Ectaco Jetbook, from Newegg, as one of the top performers...

[Kris777]

Full artcile
...

As far as cost goes, E-readers are only now coming down in price. As price declines and features improve, I think stores will begin carry a broader selection, which would stimulate competition and drive down prices further. Right now the brands I usually see are Kindle and Sony. Top visibility doesn't translate into top performance, however. Some early adopters point to the Ectaco Jetbook, from Newegg, as one of the top performers — it remains the lowest priced unit with the broadest format support.

The early Jetbook model was hamstrung by built-in batteries, which have since been supplanted by standard batteries. Any business traveler realizes that removable, replaceable, or rechargeable batteries are very, very important features. Other features to look for include: bright backlighting; easy zoom capability; a variety of fonts; and the ability to display text in both landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) formats.

...

[Kris777]

I set auto page turn mode and my jetBook-lite worked 51 hours non stop with
Energizer Ultimate L91BP-4 Lithium AA Batteries - almost 3 times longer than with alkaline or NiMH Batteries!

An added benefit is that the L91 weighs only 14.5 grams (0.5 oz) each, compared to 30 grams (1 oz) for NiMH. So JBL becomes much lighter.

[clerky96]

That's pretty good. The biggest downfall that I have with those batteries is the price. Until I decide what I want to do about rechargeables, I have been using "cheapo" Sunbeam alkaline batteries from the dollar store. They last about 20 or so hours of reading. I don't think that is too bad for a "buck"!

[LuBiB]

wow! those are some pretty insane numbers!

the general idea of batteries in the jetBook LITE is superb. if you're at the airport, just buy some for a few bucks and you can fly around the world twice on a set of 8!

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

wow! those are some pretty insane numbers!

the general idea of batteries in the jetBook LITE is superb. if you're at the airport, just buy some for a few bucks and you can fly around the world twice on a set of 8!

Agree, I don't know why Sony or Samsung don't produce eBook readers with
AA or AAA batteries yet. Many companies like Canon or Kodak do it for digital cameras for many years and customers like it.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by Kris777

Full artcile
...Other features to look for include: bright backlighting...

Bright backlighting? I agreed with everything he said except that!

Thanks for your experiment, Kris! How does the cost of lithium batteries compare to rechargeables?

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Bright backlighting? I agreed with everything he said except that!

Thanks for your experiment, Kris! How does the cost of lithium batteries compare to rechargeables?

I paid $7.29 for 4 pcs. The cost of rechargeables about $10 depends on brand. I may take 4 lithium batteries for my next trip to HK in order to don't take charger with me

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Kris777

I paid $7.29 for 4 pcs. The cost of rechargeables about $10 depends on brand. I may take 4 lithium batteries for my next trip to HK in order to don't take charger with me

Sounds like a very practical approach, the lithiums for trips like that and
rechargeable for day to day use.

I understand that the lithium batteries are significantly lighter that the
rechargeable, did you notice any real difference in holding up the JBL?

Luck;
Ken

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Sounds like a very practical approach, the lithiums for trips like that and
rechargeable for day to day use.

I understand that the lithium batteries are significantly lighter that the
rechargeable, did you notice any real difference in holding up the JBL?

Luck;
Ken

Yes, JBL becomes much lighter with lithium batteries. The weight of
4 lithium batteries = weight of 2 rechargeable .

[Ron46]

AA batteries rather than a built in rechargeable is way superior. You can get 4 rechargeable batteries with a charger in Walmart for $12, and the cheap Rayovac rechargeables are fine for this book reader. And you can get AA alkalines anywhere in the world (I think).

I heard a radio program about a couple that backpacked around the world, and in places where they could get a place to sleep for $2 a night, worn out American paperback books were $5 or more, and you had to take what you could get.

So why not carry a small municipal library, a few 4 packs of lithium batteries, and a 10 cent zip-lock bag to keep the water out?

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Ron46

AA batteries rather than a built in rechargeable is way superior. You can get 4 rechargeable batteries with a charger in Walmart for $12, and the cheap Rayovac rechargeables are fine for this book reader. And you can get AA alkalines anywhere in the world (I think).

I heard a radio program about a couple that backpacked around the world, and in places where they could get a place to sleep for $2 a night, worn out American paperback books were $5 or more, and you had to take what you could get.

So why not carry a small municipal library, a few 4 packs of lithium batteries, and a 10 cent zip-lock bag to keep the water out?

100% agree

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by Kris777

I paid $7.29 for 4 pcs. The cost of rechargeables about $10 depends on brand. I may take 4 lithium batteries for my next trip to HK in order to don't take charger with me

Have you tried buying in a Dollar Store ?

Here in Britain I bought two rechargables in a Pound Shop (actually a 99p shop) for 0.99 GBP so say $3.20 for 4.

Only 700 milliamp hours so they need charging once a week but a very good price for a third backup.