Looking for an e-reader with decent note taking capabilities

shibamistress · 05-10-2011, 12:30 AM

I'm just starting to look for an e-reader. I didn't think I needed one: I've been happing reading e-books on my android phone or my laptop.

However, I'm going to Germany later this summer, and decided I might as well take the plunge, because I don't want to take my laptop with me, and I read a lot.

What I know I want: an e-reader with good note taking capabilities. I also prefer a touch screen. Originally, I thought I'd like something I could actually make fairly long notes on, and use almost as a journal in addition to an e-reader, but once I realized how small those keyboards are, I abandoned this idea. But I do sometimes take lengthy notes, so I do want something I am not limited to very brief notes. And I want to be able to transfer those notes to my laptop if need be.

I thought wi-fi/3g was a necessity, but I'm now I'm not entirely sure it is. Convienent, sure, but then I thought, heck, I have to connect my Ipod to my laptop to get stuff on it, so is it really that big a deal if I have to do this? As long as a device would work with my MacBook, I'm not entirely eliminating one without wifi. Being able to check email is a bonus, but not necessary.

I checked out what BEst Buy had, I liked the Nook Color (but battery life isn't great, of course). I also really liked the little Sony readers they had. They had the little pocket reader I think it is called (way cheap, but no wifi/3g). I wasn't so taken with the kindle, but I haven't eliminated it entirely. I sure do like it's whispernet ability(I have the app on my phone and macbook).

I also want to be able to read a variety of books, including library books, on it. Is the Sony pretty versatile in that way, or can I use Calibre to make it more versatile?

I'm not even sure, at this stage, an e-reader is what I need, but they are in a more doable price range for me. I could go up to $250, probably, but I certainly can't go up into the Ipad range...

Thoughts? Are there devices I'm missing? Would I be better served by a tablet?

Leyor · 05-10-2011, 12:45 AM

How important is battery life and the reading quality of the screen for you? Because those are the biggest factors in deciding wheter you want an ebook reader or a tablet, atleast in my humble opinion

stickybuns · 05-10-2011, 01:28 AM

I looked at the Kindle 3 and Sony 350 while e-reader shopping, and I'd say they each have advantages/disadvantages for note taking. On the Sony, I liked that you can either hand-write notes directly on the screen or use the touchscreen to type but disliked having to go through a serious of menu options to access these capabilities. On the Kindle, I like that I just need to start typing but dislike that the keyboard is somewhat clunky.

You can read library books on the Sony, but you will need to transfer the files via a USB cable from your macbook to the e-reader. Amazon has plans to add library capabilities to the Kindle, but I don't know if that would be in time for your trip.
Personally, I love it that I paid a one time price of $50 for unlimited 3G access.

shibamistress · 05-10-2011, 01:50 AM

re: reading quality. I'm not particularly bothered by reading on a lcd screen, and an advantage of it, to me, is being able to read in low light, as I'm more likely to read in low light than in bright sunlight (traveling aside).

Battery power? Well, I love the idea of not having to go for a long time without a charge, but it's not critical. I would say that at the very least, however, I should be able to read on a long flight + airport time, so at the least, I'd like 14+ hours of reading time.

Stickybuns, which one was $50 unlimited 3G access?

I realized I'm so new to this I don't even understand something kind of basic: If I buy a Sony, say, does that mean that I can't read e-books bought from Amazon? I was just going through some of my e-books and trying to get them into Calibre, and realized a lot of books I have are DRM protected....so this makes me think that I might be locked into one book seller depending on type of reader I buy. Is that true? How do you even know if a book has DRM on it when you buy it?

ProfCrash · 05-10-2011, 09:31 AM

The K3 with 3G costs $189, $50 more then the K3 with WiFi only.

You can assume that most of the books you buy from Amazon, BN, Kobo, and Sony to have DRM. A very small number of books sold at the major stores are DRM free. If you are willing to strip DRM and convert books you can read books from any bookstore. If you are not interested or willing to strip DRM then you will not be able to read Amazon books on the Sony.

The K3 is a great reader. It is easy to take notes on and there is a great app that costs $.99 called Notepad that you can use for journaling if you want. There is a website that you can use to access any notes that you take while reading a book. This allows you to access your notes on a laptop or PC and move them pretty easily.

shibamistress · 05-10-2011, 02:35 PM

Thanks ProfCrash! That makes the Kindle much more appealing!

