What was your first e-reading device? - Page 2

Maggie Leung · 07-31-2010, 01:18 PM

Laptop, about 15 years ago.

moon_cat · 07-31-2010, 01:54 PM

Sony PRS 500, then PRS 700, then PRS 300 and now Nook!

RDaneel54 · 07-31-2010, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

A "Psion 3" in (now I've looked in up on Wikipedia) 1991.

Harry,

Mine was a Psion 3a (1993). I loved that machine. I did Inspection Reports out in the field, read test files, kept track of my bank accounts, calendar, etc. I spent way to much on it and the 3c and 3mx, but looking back they were worth it. I don't know about you, but I was looked at as a weirdo, but now everyone has some kind of pocket device.

Dean

wgrimm · 07-31-2010, 02:12 PM

My first readers, purchased about the same time, were a palmpilot and a RocketBook with memory upgrade. The RocketBook was an excellent reader; battery life about 10 hours, easily readable screen, decent PC interface with dock (you could display on the rocketbook's screen while plugged in to the PC), and very nice ergonomic design with a good leather case- no cheaping out there. For html, it was exfellent.

I actually still use my rocketbook on occasion. And it's snappy- page turns faster han my Kindle DX. I would still be using this one today if it handled the modern formats. This is the reader that I measure all others against.

Jack Tingle · 07-31-2010, 02:12 PM

Other than a desktop PC, a Compaq Aero 1550 Pocket PC PDA, ca. 2000.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

mrscoach · 07-31-2010, 02:20 PM

My first was the computer, then my Sony 300. Much prefer the reader over the computer.

Lady Fitzgerald · 07-31-2010, 02:21 PM

Obviously, my computer but only recently did it become practical for me when I started using calibre a few months ago and found its built in reader worked well when reading from my 32" TV screen. It made reading in bed much more comfortable. When I move into a travel trailer in a year or two, I'll be able to read on both the bedroom and living/dining room TVs. A wireless mouse works well for a "remote."

I had been holding off on buying a reader until prices and functionality met up with each other. The vast majority of my e-Books are (and will be) PDFs made by scanning my Dead Tree Books. Since I have so many to scan, and will have more because used DTBs are both less expensive and are DRM free, it is not practical for me to run the scans through OCR, then edit them for the ubiqitous errors. That means any reader I use will need to be able to zoom on the image of each page to fill the width of the screen and then scroll down the page. When the older Mentor went on sale at Newegg for less than 50% of the normal price, I ordered it. I love it for "normal" e-books (the 6" screen is addicting) but it isn't practical for all but the smallest of my PDF books since it has no zoom. I almost sent it back but decided to hang onto it to see if any firmware upgrades further down the pike will make it more versatile. It also came with a very nice real leather case and also has a user changeable battery.

While other readers touted the ability to zoom in on images, the Jetbook Lite looked especially attractive because it uses AA batteries instead of the usual proprietary Li-Ion batteries. I carry a slew of Sanyo Eneloops with me for my devices, especially my cameras so the ability to replace batteries in the field instead of being tethered to a source of power for the charger was also attractive. Turns out the JBL was much better suited for reading my PDFs since it has a Fit Width function which maximizes the usable real estate on its 5" screen (which feels tiny since I'm spoiled by the 6" Mentor). Scrolling down the page takes a bit of getting used to but I adapted. It is a compromise over a reader equal in size to the original page. A larger reader would be more readable but a 5" or 6" depending on design) will fit in my purse. The JBL didn't come with a case and the one that is available is overpriced (around $45 plus shipping) and is just a sleeve. I do not wish to fool around with pulling a reader out of a sleeve to be able to use it. Another poster on these forums came up with a clever way to modify the case to make it easier to use but for that amount of money and effort, I'll resurrect my rusty leatherworking skills and make a really nice one (tooled and double laced) someday (I'll wait until after the end of year Holiday season to make sure something better hasn't come down the pike).The JBL does not feel as well built as the Mentor but time will tell as to how well it will hold up. A case will go a long way toward protecting it from breakage as will keeping it in my purse when I'm not using it.

