Something non-Amazon like Kindle Paperwhite

[Ridcully]

Hello everyone!

I'm looking for a new ereader as my Kindle 7th gen is starting to get e-ink "pockmarks" and I want something I can read in the dark.

I really like Kindle's collections, dictionaries and the bookmark/note taking feature, these are really things I wouldn't want to go without. I'm also a big fan of the touch screen, although I do wish it could be turned off while reading, reading with the touch screen while lying in bed can get tiring -- I loved the side buttons on old kindles for this reason, although they would fail within a couple of years.

I want weak backlighting and I'd like the ability to turn it off to save the battery. The Paperwhite lighting looks pretty good for that reason, but I'm wary of buying from Amazon again, because the build quality is meh and I want to get rid of Amazon's snooping. Also, Kindle's sidecar files are worthless for backup. I can't figure out how to read them, and when I restore them after a factory reset, the Kindle doesn't recognize them anymore.

So, anything that fits the bill, hopefully at or below Paperwhite's price? (My main priorities are lighting and dictionaries)

[Mivo]

Physical buttons, touchscreen, color-shifting/filtered frontlight that can be completely turned off -- what comes to mind are the Pocketbook Touch HD 2 (6") and the Pocketbook Inkpad 3 (7.8"). The dictionaries that come with those are serviceable, though probably not as extensive as those of the Kindle, but this is solely based on what I have heard (I've never had a Kindle). The Pocketbook software supports notes, collections (series, tags, etc) and works well with Calibre.

[mobama]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

I really like Kindle's collections, dictionaries and the bookmark/note taking feature, these are really things I wouldn't want to go without. I'm also a big fan of the touch screen, although I do wish it could be turned off while reading, reading with the touch screen while lying in bed can get tiring -- I loved the side buttons on old kindles for this reason, although they would fail within a couple of years.

I want weak backlighting and I'd like the ability to turn it off to save the battery. The Paperwhite lighting looks pretty good for that reason, but I'm wary of buying from Amazon again, because the build quality is meh and I want to get rid of Amazon's snooping. Also, Kindle's sidecar files are worthless for backup. I can't figure out how to read them, and when I restore them after a factory reset, the Kindle doesn't recognize them anymore.

So, anything that fits the bill, hopefully at or below Paperwhite's price? (My main priorities are lighting and dictionaries)

I never had a Kindle, so I don't know what sort of build quality you have in mind. I have mostly owned Pocketbooks. Their build quality varies. Inkpad 3, their current top model, is very good with metallic feel, but I don't like the narrow keys and narrow bezels.

Touch HD (and HD 2, their only difference is that HD 2 has a tinted comfortlight setting) has very nice wide functional keys, but you may dislike the fairly deep-seated screen. The build quality seems okay to me. The physical form factor (sizes of bezels, thickness and weight) is very much okay.

Software on Pocketbooks is sufficient both for pdfs and epubs, it's an important strength of Pocketbooks. Bookmarking, annotations, scribbles, highlighting, dictionaries, multi-language keyboard (Greek, Cyrillic) etc. all out of the box. The first startup offers a bunch of online accounts to register, but you can skip all of them.

I also have a Kobo H2O. The build quality on this one is very impressive for me at least, even though I'd like to have a few keys. But the software is a disaster. I ignore it completely. Don't go for a Kobo unless you are prepared to experiment with installing other stuff on it. Kobo fans would talk about patching, but patching is in reality reinstalling the entire software for every patch, and the patches are a hit and miss, some simply won't work.

Onyxes can be good because they run Android, but they don't have a good build quality as far as I have seen.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by mobama

I also have a Kobo H2O. The build quality on this one is very impressive for me at least, even though I'd like to have a few keys. But the software is a disaster. I ignore it completely. Don't go for a Kobo unless you are prepared to experiment with installing other stuff on it. Kobo fans would talk about patching, but patching is in reality reinstalling the entire software for every patch, and the patches are a hit and miss, some simply won't work.

Calling the Kobo software a 'disaster' is perhaps a bit strong . The patches do make it better, though, and I find that they in general do what they say they do (within stated limits). You don't actually reinstall the complete software when you patch, you just update some libraries.

[GlenBarrington]

Non Amazon? Is there such a thing?