ProfCrash · 05-10-2011, 03:01 PM

You will get 14 plus hours of reading time on a K3 very easily. My K1 got that, I flew from the East Coast to San Fransisco, had a two hour lay over, and then San Fran to Sydney. I think I read for about 12-14 hours on the trip (I have toruble sleeping on planes) and my K1 was running out of power as we cleared customs.

The K1 was advertised as lasting for 1 week without using 3G, the K3 is advertised as lasting 1 month with minimal use of WiFi/3G. What really matters is the number of page turns that you make. People using the game applications have noticed that their battery life is a great deal shorter then what is advertised. That is because the power drain on an e-ink screen comes from the page turns. So when you play scrabble or monopoly or sudoku you are changing the page more frequently and you burn through the battery more frequently.

If you are comfortable texting on a blackberry or similar phone keyboard you will be fine with the Kindle Keyboard.

That said, you would probably enjoy the EPub readers when traveling. The Sony is an international device and works very nicely. The people who use it love the touchscreen. You can buy books internationally using 3G with the 950. For the 650 and 350 you would have to use the USB cord to move books to the Sony. It has good battery life, you would be able to make a 14 hour plane flight easily enough. Since it is an EPub reader you will have more stores to shop from.

More stores does not mean more selection, there seems to be the same number of books available in Mobi format for the Kindle as EPub for the other readers. You can choose what store you buy from, if that is important to you, and it will be easier to get books in foreign languages. You will not be able to buy books from Amazon (Mobi format) or Barnes and Noble (They use a different DRM then Sony at this time) without stripping DRM and int he case of Amazon, converting to EPub.

The Nook is another option for Americans. The downside is that it is difficult to buy books overseas and I don't believe that the 3G works outside the US. The upside is that you can shop at any EPub book store and put those books on the Nook. Again, you have more shops but that does not necessarily mean more options. You can take notes in a book on the Nook but it is suppose to be a bit tricky. The battery life is not much to write home about but I think it would ast a 14 hour plane flight if you were to turn off the LCD screen at the bottom.

And there is the Kobo. I don't know much about the Kobo. I know that it can read books from all EPub stores except Barnes and Noble. I know that it does not have a bookmarking option and the it does not come with a dictionary. I have no idea how to take notes on it.

stickybuns · 05-10-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

The Nook is another option for Americans. The downside is that it is difficult to buy books overseas and I don't believe that the 3G works outside the US.

Does Barnes & Noble pay attention to whether people are using a non-U.S. IP address to connect to their ebook store? Or is it enough to just have the device registered to a U.S. address and/or use of a U.S. based credit card?

The one problem that I see with a device that requires USB cable transfer is that the OP says that she plans to leave her macbook at home. I would say that this narrows the choices down to a Kindle (she would still be able to access the American store even while traveling abroad) or the Sony 950 (presuming that Sony doesn't have any geo-restrictions for travelers?). Does the 950 have the same browser capabilities as the Kindle?

ProfCrash · 05-10-2011, 04:09 PM

It sounds like yes. There was a topic started by someone that looked to be trolling but his second post sure made it seem like he had a Nook overseas and was not able to buy any books for it through Barnes and Noble.

So to use the Nook outside of the US it sounds like that you need a VPN blocker and probably gift cards if you don't have a US based credit card. I am guessing that the 3G model does not work outside the US (I know the K1 3G did not work outside the US). I would assume that the WiFi would work any where.

Or you have to buy books from a store other then Barns and Noble, which is suppose to be easy enough to do.

stickybuns · 05-10-2011, 04:21 PM

Well, given that the OP is just going to be visiting Germany and isn't making a permanent move or anything, I don't think being able to purchase books while abroad is that big of an issue. Books can always be purchased before hopping onto the plane, right?

ProfCrash · 05-10-2011, 09:42 PM

When your hubby leaves the guide books at home, purchasing them while overseas is quite nice. And when you buy the first two books in a 12 book series and finish them and then want the third, purchasing them overseas is quite nice.

It is not that you have to be able to buy books where ever you are but it is sure nice to have the option.

shibamistress · 05-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Last night I spent a lot of time trying to get the various ebooks I've bought into Calibre, and was very frustrated with how many of them are DRM protected, and how it is not that easy (so far) for me to work around this. Because so far I've just been using the different reader apps, I've bought books in a variety of formats, and I have library books too.....

