Looking for an ereader for my father (but without restrictions)

[speakingtohe]

Tablets are good, but eink is easier on the eyes. I have two very nice tablets, and have read books on both, and heaved a huge sigh of relief when I went back to my first generation Sony, which has a far inferior screen to the newer ones.

And tablets are heavier as a rule so not that great for reading one handed.

Also my eyes are not what they were.

Helen

[The Terminator]

I think you'll want a reader that can read ePub, Kindle is locked in to Amazon. So Kobo or Sony are probably the best for you.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by The Terminator

Kindle is locked in to Amazon.

For content from the bigger publishers this is true, there are however many, many smaller pubs & individual authors (both on their own sites & through Smashwords) that offer DRM free content that works on the Kindle.

[anabolina]

I gave my grandmother a Sony 300 last year and she loves it. it only has a 5 inch screen so it may be a bit small for your father. I just picked up the Sony prs t1 for myself and am loving it. If the local library does offer overdrive or participates in a consortium that does then it's ridiculously easy to download the books. you click on library on the second page and find the local one and log in. It saves the info so you don't need to reenter it. Other than the library access, the reader itself is really light weight.

[ProfCrash]

The Kindle is not locked into Amazon. Like the Sony, Kobo, and other e-readers, it is more convientent (sp) to buy books from Amazon but there are a large number of websites that sell Mobi books that can be side loaded onto the Kindle.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by Pathtek4

F

So without money being an option, a Tablet could work, but I think its overkill since he doesn't plan on using apps or wifi (which drives me insane, but like I said, he doesn't have a social life, so doesn't do that stuff). He reads and reads and reads.

In which case, I would say that in addition to being overkill for doing things he probably won't want to do, a tablet won't be particularly useful for the thing he does - read. You mention he reads for 4 hours a day - well, I'm a lot younger than he is, but I wouldn't read for 4 hours on a tablet because I'd find it too uncomfortable (in fact, nearly painful) to do so. That's the reason e-ink was invented, after all.

[Andrew H.]

If your sister already has a Kindle, you should simplify things and just get a Kindle. They could be on the same account and share all of their books, even...if they wanted to. If not, they could lend books to each other (assuming they are lendable books).

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

but there are a large number of websites that sell Mobi books that can be side loaded onto the Kindle.

Any examples?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

Any examples?

Off the top of my head (I'm sure others will know more)...

Baen
Samhain (and countless other Romance & Erotica pubs)
Poisoned Pen Press
Bookview Cafe
Smashwords
Fictionwise (Multiformat offerings)
O'Reilly
Phoenix Pick
Books for a Buck
Bella Books
Bold Stroke Books
A number of authors who sell from their own sites
Various other small & specialty pubs


Angry Robot & Carina Press sell DRM free ePub which can be easily converted to Mobi (takes 30 seconds tops).