8+ Readers in comparison

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by advocate2

MG,

I just added to your Karma!! What a great thread. Wireless doesn't mean much to me. I have a computer available all the time and don't mind downloading to the computer and then moving to the reader. I,too, consider the cost of books to be the major factor.

Given your statements on the number of books purchased compared to the cost of the reader, how do you feel the Epub's available from ebook libraries (free) will impact purchase decisions and rankings on readers which don't have such access (Kindle)? Reviewers seem to be focusing on this issue since the recent Sony Press Conference at the NYPL. Does it affect your rankings?

For me, lending books doesn't have any impact at all.
Honestly, I don't even know whether and how it's possible in Germany/Europe.
But even if it would be available, I most likely wouldn't use it.
I'm into collecting stuff, I want to own it.
I've bought about 1.200 eBooks within the last 10 months, way more than I actually will read in that period of time (I guess, I've read about 150 Books in that time).
There only would be a single exception for me: If certain books, for example "Harry Potter" would be available in public libraries, but not for purchase yet, I'd try to get them that way.
The Sony Daily Edition certainly is a nice unit, I'll probably pre-order it as soon as it's available. But to me, it's about the unique screen ratio ("ultra"-portrait) and the option (hopefully working in Europe) of getting newspapers, as we still can't use Whispernet over here.

Public focus on lending books in my opinion mainly is bashing against Amazon. Always the same: The Uber-succesful ones like Amazon or Microsoft seem to be magnets for unfocussed hatred. Sony is a major one as well, but in this scene it still seems to have some kind of "underdog" status. I'm pretty sure: As soon as Sony will gain market share, they'll be attacked the very same way...

To me, the actual readers already are close to perfection.
I've got no problem at all with inversion or having to wait 1 second for turning pages.
Contrast and readability are fine enough, battery life is phantastic already.
On one hand, I hate the diversity of formats. On the other hand, you've got the very same with XBox vs. PlayStation. I don't hear harsh comments in that area...

Last comment concerning lending books: I would have to check, how recent the books available actually are.
Can you lend the bestsellers and most recent stuff? Or is it mainly "classics"? I wouldn't want to wait for weeks or even months.
And I guess, Amazon, B&N and the other major ones will know how to protect their business. Already existing regional limitations probably will be extended by various release dates, i. e. purchase in the US, then purchase in Europe, then lending in US and so on...

[frozennorth]

I (former German) love the libraries here. The yearly fee is about the cost of 1 pbook. And yes you can get recent releases. The sooner you get on the hold list the better. I'll use The Lost Symbol as an example. In my library there are already 263 holds on that book and they have 81 copies.

But ebooks in libraries are still few and far between. And not all of them offer this service yet (including mine).

[mgmueller]

Some have asked for my over all rankings:
I didn't want to change the original post, so I'll give my brief update here.
Again, just 1 sentence per unit:

Personal Ranking: (September 18th 2009):

#1: iRex iLiad, Sony 505 and Amazon Kindle 2
I love iLiad's OS (free zoom for PDFs, renaming eBooks or authors on the fly, ...), Sony 505's design, touch & feel and compactness. I love the Kindle app for iPhone/iPod touch and Amazon's bookstore (usually cheapest and biggest selection).

#4: Sony 300, Sony 600 and Cybook Opus
I'd rank Sony 600 even higher, but I don't have too much use for its touchscreen. I slightly prefer Cybook Opus over Sony 300, mainly because of the autorotation of the screen. Sony 300 more or less is even to Sony 505, but I find myself preferring 6" over 5". 6" for me is mobile enough and 5" sometimes just doesn't have enough information per page.

#7: iRex 1000S, Cybook Gen 3 (Mobipocket version), Sony 700, Amazon Kindle DX
For iRex 1000S and Kindle DX, same applies as for the 5" units: I slightly prefer 6" over 8+". 6" does offer enough information per page and feels in my hand like a "real" book. 8+" is a bit bulky, hard to find the perfect holding position. Sony 700 is a nice unit, but I prefer Sony 600's screen quality. Cybook Gen 3 is a great unit, but I prefer Sony 505's design for example.

#11: BeBook
Still the same: Don't like the design. I don't "enjoy", holding it in my hand.