[haydnfan]

Originally Posted by mobama

But the software is a disaster. I ignore it completely. Don't go for a Kobo unless you are prepared to experiment with installing other stuff on it.

In my mind the UI is as polished as it is on the Kindle.

But why don't you indulge us and elaborate. Why is it a disaster? What is "stuff"? These are important questions because the patchings that you consider so vital appears to me to be very subtle, minor issues that obsessives care about. I want to know if a 33% smaller header and footer is so vital to you that you consider the reader to be a "disaster", or perhaps you wish the covers were slightly larger on the homescreen.

[haydnfan]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

Hello everyone!

I'm looking for a new ereader as my Kindle 7th gen is starting to get e-ink "pockmarks" and I want something I can read in the dark.

All matte screen eink screens can suffer from that. I've never had that problem myself because I use covers to protect the screen. Switching out of the Amazon ecosystem is not going to improve build quality that way.

My advice is instead of switching to something else, buy a Paperwhite and a cover for it. You don't really have a compelling reason to change brands and you just learned how Amazon Kindles work.

As long as you use a cover, don't drop it, don't put it in a front pocket with keys or back pocket and sit on it the screen on even the Kindle basic should not be damaged.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

So, anything that fits the bill, hopefully at or below Paperwhite's price? (My main priorities are lighting and dictionaries)

I think if you like Kindle's dictionaries, and dictionaries (in general) are a high priority to you, you're probably going to be disappointed with most (all?) of the other choices. As far as I know, Sonys were and Kindles are the only eInk Readers that came/come with the Oxford Dictionaries.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

I'm looking for a new ereader as my Kindle 7th gen is starting to get e-ink "pockmarks" and I want something I can read in the dark.

I really like Kindle's collections, dictionaries and the bookmark/note taking feature, these are really things I wouldn't want to go without. I'm also a big fan of the touch screen, although I do wish it could be turned off while reading, reading with the touch screen while lying in bed can get tiring -- I loved the side buttons on old kindles for this reason, although they would fail within a couple of years.

I want weak backlighting and I'd like the ability to turn it off to save the battery. The Paperwhite lighting looks pretty good for that reason, but I'm wary of buying from Amazon again, because the build quality is meh and I want to get rid of Amazon's snooping. Also, Kindle's sidecar files are worthless for backup. I can't figure out how to read them, and when I restore them after a factory reset, the Kindle doesn't recognize them anymore.

So, anything that fits the bill, hopefully at or below Paperwhite's price? (My main priorities are lighting and dictionaries)

With that last statement, the device that fits you best is the Paperwhite. The dictionary is the killer. As far as I can tell, the Kindles have the best dictionary of the dedicated ereader devices.

Otherwise, the new Kobo Clara HD probably hits the mark. The light appears to be good and can be turned off. The dictionary is a weakness in all Kobo devices. They have decided on a smallish Merrriam-Webster dictionary. I completely disagree with @mobama about the software. I run the stock Kobo firmware (no patches, but a couple of not-officially released features turned on) and am very happy with it. Could they improve it? yes, but calling it a "disaster" is absurd. But, I suspect that if you have a problem with the sidecar files on a Kindle, you won't be happy with a Kobo. The only thing I know that is in the sidecar files is the annotations and Kobo doesn't really support exporting their annotations. There are methods, but none are aimed at restoring them later. But, again, this can be done with a little fiddling. An advantage for the Kobo is it probably has the best integration with calibre of any device (note: maintain the KoboTouch driver and a plugin that adds a lot of function).

The only other ereader I have good knowledge on is the tolino. I don't know which of their devices is the closest to the Paperwhite, but I have the 7.8" tolino epos. It is a very nice device, but I find the firmware lacking compared to the Kobo. Features I use constantly on my Kobos are missing on the tolino. From memory, the dictionary is some free dictionary (WikiDictionary maybe). I don't know if it is any better than the Kobo dictionary. For backup of anything purposes, there isn't anything on accessible parts of the drive that would be useful to backup.

[Mivo]

The Clara doesn't have physical buttons, though. Well, I guess it comes down to how important those are since most of the current offerings also don't have them. The Pocketbooks (Touch HD 2, InkPad 3) feature them, which is almost a rarity now.

