Kindle or Sony PRS-505

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by EnginerdLisa

When looking at ebooks how do I know if a book listed as the mobipocket format is DRM free?

Generally the web store will tell you. Most general stores are selling "secure" mobipocket ebooks. Fictionwise.com has what they call "multi-format" ebooks... these are unsecured formats, of with mobi is one.

Other places that sell ebooks, like authors sites, baen/webscription, public domain repositories like we have here at MR or at manybooks.net generally are DRM free.

BOb

[EnginerdLisa]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

What is your library's website? I haven't found any library that carries just one format, they usually carry both.

http://evans.evpl.org/search/X?SEARC...T=D&p=&Da=&Db=

I didn't click on every book, but I did check out a half dozen or so that sounded like they might be interesting.

[grooks]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

What is your library's website? I haven't found any library that carries just one format, they usually carry both.

My particular library carries both PDF and Mobi formats as ebooks but roughly 80% of the ebooks are PDF and 20% are Mobi. Other libraries may be more equal.

[GatorDeb]

Originally Posted by EnginerdLisa

http://evans.evpl.org/search/X?SEARC...T=D&p=&Da=&Db=

I didn't click on every book, but I did check out a half dozen or so that sounded like they might be interesting.

I checked 4 at random and they all had both formats.

http://evans.evpl.org/search~S0?/Xs:...p=&Da=&Db=&6,6,

Look in the bottom where it says both PDF and Mobipocket reader.

Most libraries would have a bit or a lot more PDF, but I haven't seen any library that has JUST PDF.

[EnginerdLisa]

It lists the ISBN for both versions on the page, but the copy available for download is the Adobe PDF version. So I called the library and asked and the woman I spoke to said that they only format they currently carry is PDF, and had never heard of any devices like Kindle or such. She told me that everyone she has ever heard of using the service just reads the books on thier laptop.

[rlparker]

I have a Kindle; never had any other liseuses (did I get that right?) to compare it with. My observations, then, for what they're worth:

1. I really, really like being able to look up words in the dictionary. Countless times in the past I've either tried to guess at a word's definition by context--or failing that--just kept on plugging. I don't know if you can do this with other readers, but with the Kindle, you "select" the line that contains the word you want to know more about--could be definition, etymology, pronunciation--and then you click "Lookup" and there ya go!

2. A sort of related feature that I think is unique to the Kindle and that I rarely see mentioned: you can search on Wikipedia. I don't know how many times in the past I've wanted to know more about some topic and made a mental note to look it up on Wikipedia the next time I was at my computer. And then of course, promptly forgot . With the Kindle, you can "Search" in Wikipedia. Not quite as convenient as dictionary lookup above, but still wonderful.

3. For me, the button thing is WAY overblown. While you're actually reading, it isn't a problem. When you're handling the thing at other times, you put it to sleep first, then brushing the buttons doesn't matter.

Hope these are clear--I'll be glad to answer follow-up questions if not!

Regards,
R.L.

[EnginerdLisa]

So, I tried searching some of the sites that have DRM free formats and frankly I can't find anything I would typically read. I also still haven't exactly gotten a handle on what I can and can't convert to each reader. So I did a direct comparison of the Sony and Kindle stores. Both had the most recent books by my favorite autors, with Kindle being anywhere from 1-5 dollars cheaper on each title. I guess right now I am leaning towards spending the extra money and getting the Kindle. I believe the Kindle is plastic while the Sony is metal, just wondering how it holds up as I will be traveling with it, although I suppose a laptop is plastic too and I travel with that, so it is probalby a non issue. Has anyone with a Kindle had any durrability issues?

[GatorDeb]

Look at Fictionwise... you can get the Secured Mobipocket format and that works in the Kindle. You can also go to booksonboard and mobipocket.com.

Also, this is very important - you can break free any book you buy at Amazon if you get a Kindle. You cannot as of today break free your purchases from Sony.

AND... no computer needed... so you can download books directly into it with one click in most of the U.S.

[GatorDeb]

I hate to seem like I'm arguing, but I found one book in Mobipocket format (the first one I looked at):

http://evpl.lib.overdrive.com/FB5A00...2-6DC339D7AC49

Sooooo... that librarian doesn't know what her library carries


Here's a page with links to both Mobipocket and PDF books:
http://evpl.lib.overdrive.com/FB5A00...en/default.htm

They have 45 Mobipocket books so far:

http://evpl.lib.overdrive.com/FB5A00...rchID=14837077

(they have 428 PDF).


