Hello from Rome

[Ruskie_it]

Hey everybody,

Hello from Italy.
Not sure what I am expected to say here, so... I'll only say I'm not yet an ebook reader owner... must wait my birthday or Christmass to pass before my wife give me one or give me permission to buy one , however I like messing with software and currently I'm playing with Sigil and Calibre.

Bye!

[Lalilulelo]

lol hello and welcome. I toyed with calibre for a few weeks as well before I was able to make the transition to eink. I hope, if you get a dedicated ereader for christmas, that it won't be the Odyssey.

[Ruskie_it]

Originally Posted by Lalilulelo

lol hello and welcome. I toyed with calibre for a few weeks as well before I was able to make the transition to eink. I hope, if you get a dedicated ereader for christmas, that it won't be the Odyssey.

Why not?

I've been looking at ebook reader models for quite a long time now, and somehow nobody fully satisfied me. The best of breed looked to me the Kobo touch and the Nook touch, but they missed the page turn hardware button that I like as well... Sony PRS (way too expensive it used to be) has them, but they are placed on the bottom, not suitable for actual reading...
Kindle touch - not for sale in Italy - is good but lacks them, the Odyssey is the first touch to have them along with touch functionalities...
Sure, it is a young product and lacks features, but they're coming I see...
What would be your pick?

Anyway, looks like Santa won't bring me anything 'cause now I expect it (wives can be complicated... )...
If only could go and buy it myself!!!

[Lalilulelo]

I hesitated between Sony T1 and Kobo and Odyssey. I believe Nook isn't available in France...

The Kobo was tempting for the price of 99 euros, however it lacks audio playback and that was sort of a big no for me since I thought I'd like some music as I read (also for noise reducing purpose), I listen to audiobooks or podcasts that I regularly keep up with.

The Odyssey at 129 I think seemed like a good buy especially with the fast refreshing and scrolling screen. But then it doesn't feature the greatest web browser of ereaders if at all (don't remember) for occasional surfing. It was buggy as it launched; I read of USB connectivity issues and thought I shouldn't be expecting the best technical support and updates if I'm getting an Odyssey (Or with a fairly small manufacturer like Cybook, I might not be getting a replacement or a repair for the smallest fee if I'm ever breaking the fragile eink screen.) Also and very importantly, there was no English dictionary with the ereader when it was launched, dunno about now. It didn't seem like a very customisable device either when I could on the other hand have a Sony running Android with different reader applications, fonts, a multitude of mono and bilingual dictionaries. And could possibly install the Arabic fonts since I read someone has managed to read Chinese ebooks on it.

On the Sony... Surely it is more expensive than the rest. A shame it's sold at +149 euros in Europe but only for 99 and 89 dollars in the US which is less than 70 euros lol. Anyway, I think it's almost perfect aside from the glossy borders but they don't really bother me either indoors or outdoors. The screen bugs were annoying but fixed with the update. It has the best web browser, best pdf reader - still slow and nothing like the PC experience but better than the other ereaders'. Refreshes the screen with every page turn but that doesn't bother me either. I think the devices that can refresh only once every six page turns have uncleared eink particles from the previous page show in the screen, so might not be a bad thing to have an obligatory refresh every time. So yeah, as I was studiously peering at these devices until I came across a Sony + leather cover on ebay for 120 euros that served some two weeks, and so I immediately grabbed it. Then I even got a case so I can now put the sony inside the cover then slip it all inside the case. Never safe enough lol. Hell the screen already survived the weight of a four-year old sitting on it.

And hey, you could always try to whisper the name of your preferred reader to your wife during her sleep. If you manage to make up your mind that is! (Go for Odyssey if this long post confuses you lol)

[Ruskie_it]

Some of the problems are still there (the missing dictionaries for once, no book search), but they are going to introduce them (they have made like 3 fw update in 2 weeks I think), some there are not: the browsing is there and it is fast, the pdf scrolls smoother than other readers because of the HSIS, the USB issues went away with the first firmware update, and the device is the most customizable of all: you can use your own true type fonts with it!
On the other hand, it has it's problems of course, and the sony has a very nice white screen - Odyssey is a very little bit grayer I'm told - plus it's android.
In fact, Sony has lowered its price to 159 like the Odyssey in Italy, and I was really tempted, the only thing holding me back is the lack of hw page turn buttons...
It still is a close decision but ultimately it won't be taken by me. :P I can only wait.

[Valmore Daniels]

Welcome to the boards

[Ruskie_it]

Thank you!

[MickeyC]

Ciao Ruskie_it and welcome to MobileRead

[ImogenRose]

Welcome to MR!


Imogen