Best E-reader on the market?

[Bricorn]

With my Kindle I can read curled up in bed with just my nose, eyes, and one hand out of the covers. A touchscreen needs both hands. That's enough to put me off - my favourite place to read in in bed.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Bricorn

With my Kindle I can read curled up in bed with just my nose, eyes, and one hand out of the covers. A touchscreen needs both hands. That's enough to put me off - my favourite place to read in in bed.

No, you can work it easily one-handed as I do all the time. I hold it in one hand by its side and swipe with my thumb. As you can change the direction in which the swipe will change the pageturn forward or back you can change it easily the moment you change your hand on the reader.

Hope this was clear

[mdmorrissey]

None of the Kindles, including DX, can read Adobe DRM, which means you cannot use public libraries unless you remove the DRM, which is 1) illegal and 2) difficult. Fortunately, via Calibre and since sites like Gutenberg.org offer mobi format, you can read public domain books, which is what all ereaders are best for. The prices for ebooks are ridiculous -- sometimes more than the new paperback price and ALWAYS MUCH more than the prices for used books. Until they figure out how to drastically reduce the price of new ebooks, which given the greed of publishers is not likely to happen soon, if ever, I am sticking with public domain, libraries, and used paperbacks. Why other companies cannot come up with a dedicated ereader (like the Pocketbook 360 which I have) that would be comparable in size and quality to the Kindle DX without the unnecessary frills (WiFi, touchscreen, etc.) I don't know. Maybe some Indian company will do it. In the meantime if I want a second reader I'll probably go for the Kobo, even though it unfortunately is only available in the US.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

No, you can work it easily one-handed as I do all the time. I hold it in one hand by its side and swipe with my thumb. As you can change the direction in which the swipe will change the pageturn forward or back you can change it easily the moment you change your hand on the reader.

Hope this was clear

Plus, you can use the page fwd and back buttons which I often forget about, since it's got that great touchscreen and all, but I usually do the thumb swipe like you. The 650 takes even less effort than my other Sonys.

[jehane]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

The prices for ebooks are ridiculous -- sometimes more than the new paperback price and ALWAYS MUCH more than the prices for used books.

Maybe in the US, but in other parts of the world it's a different story. I buy mostly from Kobo and combined with their regular coupons I pay much less than I would even for a used book. Plus I don't have to trawl multiple used book shops to find something.

Why other companies cannot come up with a dedicated ereader (like the Pocketbook 360 which I have) that would be comparable in size and quality to the Kindle DX without the unnecessary frills (WiFi, touchscreen, etc.) I don't know. Maybe some Indian company will do it. In the meantime if I want a second reader I'll probably go for the Kobo, even though it unfortunately is only available in the US.

It may not be comparable in size, but the Sony 300 certainly lacks frills, and so did the previous Kobo. While I also prefer a no-frills device I can understand why all the features appear. Tech companies are more or less forced to bring out fancier devices each year - people will complain if there's nothing new, or that it's not as feature-packed as its competitors. Take a look through the threads here and you'll see what I mean. Even when someone says they're not interested in wireless connectivity, everyone always tells them to get something with wireless anyway. btw, the Kobo is certainly available outside of the US. I don't know where you got that idea from?

[Dulin's Books]

perceived Value. Off brands must have a high perceived value to compete with the big boys. they add these other things to add to the perceived value while not adding much to the cost and eventual retail pricing.

for instance the PocketBook 902. because of costs it would most likely be priced at $349 or even a little bit more even if there were no stylus and connectivity. thats perilously close to KINDLE DX at $379. So you add wifi bluetooth and wacom stylus to combat the whisper net and Pearl display of the DX.

[mdmorrissey]

Originally Posted by jehane

Maybe in the US, but in other parts of the world it's a different story. I buy mostly from Kobo and combined with their regular coupons I pay much less than I would even for a used book. Plus I don't have to trawl multiple used book shops to find something.


It may not be comparable in size, but the Sony 300 certainly lacks frills, and so did the previous Kobo. While I also prefer a no-frills device I can understand why all the features appear. Tech companies are more or less forced to bring out fancier devices each year - people will complain if there's nothing new, or that it's not as feature-packed as its competitors. Take a look through the threads here and you'll see what I mean. Even when someone says they're not interested in wireless connectivity, everyone always tells them to get something with wireless anyway. btw, the Kobo is certainly available outside of the US. I don't know where you got that idea from?

Kobo is not available outside the US and Canada. The Sony 300 I had was defective (skipped pages) and all that rigmarole with the Sony Book Store is aggravating and unnecessary. Pocketbook 360 does not require all that extra software, and this is the way it should be. I have yet to see an ebook on Amazon that is cheaper than a used paper book.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by mdmorrissey

Kobo is not available outside the US and Canada. The Sony 300 I had was defective (skipped pages) and all that rigmarole with the Sony Book Store is aggravating and unnecessary. Pocketbook 360 does not require all that extra software, and this is the way it should be. I have yet to see an ebook on Amazon that is cheaper than a used paper book.

Where is the difference between loading a book down via Calibre or Sony software???? And the sony bookstore is no worse than others. You buy it, you download it, it even transfers itself to your Sony if you choose to synchronize...

[ProfCrash]

I don't have to download special software to load books onto my Kindle when I buy them from Amazon. I don't believe that Nook owners have to download any special software to buy books from BN. The only folks who have to download extra software are the folks using the ADE DRmed books.

If I want to buy books that are in epub, I need to download Calibre to convert them. I have never had to do that so I have never downloaded Calibre.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't have to download special software to load books onto my Kindle when I buy them from Amazon. I don't believe that Nook owners have to download any special software to buy books from BN. The only folks who have to download extra software are the folks using the ADE DRmed books.

If I want to buy books that are in epub, I need to download Calibre to convert them. I have never had to do that so I have never downloaded Calibre.

ähm, yes, that is very well, but you see I was not responding to you having a Kindle or someone or other having a Kobo but to mdmorrisey, and mdmorrissey has a PB 360, not a Kindle, not a Kobo, a PB 360 with no wifi...

Anyway, Prof.Crash, as you leave out no opportunity to tell us you can download books very smoothly with your Kindle: Congratulations!!! You made a perfect choice for yourself in buying something that fullfils all your needs, makes you happy and fills you with a pride beyond understanding! Enjoy!

btw, there is no need to download extra software, the Sony comes with it.

[ProfCrash]

If the Sony comes with it, then what is the issue?

Color me confused.

[Poppaea]

See, this is what I was talking about to mdmorrissey!

[bhartman36]

Thanks for the information on the touchscreens. It's good to know they don't have that problem. That makes me want Amazon to come out w/ a touchscreen Kindle, though. I thought it was display quality that was holding them back.

[susan_cassidy]

Personally, I prefer not having a touchscreen for reading, as I don't like fingerprints on the screen. I'm constantly having to clean my iPad screen, but I don't use it for reading - mostly games and videos.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Personally, I prefer not having a touchscreen for reading, as I don't like fingerprints on the screen. I'm constantly having to clean my iPad screen, but I don't use it for reading - mostly games and videos.

You'd love it. The Sony screens are mat and no fingerprints are to be seen on them. We are talking quality here, not Apple