What's the #1 item you check before buying an ereader - Page 2

Sweetpea · 12-13-2010, 12:50 PM

How it looked...

Not weight, or screen. But simply how it looked to they eye.

hal2814 · 12-13-2010, 12:57 PM

I already had a few ebooks so the first thing I had to determine was if those ebooks were compatible. I found that thanks to Calibre, they were. Customer service was a close second. I am more than willing to live with a slightly lesser device if I have an easier time getting help with any issues that arise.

queentess · 12-13-2010, 01:06 PM

For me, the device is the most important. I care about how it feels in my hands and how intuitive the page turning is. So far, the Kindle 2 is my favorite, but the screen clarity just isn't there. I now predominantly use the Kindle 3, though it's just a bit awkward to hold as the buttons are a little too easy to hit. I hate the feel of the Sony, though I do use it occasionally. The Sony 300 was my least favorite; next page button was difficult to press AND it was very difficult for me to hold because it was so small. I usually grip my books by the bottom, so the keyboard on the Kindles gives me a nice place to put my thumb without covering any text.

Ebook format is somewhat important, but my ability to format-shift makes this a lower priority than the comfort of the device itself.

jehane · 12-13-2010, 01:13 PM

1. Supported ebook format. I'd joined a nearby library for their ebook collection before getting my sony. Epub with a minimum of fuss was a must. Sure, I could hack a library book, but if I don't have to, why bother?

2. Price. At the time of purchase, the Sony was the best price for my needs - simple and functional without unnecessary bells and whistles. It was cheaper than the Nook at the time (yeah, I know, bigger screen etc, but I wasn't interested in the extras) and I'd already ruled out the Kindle. I don't recall coming across the Kobo at all. I spent a lot of time trawling the forums here reading user experiences and problems and narrowed it down to the sony and the pb360 - but I really couldn't justify the price for the latter. The forum also alerted me to a sale - I managed to pick the 300 up for 150USD plus a case logic cover for half price - all up less than AUD200. I *couldn't* wait for a better deal - I was visiting the US and at the time, the sony was about 3x more expensive to buy in Australia and no one else had announced local retail availability of *any* device that I was aware of. Of course, about a week or so after I got back, the kobo was announced... But the sony was still a better deal IMO and I'm very happy with it.

3. Form factor. I really don't like the look of the Kindle and Nook. <shrug> Just my own personal taste. I *really* like the look of the sony 650, but it doesn't come in pink. :P And I can't yet justify a new purchase.

queentess · 12-13-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jehane

I spent a lot of time trawling the forums here reading user experiences and problems and narrowed it down to the sony and the pb360 - but I really couldn't justify the price for the latter.

I'm equally curious about the PB360. It looks really great and I'd love to try it to see if it's easy to use/hold, but I just can't justify the price of it right now. Maybe someday

FF2 · 12-13-2010, 01:51 PM

The k3 wifi hit my price level and I felt comfortable buying it at that point. Kindle due to the recommendations of folks I trusted.

I was not really aware of the format issues but still believe Amazon for a U.S. reader, at least, has more than enough choices to satify my reading needs.

GA Russell · 12-13-2010, 03:13 PM

After five months of research and asking many questions here at MR, I decided that my first choice was the jetBook Lite and my second choice was the Astak Pocket Pro.

The week that Newegg put the JBL on sale I received a rebate check from my insurance company that was two dollars less than the JBL's price, so I spent it immediately on that.

catsittingstill · 12-13-2010, 03:43 PM

I chose mine for what it could do. At the time it was the only reasonably priced device that allowed annotation, highlighting, cross-document search, and wireless downloads.

However I wouldn't have spent the money if there hadn't been a well-stocked online bookstore with cheaper-than-paper prices, or if it hadn't been offered by a reputable company with a history of good customer service.

About the only thing I didn't consider was e-book format. At the time, ePub was a gleam in some committee's eye. Nowadays ePub support might cut some ice with me, but only if the DRM for all the major e-book stores that sold ePub was reliably interoperable on all ePub devices, and only if the selection / prices were at least as good as what I've got access to now.

AlbertaCowboy · 12-13-2010, 04:39 PM

For me, it was simply a matter of "what's available in Canada? (circa 2008). The Sony PRS-505 was. Everything elso was not. Sony got me then, and I've continued to like the Sony PRS units since. Once I get into a nice rut, it will take something magical for me to move to another device where I'll have to relearn everything all over again.

AlbertaCowboy · 12-13-2010, 04:39 PM

(Double post...)

Latinandgreek · 12-13-2010, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

For me, it was simply a matter of "what's available in Canada? (circa 2008). The Sony PRS-505 was. Everything elso was not. Sony got me then, and I've continued to like the Sony PRS units since. Once I get into a nice rut, it will take something magical for me to move to another device where I'll have to relearn everything all over again.

"What's available in Canada" played a big part in me choosing the PRS-505, too. Even now, with a wider array of choices, I still feel that the 505 is a fantastic reader and when I upgrade I plan on getting one of the new Sony models.

JeremyR · 12-13-2010, 06:33 PM

Price!

With the K3 Wifi, it finally hit a price point I could afford. A minimum level of quality at a low price (pearl screen, 6", ample built in memory)

cfrizz · 12-13-2010, 06:38 PM

The device itself followed closely by format support.

wvcherrybomb · 12-13-2010, 06:56 PM

Prior to owning an eReader I was only aware of Kindle and Nook.

I chose Kindle based on the fact that I wanted to buy my books at Amazon. I now have Calibre so that is no longer an issue with any reader. I still prefer Kindle for myself as the screen is very easy on my aging eyes.

laughingdragons · 12-13-2010, 08:41 PM

the look is the main thing for me. I do not want a keyboard on mine.

