Some clarifying questions before purchase decision

Andy Griffith · 09-04-2011, 11:37 PM

Hello,

New guy here trying to finalize a decision on an ereader and very happy to have found this forum. To say I am a little overwhelmed with this relatively new technology and jargon is an understatement. I've spent the last 7 hours or so reading some of the threads on this forum and it has been the single biggest help in all the material I have been reading over the last week or so.

I would like an ereader for leisure reading. I don't need it to do any more than that. No web surfing (except for possibly the question below), email, text books, etc.

Of chief importance is screen clarity, font size and type options, font darkness etc. My eyes are not so good at times and I find reading or using the gloss, colored type screens to be very straining. Sister inlaw was camping with us a couple years ago and the screen clarity on her kindle was very impressive.

A trip to best buy to review the options was only partially productive. Many of the display models were trashed, dead batteries, no power cords, missing all together, and the staff really didn't seem to informed on the devices.

I believe we have narrowed it down to the nook touch or kindle wifi.

I am a bit confused on the ebooks from the library deal. Our county library has a really poor selection of paper books, which is why we never use the place. I pulled four books off my shelf with dates from 1981 to 2007 and looked them up as ebooks from our library (uses the overdrive system) and not one of those books was available from the library.
I'm now wondering if being able to check out books from the library is that big of deal if the selection is poor?

Are there online ebook libraries that one can checkout ebooks from? Don't know how that would work given the brick and mortar library we are members of operates from our property taxes.

Some searching online I found something called internet public library and I looked up some newspapers, but it just had a link to the newspapers website to read. Which leads me to the next question. Is a web browser on the ereader a requirement to access some ebook resources? I ask because from the reviews the kindle seems to at least have a useable browser but the nook's browser was not so good?

It sounds like most people use their PC to manage their ebook inventory utilizing software such as calibre and then download the ebooks to the devices for use? I guess I'm not understanding how the obtainment and downloading of books is facilitated directly to the device without some sort of internet browser? I understand how the nook would hook directly with b&n and the kindle would hook with amazon, but what about all the other ebook sites that might be on the web?

I'd like a device that accepts the epub format or a converted version of the same, but I'm still confused about the format deal. I understand that amazon/kindle has a proprietary format, but can I buy a book from amazon, convert it to xyz format via calibre then put it on a nook to read? Similarly, can I obtain a book in epub format, convert it to amazon or other kindle accepted format via calibre and then read it on a kindle?

I like the smaller size of the nook as compared to the kindle, but I found the page change 'buttons' on the bezel to be more difficult to push and use than the ones on the kindle. But again, that may be because the demo units were well used. Has anybody else encountered this issue?

Thanks

Caltsar · 09-05-2011, 12:25 AM

I think the nook touch would be better for you as you would prefer ePub.

I've found myself mostly using the touch screen to change pages on mine, so the buttons don't really come into play for me.

Both the kindle and the nook have pretty much the same screen, but the nook will do a full screen flash less often than the kindle. The flash is distracting for some people, so it's something you should try out before making a final decision on how important it is to you.

As far as changing formats, you would need the drm removal tools (which we can't link here). I've personally found the epub tools (both B&N and generic) easier to deal with than the kindle tools. Either way, there are also more stores that sell ePub than kindle compatible formats, though in the last year that has evened up somewhat.

As you can tell, I prefer the nook to the kindle, but if you can find a place or someone you know that has good quality demo units, that would be the place to try it out. Barnes & Noble seems to keep theirs in good condition and has someone nearby to answer any questions. The best kindle demo units I've seen were at a Microsoft store... however, there aren't many of those about.

susan_cassidy · 09-05-2011, 12:39 AM

You don't have to have a browser on the device to get books. You can always download to your pc first, then copy over. Some devices actually require that you do that anyway, to get the books "authorized" by the Adobe DRM software.

For the Kindle, for other ebook sites, like Baen books, Gutenberg, etc., you can download to your pc, and transfer books to the Kindle by hooking it up via USB, if you don't want to use wi-fi. Baen has links on their site so you can email the books to your Kindle (you first have to authorize their email address, so that the Kindle will accept emails from them).