Soooo... call back the librarian and let know so that she doesn't keep disseminating wrong information

And a few books is always good news... that means more are forthcoming.

As I mentioned... I have yet to see a library that doesn't carry both

[Lilly]

EnginerdLisa

Sony is making sometype of announcement on October 2nd that pertains to their ebooks, so don't buy anything until then. That's one week away. none of us know what Sony is going to say but we do know it's something to do with their readers!

[EnginerdLisa]

I will check out those sites, I thought I could only use the unsecured format on the Kindle, see - that is how freakin confused I am by all of this. Thank you all for your patience with my ignorance.

As for the Mobipocket book at my library I can't belive you found one. I started clicking on every book and went through about 20 of them before I called over there. I wasn't sure wether to belive the woman or not since she stalled quite a bit and didn't really seem comfortable with her answer. After spending more time in my library's selection I don't think it will be a weath of reading material either way!

Three weeks ago I fell in love with the Kindle, then started doing research and though the Sony would be better, then found out about the Cybook and thought that would be best. Now I am back at the Kindle. I don't think I will use the dictionary or wikipedia options, since I don't normally use either resource while reading. I do like the option of downloading books without the computer since I plan to use it during the multitude of trips I have comming up in the comming two months and won't always have a computer at my side. Barring any other discoveries in the next few days I believe I will be going with the Kindle (though the Sony is pretty )

[GatorDeb]

I didn't only find one, I found 45 of them

You can use secured LIT and secured Mobipocket... anything that can have its DRM broken, you can use in the Kindle. I just like Mobipocket because after breaking the DRM there's no more conversion needed and it's ready to read. I felt bad that I just bought 4 books at Amazon because I didn't think those could be converted, but found out today the same tool that breaks Mobipocket breaks 90% of Amazon ebooks (extension .azw... azw1 and whatever extension Topaz is can't be broken (yet)). So my library is future-proof.

Something I do when I hear about a book I like is to go Amazon and download the sample (available for most books I search)... then when I get home I copy the files to a directory, and I have a list of books to read

P.S. ebooks.nypl.org and search for Mobipocket books on the left... over 1300 Mobipocket books for $100 a year for non-NY residents. Read just 10 books in that year and you got your money's worth.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by GatorDeb

Look at Fictionwise... you can get the Secured Mobipocket format and that works in the Kindle. You can also go to booksonboard and mobipocket.com.

Also, this is very important - you can break free any book you buy at Amazon if you get a Kindle. You cannot as of today break free your purchases from Sony.

AND... no computer needed... so you can download books directly into it with one click in most of the U.S.

True, but Sony now supports ePub format which means that you can buy books in that format and read them not only on the Sony, but on your computer (its one of the only ebook specific formats I have found that is available on a Mac as well as on a dedicated reader), and any other device that decides to implement it (which I hope will soon be many of them).

I don't mind DRM on books as long as its there to protect the interests of the author, not the interests of the hardware manufacturer.

--
Bill

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

True, but Sony now supports ePub format which means that you can buy books in that format and read them not only on the Sony, but on your computer (its one of the only ebook specific formats I have found that is available on a Mac as well as on a dedicated reader), and any other device that decides to implement it (which I hope will soon be many of them).

I don't mind DRM on books as long as its there to protect the interests of the author, not the interests of the hardware manufacturer.

--
Bill

.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Stanza (for both Mac and PC) will allow one to read DRM free ePub, Mobi and several other formats on a computer (or iPhone or iPod Touch).

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Stanza (for both Mac and PC) will allow one to read DRM free ePub, Mobi and several other formats on a computer (or iPhone or iPod Touch).

Yep, Stanza, and some other programs are quite handy for reading and/or converting DRM free ebooks into other formats. Admittedly I am currently using eReader.. and I have used Stanza to convert books from Baen's free library into eReader format and then read them on my iPod Touch (Since I haven't gotten around to enabling the sharing port on my wireless router so I can use stanza on the iPod Touch.)

Actually with all the books out there without DRM, both free and for sale, I am tempted to just avoid DRM'd books all together. The best way to get rid of the inconveniences of DRM is to get rid of DRM . The best way to do that is to vote with our dollars. I personally think one should be able to convert any ebook that one has legally obtained into any format that one finds convenient. DRM hinders that because it usually ties your book to a specific program or a specific reader. We, not the publisher should be able to determine how we are going to read our ebooks.

--
Bill