[richman]

As always, great info, you are the man.
Hope you don't mind me repping you again!

[aznativegirl]

hey,

I have the kindles, iphone etc and am overseas with broken kindles and expensive data roaming on my iphone. Can you advise what is the best option for tons of kindle book downloads from amazon and no way to fix or order a new kindle here in turkey. I canceled my AT&T for turkcell and a cheap phone. my last bill on iphone traveling was $2500 and decided my books were costing a bit much to transfer here. So, I've downloaded calibre, stanza and I can't convert my books to read on my computer. I get a message about "locked books"? or DRM? anyway, I just want to read my books. I'm not great at computer stuff and I have a mac. I do have access to a windows based computer, but will have to find an electric converter to plug it in...any help or advice?

Thanks,,

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by aznativegirl

hey,

I have the kindles, iphone etc and am overseas with broken kindles and expensive data roaming on my iphone. Can you advise what is the best option for tons of kindle book downloads from amazon and no way to fix or order a new kindle here in turkey. I canceled my AT&T for turkcell and a cheap phone. my last bill on iphone traveling was $2500 and decided my books were costing a bit much to transfer here. So, I've downloaded calibre, stanza and I can't convert my books to read on my computer. I get a message about "locked books"? or DRM? anyway, I just want to read my books. I'm not great at computer stuff and I have a mac. I do have access to a windows based computer, but will have to find an electric converter to plug it in...any help or advice?

Thanks,,

I've only got 2 ideas for you:
1.) You may not be able to purchase a Kindle in Turkey. I can't get one in Germany either. But you easily can purchase them via eBay. Usually it's not even used ones but still in their original package.
2.) DRM = Digital Rights Management. Most of the eBooks you legally purchase, will have this kind of protection. Similar to iTunes music or videos . There's a huge community in the web, claiming "fair use". Meaning: You've legally bought it, so you freely should be able to use it. So, for example, you should be able to play your iTunes songs on Sony or Creative MP3 players as well.
Most of these DRM-protections can be circumvented. You can strip the protected file from DRM. No loss in quality, you just remove the protection.
On Amazon Kindle, you're mainly using 2 native formats: .azw and .tpz.
.tpz can't be stripped from DRM yet. .azw basically is a Mobipocket file and easily can be stripped from DRM. It's explained in depth in this forum and very simple.
When stripped from DRM, instead of .azw you've got an unprotected Mobipocket file .mobi.
You can read this .mobi file in Mobipocket Reader on your PC. Or you can convert via calibre and other converters to various other file formats.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by aznativegirl

Can you advise what is the best option for tons of kindle book downloads from amazon and no way to fix or order a new kindle here in turkey.

If you know your Kindle's MOBI PID, which can be calculated from its serial number, then mobidedrm.py will convert AZW ebooks to DRM-free MOBI. If you look in the comments to Dark Reverser's weblog you might even find a software package setup to make all this very easy (but only on a Windows computer). The basic python scripts can be run on a Mac.

[Luke968]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

"
.....
Kindle 2 and DX: I didn't want to go through the troubles with US credit card, PO box, .... So I've ordered from eBay. Excellent experience.

Hi,

would you tell us the ebay seller you used?

[hal_9000]

mgmueller:

i bought a refurbished K2 this past week. at first didnt like the contrast, then installed the alternate font, and it got a little better.

today, got a 300 (store didnt have the 505), to compare with the K2. contrast does seem better, but as you say, the 5" screen size is a big loss. some books seem to be only 6 words per line on the 300, even in smallest font size, and others are 10 words per line...seems very inconsistent??? trying to decide which to keep (K2 or 300). i'm leaning to keeping the K2, as the alternate font made the contrast better (although contrast still not as good as the 300), and the 6" screen size is big difference, also i like the dictionary. let me know any thoughts you have....thanks

also: is the 505 any better than K2 in contrast????? thanks.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by hal_9000

mgmueller:

i bought a refurbished K2 this past week. at first didnt like the contrast, then installed the alternate font, and it got a little better.

today, got a 300 (store didnt have the 505), to compare with the K2. contrast does seem better, but as you say, the 5" screen size is a big loss. some books seem to be only 6 words per line on the 300, even in smallest font size, and others are 10 words per line...seems very inconsistent??? trying to decide which to keep (K2 or 300). i'm leaning to keeping the K2, as the alternate font made the contrast better (although contrast still not as good as the 300), and the 6" screen size is big difference, also i like the dictionary. let me know any thoughts you have....thanks

also: is the 505 any better than K2 in contrast????? thanks.