I have a netbook but it's too bulky and is too limited in battery life to use for a portable reader.

L.J. Sellers · 07-31-2010, 02:35 PM

As as fiction editor, I've been reading books on my computer for a decade

But I bought a Kindle in 2007 when Oprah went crazy telling everyone it was the greatest thing she'd ever owned. I watched her show for the first time that day because I'd heard Jeff Bezos would on the program talking about the Kindle and I was curious about it. Still love it.
L.J.

carld · 07-31-2010, 02:41 PM

My first reader was an early model Casio Pocket PC. I bought specifically because it could read Microsoft Lit books.

Maggie Leung · 07-31-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

As as fiction editor, I've been reading books on my computer for a decade

But I bought a Kindle in 2007 when Oprah went crazy telling everyone it was the greatest thing she'd ever owned. I watched her show for the first time that day because I'd heard Jeff Bezos would on the program talking about the Kindle and I was curious about it. Still love it.
L.J.

I've edited for 20+ years on computer, but I didn't start reading books for leisure on computer till I got my first laptop. I tried reading books on PC before that, but didn't enjoy sitting at a desk for hours of leisure. I started wishing for tablets then, lol.

HarryT · 07-31-2010, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDaneel54

Harry,

Mine was a Psion 3a (1993). I loved that machine. I did Inspection Reports out in the field, read test files, kept track of my bank accounts, calendar, etc. I spent way to much on it and the 3c and 3mx, but looking back they were worth it. I don't know about you, but I was looked at as a weirdo, but now everyone has some kind of pocket device.

Dean

Absolutely. I had an S3, S3a, and an S5. Excellent machines, especially the 5. Then I "jumped ship" and went over to Windows CE devices, then Pocket PCs. I think I owned pretty much every model of HP iPaq for many years. I only stopped using those when I got my first eInk device, the Sony PRS-500, which cost me something like £400 to buy from the US.

jimhanas · 07-31-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carld

My first reader was an early model Casio Pocket PC. I bought specifically because it could read Microsoft Lit books.

Great pic!

mr ploppy · 07-31-2010, 03:18 PM

The first ebook I ever downloaded I printed it out 2 columns to a page on landscape A4 paper.

ficbot · 07-31-2010, 03:37 PM

First was probably the Sony Clie I read some classics on when I was overseas at school and feeling book-deprived because there was not a local bookstore.

First 'proper' device was an eBookwise. Then a Sony 505. Then a Kindle, which is my current baby.

thinkpad · 07-31-2010, 03:43 PM

I did my first serious reading on the Irex Illiad and bought my books from Fictionwise, the device cost me a small fortune but it was worth it at the time. I came to know about mobileread through the Irex forums although it was first when I got my Kindle that I registered here at MR.

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07-31-2010, 01:18 PM	#16
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	Laptop, about 15 years ago.

07-31-2010, 01:54 PM	#17
moon_cat Member Posts: 15 Karma: 458 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: PRS-300, PRS-700, NOOK 3G	Sony PRS 500, then PRS 700, then PRS 300 and now Nook!

07-31-2010, 02:12 PM	#19
wgrimm Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 334908 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: multiple	My first readers, purchased about the same time, were a palmpilot and a RocketBook with memory upgrade. The RocketBook was an excellent reader; battery life about 10 hours, easily readable screen, decent PC interface with dock (you could display on the rocketbook's screen while plugged in to the PC), and very nice ergonomic design with a good leather case- no cheaping out there. For html, it was exfellent. I actually still use my rocketbook on occasion. And it's snappy- page turns faster han my Kindle DX. I would still be using this one today if it handled the modern formats. This is the reader that I measure all others against.