If you have wi-fi (or the 3G version), downloads come directly to the Kindle from Amazon. Very handy.

If your library's selection is poor, there isn't much you can do about that. A couple of libraries give out-of-towners (out-of-state) the ability to buy a library card. Library lending is coming for the Kindle soon.

polly · 09-05-2011, 09:39 AM

One factor that you just touched on becomes a much bigger deal over time, and that's ergonomics of the reader. I have arthritis in my hands, so am especially sensitive to this. Pushing the page turn button over and over again can become really painful and distracting. Stiffer ones, such as the Kindle have, are impossible for me. Also, since I hold my books from the bottom, a page turn button at the bottom works better. Best for me are the touch screen models, because it's easy to vary how I swipe so that no part of my hand becomes painful.

The Kindle, Nook Simple Touch, and Sony all have identical screens. I personally don't like the way that the Nook manages books, as books from other book stores are segregated from B&N books. If you plan to carry a lot of books on your reader, then organization becomes really important. Some readers use collections while others use folders. The original Nook would only sort alphabetically by author or title, something that's not at all helpful for more than about ten books. Also, look at whether you can use something like Calibre to set up the collections or folders for you. I don't remember which reader it is, but one of them was reported to only support collections made on the reader. It's much better to let Calibre do that for you automatically.

If you can wait a month, there are new ereaders being released. That equals more choices for you to make, but also discounts of current models being replaced.

If your local library is small, you might see if there are other libraries near you that would give you a card. I don't live in Kansas City but was eligible for a Kansas City library card. That card made me eligible for a State Library of Kansas card. Philadelphia will sell you a yearly card and many people have managed to receive a Singapore library card. The State Library has a few hundred Kindle books, but that compares to thousands of ePubs. I haven't heard how library books will be made available to Kindles.

I use Calibre exclusively to manage my books because of the controls that it gives me. I can fix the metadata, download the proper cover and put both at the front of the book. Removing DRM is simple if you have the right tools. Google for ApprenticeAlf for more information.

dwig · 09-05-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

...If you have wi-fi (or the 3G version), downloads come directly to the Kindle from Amazon. Very handy. ...

That should be "download can come directly". It is also quite easy to buy the Amazon book from another computer and download to that computer for sideloading onto the Kindle. You have both options with Amazon.

Also, some non-Amazon sites are configured so that you can use the Kindle's browser to download directly into the Kindle. These will, of course, be non-DRM'd ebooks in MOBI format (.azw, .mobi, or .prc).

Andy Griffith · 09-05-2011, 02:27 PM

Thanks for the replies, much to consider.

I was under the impression that readers such a the kindle and nook that have wifi/3G allowed one to download ebooks from most any website directly to the device, not just kindle/amazon or nook/b&n? Assuming the format is accepted by the particular device.

Increasingly I'm wondering how big of a deal the whole wifi/3G thing really is in my case. Sounds like I will be using the laptop to manage the incoming ebooks and then load them to the device most of the time anyway. I guess I'm a little different in that I don't feel an overwhelming need to keep a 1000 books stored on the device at any given time. My days of international travel are behind me and these days my wife and I mostly go camping in the pacific northwest at various locations of which wifi/3G is only available maybe 40% of the time anyway. And when it is available (we hookup through our droid phones that act as a wireless router) we will have our laptops with us as well as the reader.

What is 'sideloading'?

The ergonomics thing is interesting as I actually preferred the kobo with its slightly larger frame size vs the nook but not as big as the kindle. And the kobo had that great rubbery texture. But reading through the kobo forum the issues seem a bit troubling. While I love the small light size of the nook, it almost feels too small to me, if that makes any sense at all.

jbcohen · 09-05-2011, 02:50 PM

Let me try to simplify things a bit for you. Below is the result of a lot of hours by me talking to owners of different electronic readers, I own a kindle. Select the statement that best describes your desires for an electronic reader and buy the reader associated with that statement;

1) I want to read absolutely anything I come across regardless of the format - Pocket Book Lite;
2) Want to read foreign language books, non English - Cybook Bookeen;
3) I want to pay the absolute lowest price for the reader and I have a smart phone - download electronic readers for free from Kobo Books, Barns and Nobels and Amazon and get your reader for $0;
4) I want to pay the lowest price but don't have or don't want to rely on a smart phone - Kobo;
5) I want the absolute easiest reader to use - Kobo
6) Want touch screen but don't want to pay for it - Kobo touch
7) I want the cheapest electronic books possible - Amazon kindle
8) Its all about the interface, I want the best interface - Nook Simple Touch
9) I want color - Nook Color or Libra Pro Color.

polly · 09-05-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Griffith

Thanks for the replies, much to consider.

