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Old 07-26-2010, 04:37 PM   #1
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I'm looking for an inexpensive Sony reader to check out ebooks at my library. Does anyone know where I can get a great deal on one(website or at local stores such as Frys or Best Buy)? I would like one for around $100.00. Thanks for any info.
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Old 07-26-2010, 05:08 PM   #2
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The best deal I've seen specifically on a Sony was a few weeks ago on Woot! for $100 or $105 I think (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Other than that, the best price I've seen on a 5" PRS-300 right now is $135-$140. Your other option is to try ebay or the flea market here for a lightly used one maybe.
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Old 07-26-2010, 05:29 PM   #3
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You know, if this was posted a month ago I would have been 100% all about Augen's The Book. But now that the very stable eInk Kindle and their prices have dropped significantly, the decision is much harder.

For that matter, when Augen first showing off the eReader in May, the price (then at $149) was an awesome deal. They've had to drop the price to $99 at KMart and release it early in a sort of beta state just to keep it afloat.

That all being said, if you are comfortable in tinkering with gadgets and learning things on your own, the I would still recommend The Book. It has great potential but it's rough around the edges. The color is real nice, but expect to plug it in (with a non usb power adapter) at least every other night.

If you are looking for something very stable, I'd go with the Nook Wifi ($149). If you gotta have 3G, then its a toss up between the Nook 3G ($199) and the Kindle ($189).

In my opinion, these are the best values out there.
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Old 07-26-2010, 05:36 PM   #4
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Sony is not the only reader that can check out library ebooks.
Anything that uses Adobe ADE can access library ebooks. At the pricepoint you're discussing, US$100, there are a few options if you can live with an LCD screen. If you insist on eInk, the low-cost choices are Kobo ($149 with a $20 gift card), Nook wiFi at $149, and finding a Sony PRS-300 on a sale for around $130-something.

Value-wise the Nook is tops and Sony is at the bottom (non-expandable and minimalist features but if the Sony name means something to you...)

$100 for eink? You'll have to wait a while...
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Old 07-26-2010, 08:03 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by fjtorres View Post
Sony is not the only reader that can check out library ebooks.
My library uses Overdrive(http://www.overdrive.com/resources/d...okdevices.aspx), and there website shows what readers I'm able to use. It looks like I can use Nook, Kobo or Sony. I don't care about wi-fi. I'm really only going to use the reader to rent digital books from the library. If I need to buy a book, I prefer an actual book(not a digital version).

VentureForth- That reader looks interesting, but I don't see it listed on Overdrives website as one I can use, unfortunately.
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Old 07-26-2010, 08:14 PM   #6
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Any ebook reader capable of supporting ADE protected epub books can use overdrive. Heck, if you want to read on your computer, Windows and MacOS can both run Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). For a complete list of ADE supported devices, go here http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/. You can also check out our wiki's ebook matrix to see what supports it (look for Adobe in the supported DRM formats)

If you're still in want of a Sony, check out this to find the best deal. http://www.google.com/products/catal...DgA#scoring=tp

Last edited by Hellmark; 07-26-2010 at 08:25 PM.
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Old 07-26-2010, 08:27 PM   #7
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If I need to buy a book, I prefer an actual book(not a digital version).
You may be surprised how quickly that preference changes.

As for what device you might want: I have a Sony PRS-505, using Calibre rather than Sony's less-than-great software to manage my library of 2500 or so ebooks. Yes, that's a lot of books (though a fair chunk of them are short stories) but you may find yourself with just as many when you start rummaging around places like the Baen Free Library, or the public domain books available here on MR, at Project Gutenberg, and so on. I would strongly suggest you don't limit your planning to just library books. I suspect, given your spending limits, that you are on a strict budget (as am I) but if you're a heavy reader, a good ebook reader and a taste for classic and independently-published books can save you enough money to pay for the device many times over. I got mine so I could read Project Gutenberg in bed, and I've discovered that between Baen (my favorite SF pusher) and Smashwords (indie books, authors' backlists, etc.) I haven't bought a paperback from anywhere but the charity table in the supermarket for months.