It was actually so frustrating, that I thought, you know, I really just need a tablet which I can have ALL the apps on and then choose the appropriate one for the book. Of course, my budget is a problem. I could, of course, buy the Nook Color and root it (my very tech savvy husband could no doubt do it for me, though it actually doesn't look that difficult).

Or I could just accept that fact that I can't read all the books I already have on a reader, and settle on one.

And yes, I'm only going to Germany for 2 weeks, so while buying books while on a trip is super appealing, it's not an absolute necessity.

Turns out this is a much more complicated decision than I thought! I'm also quite curious about what Barnes and Noble is going to come out with at the end of the month, and perhaps the price of the older Nooks will drop a bit if there is a new one.

shibamistress · 05-16-2011, 08:18 PM

Just thought I'd update this in that I've been looking at various devices again. I really want the Nook Color, but can't afford it this year, so I think I'll go with something in the $100-$130 range to get me by for now. My contenders are the Kindle with special offers (I don't think the ads will bother me); a $99 refurb Nook with Wifi and 3g from B&N (on ebay); and the Sony 350. I have to admit that after playing with them at the store, I really like the kindle and the Sony the best. The Nook just doesn't feel as good to me--it feels a bit cheap. That said, I hate that the Kindle doesn't have a touch screen, but it is a much lighter and nicer feeling device.

My favorite is the Sony, and I'm kind of leaning towards it, but I couldn't figure out if it has a keyboard? I tried to get one to come up and couldn't get it to. (I asked this question in the Sony part of the forum though, so will probably get an answer on that). Even though it doesn't have wifi, I really liked it's size and overall feel, and I could see being happy to have both it and my (still very much in the future) Nook Color, so....we'll see.

ProfCrash · 05-16-2011, 08:20 PM

It does have a keyboard that works on the touchscreen. Go with your gut, you will be happy with either device.

Filark · 05-19-2011, 03:21 PM

Have you looked at the enTourage Pocket eDGe? You can find one on Amazon for under $200 and it might fill all your needs. It has 2 screens: a 7" Android tablet and a 6" e-ink reader. The e-ink side has a journal function and uses a wacom penabled stylus for input.

Videos here if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...33F2B46141B52A

And you can read what forum members here on MobileRead and at the enTourage website have to say: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/for...lay.php?f=218; http://www.entourageedge.com/forums/forum.php

Good luck! Enjoy!!

05-10-2011, 12:30 AM	#1
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	Looking for an e-reader with decent note taking capabilities I'm just starting to look for an e-reader. I didn't think I needed one: I've been happing reading e-books on my android phone or my laptop. However, I'm going to Germany later this summer, and decided I might as well take the plunge, because I don't want to take my laptop with me, and I read a lot. What I know I want: an e-reader with good note taking capabilities. I also prefer a touch screen. Originally, I thought I'd like something I could actually make fairly long notes on, and use almost as a journal in addition to an e-reader, but once I realized how small those keyboards are, I abandoned this idea. But I do sometimes take lengthy notes, so I do want something I am not limited to very brief notes. And I want to be able to transfer those notes to my laptop if need be. I thought wi-fi/3g was a necessity, but I'm now I'm not entirely sure it is. Convienent, sure, but then I thought, heck, I have to connect my Ipod to my laptop to get stuff on it, so is it really that big a deal if I have to do this? As long as a device would work with my MacBook, I'm not entirely eliminating one without wifi. Being able to check email is a bonus, but not necessary. I checked out what BEst Buy had, I liked the Nook Color (but battery life isn't great, of course). I also really liked the little Sony readers they had. They had the little pocket reader I think it is called (way cheap, but no wifi/3g). I wasn't so taken with the kindle, but I haven't eliminated it entirely. I sure do like it's whispernet ability(I have the app on my phone and macbook). I also want to be able to read a variety of books, including library books, on it. Is the Sony pretty versatile in that way, or can I use Calibre to make it more versatile? I'm not even sure, at this stage, an e-reader is what I need, but they are in a more doable price range for me. I could go up to $250, probably, but I certainly can't go up into the Ipad range... Thoughts? Are there devices I'm missing? Would I be better served by a tablet?

