What Do I Want?

[TJager]

I would like to get an ereader, but I don't know enough about them. My husband is set on the Kindle. I'm not sure. He was talking about the eink and I have NO idea what that means or how it compares to others. I like the color that the Nook offers, but the only time I might use that is for children's books and I can't see getting a lot of children's eBooks.

My main computer is a MacBook and I have an iPhone. Not sure if that matters when downloading books and transferring them.

Is there anything I can read both in the sunlight and in the dark?
How about durability? I have five kids, if one of the kids gets a hold of it and drops it, are any better than the other? Same goes for little fingers that like to push buttons... If my one year old got a hold of it, could she delete all the books easily?

I was thinking more indie authors might use Kindle/Amazon more and there are a lot of indie books I'd like to read. Although I'm confused on the whole DRM thing. I thought it was a good thing protecting your book, but when I read posts, it sounds like many people won't buy a DRM eBook.

If I go out looking at these ereaders, what should I look for?

Thanks!

[HarryT]

Although eInk screens can only be read in the daylight, reading in the dark is absolutely no problem; use a light! For the Kindle, for example, Amazon sell a very nifty cover with a built-in light, powered by the Kindle itself, that simply pulls out from a corner of the cover. Works beautifully.

eBook readers and young children really are not a happy combination. Treat it as you would, say, a laptop computer, and you'll be fine. A decent cover is ESSENTIAL for added protection.

[wvcherrybomb]

Most people buy ebooks with DRM because most ebooks have it. It doesn't protect you, it protects the publishers by making it not possible to share.

Before you decide on a reader, think about where you want to buy your books. The big name eReaders are linked to certain retailers.

[Kiwimick]

Doesnt have to be Amazon/Kindle for indie authors you could try Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/ Books come in a variety of formats.

I love my Sony which has a solid build/touchscreen the pearl E-Ink screen and I can borrow books from a library

[tm3]

type of screen, eink or color, is a major factor.

touch screen input versus buttons/keyboard is a major factor.

other differences are not as major but one or more might end up being very important to you personally.

my advice would be to spend a little time here reading through the posts in various subforums. pretty soon you will understand the differences and might start developing your own preferences.

if at all possible, hands on auditions are very helpful, either in a local store or by ordering ereaders and using the generous return policies.

[Lirael]

E-ink is the screen technology that many reading devices employ. Nook Color doesn't, Kindle and Sony do. E-ink isn't readable in the dark without a light of some kind, but they do sell covers with booklights for just that purpose.

For durability there's not too big of a difference between models, but due to the nature of the screen all of them are somewhat fragile. I can't speak for other devices but I know that on a Sony it would be difficult for a kid pushing buttons to accidentally delete things. (However, it's always good to keep a backup of your book files on your computer!) You want to try to keep any reader away from really young children, though.

For which reader to get, you might want to look at what sort of books are available. The readers read different filetypes, so a Nook can't read books made for a Kindle, and vice versa. (A handy place of reference for which readers read which type, and for technical specs in general, is the mobileread wiki linked up at the top of the page.) Look at major bookselling websites (consider not just the retailer linked with the device but also places like BooksonBoard and Smashwords) and see which has a bigger selection of the sort of things you like to read. If you want to read classics, be advised that many of those are available for free from Project Gutenberg, in a variety of formats!

Also consider - do you planning on borrowing ebooks from your local library? If so be aware that the Kindle will not be able to read them if they are ePub or PDFs with Adobe's DRM.

It can also be really helpful to go to an actual store, hold the reader in your hands, and see how each one feels to use. You might find that you really prefer one over the others! Happy reading!

[jocampo]

Hi and welcome,

You don't need color for pure text books of novels so if you are interested on reading classics or just novels, any eink device should be fine.

Now, there are a plethora of options out there but most popular are Kindle, Sony and Nook 1st generation.

My suggestion is, check about 5 titles that you already have and like in Amazon and B&N. Do the same again with 5 titles you would like to get. Compare prices and availability, that will help you to decide between Nook 1st gen or Kindle. You can also compare or check Sony's bookstore.

I personally prefer the Kindle. It's on-line bookstore is the biggest in USA and probably the world, so chances are that the books you read and like will be there anyway.

DRM is a protection that big companies like Amazon or B&N put on the ebooks so you cannot read those in a different eink device or e-reader. If you are planning to keep your device for long time, I would not be worried about it. You can also read your Kindle books on your PC, iMac, iPad or any other device downloading their corresponding computer app. Same for B&N and Sony.

[carpetmojo]

"For the Kindle, for example, Amazon sell a very nifty cover with a built-in light, powered by the Kindle itself, that simply pulls out from a corner of the cover. Works beautifully."