You might want to ask a mod to move this thread over to the "Which device?" section -- you're more likely to get detailed help there.
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Old 07-26-2010, 08:30 PM   #8
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Any ebook reader capable of supporting ADE protected epub books can use overdrive.
Restricted, Hellmark, restricted. Don't let the organizations that want to take away our rights define our vocabulary.
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Old 07-27-2010, 03:15 AM   #9
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Good to have your company, Tinks. Keep tabs on the flea market at MobileRead for bargains. Best wishes. Neil
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Old 07-27-2010, 09:10 AM   #10
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Quote:
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That reader looks interesting, but I don't see it listed on Overdrives website as one I can use, unfortunately.
The Overdrive site is not the final word on what works with their system. It can't. Ebook readers based on ADE come (and go) faster than they can keep track of them.

The way it works is Overdrive set up support for the Adobe ADEPT DRM system and *any* reader that then licenses Adobe's software and SDK can access the library systems. Which means pretty much everything except Kindle and a few oddball products here and there (like Sharp's upcoming reader) will work fine with Overdrive content.

Limitting yourself to the Overdrive list will blind you to a variety of readers that could meet your needs, perhaps better and cheaper than the name-brand models listed. And given your desire to minimize cost...
(Shrug)

Just be aware that technology is improving and prices are dropping faster than Overdrive can update their list.
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Old 07-27-2010, 04:41 PM   #11
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My library uses Overdrive(http://www.overdrive.com/resources/d...okdevices.aspx), and there website shows what readers I'm able to use. It looks like I can use Nook, Kobo or Sony. I don't care about wi-fi. I'm really only going to use the reader to rent digital books from the library. If I need to buy a book, I prefer an actual book(not a digital version).

VentureForth- That reader looks interesting, but I don't see it listed on Overdrives website as one I can use, unfortunately.
As others have said, don't worry about whether or not a reader is on the Overdrive list. I get a large percentage of the ebooks I read from the library, and read them on two readers (the Astak EZ Reader Basic and Augen's The Book). Neither one is on Overdrive's list, yet both work fine with library downloads. As long as the reader supports Adobe Digital Editions, it will work.

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Old 07-29-2010, 12:44 PM   #12
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Sony is not the only reader that can check out library ebooks.
Anything that uses Adobe ADE can access library ebooks. At the pricepoint you're discussing, US$100, there are a few options if you can live with an LCD screen.
I don't mind if it's an LCD screen or not. I'm really not that picky. I just want a low cost reader that I can check library books out with. I don't really buy books any more since my libraries(I'm signed up with different cities) provide almost all of the books I want to read. Can you recommend a good reader that's inexpensive? Thanks.
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Old 07-30-2010, 12:31 AM   #13
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The Ectaco Jetbooks have a forum round these parts. The Jetbook lite (uses AA batteries) regularly goes on sale for under $100 and the regular jetbook can be found for around $129 on sale. Both support library ebook access. They use reflective B&W LCD screens that are noticeable darker than eink screens (though the same applies to the background). In the wake of the K3 intro these sales will likely be more frequent.

You might also want to look at the Kobo; it uses eink and has been running $149 with a $20 gift card but, again, the K3 intro may force them lower.

It may not be a bad idea to wait a few weeks for the full effect of Kindle 3 to spread through the market.
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Old 07-30-2010, 10:38 AM   #14
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Thanks for the information fjtorres.
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Old 08-01-2010, 09:30 AM   #15
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I second the comment from fjtorres, you can get the jbl for under $100 on sale and I would like to add the Libre from Borders for $119. The added advantage of the Jetbook/Libre series for library books is that since it doesn't have an internal clock, you can borrow several library books, transfer them to your ebook reader, return the books on your computer so that others may borrow them, but still read them on your reader for many weeks on end since they will not expire.

As far as I know, no other ereader device can claim to be able to navigate through several library books at once past their lending period.
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