05-10-2011, 01:50 AM	#4
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	re: reading quality. I'm not particularly bothered by reading on a lcd screen, and an advantage of it, to me, is being able to read in low light, as I'm more likely to read in low light than in bright sunlight (traveling aside). Battery power? Well, I love the idea of not having to go for a long time without a charge, but it's not critical. I would say that at the very least, however, I should be able to read on a long flight + airport time, so at the least, I'd like 14+ hours of reading time. Stickybuns, which one was $50 unlimited 3G access? I realized I'm so new to this I don't even understand something kind of basic: If I buy a Sony, say, does that mean that I can't read e-books bought from Amazon? I was just going through some of my e-books and trying to get them into Calibre, and realized a lot of books I have are DRM protected....so this makes me think that I might be locked into one book seller depending on type of reader I buy. Is that true? How do you even know if a book has DRM on it when you buy it? Last edited by shibamistress; 05-10-2011 at 02:01 AM.

05-10-2011, 03:01 PM	#7
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	You will get 14 plus hours of reading time on a K3 very easily. My K1 got that, I flew from the East Coast to San Fransisco, had a two hour lay over, and then San Fran to Sydney. I think I read for about 12-14 hours on the trip (I have toruble sleeping on planes) and my K1 was running out of power as we cleared customs. The K1 was advertised as lasting for 1 week without using 3G, the K3 is advertised as lasting 1 month with minimal use of WiFi/3G. What really matters is the number of page turns that you make. People using the game applications have noticed that their battery life is a great deal shorter then what is advertised. That is because the power drain on an e-ink screen comes from the page turns. So when you play scrabble or monopoly or sudoku you are changing the page more frequently and you burn through the battery more frequently. If you are comfortable texting on a blackberry or similar phone keyboard you will be fine with the Kindle Keyboard. That said, you would probably enjoy the EPub readers when traveling. The Sony is an international device and works very nicely. The people who use it love the touchscreen. You can buy books internationally using 3G with the 950. For the 650 and 350 you would have to use the USB cord to move books to the Sony. It has good battery life, you would be able to make a 14 hour plane flight easily enough. Since it is an EPub reader you will have more stores to shop from. More stores does not mean more selection, there seems to be the same number of books available in Mobi format for the Kindle as EPub for the other readers. You can choose what store you buy from, if that is important to you, and it will be easier to get books in foreign languages. You will not be able to buy books from Amazon (Mobi format) or Barnes and Noble (They use a different DRM then Sony at this time) without stripping DRM and int he case of Amazon, converting to EPub. The Nook is another option for Americans. The downside is that it is difficult to buy books overseas and I don't believe that the 3G works outside the US. The upside is that you can shop at any EPub book store and put those books on the Nook. Again, you have more shops but that does not necessarily mean more options. You can take notes in a book on the Nook but it is suppose to be a bit tricky. The battery life is not much to write home about but I think it would ast a 14 hour plane flight if you were to turn off the LCD screen at the bottom. And there is the Kobo. I don't know much about the Kobo. I know that it can read books from all EPub stores except Barnes and Noble. I know that it does not have a bookmarking option and the it does not come with a dictionary. I have no idea how to take notes on it. Last edited by ProfCrash; 05-10-2011 at 03:06 PM.

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05-10-2011, 12:45 AM	#2
Leyor Ninja Librarian Posts: 179 Karma: 347750 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denmark Device: Sony PRS-950, Cybook 3. gen, Sony T1, Kindle Paperwhite	How important is battery life and the reading quality of the screen for you? Because those are the biggest factors in deciding wheter you want an ebook reader or a tablet, atleast in my humble opinion

05-10-2011, 01:28 AM	#3
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	I looked at the Kindle 3 and Sony 350 while e-reader shopping, and I'd say they each have advantages/disadvantages for note taking. On the Sony, I liked that you can either hand-write notes directly on the screen or use the touchscreen to type but disliked having to go through a serious of menu options to access these capabilities. On the Kindle, I like that I just need to start typing but dislike that the keyboard is somewhat clunky. You can read library books on the Sony, but you will need to transfer the files via a USB cable from your macbook to the e-reader. Amazon has plans to add library capabilities to the Kindle, but I don't know if that would be in time for your trip. Personally, I love it that I paid a one time price of $50 for unlimited 3G access.

