"Can you curl up with a good e-book reader?"

lmarie · 01-02-2008, 08:15 PM

That's the title of a brief article in the February issue of Consumer Reports, which arrived today.

Their take: " ... Although the new Kindle and revamped Sony Reader could suit voracious readers on the go, most people will still want to stick with paper."

bingle · 01-02-2008, 08:45 PM

Yeah, I've never understood that attitude. For me, the book is the thing - the medium is immaterial. If you ask me in a few months whether I read a given book in paper or as an ebook, I probably wouldn't be able to answer. The platform disappears in the experience!

JSWolf · 01-02-2008, 08:49 PM

All I know is that is hard to curl up with a good hardcover because it can be too heavy. But the same book on my 505 would do fine.

arit · 01-02-2008, 09:55 PM

Having my Cybook wrapped up in a leather cover gives it a nice bookish feeling. Albeit it being slightly bigger and heavier than a typical paperback, it is way better to read imo.

So my conclusion is that their conclusion failed

Even though I'd like to be able to buy some fake bookcovers to waste space on my bookshelf...

tompe · 01-02-2008, 10:07 PM

That is my feeling also. But my Palm T5 did definitely not give a book feeling and I only managed to read one book on it. I also think people over estimate the importance of this. Before they have tried a reader they think they will not like it because it is not a book and they believe the flashing will be extremely disturbing and so on. But I think for most people that they will get used to it very fast and think the opinions they held to be strange.

Alisa · 01-02-2008, 10:48 PM

I agree with Jon on this one. My Kindle is more comfortable to curl up with than most of my books. It's so much easier on my hands. It's lighter than most and I don't have to hold it open. My hands used to get tired after long reading session. I never have that problem now.

cmbs · 01-02-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

All I know is that is hard to curl up with a good hardcover because it can be too heavy. But the same book on my 505 would do fine.

I totally agree, I usually buy paperbacks because hard covers are so large and heavy. I have been curling up with my Cybook just fine, it's so small and light I can hold it in one hand - even my left hand - for a long time without a problem.

It does take a bit of getting used to, though.

JSWolf · 01-03-2008, 12:32 AM

I can hold my 505 in one hand. I originally thought that the way the cover opened and extended on the right side would be a problem, but that actually makes it easier to hold in one hand.

HarryT · 01-03-2008, 02:21 AM

The "curlability rating" of both the Gen3 and the Sony is definitely right up there with paper books. PDAs, etc, much less so, in my experience. Never seen a Kindle, so I can't comment on that.

Sparrow · 01-03-2008, 03:27 AM

Both my CyBook and TX have better curlability ratings than pbooks.

If I'm lying on my side reading in bed, ereaders are easy to manage - but pbooks mean you have to elevate one portion of the book every other page; if that portion is hundreds of pages it gets awkward to hold out of the way; how did they ever catch on??

I'm currently reading 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton - according to Amazon the pbook is over 1100 pages.
The eversion is much less of a wrestling contest than the pback!

astra · 01-03-2008, 04:12 AM

They are wrong! Wrong! Worng!

You definitely can curl up with eInks

reader and enjoy it as much (or more) as a regular pbook.

Penforhire · 01-03-2008, 01:48 PM

My wife curls up with her 505 just fine! Even falls asleep reading just like she does with p-books.

sianon · 01-03-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

My wife curls up with her 505 just fine! Even falls asleep reading just like she does with p-books.

I have done that a few times, only prob, falling asleep with the Iliad on means that by tie you wake int he morning (my other half will remove the book to my desk, but not switch it off), the battery has gone flat.

HarryT · 01-03-2008, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sianon

I have done that a few times, only prob, falling asleep with the Iliad on means that by tie you wake int he morning (my other half will remove the book to my desk, but not switch it off), the battery has gone flat.

