Pocketbook 360 Sales???

[Guns4Hire]

Anyone know of any sales currently or coming up? I see quite a few other ereaders having different sales but the one I want which is the PB360 never seems to have any.

Anyone aware of anyone having any sales regarding this ereader.

[IndecisiveMe]

I don't know of any, but I'm in Australia and shipping the PB360 over from the US was way cheaper than any reader I could buy here in Australia. I'm thrilled with it and would get it no matter if it was on sale or not.

[Guns4Hire]

Well I had settled on the Nook but then really took a hard look at the PB360 and I like its portability. So I kinda changed my mind. But the prices are about the same for the most part. Which doesn't line up for my way of thinking. Nook $259 and really gives you the book experience electronically, 6inch screen. It can be rooted so there are a lot of little extras you can do. Wifi and 3G etc. But then you have this portable little wonder the PB360 (comfort edition) $259 and I love the idea of it being a complete ereader but extremely mobile and pocket-able. But in my mind the PB360 should be around $200/$210 based on size. I am not sure exactly why my brain thinks this but this is where my problem lies. Just like my brain thinks that ebooks should be cheaper than the pbook, its a similar type thing.

So this is where the problem lies. I keep tittering back and forth. Get the Nook for the optimum electronic book feel (ah the perfect size for the electronic book experience). Or go with the PB360 with all its extremely nice portability (damn I am paying around $50 dollars too much for less real estate).

Its quite the dilemma. Argggg! LOL.

[IndecisiveMe]

I can understand that coming from the States that some things might seem expensive to you.

I was tossing up between the Astak Pocket Pro and the Pocketbook 360 for ages before I finally decided. The PB360 is really fast compared to videos I've seen of any other reader. That was a big deal for me. You'll have to factor in a leather cover if you go with just about any other reader, but the PB360 doesn't need one, it has its built in hard cover (which I love).

I considered the international version of the Kindle (very) briefly, but didn't want to be tied to one online book shop. I'm not really sure, but I think the Nook has the same limitations, doesn't it?

Wifi and 3G didn't matter to me at all, because even if I got the internation version of the Kindle, it was going to cost me more for each book I downloaded.

I was also worrying that a 5" screen was going to be too small for me to read on comfortably. It's not, at all. It did seem a little small when in portrait mode, but I use it in landscape mode 100% of the time and it's perfect.

I guess in the end you have to buy what you're comfortable paying for. I didn't bother with the comfort version of the PB360, because I've already got a USB wall adapter with my iPhone that works just fine and I wanted to choose my own SDHC card. We've also since bought a 7 port USB hub so I'm glad I didn't pay extra for that.

It is a dilemma! I feel for you, because it took me months to make a decision. I was SO relieved when I finally hit that submit button with Pocketbook and didn't have to worry about it anymore. I am completely happy with my decision. I always said that if I wasn't happy, I'd wait until Christmas and see what new readers were out and get another one. I don't see that happening, that's how happy I am with it.

Good luck with your decision!

[Guns4Hire]

Originally Posted by IndecisiveMe

I can understand that coming from the States that some things might seem expensive to you.

I was tossing up between the Astak Pocket Pro and the Pocketbook 360 for ages before I finally decided. The PB360 is really fast compared to videos I've seen of any other reader. That was a big deal for me. You'll have to factor in a leather cover if you go with just about any other reader, but the PB360 doesn't need one, it has its built in hard cover (which I love).

I considered the international version of the Kindle (very) briefly, but didn't want to be tied to one online book shop. I'm not really sure, but I think the Nook has the same limitations, doesn't it?

Wifi and 3G didn't matter to me at all, because even if I got the internation version of the Kindle, it was going to cost me more for each book I downloaded.

I was also worrying that a 5" screen was going to be too small for me to read on comfortably. It's not, at all. It did seem a little small when in portrait mode, but I use it in landscape mode 100% of the time and it's perfect.

I guess in the end you have to buy what you're comfortable paying for. I didn't bother with the comfort version of the PB360, because I've already got a USB wall adapter with my iPhone that works just fine and I wanted to choose my own SDHC card. We've also since bought a 7 port USB hub so I'm glad I didn't pay extra for that.