I was under the impression that readers such a the kindle and nook that have wifi/3G allowed one to download ebooks from most any website directly to the device, not just kindle/amazon or nook/b&n? Assuming the format is accepted by the particular device.

Increasingly I'm wondering how big of a deal the whole wifi/3G thing really is in my case. Sounds like I will be using the laptop to manage the incoming ebooks and then load them to the device most of the time anyway. I guess I'm a little different in that I don't feel an overwhelming need to keep a 1000 books stored on the device at any given time. My days of international travel are behind me and these days my wife and I mostly go camping in the pacific northwest at various locations of which wifi/3G is only available maybe 40% of the time anyway. And when it is available (we hookup through our droid phones that act as a wireless router) we will have our laptops with us as well as the reader.

What is 'sideloading'?

The ergonomics thing is interesting as I actually preferred the kobo with its slightly larger frame size vs the nook but not as big as the kindle. And the kobo had that great rubbery texture. But reading through the kobo forum the issues seem a bit troubling. While I love the small light size of the nook, it almost feels too small to me, if that makes any sense at all.

Sideloading is when you attach a cable from your computer to your reader and use either Calibre or a file manager to move the book file to your reader. I believe that all of the readers show up as an external drive when connected to your computer.

I, personally, have never missed 3G or WiFi access. I have never been someplace where I had to load a book immediately. It's easy enough to use Calibre and Calibre converts them and organizes them to suit me. Should I have a reader with WiFi, I would turn it off.

Have you checked with the libraries where you camp, to see if one of them would give you a card if you showed up in person?

My impression of the Kobo is that there were lots of bugs in the firmware when it was released. Kobo is actively releasing updates, so those problems may be decreasing with time. As I recall, it was the Kobo that only permitted making collections on the device, something that is much more painful then letting Calibre both create the collections and add books to them.

Andy Griffith · 09-06-2011, 06:11 PM

Went to another best buy today and still like the nook or the kindle 3. Wanted to look at a sony but they didn't have any on display, and the kobo was dead just like the one at the first best buy was.

Difficult to compare them when they are all in demo mode. Wanted to change font and screen brightness on the nook and kindle but no joy.

I still prefer the page turn buttons on the kindle vs the ones on the nook touch as the kindle is much easier to push. However, my understanding is one can use the touch screen to turn the pages on the nook.

Best buy claimed they have a 14 day return policy and if I am not happy I can bring the unit back. If that's true then maybe my exposure is not too great.

Wife likes the text to speech feature on the kindle. How well does that work and does it work with all books? Does it sound like a gps voice and is it pretty accurate in the translation? Can she start out reading a book, then continue the book by listening to it during the drive, then switch back to reading when at her destination?

I see amazon has $99 refurb kindle 3's.
If I get in bed with amazon/kindle, does that mean all the books I've purchased could not be used on a nook should I decide to change to the nook or other reader later?

I have not checked with the libraries in the counties we travel to but that's a good idea. I don't know if they would have the books if our home library is the largest in the state and doesn't have them.

Thanks

ATDrake · 09-06-2011, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Griffith

Wife likes the text to speech feature on the kindle. How well does that work and does it work with all books? Does it sound like a gps voice and is it pretty accurate in the translation? Can she start out reading a book, then continue the book by listening to it during the drive, then switch back to reading when at her destination?

As synthesized voices go, it's more realistic than Stephen Hawking's and kind of like what you might hear using a Mac's built-in Text to Speech function. Pronunciation-wise, it does okay on most of the books I've ever tried it on. There's a choice of male and female voices and you can adjust the speed it reads at.