Then size I wanted a small one to fit in my purse to go anywhere. I have a small purse.

View Poll Results: Number 1 item or feature that helped you buy your current ereader
Book's availability on the ereader online Bookstore	19	10.56%
The device itself (weight, feeling in your hands, etc)	70	38.89%
Supported ebook format	70	38.89%
Other	21	11.67%
Voters: 180. You may not vote on this poll

12-13-2010, 04:39 PM	#25
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	(Double post...) Last edited by AlbertaCowboy; 12-13-2010 at 04:40 PM. Reason: stupid back button...

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12-13-2010, 12:50 PM	#16
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	How it looked... Not weight, or screen. But simply how it looked to they eye.

12-13-2010, 12:57 PM	#17
hal2814 Connoisseur Posts: 65 Karma: 2460 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle 2	I already had a few ebooks so the first thing I had to determine was if those ebooks were compatible. I found that thanks to Calibre, they were. Customer service was a close second. I am more than willing to live with a slightly lesser device if I have an easier time getting help with any issues that arise.

12-13-2010, 01:06 PM	#18
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	For me, the device is the most important. I care about how it feels in my hands and how intuitive the page turning is. So far, the Kindle 2 is my favorite, but the screen clarity just isn't there. I now predominantly use the Kindle 3, though it's just a bit awkward to hold as the buttons are a little too easy to hit. I hate the feel of the Sony, though I do use it occasionally. The Sony 300 was my least favorite; next page button was difficult to press AND it was very difficult for me to hold because it was so small. I usually grip my books by the bottom, so the keyboard on the Kindles gives me a nice place to put my thumb without covering any text. Ebook format is somewhat important, but my ability to format-shift makes this a lower priority than the comfort of the device itself.

12-13-2010, 01:13 PM	#19
jehane Book addict Posts: 441 Karma: 2650464 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Antarctica/Australia/Ohio Device: Sony PRS-300/T1/Asus TF101	1. Supported ebook format. I'd joined a nearby library for their ebook collection before getting my sony. Epub with a minimum of fuss was a must. Sure, I could hack a library book, but if I don't have to, why bother? 2. Price. At the time of purchase, the Sony was the best price for my needs - simple and functional without unnecessary bells and whistles. It was cheaper than the Nook at the time (yeah, I know, bigger screen etc, but I wasn't interested in the extras) and I'd already ruled out the Kindle. I don't recall coming across the Kobo at all. I spent a lot of time trawling the forums here reading user experiences and problems and narrowed it down to the sony and the pb360 - but I really couldn't justify the price for the latter. The forum also alerted me to a sale - I managed to pick the 300 up for 150USD plus a case logic cover for half price - all up less than AUD200. I couldn't wait for a better deal - I was visiting the US and at the time, the sony was about 3x more expensive to buy in Australia and no one else had announced local retail availability of any device that I was aware of. Of course, about a week or so after I got back, the kobo was announced... But the sony was still a better deal IMO and I'm very happy with it. 3. Form factor. I really don't like the look of the Kindle and Nook. <shrug> Just my own personal taste. I really like the look of the sony 650, but it doesn't come in pink. :P And I can't yet justify a new purchase.

12-13-2010, 01:51 PM	#21
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	The k3 wifi hit my price level and I felt comfortable buying it at that point. Kindle due to the recommendations of folks I trusted. I was not really aware of the format issues but still believe Amazon for a U.S. reader, at least, has more than enough choices to satify my reading needs.

12-13-2010, 03:13 PM	#22
GA Russell Ticats win 4th straight Posts: 7,694 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	After five months of research and asking many questions here at MR, I decided that my first choice was the jetBook Lite and my second choice was the Astak Pocket Pro. The week that Newegg put the JBL on sale I received a rebate check from my insurance company that was two dollars less than the JBL's price, so I spent it immediately on that.

12-13-2010, 03:43 PM	#23
catsittingstill Guru Posts: 643 Karma: 551634 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle 1.0.8, iPod Touch, Kindle Keyboard	I chose mine for what it could do. At the time it was the only reasonably priced device that allowed annotation, highlighting, cross-document search, and wireless downloads. However I wouldn't have spent the money if there hadn't been a well-stocked online bookstore with cheaper-than-paper prices, or if it hadn't been offered by a reputable company with a history of good customer service. About the only thing I didn't consider was e-book format. At the time, ePub was a gleam in some committee's eye. Nowadays ePub support might cut some ice with me, but only if the DRM for all the major e-book stores that sold ePub was reliably interoperable on all ePub devices, and only if the selection / prices were at least as good as what I've got access to now.

12-13-2010, 06:33 PM	#27
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Price! With the K3 Wifi, it finally hit a price point I could afford. A minimum level of quality at a low price (pearl screen, 6", ample built in memory)

12-13-2010, 06:38 PM	#28
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,570 Karma: 36389706 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	The device itself followed closely by format support.

12-13-2010, 06:56 PM	#29
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	Prior to owning an eReader I was only aware of Kindle and Nook. I chose Kindle based on the fact that I wanted to buy my books at Amazon. I now have Calibre so that is no longer an issue with any reader. I still prefer Kindle for myself as the screen is very easy on my aging eyes.

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12-13-2010, 08:41 PM	#30
laughingdragons Groupie Posts: 189 Karma: 1125536 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: CA Device: Sony PRS-350 1 Pink 1 Silver Paperwhite Kindle	the look is the main thing for me. I do not want a keyboard on mine. Then size I wanted a small one to fit in my purse to go anywhere. I have a small purse.