paralysis by overanalysis

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by soondai

I still can't pull the trigger.
Letting the quest for the "perfect" reader get in way of getting a "good enough." Heck, pretty sure there are several than are more than good enough.

I'm basically looking for an ipod for books. I've already assembled a pretty good collection to read when I get it (whatever it ends up being), so the respective bookstores and formats are not really an issue for me. Don't care at all about downloading straight to the reader-- I plan to assemble and manage my library on my pc and tote around a dozen titles or so on the reader.

Money is tight. 150 is the ceiling. 100 would be better.

Kobo:
I'm still pulled to this one since its release was the catalyst for my reader quest. When it came out so much cheaper than the rest, I was very intrigued.

Pros:
bare-bones reader
holds plenty for my needs

cons:
seemed very sluggish when I finally got to play with one this week
maybe a little too bare bones: no landscape view for example
too expensive: costs more than a K3 when you count sales tax

jetBook lite:
available for 99 bucks thru newegg. I've put in the the shopping cart once, but didn't check out.

pros:
price
sounds like it does the job when its working right

cons
battery life and the need to buy/maintain rechargeable batteries.
not really that much cheaper than a K3 after adding batteries, memory, sales tax.
felt a little cheap when I checked out the Libre at 2 borders (it also was not working in either store)
some reviews on newegg say it often dies within a year

Kindle:
I feel like Han Solo in the Death Star's tractor beam. I keep trying to resist, but I think it may be inevitable.

cons first on this one:

I really don't like the fact you cannot change the battery yourself. Even though you can expect it to last 3 years, this almost makes it seem like it is intentionally disposable. I know you can send it in. But the fact they then send you a different one does not diminish that impression.

A little out of my price range if a 35 dollar cover is truly a necessity. If it's really that fragile I wish it came with some sort of bare-bones protection

mobi only. right now DRM and conversion aren't a problem, but I don't know how confident I can be that will continue.

pros:
by all accounts the most bang for the buck.

in it for the long haul. Amazon will still be there in 5 years and still be in the Kindle business

Nook:
Enjoyed playing with one yesterday. Not sure why it still seems like an afterthought instead of a contender.

pros:
I really like that you can add your own memory and change your own battery.
open system with an active dev community making improvements
seems like a fine reader

cons:
25 bucks more than Kindle after tax
pricey covers seem to be a must according to the consensus


So I just don't know.

A Kobo 2 than aimed for better/speedier performance and a 99 dollar price that acknowledged the lack of bells and whistles would probably be irresistible to me. This is my ideal.

A Nook 2 that came in at or under the Kindle price (and was well-reviewed) would also make me jump.

But that Kindle tractor beam is locked on. If I don't get a boost from elsewhere soon I suspect I'm gonna get pulled in.

Any feedback on my reasoning or info on what might be coming down the pike would be appreciated. Do you all think a 99 dollar quality reader will be a reality by Xmas. No way I can wait longer than that. (and ideally I would love to have something for my Oct birthday)

Oh boy can I sympathize with this post title! If Chris hadn't booted me into buying a Sony 600 this weekend, I'd STILL be where you are.
What makes this even MORE pathetic, is that I've had an e-ink device before and had already done all the research once...but things change, so I was on the whole treadmill again.
I'm not going to be much help with your choosing, though...it looks like you're about where I was, except with your price ceiling. I paid more for my Sony 600 than your ceiling price, though not by much, but that's because it's the outgoing model. If I was recommending a Sony to someone new to ebook readers, I'd tell them to wait a week and get the new 650; but again, that's over your price ceiling.
For sheer amount of formats supported (since you said you already have a bunch of files in different formats), did you look at Astak?

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by soondai

Thanks for weighing in.

I really liked the 1st generation Sony's I saw. But the reflective screen complaints scared me away from the bigger one. I completely would have gotten the pocket reader on clearance, but it really is disposable. I read the cost of sending it in for battery replacement was well over 100 dollars.

