Do you know what you REALLY need in an e-reader? - Page 2

ChrisC333 · 04-23-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

This seemed so off to me I had to check myself. My Sony 900 external dimensions (including cover) 8-1/4” x 4-3/4”. Available reading area on screen accounting for margins 6” x 3-1/2”.

Pulling a paperback book of similar size off my bookshelf: Footprint 7- 5/8” x 5-1/4”. Print area on page accounting for margins 6-1/2” x 4-1/2”.

The Sony has about the same 'printed' area as the paperback not about one half. Not even close to that reduction.

Fair call. Thanks for taking the trouble to measure and post the figures

In my defence, my figures aren't off because I wasn't talking about your Sony. I quite specifically referred to the screen size of my iRiver Story (the one in the picture). The ratios I quoted were accurate. The screen has an area of just over 16.6 square inches (3.5" by 4.75"). The pages in the reasonably small paperback in the same picture cover 38.75 sq inches ( 5" x 7.75"). Comfortably over twice the real estate. Open the book and you can see two pages at once - over 77 sq ins. Measuring only the print area of asingle page gave a similar ratio of slightly less than 2 to 1 (23 to 12.75)

Quote:

I generally find that I am reading several books simultaneously; usually some technical book, a couple of fiction books, and a couple of none fiction books. When I want all are available on my reader with the spot I left off bookmarked for me.

That's great about e-reading isn't it.

Having a bunch of things on the go in one compact location is excellent.

Quote:

I do wish the pricing had been lower, but now I seldom buy an e-book. There is so much that I want to read that can be found for free [as an e-book] here and at other sites that I figure I have saved quite a bit versus having to buy the same p-books.

True enough. I ended up deleting a lot of the free books that I downloaded in the first flush of enthusiasm, but I've still saved a good amount on the ones that I did keep and read.

Cheers,

Chris

batgirl · 04-23-2010, 11:36 AM

I did a lot of research before buying my PocketBook 360 and I am even more happy with it than I thought I would be. I was originally looking at 6" e-ink screens and was afraid the 5" screen would be too small.

But the PB 360 is perfect for my needs. I am a heavy recreational reader who always carries a book (never know when I'm going to end up in a line somewhere) so I wanted something ultra portable and light. I wanted to be able to check out ebooks from the library. The ergonomics of the 360 is awesome. Like you I didn't realize all the acrobatics of pbook reading. As for the actual reading experience I just get lost in the book. Beyond the comfort of not having to wrangle or hold a heavy pbook, I forget that I'm reading on an e-ink screen instead of paper.

I am a total convert.

I will likely be in the market for a larger "home-based" ereader to read magazines, newspapers, comics, etc but I plan on waiting for the technology to evolve. Right now my laptop computer serves that purpose better than any ereader could.

ChrisC333 · 04-23-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by batgirl

I did a lot of research before buying my PocketBook 360 and I am even more happy with it than I thought I would be. I was originally looking at 6" e-ink screens and was afraid the 5" screen would be too small.

But the PB 360 is perfect for my needs. I am a heavy recreational reader who always carries a book (never know when I'm going to end up in a line somewhere) so I wanted something ultra portable and light.

That whole size thing was intriguing to work through. Finding out that I could comfortably read regular text on something an small as an iTouch was a real eye opener. So that does me for an 'in line' one ( mostly waiting to pick up my son from school). Oops

I guess I lied about not reading standing up...

Your PocketBook sounds like a great fit for you. I looked into them a little but couldn't find a local supplier in my neck of the woods.

Quote:

I wanted to be able to check out ebooks from the library.

I'm jealous. Our local library hasn't caught up with e-books, and I haven't yet tracked down one further afield that I can use.

Quote:

I will likely be in the market for a larger "home-based" ereader to read magazines, newspapers, comics, etc but I plan on waiting for the technology to evolve. Right now my laptop computer serves that purpose better than any ereader could.

The next couple of years should be well worth watching. I'm more or less covered for now, but I can't honestly say that I won't be coveting some of the new offerings. It will be especially interesting to see where e-ink can go once they get colour happening, and I'm sure that tablets will get lighter and do a better job with screen reflectivity too. Interesting times ahead.

