Looking for a budget eReader with a few caveats - Page 2

violagirl · 05-16-2011, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppaea

The Sony PRS-350 uses infrared beams for the touchscreen hovering above the screen and is as clear and matte as everyone elses touchscreen. Actually it uses the same Pearldisplay as the Kindle (its only build into those two at them moment), but has the touchscreen functionality on top.

Its PDF handling is the best right now of all readers, but you have to keep in mind that PDF's are not meant to be read on a reader, anyway.

The 350 looks like it'd be the best fit for me, but unfortunately it's just too much for me new at $180. I couldn't find any used in the flea market here (only ones being sold for full price), and I'm too afraid to buy used off of ebay. I did see the cheapest used one on Amazon for $120, though I'm not sure what kind of risk I'd be doing buying it. I have no problem with used products if they are gently used, not beat up. I'm not sure what would be a reasonable price to expect for a used 350, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Amazon is *not* making libraries buy extra copies.

http://overdriveblogs.com/library/20...s-and-schools/

I am INCREDIBLY happy to hear that. That was my biggest beef with the Kindle, the second being that it doesn't read ePub. What I had read before made it sound like libraries had to buy them separately. Thank you for the good news!

carpetmojo · 05-16-2011, 05:57 AM

In my opinion, in this field especially, unless it's a genuine offer by the makers or reputable source, you tend to get what you pay for.

I agree with the "anything under $100 is....." not very good.

Even if you don't think you'll want it for a long time - invest.

And you can certainly get a few 1,000 on a decent reader before you roam - more with the Sony 'cos of the card facility................

CRussel · 05-16-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violagirl

I was given the impression that if I bought a US e-Reader, I would only be able to buy books licensed in the US, so if I moved, say, to Japan, I couldn't buy any Japanese books without buying an e-Reader made in Japan, nor could I use it to check out any library e-books at a Japanese library. Was I incorrect in this assumption?

You were incorrect in that assumption.
1.) I have a Kindle. I can buy books when I am out of the US. From both US and non-US sources, including Amazon. Amazon has the most flexible and easy to use store around, so far as I've been able to see. But certainly you can use other stores as well. (I buy books from Kobo all the time.)
2.) Libraries. Kindle will have official support before the end of the year in a way that does not require any additional expenditures for libraries. But I already read library books on my Kindle. DRM removal is now as simple as a click or two and gives readers complete freedom.
3.) References only. Well, there are certainly many sources of completely free books for any eReader you choose. However you count them, the number of completely free books is in excess of 1 million, and is essentially device independent.

Poppaea · 05-16-2011, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violagirl

The 350 looks like it'd be the best fit for me, but unfortunately it's just too much for me new at $180. I couldn't find any used in the flea market here (only ones being sold for full price), and I'm too afraid to buy used off of ebay. I did see the cheapest used one on Amazon for $120, though I'm not sure what kind of risk I'd be doing buying it. I have no problem with used products if they are gently used, not beat up. I'm not sure what would be a reasonable price to expect for a used 350, though.

Everyone here is reporting they are sold for 120$ right now.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=133147

Maybe you'd like to have a look at the Sony forums.

shibamistress · 05-16-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violagirl

The 350 looks like it'd be the best fit for me, but unfortunately it's just too much for me new at $180. I couldn't find any used in the flea market here (only ones being sold for full price), and I'm too afraid to buy used off of ebay. I did see the cheapest used one on Amazon for $120, though I'm not sure what kind of risk I'd be doing buying it. I have no problem with used products if they are gently used, not beat up. I'm not sure what would be a reasonable price to expect for a used 350, though.

I am INCREDIBLY happy to hear that. That was my biggest beef with the Kindle, the second being that it doesn't read ePub. What I had read before made it sound like libraries had to buy them separately. Thank you for the good news!

If you have a BestBuy near you, the Sony 350s are now going for about $120, or at least they were at my Best Buy. It's worth checking! I'm considering one pretty seriously myself!

....shoot, I see someone beat me to me that. That's what I get for hitting reply before I'd read to the end of the thread!

violagirl · 05-17-2011, 12:06 AM

What about vertical fonts (and possibly furigana)? Most Japanese novels tend to be written vertically, from right to left, like this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JCITaa-i0-...0/P1000658.JPG

Would a Sony eReader support this? My other concern is that most Japanese ebooks are in the XMDF format (with a zbf extension). I looked on the eReader matrix wiki and couldn't find this format listed as supported by any of them.... does anyone know anything about this format at all/what supports it?

HarryT · 05-21-2011, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violagirl

What about vertical fonts (and possibly furigana)? Most Japanese novels tend to be written vertically, from right to left, like this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JCITaa-i0-...0/P1000658.JPG

Would a Sony eReader support this? My other concern is that most Japanese ebooks are in the XMDF format (with a zbf extension). I looked on the eReader matrix wiki and couldn't find this format listed as supported by any of them.... does anyone know anything about this format at all/what supports it?

Neither the ePub nor the Mobipocket format currently support "top to bottom" text. That's why Japanese, Chinese, etc, are conventionally written left-to-right, top-to-bottom, on readers.

violagirl · 05-27-2011, 08:13 AM

Well I saw some of the eReaders here in Korea... one by Iriver and another one that said Next Papyrus... I guess I wasn't as impressed with the eInk screens as I thought I would be. The background was quite grey on both of them, so although the text was black, it looked very muddy to me and hard to read. Maybe an eReader isn't for me after all. D: I'll go to some stores when I get back to the States in a month and try playing around with some more eReaders in person to see if that changes my opinion, but it didn't even look like paper to me, despite being eInk, because the background was so grey.

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05-16-2011, 05:57 AM	#17
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	In my opinion, in this field especially, unless it's a genuine offer by the makers or reputable source, you tend to get what you pay for. I agree with the "anything under $100 is....." not very good. Even if you don't think you'll want it for a long time - invest. And you can certainly get a few 1,000 on a decent reader before you roam - more with the Sony 'cos of the card facility................

05-17-2011, 12:06 AM	#21
violagirl Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 50 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	What about vertical fonts (and possibly furigana)? Most Japanese novels tend to be written vertically, from right to left, like this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JCITaa-i0-...0/P1000658.JPG Would a Sony eReader support this? My other concern is that most Japanese ebooks are in the XMDF format (with a zbf extension). I looked on the eReader matrix wiki and couldn't find this format listed as supported by any of them.... does anyone know anything about this format at all/what supports it?

05-27-2011, 08:13 AM	#23
violagirl Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 50 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	Well I saw some of the eReaders here in Korea... one by Iriver and another one that said Next Papyrus... I guess I wasn't as impressed with the eInk screens as I thought I would be. The background was quite grey on both of them, so although the text was black, it looked very muddy to me and hard to read. Maybe an eReader isn't for me after all. D: I'll go to some stores when I get back to the States in a month and try playing around with some more eReaders in person to see if that changes my opinion, but it didn't even look like paper to me, despite being eInk, because the background was so grey.

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