Kobo vs. Kindle

[Andreiuta]

The reason I would never, and I mean NEVER buy a Kindle is because I have major concerns about their privacy policy. The Kindle employees believe that they have the right to check on the books that they sold you even after the purchase was completed. If I buy a paperback book from Amazon, I don't give the company the key from my home along with my blessing to enter my house whenever they want and see how that book is doing. Yet, the Kindle's customer support does just that.

I used to have the Kindle application installed on my android phone when one of their employees decided to access my phone without my permission (and he was dumb enough to even write me an e-mail about it). Let's just say that, in my entire life, I never wrote a nastier reply to a company...

Yes, Kobo is slow when turning the page, but it's still faster than me doing it manually with a physical book. In the end, the difference between 0.5 and 0.2 of a second has little impact on my reading experience.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Andreiuta

I used to have the Kindle application installed on my android phone when one of their employees decided to access my phone without my permission (and he was dumb enough to even write me an e-mail about it). Let's just say that, in my entire life, I never wrote a nastier reply to a company...

Yes, Kobo is slow when turning the page, but it's still faster than me doing it manually with a physical book. In the end, the difference between 0.5 and 0.2 of a second has little impact on my reading experience.

Actually the speed difference is caused by the device the app is on. On Kobo the e INK screen is a little slower to page change but if you use an app running on a LCD screen the page turn speed would be the same as Kindle on your phone I think. Kindle devices are slower than the phone. At least Kobo on my Literati is faster than page turning on my Astak e Ink device. But as you say, both are fast enough.

Dale

[Meemo]

As long as the ads is as they show them now - only on the screensaver (which I see for a second or two while it wakes up) and the home page (which I rarely see) I could live with it. Especially for ads like the ones they tout on the site (a half-price gift certificate, a $1 mp3 download, $68 in savings on audible books) - i.e. savings on top of savings for things I'd be buying anyway. Heck, if you took advantage of just those 3 you could be getting $88 in savings right there - add in that clothing one that saves $20 and you've almost paid for the $114 K3. Over time, those savings could pay for the entire K3. I don't want ads to be popping up in the middle of my books, but as a screensaver or at the bottom of the home page, wouldn't bother me. If I were in the market for a K3 I'd jump on it.

[ltr]

I don't want ads to be popping up in the middle of my books, but as a screensaver or at the bottom of the home page, wouldn't bother me.

They get their foot in the door and it's a slippery slope.

Where does it end.

Maybe next you'll see a little ad down in the corner of each page.

Personally, I'd pay not to see any ads.

[siraks]

Originally Posted by ltr

They get their foot in the door and it's a slippery slope.

Where does it end.

Maybe next you'll see a little ad down in the corner of each page.

Personally, I'd pay not to see any ads.

i as well would personally pay to not see ads because once you have it, who's to stop them from adding an ad in the middle of their books as well? you turn 5-10 pages and then an ad then a couple page flips and back to page 11.

i never pay attention to them anyway and that extra page flip isn't big in the grand scheme of things but for an extra 25 dollars for the life of the product i'd stick to the 139 version.

i have zero problems with my kobo and it does what it's intended for, bells free eink reader.

i think with the ad idea they are trying to drive sales 2 ways.
1-people would save the 25 bucks and take the cheaper kindle
2-people that were on the fence are happy that there is a cheaper kindle but then the ad free version is 25 bucks more and will go for that one as well.

works both ways for kindle i guess.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Meemo

Heck, if you took advantage of just those 3 you could be getting $88 in savings right there - add in that clothing one that saves $20 and you've almost paid for the $114 K3. Over time, those savings could pay for the entire K3.

I'm in the market for another Kindle and with the savings from the initial offers, my KSO will be free.

Originally Posted by siraks

i think with the ad idea they are trying to drive sales 2 ways.
1-people would save the 25 bucks and take the cheaper kindle
2-people that were on the fence are happy that there is a cheaper kindle but then the ad free version is 25 bucks more and will go for that one as well.

Then there are those (like me) who will be buying one because they want the offers.

[anidel]

This may be an article worth a read:

http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/ad...-deal-with-it/

[anidel]

Personally I'm happy to pay less just to see an Ad on the splash screem, at the bottom of the home screen, even when I first OPEN an ebook.
Not WHILE I read, though.

So, yes, there's a market for BOTH kind of ebook readers.

[SensualPoet]

No ads with my Kobo, please. I am very happy with my Kindle 3 WiFi and Kobo WiFi just as they are. And, while it's nice to save $25 upfront, if you are still paying $10 per e-book ... well, I'd prefer a "frequent buyers" club such as 15% of all purchases.

[monaski]

My birthday is coming up and I am planning to ask for an e-reader for my birthday but I am having a difficulty in choosing between the kindle and the kobo. Can any of you please help me decide.

[PeterT]

For some time, one of the large differences was lack of public library support for Kindle. Recently they have announced that they are adding support for borrowing of library books.

Now ignoring that, it comes down to personal choice. Kobo is a fairly basic eBook reader, Kindle (I think) is more feature rich.

[pholy]

Monaaski - The Kindle Library access is only coming to the USA owners, so if you are elsewhere and want library access, the Kobo is the better choice. It is a basic reader, and the Bebook and Sony readers have more features (and a higher price). Another choice I keep hearing about - the Nook and NookColor - is only available in the USA, so it is off my list, as are all the books from Barnes&Noble.

[La Coccinelle]

Originally Posted by anidel

This may be an article worth a read:

http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/ad...-deal-with-it/

Any article that takes that sort of snarky tone ("That's my opinion. Deal with it!") won't get any points from me.

If all the readers eventually show ads in the books themselves, I'll be going back to paper books. The problem with doing this in an e-book format is that you're a captive audience and you have no say in the matter. You have to look at the stupid ad (and use battery juice in the process), even if you want to just flip past it.

We're bombarded with enough ads as it is. I'm old enough to remember when going to the movies meant that you didn't have to sit through the same commercials as you did at home. Hands off the e-books, greedy people!

[masona8]

Will you be able to use the Kobo dictionary feature on library books?
Will you be able to go to a page number in a library book?

[PeterT]

The Goto option yes, as it is available on both Kobo format books and ePubs (and libraries make use of OverDrive which is DRM based ePubs).

However, Dictionary only works in Kobo format books, so will not work on library books.