Are you referring to the PRS-300? That is actually, along with the PRS-600, the 3rd, or maybe even 4th generation of readers that Sony has brought out (It depends on how you view the PRS-700).

Yes, the battery issue is a big one for me too, but try to keep it in perspective. I had a Jetbook with a non user replaceable battery. Because the Jetbook uses more power, it was recharged more often than the PRS-300 would be (At least once a week, more likely twice a week). After almost two years, the battery still held enough charge for maybe 8-10 hours of reading (about half of what it did initially). Since recharging is what really saps the life out of a Lithium-Ion battery, I would guess that the Sony would still be usable (from a power perspective anyway) for at least 3-5 years. By and large, I suspect that unless e-Ink readers completely drop off the face of the Earth (Say about a 30% chance of that in the next 5 years), that by then, you might well want to upgrade to whatever new devices happen to be available by then.

--
Bill

[Noah98]

Originally Posted by soondai

Thanks for weighing in.

I really liked the 1st generation Sony's I saw. But the reflective screen complaints scared me away from the bigger one. I completely would have gotten the pocket reader on clearance, but it really is disposable. I read the cost of sending it in for battery replacement was well over 100 dollars.

The new 650 would be my perfect reader if it were 100 bucks cheaper. I really am on a budget though.

And I could definitely see myself going with the jetbooklite if newegg slashes it to 80 or the new Mini comes in at under 100.

The new Sonys look great, but are way overpriced! I also think that the 650 should have wifi.

[GA Russell]

I'm quite pleased with my jetBook Lite. I like its reflective TFT screen.

I recommend that you wait till Thanksgiving weekend if you can. Last year prices were slashed then, and again in mid-December, and I expect them to be slashed again this year as well.

[Logseman]

You may like to look what the second hand market has in store for you. Readers of many kinds with heavy discounts, usually well-treated, and they may even include covers. Plus, the fact that the Kindle 3 is out means that many people will want to "upgrade" to it, and get quick cash by selling their old readers. What another holds as superfluous can be your gain.

Check this offer out, for example:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98026

[soondai]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

For sheer amount of formats supported (since you said you already have a bunch of files in different formats), did you look at Astak?

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I'm quite pleased with my jetBook Lite. I like its reflective TFT screen.

The Libre/JBL is a possibility. Just a little scared off by some of the reviews saying it dies after several months. But most people seem to really like.

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

by then, you might well want to upgrade to whatever new devices happen to be available by then.

It's almost the principle of the thing. I don't watch movies on VHS any more, but my 8 year old player up in the closet still works. I really don't understand the mindset of building a premium device that comes with a lit fuse. Most likely I'll upgrade by then, but I don't want my hand forced. I want to be a buyer, not a subscriber.

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I recommend that you wait till Thanksgiving weekend if you can. Last year prices were slashed then, and again in mid-December, and I expect them to be slashed again this year as well.

That makes a lot of sense. To top it all off I probably have enough paper books to last until the Kindle 5, but I've got the bug (and the bug is impervious to common sense).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by soondai

I really liked the 1st generation Sony's I saw. But the reflective screen complaints scared me away from the bigger one.

When you say "1st generation Sony", presumably you're talking about the PRS-500? Things have moved on significantly since then - the current screens are significantly better.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Don't forget you get free shipping, even without prime, from Amazon, and i depending on where you live sometimes no tax.

There customer support is awesome also.

I would go for the K3 in a heartbeat if my K1 ever gave out......but it shows no signs of doing so!

You should get rid of that ugly thing called the Kindle, and get the sleek Kindle Mark III!

Originally Posted by kacir

If you are outside USA, the Kindle 3 has even more appeal, because Amazon is THE ONLY ONE that sells device in the rest of the world for exactly the same price as in USA. All other manufacturers typically sell 100 dollar device for 100 euro.