It is a dilemma! I feel for you, because it took me months to make a decision. I was SO relieved when I finally hit that submit button with Pocketbook and didn't have to worry about it anymore. I am completely happy with my decision. I always said that if I wasn't happy, I'd wait until Christmas and see what new readers were out and get another one. I don't see that happening, that's how happy I am with it.

Good luck with your decision!

Hey thanks for telling you story. LOL not that it helps me any. But its appreciated none the less.

I think I would be happy with either one. Each one has its pros and cons. I don't think I would have any issue with a 5inch screen. Especially a 5inch screen that takes up the majority of the device. I really dislike the look of the ereaders where the screens don't take up the majority of the face of the device. I watched lots of PB360 video's and it looks lovely. And I currently use my LG VU touchscreen phone. So 5inch will seem like a tablet to me I think lol. My brain just balks at paying the exact same price when one has less screen real estate. And while I do have a 2GB sd card, I don't have a wallcharger and I would definitely want one of those just in case.

[fjtorres]

Comparing PB360 pricing to Nook pricing is something of an Apples-to-oranges kind of thing.

eBook reader pricing isn't just a matter of screen size, but rather of what it is you are buying in terms of features, functionality, reading experience, etc.

As Indicisiveme pointed out buying a Kindle or a Nook is buying what amounts to a storefront into the Amazon or the B&N bookstores. (You can buy books from other sources for both but buying one or another comes with a direct link to their store so both can afford to discount the hardware and make up the difference over time from ebook sales, especially now that the big publishing houses have implemented their Apple-friendly price hike/price fix scheme.) PB360, on the other hand, is priced on a strings-free basis. Its price is comparable to other non-storefront readers. Not the cheapest but then, it isn't a stripper loss-leader like, say, the Sony300.
To some people this is a plus, to some it is a minus. You need to decide which it is *for you*.

The same applies to other aspects of the products:
Nook and Kindle give you one reader app and one prefered ebook format.
Pocketbook gives you a choice of reader apps and for the preferred (ePub) format, a choice of rendering philosophies (ADE which enforces the publisher's font choices and page numbering or FBReader where you choose/override the font, size, margins and most of the typographical controls so books all look pretty much as *you* choose).
Some prefer simplicity, others prefer flexibility and end-user control.
Only you know if you care.
Nook and Kindle rely on traditional bookstyle carry cases that can add US$20-30 or up to US$80 for really fancy cases. Some see this as a way of self-expression and a plus, others see it as an added cost and a minus. PB360 comes with a snap-on hard cover, no self-expression, no cost. Plus or minus? Your call.
PB360 natively supports Mobi and epub file formats; Nook doesn't do mobi/Kindle doesn't do ePub. Do you care?
And so it runs.
PB360 is its own creature, not a wannabe Kindle looking for Amazon's leftovers.
It is priced against what it offers: pocketability, stability, ergonomics, weeks of battery life, multiple reader apps and support for the two main ebook formats in current use. Its price is a function of what it offers (pro and con) just as Nook and Kindle are priced as a function of what *they* offer.
It is up to you to decide if screen size matters to you, if wireless matters to you, how much does battery life matter. How much does native Mobi support matter.
You make your own value judgment but in the end it is going to be subjective because value is a personal thing; you can't turn value into a dollars per-square-inch ratio and expect everybody to agree on it. (Otherwise iRex DRS800 would be king).
Nobody can tell you what your needs are and how valuable certain features are going to be to you; only how we use our PB360s and how satisfied we are.
Me, I have a Kindle and a PB360.
Both have their uses.
I am happy with both.
But I do most of my day to day reading on the PB360.
It is lighter, smaller, and I get to completely control how the books look.
Even with Kindle, I don't bother with wireless; I'd rather have the longer battery life.
But that's me.

Your mileage *will* vary.

[Yar-PocketBooker]

fjtorres, that was very nicely put, thanks!

[Guns4Hire]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Comparing PB360 pricing to Nook pricing is something of an Apples-to-oranges kind of thing.

eBook reader pricing isn't just a matter of screen size, but rather of what it is you are buying in terms of features, functionality, reading experience, etc.