You can use it on any DRM book which allows text-to-speech (some publishers deliberately disable it, but you can tweak the AZW files to allow it), any non-DRM book, and any other plain text document you put on your Kindle.

Your wife will have no problems switching between listening and reading, as the Kindle automatically flips the pages of the book as it reads along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Griffith

If I get in bed with amazon/kindle, does that mean all the books I've purchased could not be used on a nook should I decide to change to the nook or other reader later?

Basically, unless you end up buying DRM-free books which you can convert, or are willing to learn to remove the DRM from your purchased books (and still convert), then no, they won't be compatible. The Nook uses a different file format and DRM scheme than the Kindle does.

You should be aware that B&N also has its own proprietary DRM scheme, so that B&N ePubs you get may also not work on other ePub supporting readers should you switch, although there are several models out there which have licensed the B&N DRM.

Also, it's incorporated into the new version of ADE (which all the ePub readers use, including the Nook), and future versions of said other readers may possibly include B&N-DRM support as standard.

Hope this helps.

Caltsar · 09-06-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

You should be aware that B&N also has its own proprietary DRM scheme, so that B&N ePubs you get may also not work on other ePub supporting readers should you switch, although there are several models out there which have licensed the B&N DRM.

Also, it's incorporated into the new version of ADE (which all the ePub readers use, including the Nook), and future versions of said other readers may possibly include B&N-DRM support as standard.

Hope this helps.

It's not that readers have licensed B&N's DRM, but B&N was the first to update to the newest version of Adobe's DRM. As readers update their software, they should all be able to use B&N's DRM... though some eBook readers have been very slow to update to the new DRM software.

ATDrake · 09-06-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caltsar

It's not that readers have licensed B&N's DRM, but B&N was the first to update to the newest version of Adobe's DRM.

Really? Somehow I'd gotten the impression that the JetBook Lite and Pandigital Novel et al. had separately licensed the B&N DRM back in the day, alongside the ADE-DRM before the B&N DRM was integrated into the newer ADE SDK releases.

Learn something new every day.

Andy Griffith · 09-07-2011, 02:38 PM

I pulled 4 books off my shelf to check on availability and pricing.

The 5000 year leap 1981.
Amazon ebook = 9.99, paper back free ship (we have a prime acct) = 11.87.
B&N ebook = 9.99 (assume no shipping or download fees?), pb = 11.87 plus ship

One Bullet Away 2005.
Amazon ebook = 9.66, paper back free ship = 5.98
B&N ebook = 9.99, pb = 10.21 plus ship

God's Middle Finger 2008.
Amazon ebook = 11.99, paper back free ship = 10.20
B&N ebook = 11.99, pb = 10.56 plus ship

A Patriot's history of the United States 2004.
Amazon ebook = 18.99, paperback free ship = 7.98.
B&N ebook = 18.99, pb = 14.88 plus ship

I assume these ebook prices are as high as they are simply due to market forces. Strong demand et al? And would it be reasonable to assume that ebook prices will remain high for some years to come given the relatively recent phenomenon of ereaders and the likely growing popularity of such?

None of these ebooks are available in either of the two counties libraries I have cards for and they are two of the largest counties population wise in the state of WA. Near as I can tell the search looks for the ebooks in all of the libraries within the county.

Now, how do I search for other places to buy these ebooks that might have better pricing. A general google search or is there some sort of ebook clearing house website that will search most of the ebook sales websites for these titles?

Thanks

susan_cassidy · 09-07-2011, 02:42 PM

If those books are published by an Agency model publisher, they will not be available for less anywhere. Try inkmesh.com to search for ebook prices.

musicman2523 · 09-07-2011, 03:00 PM

If you've got it down to two..........nook and kindle...........toss a coin and do it.
nook is a little more versatile as you can hack it and such. Also it'll read epub files which the kindle doesn't. There are a LOT of books in epub format. Personally, I haven't done anything with the library thing because of all the books out there. All the classics are free.
Then again...............there are a few sites that carry Mobi format ( kindle ) and you can sideload them ( plug your reader into your computer and drag and drop ).
For me, the best free ebook sites are: Smashwords, Deisel, feedbooks, and a few others.
For reviews on what you are currently looking at for ereaders go to: http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/
Hope this helps.