Cheers,

Chris

Hamlet53 · 04-23-2010, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisC333

I'm jealous. Our local library hasn't caught up with e-books, and I haven't yet tracked down one further afield that I can use.

Cheers,

Chris

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...t=philadelphia

Ea · 04-23-2010, 02:56 PM

Edit added: I first started reading on a PDA, but wanted something with a larger screen.

My first device was the Cybook gen 3 - I had (re)discovered ebook reading devices shortly before the Cybook came out, and in Europe at that time there wasn't much to choose from (I really liked the look of Sony 505). I got the Cybook mainly to read fan fiction on. I'd read on my PC screen for several years, and it was okay, but it would be nice not to have to sit at my desk to read.

Then I broke the Cybook's screen half a year later and used the opportunity to get the Irex iLiad. The bigger screen was really nice, but overall I found it too heavy, couldn't hold it with one hand like the Cybook, and it had developed an annoying page-turn button issue. So I sold it again.

And bought a Hanlin V3 (Bebook, Astak). Nice, solid, non-fancy, light, good button placement - but I never had a good relationship with the software, and now you could buy Sony 505 in Europe, and I discovered I really, really wanted one

So I sold the Hanlin and bought a Sony PRS-505. It was a good match. I liked the look and it 'just worked' in many ways. It did make my hands cold, but great apart from that and a silicone skin helped a lot.

Now I started to branch out and bought a 10'' DR1000 to supplement the 6" screen. It's nice but I don't use it as much as I had hoped I would.

An then came that.... Kindle International. I really like the dictionary, it's very useful, and I like the keyboard and general physical design. Good button placement, the wide bezel means there's something to hold on to, and it's much easier to use a physical keyboard than an onscreen one (I HATE the keyboard on my Touch).

Most recently I bought a PocketBook 360 to supplement the relatively large and heavy Kindle. It's super-light and small with a decently sized screen, and great for taking with you.

My concerns with choosing e-readers have mainly been:
1) weight - just because I can live with heavy books, doesn't mean I should accept a heavy device.
2) ergonomics - needs to be easy to hold and the page-turn button should be easy to manipulate
3) firmware - best if it 'just works', I want to read, not tinker with a gadget (well, not much

)
4) dictionary and note-taking functionality - I didnøt know I needed this, and I don't use it with every book, but it's really great to have when I need it.
5) screen size - I still wish for something a little more like a usual book page. 8'' and a weight of 150 gram would be ideal.

ChrisC333 · 04-23-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...t=philadelphia

Thnaks for that.

At first look it seems that they're catering for people who live in other US states rather than overseas like me, but I might get in touch and ask anyway. The problem with either selling or lending across international borders is that the copyright position with any individual book can vary greatly from country to country. Many organisations are understandably reluctant to open that can of worms right now. But I'll see what they say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

My concerns with choosing e-readers have mainly been:
1) weight - just because I can live with heavy books, doesn't mean I should accept a heavy device.
2) ergonomics - needs to be easy to hold and the page-turn button should be easy to manipulate
3) firmware - best if it 'just works', I want to read, not tinker with a gadget (well, not much

)
4) dictionary and note-taking functionality - I didnøt know I needed this, and I don't use it with every book, but it's really great to have when I need it.
5) screen size - I still wish for something a little more like a usual book page. 8'' and a weight of 150 gram would be ideal.

Thanks for an interesting post about your experiences so far.

That's a good list you've made, and I imagine that there are also many potential new buyers who are still waiting for one or all of those aspects to improve before they feel comfortable to take the plunge. I know that your point 3 is still a popular concern for many. To some, they're still seen (with some justification) as geeky devices that make the whole business of buying, installing, managing and sharing books more of a chore than it needs to be.

Cheers,

Chris

Darqref · 04-24-2010, 01:47 AM

My first ebook reader was induced by Baen Books, when they started their Webscription program. I had read samples on my computer, but the computer doesn't go to bed. I finally got my hands on a Rocket eBook, which convinced my I would be able to read on a screen of that quality (which even then seemed lower quality than my then-current monitors). My experience with the Rocket showed my I liked being able to have multiple books at hand (even though the memory only included about 8 Mb, no removable media). The back light made it neat to read at night, and on several camping trips I was able to read in total darkness.

