Needs tips on buying best file and lanugage supported e-reader

[fatkinglet]

Hi, I would like buy my first reader that has the most supports. I am considering between Amazon kindle 3 and Sony Reader 650.

I would like to know which one has the most file and chinese-language supports? because I have lots of story in html and txt file.


thanks

[Logseman]

Welcome, fatkinglet!

If you're looking for a grand quantity of supported formats, I'd safely strike out the Kindle. The SOny 650 is a good bet: however, there are readers of the chinese brand Jinke which may be of use to you, as they support many more formats. Pocketbook is an option, too.

[fatkinglet]

Does Nook has better support in terms of chinese lanugage and file types?

[wallcraft]

The Hanlin ebook readers are one of several brands actually designed in China, and the most widely known of these in the West. They support many formats and many languages.

Another option is PocketBook, again with wide language and format support.

However, Calibre makes the question of formats largely moot because it can convert almost anything into almost anything else. I think a Kindle 3 plus Calibre (converting to MOBI for the K3) might well be your best choice.

[fatkinglet]

Thanks for the tips, the kindle 3 is actually my first pick in term of price and feature except that I am in Toronto and there is no local store that display the device. I can only find Sony reader 650 sells here. And I able to use Calibre for Sony reader too?


Regarding the Hanlin and Pocketbook, what is the quality like compare to the two above?

[Logseman]

Pocketbooks can give Kindles and Sonys a run for their money, IMO. In particular, the small Pocketbook 360 is probably the best of small readers up to this moment, though we'll have to see what users think of Sony 350. Hanlin devices are quite praised as well, though I'm not personally impressed with them. At any rate, none of them are cheapish knockoffs, but well-established brands on their own merits.

Regarding your Sony question, they're indeed supported by Calibre already. Calibre supports practically everything you throw to it

[lalebarde]

;There is the Bookeen also. But I think my first buy will be a PocketBook 603.

[EowynCarter]

In particular, the small Pocketbook 360 is probably the best of small readers up to this moment, though we'll have to see what users think of Sony 350.

The cybook opus too, if you're looking for small.

Pocketbook have the most formats I think. (But the important point there is not the number of format, it's supporting the format you need). And the quality of rendering can vary. Same for the chiness text, some reader might support it better than others.

[fjtorres]

Uh, keep this point in mind:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=102035

Apparently, Sony doesn't offer any support for Unicode on western readers.

Pocketbook and Kindle both do, especially the former.

[fatkinglet]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Uh, keep this point in mind:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=102035

Apparently, Sony doesn't offer any support for Unicode on western readers.

Pocketbook and Kindle both do, especially the former.

Hi, someone mentioned the Calibre program? Will I be able to use it to overcome any obstacle for both Kindle and Sony?

I will be checking the sony at store today, but still siding with the Kindle.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fatkinglet

Hi, someone mentioned the Calibre program? Will I be able to use it to overcome any obstacle for both Kindle and Sony?

I will be checking the sony at store today, but still siding with the Kindle.

You are much better off with a reader that supports ePub and Sony does a good job at that. When the wars finally end, there will be two outcomes. The Kindle will die or it will have to go ePub.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by fatkinglet

Hi, someone mentioned the Calibre program? Will I be able to use it to overcome any obstacle for both Kindle and Sony?

I will be checking the sony at store today, but still siding with the Kindle.

No, I don't think it can solve *every* problem.
It can do a lot but making getting a reader to display character sets it doesn't support takes real magic and not of the coding variety.

I suggest you make sure the reader can display the kind of text you want natively before committing to anything. Magical formats are only as good as the reader that renders them.

If you really need to display chinese ebooks and the Sony doesn't support chinese characters then you either give up on the ebooks or give up on Sony, right?

[fatkinglet]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

No, I don't think it can solve *every* problem.
It can do a lot but making getting a reader to display character sets it doesn't support takes real magic and not of the coding variety.

I suggest you make sure the reader can display the kind of text you want natively before committing to anything. Magical formats are only as good as the reader that renders them.

If you really need to display chinese ebooks and the Sony doesn't support chinese characters then you either give up on the ebooks or give up on Sony, right?

I will definitely check the Sony reader at mall today, because I would need to be able to read chinese for sure either with or without 3rd party supports.

Do either of the one has a wide 3rdp software supports? And lets say If I decide on Kindle 3, should I get the wifi or wifi + 3gs? my situation is that I live in Toronto (canada), doing most reading at home, and I already have lots of books in txt and html (from online) which I won't be seeing myself buying online books.

thanks

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by fatkinglet

I will definitely check the Sony reader at mall today, because I would need to be able to read chinese for sure either with or without 3rd party supports.

Do either of the one has a wide 3rdp software supports? And lets say If I decide on Kindle 3, should I get the wifi or wifi + 3gs? my situation is that I live in Toronto (canada), doing most reading at home, and I already have lots of books in txt and html (from online) which I won't be seeing myself buying online books.

thanks

Kindle has an SDK for 3rd party software but except for a few games not much has materialized yet.
Sony has zero capability in that area.
Pocketbook Readers do have a few dozen apps for the platform but they're mostly "frosting"; nothing to base a buy-no buy decision off.

Do understand that eink readers are targeted devices aimed at reading; they are not computers, webpads, or PDAs. Whatever they do beyond ebook rendering (be it games, web surfing, or calculators, trainers, etc) are simply fringe benefits and usually not terribly sophisticated. The underlying tech is cellphone-derived, not PC-derived so there isn't much in the way of hardware resources to work with.

If you really want/need apps on the gadget you really need to be looking at a tablet PC, iPad (if you know the apps you need exist for it), or an Android slate (if you know the apps you need exist and can get them into the device). It probably isn't going to end well if you pick up a device that *doesn't* meet your needs out-of-box, *hoping* to "fix" it later. Especially if the "fixes" don't exist at present.

As to connectivity, unless you *know* you have a use for the 3G connectivity, you'll likely find wifi sufficient to your needs. Plus, is *is* cheaper.

As I said above: make sure the device you get has the capability to do what *you* need by *itself*.

Software like Calibre is great for support but it can't/won't give the reader capabilities it doesn't natively have. If the reader can't properly render content in a given language, converting it to a different format won't fix that deficiency.