09-04-2011, 11:37 PM	#1
Andy Griffith Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 3180 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	Some clarifying questions before purchase decision Hello, New guy here trying to finalize a decision on an ereader and very happy to have found this forum. To say I am a little overwhelmed with this relatively new technology and jargon is an understatement. I've spent the last 7 hours or so reading some of the threads on this forum and it has been the single biggest help in all the material I have been reading over the last week or so. I would like an ereader for leisure reading. I don't need it to do any more than that. No web surfing (except for possibly the question below), email, text books, etc. Of chief importance is screen clarity, font size and type options, font darkness etc. My eyes are not so good at times and I find reading or using the gloss, colored type screens to be very straining. Sister inlaw was camping with us a couple years ago and the screen clarity on her kindle was very impressive. A trip to best buy to review the options was only partially productive. Many of the display models were trashed, dead batteries, no power cords, missing all together, and the staff really didn't seem to informed on the devices. I believe we have narrowed it down to the nook touch or kindle wifi. I am a bit confused on the ebooks from the library deal. Our county library has a really poor selection of paper books, which is why we never use the place. I pulled four books off my shelf with dates from 1981 to 2007 and looked them up as ebooks from our library (uses the overdrive system) and not one of those books was available from the library. I'm now wondering if being able to check out books from the library is that big of deal if the selection is poor? Are there online ebook libraries that one can checkout ebooks from? Don't know how that would work given the brick and mortar library we are members of operates from our property taxes. Some searching online I found something called internet public library and I looked up some newspapers, but it just had a link to the newspapers website to read. Which leads me to the next question. Is a web browser on the ereader a requirement to access some ebook resources? I ask because from the reviews the kindle seems to at least have a useable browser but the nook's browser was not so good? It sounds like most people use their PC to manage their ebook inventory utilizing software such as calibre and then download the ebooks to the devices for use? I guess I'm not understanding how the obtainment and downloading of books is facilitated directly to the device without some sort of internet browser? I understand how the nook would hook directly with b&n and the kindle would hook with amazon, but what about all the other ebook sites that might be on the web? I'd like a device that accepts the epub format or a converted version of the same, but I'm still confused about the format deal. I understand that amazon/kindle has a proprietary format, but can I buy a book from amazon, convert it to xyz format via calibre then put it on a nook to read? Similarly, can I obtain a book in epub format, convert it to amazon or other kindle accepted format via calibre and then read it on a kindle? I like the smaller size of the nook as compared to the kindle, but I found the page change 'buttons' on the bezel to be more difficult to push and use than the ones on the kindle. But again, that may be because the demo units were well used. Has anybody else encountered this issue? Thanks

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PRS-600 Purchase questions?????????	EddieB	Sony Reader	4	11-24-2009 02:57 PM
Few questions before final purchase	shrktank	Sony Reader	8	09-07-2009 11:52 PM
Just a few misc. questions before purchase	shrktank	Sony Reader	8	09-07-2009 12:57 PM
iLiad Pre-Purchase Questions...	grayfox	iRex	10	10-09-2007 05:47 AM

09-05-2011, 12:25 AM	#2
Caltsar Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 86951 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Minnesota Device: nook Touch, iPad, iPhone	I think the nook touch would be better for you as you would prefer ePub. I've found myself mostly using the touch screen to change pages on mine, so the buttons don't really come into play for me. Both the kindle and the nook have pretty much the same screen, but the nook will do a full screen flash less often than the kindle. The flash is distracting for some people, so it's something you should try out before making a final decision on how important it is to you. As far as changing formats, you would need the drm removal tools (which we can't link here). I've personally found the epub tools (both B&N and generic) easier to deal with than the kindle tools. Either way, there are also more stores that sell ePub than kindle compatible formats, though in the last year that has evened up somewhat. As you can tell, I prefer the nook to the kindle, but if you can find a place or someone you know that has good quality demo units, that would be the place to try it out. Barnes & Noble seems to keep theirs in good condition and has someone nearby to answer any questions. The best kindle demo units I've seen were at a Microsoft store... however, there aren't many of those about.