At the end of the day, most readers with the same eInk display are all similar. I'd probably be happy with any of them. The differences are in the "details", like ecosystem, microSD slot, physical buttons, bonus features (e.g. audio jack for MP3s), dictionaries, quality of frontlight (and whether it has a blue light filter), features of the stock software (or ease of which it can be altered or replaced), etc. Everyone weighs those aspects differently.

Personally, I just wanted (to try out) a larger display with 300 dpi, and since Kobo doesn't want to sell their devices to customers in Germany, I went with a Pocketbook. I love the software it has, and I'm happy that it has a card slot and physical buttons and a nice comfort light (that I almost never use since I either read in broad daylight or with a desk lamp on), so I'm likely to stick with the brand because the experience is positive, but I bought it for the screen and everything else was just a bonus. I'm also happy with my regular Kobo Glo, which still gets use.

[Ridcully]

Thanks for the answers, guys!

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be anything with both touch and buttons in Paperwhite's price range (~120€ around here) I liked to hold my old Kindle by the middle of the screen, which you simply can't do with touch. I think I'll have to revise my budget.

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think if you like Kindle's dictionaries, and dictionaries (in general) are a high priority to you, you're probably going to be disappointed with most (all?) of the other choices. As far as I know, Sonys were and Kindles are the only eInk Readers that came/come with the Oxford Dictionaries.

I can copy them from my Kindle dictionary folder, right? They all seem to be in mobipocket format. I just want something like Kindle's one-touch dictionary lookup method (video), it's a huge save of time and nerves when learning foreign languages

Originally Posted by haydnfan

All matte screen eink screens can suffer from that. I've never had that problem myself because I use covers to protect the screen. Switching out of the Amazon ecosystem is not going to improve build quality that way.

My advice is instead of switching to something else, buy a Paperwhite and a cover for it. You don't really have a compelling reason to change brands and you just learned how Amazon Kindles work.

As long as you use a cover, don't drop it, don't put it in a front pocket with keys or back pocket and sit on it the screen on even the Kindle basic should not be damaged.

Hmm on my old one (I think it was 5th gen) it wasn't a problem at all. On the new one it's enough for it to fall from my hand face-down on a couch cushion. Interestingly, I always put it in the center console when driving, and all the rumbling and bouncing about from what passes for tarmac around here never seemed to do either one any harm

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, I suspect that if you have a problem with the sidecar files on a Kindle, you won't be happy with a Kobo. The only thing I know that is in the sidecar files is the annotations and Kobo doesn't really support exporting their annotations. There are methods, but none are aimed at restoring them later. But, again, this can be done with a little fiddling. An advantage for the Kobo is it probably has the best integration with calibre of any device (note: maintain the KoboTouch driver and a plugin that adds a lot of function).

Kindle seems to have the same general issue. It's not all that important to me though as long as I can make annotations.

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be anything with both touch and buttons in Paperwhite's price range (~120€ around here)

The Touch HD 2 is €149 in Germany, the Aqua 2 €129, and the Touch Lux 3 €111. May still be different in your country. All three have buttons as well as touch screens. Here's the German pricing list for reference.

[Ridcully]

Oh, that's nice, I didn't realize Pocketbooks were available in Germany. I only managed to find it in American webshops (amazon.com, etc.) and with delivery and import duty it would be a lot more expensive. I'm in Croatia so German webshops suit me just fine.

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

Oh, that's nice, I didn't realize Pocketbooks were available in Germany. I only managed to find it in American webshops (amazon.com, etc.) and with delivery and import duty it would be a lot more expensive. I'm in Croatia so German webshops suit me just fine.

Pocketbook was founded in the Ukraine, and I think their headquarters are in Switzerland, so their readers are relatively easy to find in Europe. I can vouch for their German outlet: I ordered the InkPad 3 from there and received it the very next morning. I was rather surprised how quickly they shipped it as I had no experience with them before.

[Lady Stardust]

Originally Posted by Ridcully

I can copy them from my Kindle dictionary folder, right? They all seem to be in mobipocket format. I just want something like Kindle's one-touch dictionary lookup method (video), it's a huge save of time and nerves when learning foreign languages

Can you really copy Kindle dictionary and make it work on other readers as dictionary? I never heard of that, can you explain how this is done or have a link?