As does the Sony - and a little bit classier I think...........

[Anke Wehner]

Originally Posted by TJager

I would like to get an ereader, but I don't know enough about them. My husband is set on the Kindle. I'm not sure. He was talking about the eink and I have NO idea what that means or how it compares to others. I like the color that the Nook offers, but the only time I might use that is for children's books and I can't see getting a lot of children's eBooks.

eInk in general is the technology that most dedicated ereaders use. It's currently greyscale only. In contrast to LCD, it is not backlit. This means you need a separate light if you want to read in the dark, but also that it's easier to read in sunlight, and, most importantly, that it's less strain for your eyes.

The Kinlde has a "new generation" of eInk that's better than older displays, thought the latest Sony models have that, too.

[speedlever]

Take your time as you look into the EBR world. If you're like I was a few months ago, you have no idea that Kindle=Amazon and Nook=B&N. I was that clueless. So you can imagine the confusion that DRM tossed into the equation.

As a frequent library user, I anticipated using an ereader (EBR) and the library extensively. As it turns out, my EBR and library usage have had very little interaction due to:
1) lack of ebooks available that I have an interest in
2) lengthy waits to get what few books I would like to read
3) the *HUGE* amount of books I've been able to get for free and/or very low cost has built a backlog of reading that will probably last me several years. (and I keep adding to it)

I found that I developed distinct preferences as I looked at the various EBRs available, most notably, the Kindle3 and the Nook. I have come to develop an appreciation for the Sony EBRs, but their current lineup tends to be pretty pricey and only the top dog has wifi, which I wanted to have.

I don't know that I'll use some of the features that distinguish the Kindle from the Nook (such as highlighting across multiple pages, text-to-speech, ease of getting to searched items, etc.), but I like how the K3 works and I especially prefer a physical keyboard over a virtual keyboard as implemented on the Nook. Sony allegedly has a nice touchscreen, but other than the iPad, my TS experiences have generally left me frustrated.

Get to a BestBuy or similar where you can find the Kindle, Nook, and Sony EBRS side-by-side and spend some time working with each. You may well prefer a TS to a KB. Wifi may not be important to you.

Another good option is to search YouTube for videos of various EBRs. The virtual experience was very valuable to me as I could see how the various EBRs worked in daily use.

Here's a sample video comparison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgr_dGNW1sA

Because I found that I developed a specific preference for the Kindle (although I started out to get the Nook)... and in anticipation of wanting to borrow library books and read them on the Kindle (before I discovered the limitations of doing so), I researched and learned that with some software and my PC, I could read the books of my choice on the device of my choice. Now I can buy ebooks from Borders, B&N, Amazon, etc., borrow books from the library and read them on my K3 without issue... which, imo, is the way it should be.

Regarding readability of the various devices, I find that it's easier to add light (as in nighttime reading) than to take away light (reading in bright sunlight). I tried a Nook Color outside on a bright sunny day and could not read the screen. If you can, take the EBRs you like to a very bright setting and see which you prefer.

Good luck.

[readit]

Originally Posted by wvcherrybomb

Most people buy ebooks with DRM because most ebooks have it..

? ? most eBook are txt,doc or pdf, and have no DRM at all....DRM is a way to cash in, with those who are willing to pay.

[tm3]

the difference between speedlever's experience, and my own, prove the adage of "your mileage may vary."

we are both in NC, so we have access to the NC digital library system. speedlever has not found many library books that have appeal. i thought my experience would be similar, but i've quickly built a list of 30 or so library books that i want to read and i was able to get some of these immediately. so far i'm using the library much, much more than shopping at amazon which is exactly backwards of what i predicted.

i would not let an interest in library books be a deterrent to buying a kindle.

[speedlever]

Well said, tm3. YMMV is so very appropriate.

Ditto your last statement!

[jbcohen]

All the information that you have gotten already is great advice, however I would like to look at this issue from a different perspective, the perspective of the mac that you said you have. The Apple entry into this market is called the ipad and its not a adequate solution for electronic book reading its rather awkward for and its considered overkill for the job of reading electronic books. Its sort of like buying a Cadillac Deville when a Ford Fusion SE would do the job great - yeah you could do it that way but why?

One reason people use an ipad for the job is that they have the ipad for other jobs and are simply adding another task to the jobs it performs, but don't buy one for simply electronic book reading.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

One reason people use an ipad for the job is that they have the ipad for other jobs and are simply adding another task to the jobs it performs, but don't buy one for simply electronic book reading.

The iPad makes an excellent bookreader. Have you personally spent much time reading on one?