Shortly after I bought the Rocket, Nuovomedia was purchased by RCA, and support for the Rocket went down hill.

The Rocket, and it's successors which developed into the ebookwise device, are about the size of a hardback book. There is a significant weight in the battery, but the placement of that weight in a bulge on one side made it surprisingly easy to hold and use one-handed. The touch screen can re-orient the screen to all four sides, and the buttons are easily reached from all those orientations. Several of us here on Mobile Read use the Rocket as our ideal model for button placement and usability.

As eInk screens became available, I closely watched a program by Barflies at Baen to create a reader. This ended up being a Bookeen Cybook Gen3. After being able to handle several copies of the Sony 500 and 505, I decided their buttons just didn't feel right, and I had significant loyalty to the NAEB reader process. I bough the Gen3 through NAEB, and shorty after my shipment came through, NAEB quit business because of difficulties with dealing in small numbers of devices. I have no complaints about this, because support (what support there is.....) was available thru Bookeen.

I love the screen. It's not perfect, but the things I notice are much more likely to be a product of bad formatting rather than the screen it's displayed on. On the other hand, I broke one, and it cost $120 to get it replaced. Ouch, and I still don't know what cause the fracture.

On the other hand, I've discovered that I HATE the D-button interface used on the Gen3 (and on all the competing products that use the reference design). I have to take too much care to get the button pressed, without triggering a nearby button. I don't feel comfortable holding it in either hand, and It doesn't easily come to my hand in landscape orientation. But I've read a LOT of books on it.

My next reading device will have better ergonomics, and I'm back to a requirement to hold the device in my hands before purchase. I like the looks of the Pocketbook360. I still don't really like the feel of the newer Sony models. I've never managed to hold a Kindle - maybe that will change if they get stocked in a retail store - and I don't like the looks of the keyboard. The Kobo seems like more of what I've got. Ain't gonna buy an Apple device (And I Have used a Mac - I tested software that released for the Mac and PC on the same day, on both devices, side by side. I hated the Mac, and that's after my first two computers were both Apple ][. )

If my next device is larger than my current 6inch screen, it will have a plastic substrate screen. Don't want to take a chance on breaking another one. I don't think I want something as small as a cellphone as my primary reading device, but a 5 inch screen may be ok. Ergonomics will end up being the key, though I'll be looking for good firmware support too. And I have a goal to never infect my computer with ADE, so I'm looking for a device that will read without requiring Adobe.

Hamlet53 · 04-24-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisC333

Thnaks for that.

At first look it seems that they're catering for people who live in other US states rather than overseas like me, but I might get in touch and ask anyway. The problem with either selling or lending across international borders is that the copyright position with any individual book can vary greatly from country to country. Many organisations are understandably reluctant to open that can of worms right now. But I'll see what they say.

I did not glance at your information closely enought to notice that you hailed from "The Land Down Under."

We'd like to welcome the Yank bastard to God's own earth, and I'd like to remind him that we don't like stuck-up sticky-beaks here.

Though if you look at the second post by Marcy in that thread it would seem the library has no problems with at least issuing cards to residents of other countries.

DixieGal · 04-24-2010, 08:03 AM

Q: What do I want most in an e-reader?

A: A slot that spits out cash!

I'm waiting for that feature!

ChrisC333 · 04-24-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

I did not glance at your information closely enought to notice that you hailed from "The Land Down Under."

We'd like to welcome the Yank bastard to God's own earth, and I'd like to remind him that we don't like stuck-up sticky-beaks here.

Though if you look at the second post by Marcy in that thread it would seem the library has no problems with at least issuing cards to residents of other countries.

Thanks for that extra info.

I couldn't find the quote in red though, and even Google was baffled (where did that come from?).

Anyway, I'll try getting in touch with the library itself.

Cheers,

Chris

ChrisC333 · 04-24-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Q: What do I want most in an e-reader?

A: A slot that spits out cash!

I'm waiting for that feature!

We've got one of them in the nearby town. Unfortunately it only has really short books, with totally dumb plots like "You have insufficient funds".

