Impressions of the Major Devices

Jack Tingle · 06-26-2010, 07:03 PM

Well, I've finally gotten a chance to handle all of the major readers.

1) Sony 300. I kind of like it. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't appear to read html native. That's something of a deal breaker for me. I assume its big sisters are similar.
2) Nook. (See "Holy Cow--Literally") Short version: It's heavier and with poorer balance than expected. I didn't like the secondary screen or the mechanics of the user interface. I could probably get used to it.
3) Kindle. Now available at Target. Lighter and handier than the Nook. Still kind of big, but not as awkward. The new lower price is tempting, and the Amazon business model (I want it fast, I want it hot, and I want it now!) is brilliant.
4) iPad. Very nice, very Apple. I couldn't figure out how to do a lot of stuff. Since I started using computers on an Olivetti-Underwood Programmo 101 in 1971, I probably shouldn't have to work so hard. Apple and I don't get along. Still, very nice. Maybe the HP/WebOS version, when it comes along.
5) jetBook. I bought one, and have only a small amount of buyers remorse, decreasing rapidly since Ectaco finally got DRM ePub support into the jetBook as well as the jBL. Like the Sony 300, it's handy. It's still the cheapest option. The LCD screen is excellent in a wide range of lighting conditions, and it doesn't flash. OTOH, it is a bare bones reader for everything but ePub and PDF. On the gripping hand, it will read pretty much *everything*. Just don't expect frills in the non-ADE formats, like hyperlinks, or working tables of content.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

boswd · 06-26-2010, 08:16 PM

so you found the Nook heavy at a wole WHOPPING 12 oz but you were just fine with the iPad which is almost tiwice the size and weight?:

this always cracks me up especially when my 90lb wife has said she just loves how light the Nook is.

Jack Tingle · 06-26-2010, 09:41 PM

The iPad isn't just a book reader. It does more stuff, so I'm willing to put up with additional weight. I found the Nook awkward to handle, poorly balanced, while the iPad felt nice in the hand. Go figure; Apple designs things very well. If they'd just stop making things so damned opaque, I might buy some of their products.

How _do_ you open a new file in "Pages", by the way? Whenever I touched the icon, it took me directly to a document being edited and I couldn't get out except by hitting the home key? A "New" or "Close" or some other kind of doohickey would be helpful.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

boswd · 06-26-2010, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

The iPad isn't just a book reader. It does more stuff, so I'm willing to put up with additional weight. I found the Nook awkward to handle, poorly balanced, while the iPad felt nice in the hand. Go figure; Apple designs things very well. If they'd just stop making things so damned opaque, I might buy some of their products.

How _do_ you open a new file in "Pages", by the way? Whenever I touched the icon, it took me directly to a document being edited and I couldn't get out except by hitting the home key? A "New" or "Close" or some other kind of doohickey would be helpful.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

the nook seems to me was designed with people more atuned to holding it by it's sides. the back is slightly concave so when holding it by the edges it has a more natural grip and feel to it. I love the feel of it when I hold the device. That's all moot now since I have a conver on it now. But that was my natural way of holding a book so it felt nice.

as to you question about "pages" I'm not sure what you are talking about. is a question about the iPad or the Nook?
I was at Apple today playing with the iPad, it really is a very fun device. and well designed. That's actually something I like also about the Nook, it was like apple designed it. It's very sleek and clean and it's packaging was very similiar to an Apple type packaging, had that whole high end product packaging feel to it.

I'm going to wait on the iPad though. I wait for some of the competition to come out and see what they have to offer. I would like a USB port, HDMI port and 1080P for video. Should be interesting but yeah the iPad is a ton of fun.

tlrowley · 06-26-2010, 10:25 PM

If you're currently editing a document, tap "my documents" to go to the list of all documents and then "new document" - it's Apple, try not to over think

Ah, I just has a thought, I bet the menu bar at the top of the screen was hidden - that's not the default, another user would have had to do that before you played with the iPad. With an empty screen, I can certainly understand the confusion. If you had hidden the menu your self, you would have know how to get it back, and all would have become clear.

HarryT · 06-27-2010, 02:08 AM

What do you think of the Onyx/Neo, or the Pocketbook 360?

briwayjones · 06-27-2010, 02:36 AM

My problem with the Sony is it doesn't have external memory. My problem with the Kindle is it has very little e-book format support. Basically just Kindle format. PDF if you first convert it to Kindle format.

Ea · 06-27-2010, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

1) Sony 300. I kind of like it. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't appear to read html native. That's something of a deal breaker for me. I assume its big sisters are similar.

AFAIK, most e-book readers doesn't handle HTML that well (not only Sony) - it doesn't appear to be a priority. I think your best bet would be a reader that have the fbreader software installed - or that you can install it on: the Pocketbook or the Irex ereaders, or using OpenInkPot on the Hanlin V3.

Jack Tingle · 06-27-2010, 12:16 PM

@tlrowley: OK, what mystic hand pass do you use to unhide the menu? This is what drives me crazy about Apple. It might as well be VMS; actually VMS just used English words, so Apple is worse. It might as well be f@#*ing Unix. "Oh, sorry wrong shell; try this instead."