07-31-2010, 02:12 PM	#20
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Other than a desktop PC, a Compaq Aero 1550 Pocket PC PDA, ca. 2000. Regards, Jack Tingle

07-31-2010, 02:20 PM	#21
mrscoach Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	My first was the computer, then my Sony 300. Much prefer the reader over the computer.

07-31-2010, 02:21 PM	#22
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	Obviously, my computer but only recently did it become practical for me when I started using calibre a few months ago and found its built in reader worked well when reading from my 32" TV screen. It made reading in bed much more comfortable. When I move into a travel trailer in a year or two, I'll be able to read on both the bedroom and living/dining room TVs. A wireless mouse works well for a "remote." I had been holding off on buying a reader until prices and functionality met up with each other. The vast majority of my e-Books are (and will be) PDFs made by scanning my Dead Tree Books. Since I have so many to scan, and will have more because used DTBs are both less expensive and are DRM free, it is not practical for me to run the scans through OCR, then edit them for the ubiqitous errors. That means any reader I use will need to be able to zoom on the image of each page to fill the width of the screen and then scroll down the page. When the older Mentor went on sale at Newegg for less than 50% of the normal price, I ordered it. I love it for "normal" e-books (the 6" screen is addicting) but it isn't practical for all but the smallest of my PDF books since it has no zoom. I almost sent it back but decided to hang onto it to see if any firmware upgrades further down the pike will make it more versatile. It also came with a very nice real leather case and also has a user changeable battery. While other readers touted the ability to zoom in on images, the Jetbook Lite looked especially attractive because it uses AA batteries instead of the usual proprietary Li-Ion batteries. I carry a slew of Sanyo Eneloops with me for my devices, especially my cameras so the ability to replace batteries in the field instead of being tethered to a source of power for the charger was also attractive. Turns out the JBL was much better suited for reading my PDFs since it has a Fit Width function which maximizes the usable real estate on its 5" screen (which feels tiny since I'm spoiled by the 6" Mentor). Scrolling down the page takes a bit of getting used to but I adapted. It is a compromise over a reader equal in size to the original page. A larger reader would be more readable but a 5" or 6" depending on design) will fit in my purse. The JBL didn't come with a case and the one that is available is overpriced (around $45 plus shipping) and is just a sleeve. I do not wish to fool around with pulling a reader out of a sleeve to be able to use it. Another poster on these forums came up with a clever way to modify the case to make it easier to use but for that amount of money and effort, I'll resurrect my rusty leatherworking skills and make a really nice one (tooled and double laced) someday (I'll wait until after the end of year Holiday season to make sure something better hasn't come down the pike).The JBL does not feel as well built as the Mentor but time will tell as to how well it will hold up. A case will go a long way toward protecting it from breakage as will keeping it in my purse when I'm not using it. I have a netbook but it's too bulky and is too limited in battery life to use for a portable reader.

07-31-2010, 02:35 PM	#23
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	As as fiction editor, I've been reading books on my computer for a decade But I bought a Kindle in 2007 when Oprah went crazy telling everyone it was the greatest thing she'd ever owned. I watched her show for the first time that day because I'd heard Jeff Bezos would on the program talking about the Kindle and I was curious about it. Still love it. L.J.

07-31-2010, 02:41 PM	#24
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	My first reader was an early model Casio Pocket PC. I bought specifically because it could read Microsoft Lit books.

07-31-2010, 03:18 PM	#28
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	The first ebook I ever downloaded I printed it out 2 columns to a page on landscape A4 paper.

07-31-2010, 03:37 PM	#29
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	First was probably the Sony Clie I read some classics on when I was overseas at school and feeling book-deprived because there was not a local bookstore. First 'proper' device was an eBookwise. Then a Sony 505. Then a Kindle, which is my current baby.

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07-31-2010, 03:43 PM	#30
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	I did my first serious reading on the Irex Illiad and bought my books from Fictionwise, the device cost me a small fortune but it was worth it at the time. I came to know about mobileread through the Irex forums although it was first when I got my Kindle that I registered here at MR.