Why should I get a Kindle over a Sony Reader?

[Stevo]

I also couldn't decide between the two. I liked the wireless capability of the Kindle but I like the multiple formats of the Sony. After finding the Calibre program, which fixed the multiple formats issue, I went with the Kindle. Plus the price of the refurbished Kindle 1 ($150) was too good to pass up. I now have a ton of books and I can check my e-mail anywhere I want. If I had to do it again, I would've paid a little more and went with the Kindle 2 due to the PDF support that for some reason the K1 didn't get. Grrr...

[fugazied]

I went Kindle eventually simply because books are cheaper. Sony hardware may be slightly shinier, but I went with my wallet.

Don't forget a Kindle 3 might be out early next year!

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

Apologies. I don't buy that many ebooks from Amazon for a Kindle to know. Just talking from the impression that Amazon give.
Besides, the wireless functionality seems to be all for the Amazon store..

And that's not true either. You can download wirelessly from - surprise! - MobileRead and feedbooks. And while I haven't done it, there are other sellers who will e-mail your ebook purchases directly to the Kindle.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

If you buy a Kindle you'd naturally believe that Amazon aren't rich enough.

Yes, because Sony is not out to make a profit.... they are altruistic and give all their profits to sick children in Uganda and the CEO doesn't take any salary.

Originally Posted by AprilHare

You'd be happy to have your books deleted at their whim,

FUD! This happened ONCE. Amazon admitted it was a mistake due to the way their delivery/return system worked and they would rectify it... AND they gave people the option to get the book back or to get a $30 gift card. One time is not a pattern or happening on "whim".

Originally Posted by AprilHare

you'd believe that industry standards for ebooks aren't really important and you'd love being tied into one store for buying your books - coincidentally Amazon.

I have bought ebooks for my Kindle from Fictionwise, SteveJordan Books, SciFi-Az.com, Baen, and have downloaded several dozen from mobileread and feedbooks. They all work a treat and I have no problem finding the format needed.

That said, the Kindle store is usually the easiest place to buy ebooks and they usually have the best price. Why should only having 1 source bother me if it is the best source anyway?

Finally, ePub is designed to be easy to convert from to other formats. Calibre a free tool you can get for the d/l converts epub to mobi without breaking a sweat.

The only possibly pragmatic argument you could put forward is that the Kindle does not support the Adobe DRM. If you want to get your books from a source that uses this type of DRM, and you aren't able to remove the DRM, then yes, don't get the Kindle.

BOb

[AprilHare]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yes, because Sony is not out to make a profit.... they are altruistic and give all their profits to sick children in Uganda and the CEO doesn't take any salary.

Let me guess - Sony isn't out to corner the book *and* ebook market either.

Originally Posted by pilotbob

FUD! This happened ONCE. Amazon admitted it was a mistake due to the way their delivery/return system worked and they would rectify it... AND they gave people the option to get the book back or to get a $30 gift card. One time is not a pattern or happening on "whim".

It shouldn't have happened ONCE. Can't wait for it to happen again..

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I have bought ebooks for my Kindle from Fictionwise, SteveJordan Books, SciFi-Az.com, Baen, and have downloaded several dozen from mobileread and feedbooks. They all work a treat and I have no problem finding the format needed.

That said, the Kindle store is usually the easiest place to buy ebooks and they usually have the best price. Why should only having 1 source bother me if it is the best source anyway?

Yeah, we're all sheep anyway. Why should we care where we are shepherded to when Amazon have such nice reassuring faces?

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Finally, ePub is designed to be easy to convert from to other formats. Calibre a free tool you can get for the d/l converts epub to mobi without breaking a sweat.

I love this argument that calibre (a third party open source tool) makes up for all the manufacturers shortfalls. Conversions aren't necessarily perfect and I'd love you to show me how to convert DRMed EPUBs without breaking a) the law and b) the MobileRead rules. Planning to conveniently borrow a EPUB ebook anytime soon with your Kindle? No idea if you can borrow a DRMed PDF..

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The only possibly pragmatic argument you could put forward is that the Kindle does not support the Adobe DRM. If you want to get your books from a source that uses this type of DRM, and you aren't able to remove the DRM, then yes, don't get the Kindle.

Yeah, after all we can rely on Amazon to have every book on the planet, in Mobipocket - hang on, isn't that what Amazon want you to do?..

[Ea]

Amazon's prices are not necessarily the lowest for European customers (I don't know where the OP is ). I've been able to find the books at slightly lower prices in other shops.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Nope, not true. Though it's mostly slow as molasses, Kindles can be used to surf almost anywhere on the net (preferably mobile sites).

Only if you live in the USA. Elsewhere the web browser is restricted to the Amazon store and Wikipedia.

[Rob G.]

Originally Posted by fugazied

I went Kindle eventually simply because books are cheaper.

This was pretty much why I went with the Kindle. Not only were the books cheaper, the selection was better. The fact that the Sony can do ePub doesn't mean anything to me when I can't as much stuff I want to read in the format.




That and I'm just a sheep who feels Amazon doesn't have enough money.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rob G.

This was pretty much why I went with the Kindle. Not only were the books cheaper, the selection was better. The fact that the Sony can do ePub doesn't mean anything to me when I can't as much stuff I want to read in the format.

Unfortunately, if you live outside the US, the selection of books in the Kindle Store is rather poor. Pick pretty much any best-selling author you care to name, and it's not available outside the US. No Dan Brown; no Steven King; no Terry Pratchett - the list goes on and on.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Rob G.

That and I'm just a sheep who feels Amazon doesn't have enough money.

me two!

BOb

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unfortunately, if you live outside the US, the selection of books in the Kindle Store is rather poor. Pick pretty much any best-selling author you care to name, and it's not available outside the US. No Dan Brown; no Steven King; no Terry Pratchett - the list goes on and on.

Yes, no doubt being in the US vs not makes a difference to your choices. There isn't one best choice for everyone.

Although, it is nice there is a choice. When I got into ebooks their was only 1 choice I could make... the Sony 500... so that's what I got. I am jealous of people who are just getting into eInk devices in 2010... they have a myrid of choices... which is a good thing.

BOb

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Only if you live in the USA. Elsewhere the web browser is restricted to the Amazon store and Wikipedia.

Is that still true if your change your address to the U.S. ?

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Is that still true if your change your address to the U.S. ?

Yes . How sad... Not that the web browser is that great, but no access to mobileread free books...

[Ea]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Yes . How sad... Not that the web browser is that great, but no access to mobileread free books...

It is? I thought that worked - but I would then assume one would be charged for using it outside USA. In which case it's not such a great idea anyway.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Yes . How sad... Not that the web browser is that great, but no access to mobileread free books...

Then I stand half corrected or I half stand corrected.