@briwayjones: I agree with both points, although there is enough memory on the Sony that the thrust of my complaint is loading/unloading, which I like to do on a memory card. The Kindle is a closed sandbox. If you can handle that, the other virtues are unparalleled. I bought a jetBook for me, but a Kindle for my sister as a gift.

@Ea: One of the selling points of my jetBook is that you don't have to convert any halfway standard file format (except pdb, alas). As it happens, the jetBook uses fbreader. The Astak readers have the same virtue, though I think their support is native.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

tlrowley · 06-27-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

@tlrowley: OK, what mystic hand pass do you use to unhide the menu?

Just a tap near the top of the screen.

06-26-2010, 07:03 PM	#1
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Impressions of the Major Devices Well, I've finally gotten a chance to handle all of the major readers. 1) Sony 300. I kind of like it. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't appear to read html native. That's something of a deal breaker for me. I assume its big sisters are similar. 2) Nook. (See "Holy Cow--Literally") Short version: It's heavier and with poorer balance than expected. I didn't like the secondary screen or the mechanics of the user interface. I could probably get used to it. 3) Kindle. Now available at Target. Lighter and handier than the Nook. Still kind of big, but not as awkward. The new lower price is tempting, and the Amazon business model (I want it fast, I want it hot, and I want it now!) is brilliant. 4) iPad. Very nice, very Apple. I couldn't figure out how to do a lot of stuff. Since I started using computers on an Olivetti-Underwood Programmo 101 in 1971, I probably shouldn't have to work so hard. Apple and I don't get along. Still, very nice. Maybe the HP/WebOS version, when it comes along. 5) jetBook. I bought one, and have only a small amount of buyers remorse, decreasing rapidly since Ectaco finally got DRM ePub support into the jetBook as well as the jBL. Like the Sony 300, it's handy. It's still the cheapest option. The LCD screen is excellent in a wide range of lighting conditions, and it doesn't flash. OTOH, it is a bare bones reader for everything but ePub and PDF. On the gripping hand, it will read pretty much everything. Just don't expect frills in the non-ADE formats, like hyperlinks, or working tables of content. Regards, Jack Tingle

06-26-2010, 08:16 PM	#2
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	so you found the Nook heavy at a wole WHOPPING 12 oz but you were just fine with the iPad which is almost tiwice the size and weight?: this always cracks me up especially when my 90lb wife has said she just loves how light the Nook is. Last edited by boswd; 06-26-2010 at 08:27 PM.

06-26-2010, 10:25 PM	#5
tlrowley Quilt Geek Posts: 472 Karma: 91775 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lancaster, PA Device: Kindle	If you're currently editing a document, tap "my documents" to go to the list of all documents and then "new document" - it's Apple, try not to over think Ah, I just has a thought, I bet the menu bar at the top of the screen was hidden - that's not the default, another user would have had to do that before you played with the iPad. With an empty screen, I can certainly understand the confusion. If you had hidden the menu your self, you would have know how to get it back, and all would have become clear. Last edited by tlrowley; 06-26-2010 at 10:27 PM.

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06-26-2010, 09:41 PM	#3
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	The iPad isn't just a book reader. It does more stuff, so I'm willing to put up with additional weight. I found the Nook awkward to handle, poorly balanced, while the iPad felt nice in the hand. Go figure; Apple designs things very well. If they'd just stop making things so damned opaque, I might buy some of their products. How _do_ you open a new file in "Pages", by the way? Whenever I touched the icon, it took me directly to a document being edited and I couldn't get out except by hitting the home key? A "New" or "Close" or some other kind of doohickey would be helpful. Regards, Jack Tingle

06-27-2010, 02:08 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	What do you think of the Onyx/Neo, or the Pocketbook 360?

06-27-2010, 02:36 AM	#7
briwayjones Beo Neo! Posts: 31 Karma: 146 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sykesville, MD Device: Bebook Neo	My problem with the Sony is it doesn't have external memory. My problem with the Kindle is it has very little e-book format support. Basically just Kindle format. PDF if you first convert it to Kindle format.

06-27-2010, 12:16 PM	#9
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	@tlrowley: OK, what mystic hand pass do you use to unhide the menu? This is what drives me crazy about Apple. It might as well be VMS; actually VMS just used English words, so Apple is worse. It might as well be f@#*ing Unix. "Oh, sorry wrong shell; try this instead." @briwayjones: I agree with both points, although there is enough memory on the Sony that the thrust of my complaint is loading/unloading, which I like to do on a memory card. The Kindle is a closed sandbox. If you can handle that, the other virtues are unparalleled. I bought a jetBook for me, but a Kindle for my sister as a gift. @Ea: One of the selling points of my jetBook is that you don't have to convert any halfway standard file format (except pdb, alas). As it happens, the jetBook uses fbreader. The Astak readers have the same virtue, though I think their support is native. Regards, Jack Tingle

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