09-05-2011, 12:39 AM	#3
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	You don't have to have a browser on the device to get books. You can always download to your pc first, then copy over. Some devices actually require that you do that anyway, to get the books "authorized" by the Adobe DRM software. For the Kindle, for other ebook sites, like Baen books, Gutenberg, etc., you can download to your pc, and transfer books to the Kindle by hooking it up via USB, if you don't want to use wi-fi. Baen has links on their site so you can email the books to your Kindle (you first have to authorize their email address, so that the Kindle will accept emails from them). If you have wi-fi (or the 3G version), downloads come directly to the Kindle from Amazon. Very handy. If your library's selection is poor, there isn't much you can do about that. A couple of libraries give out-of-towners (out-of-state) the ability to buy a library card. Library lending is coming for the Kindle soon.

09-05-2011, 09:39 AM	#4
polly Evangelist Posts: 454 Karma: 270240 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS 650, PocketBook 360, Astak PocketPro (RIP), Tungsten T3	One factor that you just touched on becomes a much bigger deal over time, and that's ergonomics of the reader. I have arthritis in my hands, so am especially sensitive to this. Pushing the page turn button over and over again can become really painful and distracting. Stiffer ones, such as the Kindle have, are impossible for me. Also, since I hold my books from the bottom, a page turn button at the bottom works better. Best for me are the touch screen models, because it's easy to vary how I swipe so that no part of my hand becomes painful. The Kindle, Nook Simple Touch, and Sony all have identical screens. I personally don't like the way that the Nook manages books, as books from other book stores are segregated from B&N books. If you plan to carry a lot of books on your reader, then organization becomes really important. Some readers use collections while others use folders. The original Nook would only sort alphabetically by author or title, something that's not at all helpful for more than about ten books. Also, look at whether you can use something like Calibre to set up the collections or folders for you. I don't remember which reader it is, but one of them was reported to only support collections made on the reader. It's much better to let Calibre do that for you automatically. If you can wait a month, there are new ereaders being released. That equals more choices for you to make, but also discounts of current models being replaced. If your local library is small, you might see if there are other libraries near you that would give you a card. I don't live in Kansas City but was eligible for a Kansas City library card. That card made me eligible for a State Library of Kansas card. Philadelphia will sell you a yearly card and many people have managed to receive a Singapore library card. The State Library has a few hundred Kindle books, but that compares to thousands of ePubs. I haven't heard how library books will be made available to Kindles. I use Calibre exclusively to manage my books because of the controls that it gives me. I can fix the metadata, download the proper cover and put both at the front of the book. Removing DRM is simple if you have the right tools. Google for ApprenticeAlf for more information.

09-05-2011, 02:27 PM	#6
Andy Griffith Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 3180 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	Thanks for the replies, much to consider. I was under the impression that readers such a the kindle and nook that have wifi/3G allowed one to download ebooks from most any website directly to the device, not just kindle/amazon or nook/b&n? Assuming the format is accepted by the particular device. Increasingly I'm wondering how big of a deal the whole wifi/3G thing really is in my case. Sounds like I will be using the laptop to manage the incoming ebooks and then load them to the device most of the time anyway. I guess I'm a little different in that I don't feel an overwhelming need to keep a 1000 books stored on the device at any given time. My days of international travel are behind me and these days my wife and I mostly go camping in the pacific northwest at various locations of which wifi/3G is only available maybe 40% of the time anyway. And when it is available (we hookup through our droid phones that act as a wireless router) we will have our laptops with us as well as the reader. What is 'sideloading'? The ergonomics thing is interesting as I actually preferred the kobo with its slightly larger frame size vs the nook but not as big as the kindle. And the kobo had that great rubbery texture. But reading through the kobo forum the issues seem a bit troubling. While I love the small light size of the nook, it almost feels too small to me, if that makes any sense at all.