I fall asleep with my Gen3 virtually every night - that's why I make sure I have it's "auto shutdown" turned on, so that if I don't touch it for 20 minutes, it shuts down

.

vivaldirules · 01-03-2008, 04:15 PM

I curl up with my Sony 500 all the time. The only issue (do I dare mention it?) is that the display is not quite up to reading by the light from my bedside lamp. The 505 appears to be easier to read in low light than the 500 but neither is quite as good as a pbook. Aside from that one issue, reading on my Sony Reader is a favorite bedtime activity for me.

01-02-2008, 08:15 PM	#1
lmarie Dilettante Posts: 148 Karma: 132 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Philadelphia area Device: EB1150, Cybook Gen3, Kobo Touch	"Can you curl up with a good e-book reader?" That's the title of a brief article in the February issue of Consumer Reports, which arrived today. Their take: " ... Although the new Kindle and revamped Sony Reader could suit voracious readers on the go, most people will still want to stick with paper."

01-02-2008, 09:55 PM	#4
arit Cybook Warrior Posts: 46 Karma: 446 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Wiesbaden, Germany Device: Nokia E65, HTC Universal, Cybook G3	Having my Cybook wrapped up in a leather cover gives it a nice bookish feeling. Albeit it being slightly bigger and heavier than a typical paperback, it is way better to read imo. So my conclusion is that their conclusion failed Even though I'd like to be able to buy some fake bookcovers to waste space on my bookshelf... Last edited by arit; 01-02-2008 at 09:57 PM.

01-03-2008, 04:12 AM	#11
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	They are wrong! Wrong! Worng! You definitely can curl up with eInksreader and enjoy it as much (or more) as a regular pbook.

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01-02-2008, 08:45 PM	#2
bingle Addict Posts: 273 Karma: 499 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Device: Sony Reader	Yeah, I've never understood that attitude. For me, the book is the thing - the medium is immaterial. If you ask me in a few months whether I read a given book in paper or as an ebook, I probably wouldn't be able to answer. The platform disappears in the experience!

01-02-2008, 08:49 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,987 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	All I know is that is hard to curl up with a good hardcover because it can be too heavy. But the same book on my 505 would do fine.

01-02-2008, 10:07 PM	#5
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	That is my feeling also. But my Palm T5 did definitely not give a book feeling and I only managed to read one book on it. I also think people over estimate the importance of this. Before they have tried a reader they think they will not like it because it is not a book and they believe the flashing will be extremely disturbing and so on. But I think for most people that they will get used to it very fast and think the opinions they held to be strange.

01-02-2008, 10:48 PM	#6
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	I agree with Jon on this one. My Kindle is more comfortable to curl up with than most of my books. It's so much easier on my hands. It's lighter than most and I don't have to hold it open. My hands used to get tired after long reading session. I never have that problem now.

01-03-2008, 12:32 AM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,987 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I can hold my 505 in one hand. I originally thought that the way the cover opened and extended on the right side would be a problem, but that actually makes it easier to hold in one hand.

01-03-2008, 02:21 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The "curlability rating" of both the Gen3 and the Sony is definitely right up there with paper books. PDAs, etc, much less so, in my experience. Never seen a Kindle, so I can't comment on that.

01-03-2008, 03:27 AM	#10
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Both my CyBook and TX have better curlability ratings than pbooks. If I'm lying on my side reading in bed, ereaders are easy to manage - but pbooks mean you have to elevate one portion of the book every other page; if that portion is hundreds of pages it gets awkward to hold out of the way; how did they ever catch on?? I'm currently reading 'Pandora's Star' by Peter F. Hamilton - according to Amazon the pbook is over 1100 pages. The eversion is much less of a wrestling contest than the pback!

01-03-2008, 01:48 PM	#12
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	My wife curls up with her 505 just fine! Even falls asleep reading just like she does with p-books.

01-03-2008, 04:15 PM	#15
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I curl up with my Sony 500 all the time. The only issue (do I dare mention it?) is that the display is not quite up to reading by the light from my bedside lamp. The 505 appears to be easier to read in low light than the 500 but neither is quite as good as a pbook. Aside from that one issue, reading on my Sony Reader is a favorite bedtime activity for me.

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