Wrong. My husband had to pay €139 (without cover) for the K3. Because the euro is about $1,20 and 19% sales taxes is added, for Europeans 1€ is more or less $1. But you're right in one respect: the K3 is one of the cheapest 6" devices around in Europe, as all the others that went down in price, didn't go down in price in Europe...

It's almost the principle of the thing. I don't watch movies on VHS any more, but my 8 year old player up in the closet still works. I really don't understand the mindset of building a premium device that comes with a lit fuse. Most likely I'll upgrade by then, but I don't want my hand forced. I want to be a buyer, not a subscriber.

So did ours (until a fuse blew and even replacing it doesn't work, it'll blow as fast as you're able to turn it on...) Which got me thinking. And I decided to buy a device (my BBMini) without a user replaceable battery, because it won't last for ages and thus giving me a good reason to replace it when I want a new one (and I won't have the same problem as DGM said: no reason to replace it as it still works perfectly!)

The only drawback on the K3, for me, is the lack of SD card. My husband doesn't mind too much, though.

[soondai]

Originally Posted by HarryT

When you say "1st generation Sony", presumably you're talking about the PRS-500? Things have moved on significantly since then - the current screens are significantly better.

I was actually talking about the 300 and whichever 6 inch touch just got phased out (didn't know Sony'd been kicking them out so long)

I'm no longer spooked by the screen. just the price tag.

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I recommend that you wait till Thanksgiving weekend if you can. Last year prices were slashed then, and again in mid-December, and I expect them to be slashed again this year as well.

how much did readers go down? Anyone remember specific deals?
does Amazon ever have sales on the Kindle?

I don't think I can hold out for a couple months to just save 20 bucks or so. Kinda hoping Nook2 and Jetbook Mini details and prices will come out before the Amazon page reads "orders placed today are expected to ship on or before October 5th."

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by soondai

I was actually talking about the 300 and whichever 6 inch touch just got phased out (didn't know Sony'd been kicking them out so long)

Sony's first eBook reader was the Librie, which was sold only in Japan. Then we had the PRS-500, released in 2006. Then the PRS-505. Then the PRS-700. Then the simultaneous release of the PRS-300, 600 and (in the US only) 900. Now we have the 350, 650 and (again US only) 950.

You can see how confusing it is to refer to the PRS-300 as a 1st generation device?

[HansTWN]

Just get the Kindle 3. Cheap and you can't go wrong with it.

[greypanther]

I say just jump in. I have a Kobo, basic, but it does what I want.

Because I love SF it has already paid for itself a couple of times over because of the free books available at Baen and other sites. Hunting around it's amazing the number of excellent books available for little or nothing.

Go for it you won't regret it.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by soondai

I was actually talking about the 300 and whichever 6 inch touch just got phased out (didn't know Sony'd been kicking them out so long)

I'm no longer spooked by the screen. just the price tag.



how much did readers go down? Anyone remember specific deals?
does Amazon ever have sales on the Kindle?

The K1 was just under $400 when it came out. I was given mine on October of 2008 when it cost $369. I don't know what the prices were for the Sony's when they first came out but those were the first e-book readers I saw and got me thinking about an e-book reader. I am not sure how I ended up with the Kindle but I am thrilled that I did.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

You should get rid of that ugly thing called the Kindle, and get the sleek Kindle Mark III!

Oh, Sweetpea, you so didn't use the "U" word for my K1.........

Don't make me get out my stick! (You do remember the stick?)

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by soondai

how much did readers go down? Anyone remember specific deals?

Here's my general recollection. Those with better memories are welcome to correct me.

I started looking in July of 2009. Most devices cost about $250.

This time last year Sony offered at new model at $199. Astak introduced its Pocket Pro at $199 which included a cover and ear buds.

The Aluratek Libre went for about $170. For Thanksgiving weekend, Newegg dropped the price to $135.

The jetBook Lite went for $150. For the middle week of December, Newegg dropped the price to $117.

Not only can we expect devices to go on sale for Christmas, but we may still learn of new models to be introduced for Christmas. If you can wait a couple of months, your selection will probably be wider.