I'm ready to quit Kindle--but for which device? - Page 3

BookHoarder · 03-21-2018, 11:05 PM

I just received mine. It took two weeks from Ebay coming from Germany, but was worth it. It's like reading from a hard cover book. I've been reading off the 6in screen for years, and didn't realize what I had given up until I started reading off this reader. Sure, I've tried reading on 8in tablets, but I can't tolerate reading books off from LCD screens.

So here's the good. The large screen and smartlight with that temperature setting is really nice. Also I have an extensive epub library I manage through calibre, and side-loading the device with the entirety of it did not slow the Inkpad down much at all. There is no complicated tweak or setting to get the Inkpad to recognize series tags as collections. Just running the startup wizard in Calibre, and having the selection set to Pocketbook readers was all it needed.

And here's the unneeded. I don't play much with PDFs so I couldn't say how the reader handles them. To me PDF is strictly large tablet territory. My music is on my phone, and I don't listen to audio books so I don't really need the player. Not gonna use the device to browse the internet or play the little add on games.

The bad. I can't really say there's anything bad about this reader. Inkpad's not waterproof like the KOBO or Kindle now, but then again Pocketbook is not really competing against those two here in the states. I guess if there was anything to be said about the reader negatively it would be the buttons. On the touchlux models they are big and shaped to fit your thumb on. Inkpad 3 narrowed out the buttons out so when you're reading it's harder to keep your thumb on the page turn button you need for the next page. Also would recommend keeping the auto rotate feature off. Also with no built in store for the reader you'll be needing to get your books from amazon, needing to know something about apprentice alf, and needing to be comfortable with the process of file conversion, calibre, and DRM. Oh, and no waterproofing to this model.

Still I say it was worth it. It meets everything I've wanted from an Ereader. Collection management through calibre, a large tablet-sized screen, SD card slot, glowscreen or smartlight, and current cover of book your reading when you power it off. Some would say that should come when you put the device to sleep, but it really only takes about 10 seconds to go from completely powered off to ready to read.

Kobo, you say? No. It has all that wasted space inside the screen that you need to use a patch to get rid of; no matter the model. But what about Kindle? Roots and hacks and whatnot just to get a custom screen saver. This setting has been on almost every other model of ereader for years. There is no reason paperwhites, voyages and oasis's should not have custom screensavers other than Amazon trying to ransom your screen for money.

Even if you don't go for the Inkpad 3 because of the premium cost, the smaller hd touch lux models still come with most of the same features for less the price.

rcentros · 03-21-2018, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincomay

I bought the Sony Pocket PRS-350 that rcentros linked--thank you!!! I figure it's worth a shot for just $25.

Uh, oh. Now I'm feeling the pressure. Hope you like it. I like the Sonys (more and more as I use them) but they do need to work in conjunction with Calibre.

rcentros · 03-21-2018, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemmi

If you go for any of the Sony T models, make it a T2 or T3. I find the T1 to be quite buggy sometimes and the shiny plastic around the screen, couldn't take that. My current favorite reader is my T2 with the T3 a close second.

I agree with this. I've been a bit disappointed with the T1 and its little bugs. I may actually like the x50 series better than the T series.

cincomay · 03-24-2018, 08:51 PM

I bought the Sony 350 because of the low cost--I paid $23 including shipping--but now I'm sorry because it doesn't actually work. It seems like a nice device! I like the size and weight, and the text and images are nice and sharp. But mine freezes and won't actually open books or turn pages, even though it did let me load books in Calibre. I guess I have some troubleshooting ahead of me...

I did go and look at a Nook Glowlight 3 in store

and liked it a lot. The light is really nice, and it has pretty good font control at least as far as I determined in five minutes of playing with it. I'm definitely still considering getting one.

I'm still intimidated by the high cost of Kobos, but they're still on the table too.

May

rcentros · 03-25-2018, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincomay

I bought the Sony 350 because of the low cost--I paid $23 including shipping--but now I'm sorry because it doesn't actually work. It seems like a nice device! I like the size and weight, and the text and images are nice and sharp. But mine freezes and won't actually open books or turn pages, even though it did let me load books in Calibre. I guess I have some troubleshooting ahead of me...

Well, darn. Sorry. I haven't had any trouble like this with my Sonys – except I recently downloaded the 1913 Unabridged Webster's Dictionary (from Mobile Read). It worked fine until I tried embedding the Constantia font. Then every time I tried to load the book it would reboot. So I removed the book and loaded the original file and it worked fine. I wonder if you have a book like this one – although it sounds like your issue is worse than mine was.

Hemmi · 03-25-2018, 07:37 PM

I'd try a hard reset on it to clear everything out and then load just a few things to see how it handles it. Sometimes you load a book that it just doesn't like and the reader hangs until you get rid of that book.

cincomay · 03-25-2018, 09:06 PM

I can't even get it to unfreeze long enough to do a hard reset, no matter how many times I soft reset and/or charge it. Sometimes I can get my computer to see it, but I can't update the software--I think because of some combination of the 350's old age and the fact that I'm a Mac user. I've been tinkering with it all weekend and am about ready to throw it across the room. If only I could get it to work I think I would really like it!