As Indicisiveme pointed out buying a Kindle or a Nook is buying what amounts to a storefront into the Amazon or the B&N bookstores. (You can buy books from other sources for both but buying one or another comes with a direct link to their store so both can afford to discount the hardware and make up the difference over time from ebook sales, especially now that the big publishing houses have implemented their Apple-friendly price hike/price fix scheme.) PB360, on the other hand, is priced on a strings-free basis. Its price is comparable to other non-storefront readers. Not the cheapest but then, it isn't a stripper loss-leader like, say, the Sony300.
To some people this is a plus, to some it is a minus. You need to decide which it is *for you*.

The same applies to other aspects of the products:
Nook and Kindle give you one reader app and one prefered ebook format.
Pocketbook gives you a choice of reader apps and for the preferred (ePub) format, a choice of rendering philosophies (ADE which enforces the publisher's font choices and page numbering or FBReader where you choose/override the font, size, margins and most of the typographical controls so books all look pretty much as *you* choose).
Some prefer simplicity, others prefer flexibility and end-user control.
Only you know if you care.
Nook and Kindle rely on traditional bookstyle carry cases that can add US$20-30 or up to US$80 for really fancy cases. Some see this as a way of self-expression and a plus, others see it as an added cost and a minus. PB360 comes with a snap-on hard cover, no self-expression, no cost. Plus or minus? Your call.
PB360 natively supports Mobi and epub file formats; Nook doesn't do mobi/Kindle doesn't do ePub. Do you care?
And so it runs.
PB360 is its own creature, not a wannabe Kindle looking for Amazon's leftovers.
It is priced against what it offers: pocketability, stability, ergonomics, weeks of battery life, multiple reader apps and support for the two main ebook formats in current use. Its price is a function of what it offers (pro and con) just as Nook and Kindle are priced as a function of what *they* offer.
It is up to you to decide if screen size matters to you, if wireless matters to you, how much does battery life matter. How much does native Mobi support matter.
You make your own value judgment but in the end it is going to be subjective because value is a personal thing; you can't turn value into a dollars per-square-inch ratio and expect everybody to agree on it. (Otherwise iRex DRS800 would be king).
Nobody can tell you what your needs are and how valuable certain features are going to be to you; only how we use our PB360s and how satisfied we are.
Me, I have a Kindle and a PB360.
Both have their uses.
I am happy with both.
But I do most of my day to day reading on the PB360.
It is lighter, smaller, and I get to completely control how the books look.
Even with Kindle, I don't bother with wireless; I'd rather have the longer battery life.
But that's me.

Your mileage *will* vary.

Nice post. The only thing I would add though is once the Nook is rooted it frees itself from a lot of the limitations that have been placed on it. When the Nook first came out I didn't even considered it. It only became a contender once the nookdevs entered the picture. The PB360 and the Nook (no root) are very much apple and oranges. But once the Nook it rooted its more like different types of apples (red apples and green apples).

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Guns4Hire

But once the Nook it rooted its more like different types of apples (red apples and green apples).

I like Golden Apples myself.

[Logseman]

How's the Nook so improved with the hacks? I remember considering it because the price was sexy at the time, but I was appalled by the fact that they weren't supporting international customers and I scratched it from my list.

[Ulli]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I like Golden Apples myself.

I like the golden apple too

[Guns4Hire]

Originally Posted by Logseman

How's the Nook so improved with the hacks? I remember considering it because the price was sexy at the time, but I was appalled by the fact that they weren't supporting international customers and I scratched it from my list.

Easiest thing I can do is pass on the website.

http://nookdevs.com/Main_Page

Lot of interesting stuff with the nook now since the nookdevs sit it free.



(by the way I picked up a PB360 used from the MR flea market...can't wait to get it)

[wallnuss]

If you are interested in a Nook yous should also take a look at Alex Reader https://www.springdesign.com/us/index.action and yes it's looks like an nook ant the idea behind it's the same BUT The Alex is the original one ;-) (and yes Springdesign has sue Barnes and Nobles , beacuse they steal the Idea ...) or you can simply buy a pocketbook an be happy ^^

[Logseman]

I'm very happy with my PB, and I've just bought an eeePC so my "gadget budget" is depleted. Thanks for the suggestion ^^