Cybook vs Kindle Costs of Books

[ProfJulie]

I've scanned through many different eBook stores and find that there are quite a few Mobipocket formatted ebooks that can be bought for under $9, so I think the cost of buying books for a Kindle or a Cybook will be pretty close. Best selling or newly released books cost quite a lot more, but I don't usually buy books until the price drops, so I'll just wait a while for those books.

After looking over my options, I decided on the Cybook for the following reasons:

I like being able to shop at many different eBook stores
Mobipocket has been around for a while and, in addition to my eBook reader, I can also read books on my Pocket PCs.
I wanted to check books out of the library that I could read on my eBook reader, and I found some libraries that I can join by paying a non-resident annual subscription fee ($50 a year) that have eBooks in the Mobipocket format - they seem to have quite a few books I'd enjoy reading.

I was disappointed to find that there is a problem (at this time) reading checked out books on the Cybook, but Bookeen is aware of the issue and have told me they will be addressing it in the next firmware update. So, very soon, I hope to be reading checked out library eBooks on my Cybook. I don't think you'll be able to do this on a Kindle any time soon.

[cmbs]

Originally Posted by tompe

What software? You do not need to use a Windows machine (except maybe just when you buy the device if you need to upgrade the firmware) to use a Palm TX. You can take backup to an SD card and transfer the books using the SD card or using the WiFi. I have not connected my Palm T5 to a Windows machine in years.

Except for when you buy the device and need to upgrade the firmware? Those are pretty important exceptions. lol.

Personally, I like being able to read/view/check the books on my pc before putting them on the cybook. But maybe that's just because I work on formatting them and therefore have something to check. It's so much faster and easier than putting it on the cybook to check.

Also, what if something happens to my cybook? I like that I still have access to my books on my pc. I wouldn't want a format that didn't give me that.

[Ordinaryuser]

Originally Posted by tompe

What software? You do not need to use a Windows machine (except maybe just when you buy the device if you need to upgrade the firmware) to use a Palm TX. You can take backup to an SD card and transfer the books using the SD card or using the WiFi. I have not connected my Palm T5 to a Windows machine in years.

I got my info from:

http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2007/...-os-handhelds/

To quote the website:

"Palm Quick Install (the desktop application that allows you to move files like .prc and .pdb to your Palm device) and Palm� LifeDrive� mobile manager software are not currently Vista compatible. Please check back for updates.

So, if I understand this correctly, installing PRC files to Palm handhelds or PDA’s at Hotsync is not possible under Windows Vista."

I have no direct experience with recent palm devices so was just using this as information along with some other web sites indicating some Vista compatibility problems. Maybe just the initial set up or firmware update would be affected? Anyway, after pricing the Palm's, it seemed more cost effective for me to investigate just reading devices. As you can tell from my original question that I'm a newbie concerning ereaders.

[cmbs]

Originally Posted by Ordinaryuser

I got my info from:

http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2007/...-os-handhelds/

To quote the website:

"Palm Quick Install (the desktop application that allows you to move files like .prc and .pdb to your Palm device) and Palm� LifeDrive� mobile manager software are not currently Vista compatible. Please check back for updates.

So, if I understand this correctly, installing PRC files to Palm handhelds or PDA’s at Hotsync is not possible under Windows Vista."

I have no direct experience with recent palm devices so was just using this as information along with some other web sites indicating some Vista compatibility problems. Maybe just the initial set up or firmware update would be affected? Anyway, after pricing the Palm's, it seemed more cost effective for me to investigate just reading devices. As you can tell from my original question that I'm a newbie concerning ereaders.

I don't know anything about Palm OS, but isn't there an official Palm website, or a bookstore selling prc books where you could learn about it's requirements, rather than a third party site which may or may not be accurate or up to date?

Prc files work with mobi desktop reader, and it works under vista (so I've read), but is not required for reading on handhelds. Again, I have no clue if that means it'll work for you with the Palm device. I'm just saying . . . assess your source.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by cmbs

I don't know anything about Palm OS, but isn't there an official Palm website, or a bookstore selling prc books where you could learn about it's requirements, rather than a third party site which may or may not be accurate or up to date?

If you have a working setup on your Palm TX and just want to install more books then you can copy the books to the SD card. If you have a wireless network you can then setup a web server and download the books that way. You can also install programs that way. You can also buy WiFile Pro which can copy files that are shared from a PC to your TX.

[cathyWeeks]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The Kindle's "AZW" files are nothing more than MobiPocket files. Any tool which can create MobiPocket format files (MobiGen, Book Designer, MobiPocket Reader, etc etc) can be used to create files for the Kindle. Just create the Mobi file, rename it from ".prc" or ".mobi" to ".azw" and there you go - a Kindle book.

Actually, the Kindle reads .prc and .mobi files just fine, so you don't have to bother with changing the extension.

[TallMomof2]

Originally Posted by Ordinaryuser

I got my info from:

http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2007/...-os-handhelds/

To quote the website:

"Palm Quick Install (the desktop application that allows you to move files like .prc and .pdb to your Palm device) and Palm� LifeDrive� mobile manager software are not currently Vista compatible. Please check back for updates.

So, if I understand this correctly, installing PRC files to Palm handhelds or PDA’s at Hotsync is not possible under Windows Vista."

Palm does give a work around for Vista users here.

Since there are rumors of a new Palm OS, I guess that the new OS will include Vista drivers.

Even though I don't use my Palm with a Vista device I do know that the eReader files can be dragged and dropped onto an SD card and the Palm will recognize the files as eReader files.

[snookums]

There is one situation where the Kindle has a clear price advantage. That's if you want the wireless delivery of newspapers or magazines. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a compelling argument for one or the other.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by snookums

There is one situation where the Kindle has a clear price advantage. That's if you want the wireless delivery of newspapers or magazines. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a compelling argument for one or the other.

Ummm... That's *NOT* a price advantage, but a performance advantage. And only if you are into force-feeding news and magazines into the wee puir bairn.

Nope. Cybook wins in my opinion.

[snookums]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Ummm... That's *NOT* a price advantage, but a performance advantage. And only if you are into force-feeding news and magazines into the wee puir bairn.

Nope. Cybook wins in my opinion.

Well. Yes and no. Since the Kindle is the only e-Book Reader that has newspapers we really can't compare prices. The only other service I know of is Zinio (www.zinio.com). But there is a clear price advantage over print subscriptions if you buy the Kindle. I'm a french minor for example. One of the reasons that I decided on the Kindle is their subscription rate to Le Monde. A daily subscription to have Le Monde delivered in the U.S. is $1,515.00. The Kindle subscription rate is $14.99/month. That's $179.88 for a year. A $1,335.12 difference is a clear offset to the $400 price tag that the Kindle carries. That's a dramatic example, but there are similar economics to the other Kindle subscriptions. Every one of them is cheaper than getting a print copy delivered.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by snookums

There is one situation where the Kindle has a clear price advantage. That's if you want the wireless delivery of newspapers or magazines. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a compelling argument for one or the other.

The "compelling argument" for most people, of course, is simply that they can buy a CyBook and can't buy a Kindle, since the Kindle is only sold in the USA.