The Handy Dandy Guide to What Reader You Should Buy - Page 3

HarryT · 08-30-2009, 10:20 AM

The ePub support on the Opus is better than that of the Sony. Unfortunately the new models of Sony devices still use the rather "elderly" version of the Adobe Digital Editions software that the older Sony devices use which means, for example, that they will not display fully-justified text.

DrMoze · 08-31-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The ePub support on the Opus is better than that of the Sony. Unfortunately the new models of Sony devices still use the rather "elderly" version of the Adobe Digital Editions software that the older Sony devices use which means, for example, that they will not display fully-justified text.

Although, to make it perfectly clear, ADE ebooks in pdf format (such as those borrowed from the NYPL) display as fully-justified text quite nicely, at all font sizes.

menudoBandit · 09-09-2009, 05:48 PM

Apologies if this is NOT the proper forum for this question. If not, kindly point me in the right direction as there is a TON of stuff on MobileRead.

I love what Gideon is trying to accomplish here and have been desperately searching for something like it. Background: I am very new to readers and have been playing around with my first - which happens to be a Kindle2 - for a couple of weeks. I just received the PRS-300 I ordered and have had a little time to play with it. At this time I am not concerned with the device nuances; I can uncover those fine for myself over the next couple of weeks.

I am a largely mainstream fiction reader. I love grabbing new releases when they come available and not paying a king's ransom for them. This makes Amazon particularly attractive, as they seem very competitively priced and seem to have the majority of eBooks I am interested in available for purchase.

That said, however, I like what the latest Sony readers (and many others) are trying to accomplish in adopting support for open standards. My quandary is this: I need something that will either support both DRM and open (like ePub, RTF, TXT, PDF, etc). I would like the ability to not anchor myself to a Kindle but still have the ability to buy and read books from Amazon and other mainstream etailers. I would prefer to keep the PRS300 because it at least offers more options in formats, but still supports DRM...but I love the Amazon store and it's associated pricing.

I can see what corporate giants like B&N, Amazon etc are trying to do and it sucks. I've looked at some of the non-mainstream readers like the Hanlin devices and while I love the feature-set, the inability to read DRM content - and thereby purchase fresh-released, mainstream (affordable) works is a deal killer for me.

So the only options I see are these right now:
1.) Keep the Kindle and read Free (Gutenberg, non-mainstream) books or buy DRM/Kindle-proprietary Amazon works.

2.) Keep the Sony and buy DRM books from Sony at a higher cost, along with other 3rd-party eBook sellers at an even higher cost.

3.)?

Once again I apologize if this is not the proper forum for this and thanks to all in advance who would try to correct my ignorance here.

jjohh22 · 10-02-2009, 03:08 AM

well down under seems to be outa space when it comes to the eco reader and books fiction of course available

itzelpreciosa · 10-13-2009, 06:18 PM

Hello, everyone!!

I just signed-up today and I've been reading your messages (along with reviews from other websites)... It's a bit overwhelming...

Let me introduce myself: I'm a postgraduate student in Houston, TX... and I'm desperately looking to buy an e-reader. Reason? The articles/chapters I have to read don't fit in my house anymore... literally

... and I'm still have about 3 years to go to graduate (hopefully not more), which translate to many more articles/chapters to read.

My interest is: PDF files (Help!)

Most of the documents I read are in PDF format with charts/graphs (few are microsoft word). I need to be able to highlight text and make notes by the side (like on a hard-copy) and save it to revist later (which I always have to do). If these features are available in color, it would be amazing because they would stand out in the text.

I read a horrible review about the new Kindle DX in the Amazon website by an engineer (?). His needs (the pdf file thing) are the same as mine, and as mentined in an older post, it does not support it/ it's a mess to try and use it.

I also read a review about the Sony E-reader (I don't remember where) in which the person declared it was good, not great ... but the best so far to read pdf files, but s/he doesn't mentioned about the other features (highlighting, notes, etc).

It has come down to Sony reader and Havon's WISE reader N526, but I don't know if I'm missing info.

Those anybody know of anything new that has come out and it's great for PDF files?

I saw the new Sony Reader Daily Edition (comes out this December), but it doesn't have many details about the PDF thing. It says it supports it, but I wonder if I can enlarge font, highlight, etc, etc.

Any thoughts/comments... Thank you so much guys.

GA Russell · 10-17-2009, 02:50 AM

A lot of people said that they thought this thread was a good idea, yet nearly five months later not a single vote has been cast for any category!

sahmad88 · 10-25-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menudoBandit

So the only options I see are these right now:
1.) Keep the Kindle and read Free (Gutenberg, non-mainstream) books or buy DRM/Kindle-proprietary Amazon works.
2.) Keep the Sony and buy DRM books from Sony at a higher cost, along with other 3rd-party eBook sellers at an even higher cost.
3.)?
Once again I apologize if this is not the proper forum for this and thanks to all in advance who would try to correct my ignorance here.

If you want to read mainstream books, try shortcovers.com. They have prices competitive with Amazon and I believe they are in epub.

sahmad88 · 10-25-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GA Russell

A lot of people said that they thought this thread was a good idea, yet nearly five months later not a single vote has been cast for any category!