09-05-2011, 02:50 PM	#7
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Let me try to simplify things a bit for you. Below is the result of a lot of hours by me talking to owners of different electronic readers, I own a kindle. Select the statement that best describes your desires for an electronic reader and buy the reader associated with that statement; 1) I want to read absolutely anything I come across regardless of the format - Pocket Book Lite; 2) Want to read foreign language books, non English - Cybook Bookeen; 3) I want to pay the absolute lowest price for the reader and I have a smart phone - download electronic readers for free from Kobo Books, Barns and Nobels and Amazon and get your reader for $0; 4) I want to pay the lowest price but don't have or don't want to rely on a smart phone - Kobo; 5) I want the absolute easiest reader to use - Kobo 6) Want touch screen but don't want to pay for it - Kobo touch 7) I want the cheapest electronic books possible - Amazon kindle 8) Its all about the interface, I want the best interface - Nook Simple Touch 9) I want color - Nook Color or Libra Pro Color.

09-06-2011, 06:11 PM	#9
Andy Griffith Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 3180 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	Went to another best buy today and still like the nook or the kindle 3. Wanted to look at a sony but they didn't have any on display, and the kobo was dead just like the one at the first best buy was. Difficult to compare them when they are all in demo mode. Wanted to change font and screen brightness on the nook and kindle but no joy. I still prefer the page turn buttons on the kindle vs the ones on the nook touch as the kindle is much easier to push. However, my understanding is one can use the touch screen to turn the pages on the nook. Best buy claimed they have a 14 day return policy and if I am not happy I can bring the unit back. If that's true then maybe my exposure is not too great. Wife likes the text to speech feature on the kindle. How well does that work and does it work with all books? Does it sound like a gps voice and is it pretty accurate in the translation? Can she start out reading a book, then continue the book by listening to it during the drive, then switch back to reading when at her destination? I see amazon has $99 refurb kindle 3's. If I get in bed with amazon/kindle, does that mean all the books I've purchased could not be used on a nook should I decide to change to the nook or other reader later? I have not checked with the libraries in the counties we travel to but that's a good idea. I don't know if they would have the books if our home library is the largest in the state and doesn't have them. Thanks

09-07-2011, 02:38 PM	#13
Andy Griffith Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 3180 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	I pulled 4 books off my shelf to check on availability and pricing. The 5000 year leap 1981. Amazon ebook = 9.99, paper back free ship (we have a prime acct) = 11.87. B&N ebook = 9.99 (assume no shipping or download fees?), pb = 11.87 plus ship One Bullet Away 2005. Amazon ebook = 9.66, paper back free ship = 5.98 B&N ebook = 9.99, pb = 10.21 plus ship God's Middle Finger 2008. Amazon ebook = 11.99, paper back free ship = 10.20 B&N ebook = 11.99, pb = 10.56 plus ship A Patriot's history of the United States 2004. Amazon ebook = 18.99, paperback free ship = 7.98. B&N ebook = 18.99, pb = 14.88 plus ship I assume these ebook prices are as high as they are simply due to market forces. Strong demand et al? And would it be reasonable to assume that ebook prices will remain high for some years to come given the relatively recent phenomenon of ereaders and the likely growing popularity of such? None of these ebooks are available in either of the two counties libraries I have cards for and they are two of the largest counties population wise in the state of WA. Near as I can tell the search looks for the ebooks in all of the libraries within the county. Now, how do I search for other places to buy these ebooks that might have better pricing. A general google search or is there some sort of ebook clearing house website that will search most of the ebook sales websites for these titles? Thanks

09-07-2011, 02:42 PM	#14
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	If those books are published by an Agency model publisher, they will not be available for less anywhere. Try inkmesh.com to search for ebook prices.

09-07-2011, 03:00 PM	#15
musicman2523 Groupie Posts: 164 Karma: 302432 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: pocketbook iq 701	If you've got it down to two..........nook and kindle...........toss a coin and do it. nook is a little more versatile as you can hack it and such. Also it'll read epub files which the kindle doesn't. There are a LOT of books in epub format. Personally, I haven't done anything with the library thing because of all the books out there. All the classics are free. Then again...............there are a few sites that carry Mobi format ( kindle ) and you can sideload them ( plug your reader into your computer and drag and drop ). For me, the best free ebook sites are: Smashwords, Deisel, feedbooks, and a few others. For reviews on what you are currently looking at for ereaders go to: http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/ Hope this helps.

Advert

Advert