What eBook reader do you have?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Me too, I thought that there would be far more Kindle users than Sony users actually.

I had been surprised about the very same result in my poll 9 months ago. Some users back then assumed, Kindle owners mainly would use other, Kindle-specific, user forums. Given the hype around Kindle ("the one who started it all"), I don't think those figures/ratios are anywhere near a valid representation. Still quite interesting, how strong Sony seems to be.

[Frankr]

The Astak EZ Reader and a JoinTech JE-100

[CarolineNH]

I have a Sony PRS-600 and an iPod Touch with a Kindle app on it. I also have an iPad, and have the Kindle app on that as well - Amazon certainly gets kudos for making their app easy to use, as well as making buying easy to do! I have the Kobo app as well, and the iBooks app. I figured out fairly quickly how to import (non-DRM, ePub format) books to the iBooks app via iTunes (and Calibre, when necessary). I have to say, the iPad has quickly taken over as my favorite e-reader due to the variety of books & apps available for it. If I could get my Sony-purchased books onto it (any signs of a Sony app?) I'd sell the PRS-600.

[ficbot]

What I own and what I *have* owned are completely different questions. Going in order by date, I have had:

- Palm devices (don't miss them and much prefer current options)
- eBookwise (don't miss it and much prefer current options)
- Sony 505 (liked it but needed features Kindle had, so I sold it and upgraded)
- Kindle 2 (have it, love it, would definitely buy again)
- Kobo (bought with intent to give to my mother, did so. It's good, but not for me)
- Libre (bought as a second reader for fanfic and other text-based content)

There are a few glitches with the Libre which prevent it from being perfect, but it is not bad and does the job for what I need it for. plus it was very inexpensive. I do love my Kindle most of all.

[Tattncat]

Nook, Sony and Touch here.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by CarolineNH

Amazon certainly gets kudos for making their app easy to use. ... I have to say, the iPad has quickly taken over as my favorite e-reader due to the variety of books & apps available for it.

Agree about Amazon. I spent maybe 30 bucks on Amazon.com in all the years before buying a Kindle, and never bought print books from them. Then they made Kindle books so easy to access that I've not only bought most of my e-books from them, I've since bought many other products from Amazon. They're smart to recognize that user experience brings in money.

With all the Kindle apps they've produced, I expect to be a good customer indefinitely, no matter what e-reading hardware I use through the years. And like most readers, I spend way more on content than on hardware.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ficbot

What I own and what I *have* owned are completely different questions. Going in order by date, I have had:

- Palm devices (don't miss them and much prefer current options)
- eBookwise (don't miss it and much prefer current options)
- Sony 505 (liked it but needed features Kindle had, so I sold it and upgraded)
- Kindle 2 (have it, love it, would definitely buy again)
- Kobo (bought with intent to give to my mother, did so. It's good, but not for me)
- Libre (bought as a second reader for fanfic and other text-based content)

There are a few glitches with the Libre which prevent it from being perfect, but it is not bad and does the job for what I need it for. plus it was very inexpensive. I do love my Kindle most of all.

The K2 is NOT an upgrade for the 505. The K2 is a more of a downgrade given the DRMed formats it supports.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The K2 is NOT an upgrade for the 505. The K2 is a more of a downgrade given the DRMed formats it supports.

From what I've seen of Sony e-readers, the hardware is great. The software and book buying experience fall way short. (I owned a Kindle, then bought a Sony and ended up returning it.) A combination of Sony hardware and Kindle user experience would be amazing. If forced to choose between slightly better hardware and great user experience, more readers will choose the latter.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I have a Sony PRS 600.

What I find interesting about this poll is how few have Kindle. I would have figured it ranked right up there with the Sony or be at the top of the pile!

I am pretty surprised as well-even though polls like these are not in any way scientific or representative of anything beyond "those who clicked on this thread and chose one", I thought the Kindle had by far the most users here.

But since Amazon doesn't reveal sales numbers, no one besides Jeff Bezos has any idea how many Kindles are really out there.

[dmaul1114]

I'd guess the Kindle also sells the most of any e-reader to the "non-tech" crowd etc. who aren't the type to post on Web forums etc. As well as having more Kindle dedicated forum sites like the official ones on Amazon, Kindleboards etc.

Vs. this site which is probably the most informed group of people about e-reader devices on the net. Most people probably have only heard of Kindle and iPad when it comes to reading gadgets, as those are the ones that get the most advertising, most media coverage etc. Sony and Nook would also be known to some joe six packs from seeing them in B&N, Target, Best Buy etc. All the other stuff like Jetbook, iRex etc. pretty much no one outside of e-reading enthusiasts on sites like this have heard of.

So it's not that surprising to see the spread of different devices on the poll here. I wouldn't expect it to be very reflective of actual sales numbers though, for the reasons above.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The K2 is NOT an upgrade for the 505. The K2 is a more of a downgrade given the DRMed formats it supports.

Bullpuckey! The K2 is a great ereader. Do I like the DRM that so many Amazon titles have? No. But I've always removed DRM from my purchased titles - no matter who I bought them from.

Would I like a full-color, touch-capable e-ink display? (Something neither the K2 or PRS505 have.) Yes. But until I can get one at a decent price, I'll keep using my K2s!

Derek

[boswd]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Bullpuckey! The K2 is a great ereader. Do I like the DRM that so many Amazon titles have? No. But I've always removed DRM from my purchased titles - no matter who I bought them from.

Would I like a full-color, touch-capable e-ink display? (Something neither the K2 or PRS505 have.) Yes. But until I can get one at a decent price, I'll keep using my K2s!

Derek

I don't know we are half way through 2010 and with the Kindle you are navigating your curser va a little joy stick. doesn't that seem a little outdated to you? Kind of like my old Electronic Quarterback game I had when I was kid

At least with the Sony and Nook you have touch screen navigation. It feels a little more modern. With the Nook feelling the most modern

[dmaul1114]

Who cares how modern an e-reader feels?

I'm all for touch screens--in tablet devices. And I may well be tablet only in the future as I don't really need an e-reader (they all feel antiquated to me, being a casual reader, since they're black and white, have slow page turns and do nothing but display text!).

But if I'm going to have an e-reader, I almost prefer just having buttons. Even when reading on my girlfriend's iPad I just tap the right/left side of the screen to move pages forward or backward vs. wasting motion and doing a swipe.

Where a touch screen is nice is for picking books in the menu etc. I guess, but I hardly do that, never use the dictionary feature etc. I pretty much only open a book and hit nothing but "next page" until it's finished.

[EowynCarter]

I'm not surprised about the kindle really.
It have some market share in the US, but amazon's offer is still poor everywhere else. While sony sell worldwide, or close to.
In france, it's mostly bookeen and sony. Well, they are the ones you can find and see in shops...

[dmaul1114]

That's a very good point, since we have so many members outside the US on this site.