DixieGal · 04-24-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisC333

We've got one of them in the nearby town. Unfortunately it only has really short books, with totally dumb plots like "You have insufficient funds".

I read that one already....

ChrisC333 · 04-24-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I read that one already....

Hamlet53 · 04-24-2010, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisC333

Thanks for that extra info.

I couldn't find the quote in red though, and even Google was baffled (where did that come from?).

Anyway, I'll try getting in touch with the library itself.

Cheers,

Chris

Sorry I was watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail for the umpteenth time last night and then saw your post this morning. Just more Monty Python sillyness . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA

astra · 04-24-2010, 05:25 PM

A Must:
1. It has to have eInk screen.
2. It has to have a long battery life, means minimum 10 days without recharging.
3. Screen size has to be 8", so with a font base of 10, of medium size I get as much text in a hard back edition or very close.
4. Screen's quality has to be at least of Sony Reader PRS-505 clarity and contract.
5. It would be nice if the ebook reader comes from Sony. I absolutely love their hardware from ergonomic point of view. Be it 500, 505 or 600 (although, I don't like how touch screen affects the screen, I hope it will improve in a couple years).

Additional features that would be nice to have too:
Dictionary.

04-23-2010, 02:56 PM	#20
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Edit added: I first started reading on a PDA, but wanted something with a larger screen. My first device was the Cybook gen 3 - I had (re)discovered ebook reading devices shortly before the Cybook came out, and in Europe at that time there wasn't much to choose from (I really liked the look of Sony 505). I got the Cybook mainly to read fan fiction on. I'd read on my PC screen for several years, and it was okay, but it would be nice not to have to sit at my desk to read. Then I broke the Cybook's screen half a year later and used the opportunity to get the Irex iLiad. The bigger screen was really nice, but overall I found it too heavy, couldn't hold it with one hand like the Cybook, and it had developed an annoying page-turn button issue. So I sold it again. And bought a Hanlin V3 (Bebook, Astak). Nice, solid, non-fancy, light, good button placement - but I never had a good relationship with the software, and now you could buy Sony 505 in Europe, and I discovered I really, really wanted one So I sold the Hanlin and bought a Sony PRS-505. It was a good match. I liked the look and it 'just worked' in many ways. It did make my hands cold, but great apart from that and a silicone skin helped a lot. Now I started to branch out and bought a 10'' DR1000 to supplement the 6" screen. It's nice but I don't use it as much as I had hoped I would. An then came that.... Kindle International. I really like the dictionary, it's very useful, and I like the keyboard and general physical design. Good button placement, the wide bezel means there's something to hold on to, and it's much easier to use a physical keyboard than an onscreen one (I HATE the keyboard on my Touch). Most recently I bought a PocketBook 360 to supplement the relatively large and heavy Kindle. It's super-light and small with a decently sized screen, and great for taking with you. My concerns with choosing e-readers have mainly been: 1) weight - just because I can live with heavy books, doesn't mean I should accept a heavy device. 2) ergonomics - needs to be easy to hold and the page-turn button should be easy to manipulate 3) firmware - best if it 'just works', I want to read, not tinker with a gadget (well, not much ) 4) dictionary and note-taking functionality - I didnøt know I needed this, and I don't use it with every book, but it's really great to have when I need it. 5) screen size - I still wish for something a little more like a usual book page. 8'' and a weight of 150 gram would be ideal. Last edited by Ea; 04-23-2010 at 03:03 PM.

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04-23-2010, 11:36 AM	#17
batgirl Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 126 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chicago Device: PocketBook360	I did a lot of research before buying my PocketBook 360 and I am even more happy with it than I thought I would be. I was originally looking at 6" e-ink screens and was afraid the 5" screen would be too small. But the PB 360 is perfect for my needs. I am a heavy recreational reader who always carries a book (never know when I'm going to end up in a line somewhere) so I wanted something ultra portable and light. I wanted to be able to check out ebooks from the library. The ergonomics of the 360 is awesome. Like you I didn't realize all the acrobatics of pbook reading. As for the actual reading experience I just get lost in the book. Beyond the comfort of not having to wrangle or hold a heavy pbook, I forget that I'm reading on an e-ink screen instead of paper. I am a total convert. I will likely be in the market for a larger "home-based" ereader to read magazines, newspapers, comics, etc but I plan on waiting for the technology to evolve. Right now my laptop computer serves that purpose better than any ereader could.