05-10-2011, 09:31 AM	#5
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	The K3 with 3G costs $189, $50 more then the K3 with WiFi only. You can assume that most of the books you buy from Amazon, BN, Kobo, and Sony to have DRM. A very small number of books sold at the major stores are DRM free. If you are willing to strip DRM and convert books you can read books from any bookstore. If you are not interested or willing to strip DRM then you will not be able to read Amazon books on the Sony. The K3 is a great reader. It is easy to take notes on and there is a great app that costs $.99 called Notepad that you can use for journaling if you want. There is a website that you can use to access any notes that you take while reading a book. This allows you to access your notes on a laptop or PC and move them pretty easily.

05-10-2011, 02:35 PM	#6
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	Thanks ProfCrash! That makes the Kindle much more appealing!

05-10-2011, 04:09 PM	#9
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	It sounds like yes. There was a topic started by someone that looked to be trolling but his second post sure made it seem like he had a Nook overseas and was not able to buy any books for it through Barnes and Noble. So to use the Nook outside of the US it sounds like that you need a VPN blocker and probably gift cards if you don't have a US based credit card. I am guessing that the 3G model does not work outside the US (I know the K1 3G did not work outside the US). I would assume that the WiFi would work any where. Or you have to buy books from a store other then Barns and Noble, which is suppose to be easy enough to do.

05-10-2011, 04:21 PM	#10
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	Well, given that the OP is just going to be visiting Germany and isn't making a permanent move or anything, I don't think being able to purchase books while abroad is that big of an issue. Books can always be purchased before hopping onto the plane, right?

05-10-2011, 09:42 PM	#11
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	When your hubby leaves the guide books at home, purchasing them while overseas is quite nice. And when you buy the first two books in a 12 book series and finish them and then want the third, purchasing them overseas is quite nice. It is not that you have to be able to buy books where ever you are but it is sure nice to have the option.

05-10-2011, 11:09 PM	#12
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	Last night I spent a lot of time trying to get the various ebooks I've bought into Calibre, and was very frustrated with how many of them are DRM protected, and how it is not that easy (so far) for me to work around this. Because so far I've just been using the different reader apps, I've bought books in a variety of formats, and I have library books too..... It was actually so frustrating, that I thought, you know, I really just need a tablet which I can have ALL the apps on and then choose the appropriate one for the book. Of course, my budget is a problem. I could, of course, buy the Nook Color and root it (my very tech savvy husband could no doubt do it for me, though it actually doesn't look that difficult). Or I could just accept that fact that I can't read all the books I already have on a reader, and settle on one. And yes, I'm only going to Germany for 2 weeks, so while buying books while on a trip is super appealing, it's not an absolute necessity. Turns out this is a much more complicated decision than I thought! I'm also quite curious about what Barnes and Noble is going to come out with at the end of the month, and perhaps the price of the older Nooks will drop a bit if there is a new one.

05-16-2011, 08:18 PM	#13
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	Just thought I'd update this in that I've been looking at various devices again. I really want the Nook Color, but can't afford it this year, so I think I'll go with something in the $100-$130 range to get me by for now. My contenders are the Kindle with special offers (I don't think the ads will bother me); a $99 refurb Nook with Wifi and 3g from B&N (on ebay); and the Sony 350. I have to admit that after playing with them at the store, I really like the kindle and the Sony the best. The Nook just doesn't feel as good to me--it feels a bit cheap. That said, I hate that the Kindle doesn't have a touch screen, but it is a much lighter and nicer feeling device. My favorite is the Sony, and I'm kind of leaning towards it, but I couldn't figure out if it has a keyboard? I tried to get one to come up and couldn't get it to. (I asked this question in the Sony part of the forum though, so will probably get an answer on that). Even though it doesn't have wifi, I really liked it's size and overall feel, and I could see being happy to have both it and my (still very much in the future) Nook Color, so....we'll see.

05-16-2011, 08:20 PM	#14
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	It does have a keyboard that works on the touchscreen. Go with your gut, you will be happy with either device.

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05-19-2011, 03:21 PM	#15
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 1,421 Karma: 2463560 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: enTourage eDGe & Pocket eDGe, Samsung Galaxy Note II	Have you looked at the enTourage Pocket eDGe? You can find one on Amazon for under $200 and it might fill all your needs. It has 2 screens: a 7" Android tablet and a 6" e-ink reader. The e-ink side has a journal function and uses a wacom penabled stylus for input. Videos here if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...33F2B46141B52A And you can read what forum members here on MobileRead and at the enTourage website have to say: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/for...lay.php?f=218; http://www.entourageedge.com/forums/forum.php Good luck! Enjoy!!