Personally, I prefer Kindle 2 over Sony 300.
Sony 300 to me is an excellent "backup" reader. As a 2nd source it's great. But as the sole one, I'd consider 5" critical.

If you check out my actual rating, there's no change in my top 3: Sony 505, Kindle 2 and iRex iLiad.
Sony 505 has a "perfect" form factor and still one of the best displays.
Many readers in this forum state, contrast on all the units (within the same technological generation) would be the same. I'm not so sure about that. Display manufacturer may be the same, but I guess rendering engine and things like these have an impact as well. To me, there IS a (slight) difference between Sony 505, Kindle 2 or Cybook Gen3 for example.
I'd rate Sony 505's display clearly one of the best. But I'm perfectly fine with Kindle 2 as well. In direct comparison, Sony 505 is a bit more appealing to me, but it's not much of a difference concerning contrast.
I still use Sony 505 more often than Kindle 2. But that's personal habit, I've got way more books on Sony 505 (can't use Whispernet over here, so manually have to port my books to Kindle 2 and have been too lazy so far to convert the majority of my books to .mobi). Without that lazyness, I'd tend to Kindle 2 over Sony 505 (but it's closer than with Sony 300) because of the "on the fly dictionary", Amazon's bookstore, neutral rating between .epub and .azw and last but not least the Kindle app on my iPhone for a quick read).
For your comparison: Contrast on Sony 505 and Sony 300 more or less seems identical. Sony 300 seems a bit faster than Sony 505 in turning pages,

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Luke968

Hi,

would you tell us the ebay seller you used?

I'm traveling, I'd have to check the bill at home.
But you easily should find him. When searching for "Kindle" in eBay US, it's the one who claims having sent more than 500 (back then in June, now it probably is 700 or something like that) units to Europe.
It has been a company with a Chinese (or any other Asian, sorry can't tell the difference) name.
You're insured within eBay, so I wouldn't worry. Should you receive a defect or used unit, just send it back.

[hal_9000]

mgmueller: thanks for the info, helped a lot!!!! i agree, and read your other posts in the "5 inch or 6 inch?" thread. i agree that the 5" is a good "backup" reader, not primary reader. makes sense, i cant' see myself reading on the 300 all the time. also, thanks for info on the 505 v. k2 on contrast, doesnt seem it would be worth buying one to look at, although is till might...

[llreader]

mgmuller: Great stuff! This is my first post, but I was wondering why you buy readers in NY? I am an American ex-pat living in Spain, so I know how crappy the service is (Sony doesn't even sell a reader in Spain :-( ), but it seems that if you can get the same product for about what US price + shipping would be, it seems like it is easier to get service locally.

Anyway, I do have a question. I want to buy a PRS-600 (just because they are cool, but also to get easier access to English-language books here, since buying and shipping is outrageously expensive). I talked to the guy at the Sony story here, and he says they should have them here in "3-4 weeks" (there is nothing on the Sony website yet). I was wondering if you can change the language on the software interface to the reader. I would rather spend the extra cash to get an English-language reader sent here than to have the whole interface in Spanish. Can you switch yours to German?

Many thanks for all your posts!

[llreader]

Oh, BTW, I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who has one of the new Sony readers. I also have another question, about the Amazon Kindle service. Is it possible to purchase Kindle ebooks without actually owning a Kindle? Or do you have to have a registered device with them in order to buy books? I buy a lot of books from Amazon, but I have been slowing down lately, because of the expense and the wait in having them shipped.

Thanks!

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by llreader

Is it possible to purchase Kindle ebooks without actually owning a Kindle? Or do you have to have a registered device with them in order to buy books?

You need either a Kindle or an iPhone or iPod Touch to buy Kindle ebooks. Note that a non-functioning Kindle would be sufficient, since you can download Kindle ebooks to your PC. If you have an iPhone, the ebooks can only be downloaded to your iPhone and have to be extracted from there to use them on another device.