04-24-2010, 01:47 AM	#22
Darqref space cadet Posts: 330 Karma: 2963633 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Seattle area Device: Rocket PRO, gen3, Pocketbook360	My first ebook reader was induced by Baen Books, when they started their Webscription program. I had read samples on my computer, but the computer doesn't go to bed. I finally got my hands on a Rocket eBook, which convinced my I would be able to read on a screen of that quality (which even then seemed lower quality than my then-current monitors). My experience with the Rocket showed my I liked being able to have multiple books at hand (even though the memory only included about 8 Mb, no removable media). The back light made it neat to read at night, and on several camping trips I was able to read in total darkness. Shortly after I bought the Rocket, Nuovomedia was purchased by RCA, and support for the Rocket went down hill. The Rocket, and it's successors which developed into the ebookwise device, are about the size of a hardback book. There is a significant weight in the battery, but the placement of that weight in a bulge on one side made it surprisingly easy to hold and use one-handed. The touch screen can re-orient the screen to all four sides, and the buttons are easily reached from all those orientations. Several of us here on Mobile Read use the Rocket as our ideal model for button placement and usability. As eInk screens became available, I closely watched a program by Barflies at Baen to create a reader. This ended up being a Bookeen Cybook Gen3. After being able to handle several copies of the Sony 500 and 505, I decided their buttons just didn't feel right, and I had significant loyalty to the NAEB reader process. I bough the Gen3 through NAEB, and shorty after my shipment came through, NAEB quit business because of difficulties with dealing in small numbers of devices. I have no complaints about this, because support (what support there is.....) was available thru Bookeen. I love the screen. It's not perfect, but the things I notice are much more likely to be a product of bad formatting rather than the screen it's displayed on. On the other hand, I broke one, and it cost $120 to get it replaced. Ouch, and I still don't know what cause the fracture. On the other hand, I've discovered that I HATE the D-button interface used on the Gen3 (and on all the competing products that use the reference design). I have to take too much care to get the button pressed, without triggering a nearby button. I don't feel comfortable holding it in either hand, and It doesn't easily come to my hand in landscape orientation. But I've read a LOT of books on it. My next reading device will have better ergonomics, and I'm back to a requirement to hold the device in my hands before purchase. I like the looks of the Pocketbook360. I still don't really like the feel of the newer Sony models. I've never managed to hold a Kindle - maybe that will change if they get stocked in a retail store - and I don't like the looks of the keyboard. The Kobo seems like more of what I've got. Ain't gonna buy an Apple device (And I Have used a Mac - I tested software that released for the Mac and PC on the same day, on both devices, side by side. I hated the Mac, and that's after my first two computers were both Apple ][. ) If my next device is larger than my current 6inch screen, it will have a plastic substrate screen. Don't want to take a chance on breaking another one. I don't think I want something as small as a cellphone as my primary reading device, but a 5 inch screen may be ok. Ergonomics will end up being the key, though I'll be looking for good firmware support too. And I have a goal to never infect my computer with ADE, so I'm looking for a device that will read without requiring Adobe.

04-24-2010, 08:03 AM	#24
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Q: What do I want most in an e-reader? A: A slot that spits out cash! I'm waiting for that feature!

04-24-2010, 05:25 PM	#30
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	A Must: 1. It has to have eInk screen. 2. It has to have a long battery life, means minimum 10 days without recharging. 3. Screen size has to be 8", so with a font base of 10, of medium size I get as much text in a hard back edition or very close. 4. Screen's quality has to be at least of Sony Reader PRS-505 clarity and contract. 5. It would be nice if the ebook reader comes from Sony. I absolutely love their hardware from ergonomic point of view. Be it 500, 505 or 600 (although, I don't like how touch screen affects the screen, I hope it will improve in a couple years). Additional features that would be nice to have too: Dictionary.

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