I'm in Aussieland and need some help deciding on an eReader

[jankrix]

Originally Posted by kgn

Why not the PB 360 then?

been wondering about PB 360 also but the screen is too small for me while the current price $199+shipping ($30-40) isn't really what I can pay, that's why I still and probably will get KOBO while seeking the opportunity to bring Nook home

[ThomasC]

Originally Posted by Ramothgirl

Hi mikebliv
This is my first post to this forum. I have bought the stash ereader from OW because I wanted to see how the ereaders worked before committing to better models. It is very basic and the epub versions I have are free of DRM. It loses the odd letters off the right handside of the screen (see:http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum...m/1458451.html) and it is not good for reading when there is lots of bright natural light -although it is good for night reading given that the screen is backlit. It also doesn't reflow pdfs, and although it supports pdf, it is very hard to read (maybe that was the pdf i was trying to read).
Unfortunately it doesn't support DRM versions and the only way to get these to work is to remove the DRM and reconvert using a program like calibre. I thought I was fairly tech savvy - until I read a post on how to remove DRM The calibre conversion is easy though!! For an introduction to ereaders I like it, but will be wanting to upgrade to a e-ink version soon - just continuing my research into which model I should get.

I bought one of these Stash W950 ebook readers (Delstar Openbook in US I think) from OfficeWorks last week and, for the money ($A129, or ~$US110), I think it's great.

I've downloaded quite a few Epub freebies from the place recommended on the box, http://www.ebookmart.com.au/ and so far they all seem to come across very well. They do sometimes miss a letter at the end of a line every few pages, but this is no big deal. Even my Kindle does this with sometimes with some freebie books.

I'm not sure why some are having backlighting problems. Mine seems very good, even at the 2nd from brightest setting and I have to turn it down a bit in a darkened room. For bright ouside light, the white letters on black background option works pretty good.

The best features (and why I mainly bought it) is it's MP3 and Video player. It has 2gb internal memory and can take up to a 16gb standard SD card. Both of these features work very well (much better than my current irivers MP3 player). There is an experimental mp3 player on the Kindle but it's terrible.

I cannot see this replacing my Kindle k2i as a regular ebook reader but I'll probably pack it around on some trips to avoid packing both the k2i and a mp3 player. Also, I like that this can import (non-DRM) where my k2i cannot (without converting anyway).

Anyway, just my $0.02 worth.

Edit; After playing with this unit a bit more and having lots of difficulties getting videos to play as well as trying to read poorly formatted ebooks, I returned this unit to OW today.

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[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sabredog

Therein lies the problem I guess. There is little choice available to Australians other than the Kobo and Kindle 2.

All the others need to be purchased "on the sly" from the US and thus the warranty does not apply.

Why? I've bought most of my eBook readers online from companies like Bookeen, Endless Ideas (BeBook), etc. They sell world-wide, and you certainly do get a warranty. What makes you believe that you can only purchase from the USA?

[sabredog]

Harry

I was using the US as an example. I am fully aware there are other country options.

Crikey

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sabredog

Harry

I was using the US as an example. I am fully aware there are other country options.

Crikey

It was the "on the sly" bit that I found a little puzzling, sabredog. There's absolutely nothing underhand in buying a CyBook, BeBook, or Pocketbook online. These companies are set up for world-wide on-line sales. The companies selling through retail outlets are actually very much the minority .

[sabredog]

'on the sly' refers to the need to use a freight forwarding company like Borderlynx for some items. A direct purchase from the Sony Shop for instance which on shop shipping is only to US addresses. Using Borderlyx facilites yhat for overseas buyers. Still though you can obtain a Sony ereader by other means.

Really though, the ability for a reader owner to return their reader for repair locally is the best option, though the price difference inducement is a strong factor in purchasing overseas.

Here in Australia, we have to do this sort of thing all the time!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sabredog

'on the sly' refers to the need to use a freight forwarding company like Borderlynx for some items. A direct purchase from the Sony Shop for instance which on shop shipping is only to US addresses. Using Borderlyx facilites yhat for overseas buyers. Still though you can obtain a Sony ereader by other means.

Really though, the ability for a reader owner to return their reader for repair locally is the best option, though the price difference inducement is a strong factor in purchasing overseas.

Here in Australia, we have to do this sort of thing all the time!

I see what you mean, yes. Until very recently, there were no eBook readers for sale in shops in the UK, either, although that is now changing. The large British bookshop, Waterstones, now stock a reasonably wide range of different readers in their larger shops.

[sabredog]

This is why the Kobo has done so well here!

Sub $200 and locally available. No wonder they cannot keep up supplies.

(BTW, sorry about the atrocious typos in my last post which was typed via my Omnia in a doctors waiting room!)

[WhenAllElseFails]

Hi Guys, Just to add my ha'penny to the discussion. I've been after an ebook reader for a while and haven't been able to justify the huge price tag here in Australia... Interestingly on the weekend I discovered JB HiFi stock ereaders (although the staff know nothing about them). I took the plunge and bought a Pico-life and although I had a couple of teething issues to start with they were more about my learning how to use it and its capabilities rather than the machine itself.
Admittedly it is only three days since I bought it but I have to say I'm very impressed with it - particularly in the fact that it doesn't have that awful black then white screen flash between pages while you are reading that all the other models (I've seen) have. It has the text fade then the next page text appears, much more friendly to the eyes. I read 30% of a book in the first sitting and I noticed I was treating it in the same way I do paper books, I lift the corner of the page before I'm finished to change pages without losing the flow of the sentence... with the reader I had to backtrack a couple of times because it changes so quickly
So far so good... I'll update further if I find any issues - but here is one happy camper!

[sabredog]

For those interested...

http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail...al-Pens/Ebooks

[jankrix]

Originally Posted by sabredog

For those interested...

http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail...al-Pens/Ebooks

JB hifi also more or less list the same products FYI

stash w960 is being sold also by pioneer computer in different name; dreambook w95