I noticed this too. I wish I knew enough to add to the original intention of this thread. My husband I sinterested in an ereaders and he wants one to read mainstream fiction, newspapers, and magazines. I know he won't want to have to connect his reader everyday, so that means one with wireless support. We are going to wait until Sony's Daily Reader, iRex' DR800SG, and the Nook are out and compare witht the Kindle.

WT Sharpe · 10-25-2009, 09:13 AM

Man, I gotta' get me one of those Space Holders!

Seriously, though -- this is a great thread idea!

GizmoPlanet · 10-25-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I would say the Sony 300... that is to be released soon. It will be $200 US, not sure how much it will be canadian. You should be able to load your notes on it, but not take notes on it.

But, as a student... I would say a Netbook would probably be a better all around student device for reading books, taking notes, studying, etc.

BOb

The PRS-300 is now available at several electronics stores (e.g. Future Shop, BestBuy) in Canada.

I paid $259.99CDN for mine at the Sony Store.

As to the topic of 'Which e-reader should I buy?' I'm no expert, but let me weigh in with some thoughts.

If you're looking for a basic e-reader, something like the Sony PRS-300 would probably work just fine. In my limited experience, I would say that the '300 doesn't handle PDF files very well because it doesn't interpret the formatting codes found in PDF files well. It seems to do a much better job with EPUB documents.

If you want to read digitized newspapers, or even textbooks, or make independent notes or annotations, get something like an iRex 1000, which has a 10.2" display. The PRS-300 display is too small to permit easy reading of graphics-intensive documents, so it wouldn't be a good choice for handling either of those two kinds of documents. The iRex is also close to three times the cost of the PRS-300, so for the average student, that might be out of financial reach. Plus, there doesn't seem to be many digitized textbooks available yet.

It's still early days yet for e-readers and we're just scratching the surface. In the next 3 -5 years we will probably see the emergence of devices with colour displays offering greater bit depth, and readers with larger displays will dramatically come down in price. Once that happens, you will start seeing textbook publishers digitizing their work, and the process of using e-readers to handle full-length textbooks will become fairly easy.

For students, a tablet computer (if you can handle the price and don't mind the weight) with a folding keyboard is probably the best choice you could make. Most netbooks have screens that are too small, IMHO. But then again, my poor old eyes can't see fine type as well as they used to.

kishanm77 · 11-01-2009, 12:46 PM

hello all i have newly joined this forum
i am a cardiac surgeon in india and am interested in reading variety of books without spending much. thus i'm here. i would like to say that this forum is a good place to start with for new people. i would also like to ask a stupid question if u pardon me. why e reader? why not just a notebook or a netbook? do e readers change the way we read?

gwynevans · 11-01-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kishanm77

why e reader? why not just a notebook or a netbook? do e readers change the way we read?

Well, my guess would be that for the majority of people, they're reading as leisure activity and the big advantages of eBook readers over net/notebooks are the portability, the battery life and the display. For example, the Sony Pocket (which is reasonably representative) weighs 220g/8oz, is ultra-slim, will last for a couple of weeks on one charge and reads very well in bright light/sunlight. As with all the eInk devices, the technology means that there's none of the eyestrain that many people experience with backlit LCD displays.

desertgrandma · 11-01-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kishanm77

hello all i have newly joined this forum
i am a cardiac surgeon in india and am interested in reading variety of books without spending much. thus i'm here. i would like to say that this forum is a good place to start with for new people. i would also like to ask a stupid question if u pardon me. why e reader? why not just a notebook or a netbook? do e readers change the way we read?

Welcome, kishanm, to Mobileread.

e-ink is what makes the difference. Reading on an eink screen is much like reading a paper book......no eye strain whatsoever.

Its small, you can carry it with you wherever you go, all your books are at your fingertips, to be read anywhere, anytime.

Books open to whereever you left off. Font is adjustable, and there is a built in dictionary.

Now, please go here, start a new thread, and introduce yourself so that we may all welcome you properly. Good luck!!

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=49

rhmorrison · 11-06-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itzelpreciosa

My interest is: PDF files (Help!)

Most of the documents I read are in PDF format with charts/graphs (few are microsoft word). I need to be able to highlight text and make notes by the side (like on a hard-copy) and save it to revist later (which I always have to do). If these features are available in color, it would be amazing because they would stand out in the text.

Any thoughts/comments...

I think you ought to take a look at the QUE proReader from Plastic Logic that will be premiering January 7th, 2010 at the CES.

angelbleu · 11-09-2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Man, I gotta' get me one of those Space Holders!

Me too! It sounds like the ULTIMATE eBook reader!

This thread started out with a lot of promise, but it's quite disappointing to see that none of its objectives have yet to be met... or maybe we should take that fact as the answer?

In my case, portability will be the deal maker/breaker.

I don't usually set aside time specifically for reading, and have settled into this habit of whipping out my PDA/Smartphone whenever I have free time to read. For example, in the bus/subway to and from work, waiting in queue at the supermarket, waiting for my turn at the bank, waiting for my doctor's appointment, etc.