I guess it's time to try another model of...something.

rcentros · 03-28-2018, 10:07 AM

I'm guessing this is what you've tried?

Quote:

How To Hard Reset a Sony PRS-350 (Full Reset)

Power off the Reader Digital Book.

On the bottom edge of the Reader Digital Book, using a thin object such as a paper clip, press the RESET button.

Turn on the Reader Digital Book.

While the screen displays Opening book... , simultaneously press and hold down the Previous Page Turn button and the Size button until the Reset All screen is displayed.

In the Reset All screen, press the OPTIONS button to delete all content, restore all factory settings, and clear the DRM authorization state.

It sure sounds like corruption in the memory. If you could just get it to Factory Reset ...

03-21-2018, 11:05 PM	#31
BookHoarder Member Posts: 10 Karma: 1000010 Join Date: Mar 2018 Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 3	Mostly Biased Suggestion for Pocketbook I just received mine. It took two weeks from Ebay coming from Germany, but was worth it. It's like reading from a hard cover book. I've been reading off the 6in screen for years, and didn't realize what I had given up until I started reading off this reader. Sure, I've tried reading on 8in tablets, but I can't tolerate reading books off from LCD screens. So here's the good. The large screen and smartlight with that temperature setting is really nice. Also I have an extensive epub library I manage through calibre, and side-loading the device with the entirety of it did not slow the Inkpad down much at all. There is no complicated tweak or setting to get the Inkpad to recognize series tags as collections. Just running the startup wizard in Calibre, and having the selection set to Pocketbook readers was all it needed. And here's the unneeded. I don't play much with PDFs so I couldn't say how the reader handles them. To me PDF is strictly large tablet territory. My music is on my phone, and I don't listen to audio books so I don't really need the player. Not gonna use the device to browse the internet or play the little add on games. The bad. I can't really say there's anything bad about this reader. Inkpad's not waterproof like the KOBO or Kindle now, but then again Pocketbook is not really competing against those two here in the states. I guess if there was anything to be said about the reader negatively it would be the buttons. On the touchlux models they are big and shaped to fit your thumb on. Inkpad 3 narrowed out the buttons out so when you're reading it's harder to keep your thumb on the page turn button you need for the next page. Also would recommend keeping the auto rotate feature off. Also with no built in store for the reader you'll be needing to get your books from amazon, needing to know something about apprentice alf, and needing to be comfortable with the process of file conversion, calibre, and DRM. Oh, and no waterproofing to this model. Still I say it was worth it. It meets everything I've wanted from an Ereader. Collection management through calibre, a large tablet-sized screen, SD card slot, glowscreen or smartlight, and current cover of book your reading when you power it off. Some would say that should come when you put the device to sleep, but it really only takes about 10 seconds to go from completely powered off to ready to read. Kobo, you say? No. It has all that wasted space inside the screen that you need to use a patch to get rid of; no matter the model. But what about Kindle? Roots and hacks and whatnot just to get a custom screen saver. This setting has been on almost every other model of ereader for years. There is no reason paperwhites, voyages and oasis's should not have custom screensavers other than Amazon trying to ransom your screen for money. Even if you don't go for the Inkpad 3 because of the premium cost, the smaller hd touch lux models still come with most of the same features for less the price.

03-24-2018, 08:51 PM	#34
cincomay Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Maryland Device: Kindle Basic, but looking for a new ereader	Sigh I bought the Sony 350 because of the low cost--I paid $23 including shipping--but now I'm sorry because it doesn't actually work. It seems like a nice device! I like the size and weight, and the text and images are nice and sharp. But mine freezes and won't actually open books or turn pages, even though it did let me load books in Calibre. I guess I have some troubleshooting ahead of me... I did go and look at a Nook Glowlight 3 in store and liked it a lot. The light is really nice, and it has pretty good font control at least as far as I determined in five minutes of playing with it. I'm definitely still considering getting one. I'm still intimidated by the high cost of Kobos, but they're still on the table too. May

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03-25-2018, 07:37 PM	#36
Hemmi Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,371 Karma: 15987608 Join Date: Apr 2015 Device: Sonys, Nooks, Kobo Libra, Forma, Mini, Paperwhite	I'd try a hard reset on it to clear everything out and then load just a few things to see how it handles it. Sometimes you load a book that it just doesn't like and the reader hangs until you get rid of that book.

03-25-2018, 09:06 PM	#37
cincomay Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Maryland Device: Kindle Basic, but looking for a new ereader	I can't even get it to unfreeze long enough to do a hard reset, no matter how many times I soft reset and/or charge it. Sometimes I can get my computer to see it, but I can't update the software--I think because of some combination of the 350's old age and the fact that I'm a Mac user. I've been tinkering with it all weekend and am about ready to throw it across the room. If only I could get it to work I think I would really like it! I guess it's time to try another model of...something.

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