are Amazon's recent policies and the other part the devices themselves. I don't think that current Kindles are good devices for those who like to sideload. Yes, of course it's a personal opinion, not an objective truth, but this doesn't make it a bias.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by John F

*I consider send to kindle as sideloading,

I've never considered STK as sideloading.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by John F

I'm with Issybird, we all have our biases, but if you want to be helpful, provide full disclosure.

Why? I just expressed my personal opinion. I don't have to list all the advantages and disadvantages of Kindle vs Kobo unless the OP indicates they would be interested to know them. You're free to list them yourself, if you want to.

[rockyblboa]

OK, my list is down to:
Kobo Libra 2
Kobo Libra H2O
Kindle Paperwhite 5 - 11th Gen (2021)
All are 6.8" or 7"..and can be had for under $150 if used, like eBay or Unbaggaged Claim..
Leaning towards the Kindle, simply because there are a lot more options out there. I only see 1 Libra 2 (H20) listed, used, for $119.

Additionally, how easy/difficult is it to SIDELOAD epub or mobi, etc on either device?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Your point was that anyone who doesn't think the current PW is good value for money is biased against Kindles.

My point is that people can be too fond of pushing their own preferences instead of making a recommendation based on the OP’s stated requirements. It really is possible to be objective and it’s possible to recommend different devices to different people.

Seriously, I would suggest that if you never think a Kindle would be appropriate under any circumstances, that’s QED evidence of bias.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

Seriously, I would suggest that if you never think a Kindle would be appropriate under any circumstances, that’s QED evidence of bias.

I didn't say that. I said it's suitable if you buy most of your books from Amazon, download them directly and don't care about making your own backups (as D&T, the easiest way to do that, has been removed from the current models). As I've already said twice, I don't consider current Kindle models particularly suitable for sideloaders (and no, STK is not exactly sideloading in my opinion). That was not the case 4-5 years ago, but IMO it is now.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by rockyblboa

Additionally, how easy/difficult is it to SIDELOAD epub or mobi, etc on either device?

You can't sideload epubs to a Kindle (unless you use Send to Kindle) and mobi is an old, outdated format. For Kindles, it's best to convert to AZW3 or KFX if you want to sideload via USB; but be aware that unless you keep your Kindle connected to wifi for most of the time or, vice versa, never, Amazon has a habit of deleting your sideloaded azw3/kfx files when you do connect to wifi after being offline for a while.