I also like to travel light, so I don't want to have to carry a bag or anything just to hold the eBook reader in. So my prime requirement is for the eBook reader to be small enough to fit in my pocket.

So far, none of the available devices seem to match this.

That's why I've settled with reading on my Blackberry Bold. A poor alternative, but I don't have a choice yet.

09-09-2009, 05:48 PM	#33
menudoBandit Rube Posts: 4 Karma: 186 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North America Device: Kindle2, iPhone	I'm your demographic Apologies if this is NOT the proper forum for this question. If not, kindly point me in the right direction as there is a TON of stuff on MobileRead. I love what Gideon is trying to accomplish here and have been desperately searching for something like it. Background: I am very new to readers and have been playing around with my first - which happens to be a Kindle2 - for a couple of weeks. I just received the PRS-300 I ordered and have had a little time to play with it. At this time I am not concerned with the device nuances; I can uncover those fine for myself over the next couple of weeks. I am a largely mainstream fiction reader. I love grabbing new releases when they come available and not paying a king's ransom for them. This makes Amazon particularly attractive, as they seem very competitively priced and seem to have the majority of eBooks I am interested in available for purchase. That said, however, I like what the latest Sony readers (and many others) are trying to accomplish in adopting support for open standards. My quandary is this: I need something that will either support both DRM and open (like ePub, RTF, TXT, PDF, etc). I would like the ability to not anchor myself to a Kindle but still have the ability to buy and read books from Amazon and other mainstream etailers. I would prefer to keep the PRS300 because it at least offers more options in formats, but still supports DRM...but I love the Amazon store and it's associated pricing. I can see what corporate giants like B&N, Amazon etc are trying to do and it sucks. I've looked at some of the non-mainstream readers like the Hanlin devices and while I love the feature-set, the inability to read DRM content - and thereby purchase fresh-released, mainstream (affordable) works is a deal killer for me. So the only options I see are these right now: 1.) Keep the Kindle and read Free (Gutenberg, non-mainstream) books or buy DRM/Kindle-proprietary Amazon works. 2.) Keep the Sony and buy DRM books from Sony at a higher cost, along with other 3rd-party eBook sellers at an even higher cost. 3.)? Once again I apologize if this is not the proper forum for this and thanks to all in advance who would try to correct my ignorance here. Last edited by menudoBandit; 09-09-2009 at 05:49 PM. Reason: Change email sub to instant

10-25-2009, 09:13 AM	#39
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	Man, I gotta' get me one of those Space Holders! Seriously, though -- this is a great thread idea! Last edited by WT Sharpe; 10-25-2009 at 09:16 AM.

11-01-2009, 12:46 PM	#41
kishanm77 Dr. Techno Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: none	hello all i have newly joined this forum i am a cardiac surgeon in india and am interested in reading variety of books without spending much. thus i'm here. i would like to say that this forum is a good place to start with for new people. i would also like to ask a stupid question if u pardon me. why e reader? why not just a notebook or a netbook? do e readers change the way we read? Last edited by kishanm77; 11-01-2009 at 01:28 PM.

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08-30-2009, 10:20 AM	#31
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The ePub support on the Opus is better than that of the Sony. Unfortunately the new models of Sony devices still use the rather "elderly" version of the Adobe Digital Editions software that the older Sony devices use which means, for example, that they will not display fully-justified text.

10-02-2009, 03:08 AM	#34
jjohh22 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: queensland australia Device: eco reader	well down under seems to be outa space when it comes to the eco reader and books fiction of course available

10-13-2009, 06:18 PM	#35
itzelpreciosa Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Hello, everyone!! I just signed-up today and I've been reading your messages (along with reviews from other websites)... It's a bit overwhelming... Let me introduce myself: I'm a postgraduate student in Houston, TX... and I'm desperately looking to buy an e-reader. Reason? The articles/chapters I have to read don't fit in my house anymore... literally ... and I'm still have about 3 years to go to graduate (hopefully not more), which translate to many more articles/chapters to read. My interest is: PDF files (Help!) Most of the documents I read are in PDF format with charts/graphs (few are microsoft word). I need to be able to highlight text and make notes by the side (like on a hard-copy) and save it to revist later (which I always have to do). If these features are available in color, it would be amazing because they would stand out in the text. I read a horrible review about the new Kindle DX in the Amazon website by an engineer (?). His needs (the pdf file thing) are the same as mine, and as mentined in an older post, it does not support it/ it's a mess to try and use it. I also read a review about the Sony E-reader (I don't remember where) in which the person declared it was good, not great ... but the best so far to read pdf files, but s/he doesn't mentioned about the other features (highlighting, notes, etc). It has come down to Sony reader and Havon's WISE reader N526, but I don't know if I'm missing info. Those anybody know of anything new that has come out and it's great for PDF files? I saw the new Sony Reader Daily Edition (comes out this December), but it doesn't have many details about the PDF thing. It says it supports it, but I wonder if I can enlarge font, highlight, etc, etc. Any thoughts/comments... Thank you so much guys.

10-17-2009, 02:50 AM	#36
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	A lot of people said that they thought this thread was a good idea, yet nearly five months later not a single vote has been cast for any category!

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