Kobo or Kindle 3

Elvish Legion · 12-19-2010, 12:24 AM

How do the kindle 3 and kobo stack up against each other? I'm trying to decide between these two and with a 10 dollar price difference its really hard to see if ones better than the other? I've played with both the new kobo (with wireless) and the new kindle 3s, the screens on both are really nice, they both seem like they'll do what I want (be able to read everywhere without the added weight of a ton of books) I don't see my self using the read to me feature of the kindle, so whats the major difference besides the 10 bucks?

ficbot · 12-19-2010, 12:34 AM

Kindle is faster, allows you to organize books into collections, you can change the dictionary (I currently have French-English installed on mine) and is imho less buggy.

The only upside of the Kobo is the epub support, but if you are even a little techie, epub is a very easy DRM to liberate and then you can use Calibre and send it in mobi to the Kindle.

I think that the Kindle is an overall better choice, but I can see how if you are not techie, the Kobo would have appeal.

Greenhat · 12-19-2010, 12:52 AM

the downside of Kobo is that it has a built in dictionary that cannot look plural words and it takes 4 steps to look up work.
while the Kindle dictionary is more performant and fast.
but the downside of kindle is that it reads only its native format while kobo reads ePub which means with kobo you can borrow ebooks for your town libraries and read them.

v1k1ng1001 · 12-19-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

Kindle is faster, allows you to organize books into collections, you can change the dictionary (I currently have French-English installed on mine) and is imho less buggy.

The only upside of the Kobo is the epub support, but if you are even a little techie, epub is a very easy DRM to liberate and then you can use Calibre and send it in mobi to the Kindle.

I think that the Kindle is an overall better choice, but I can see how if you are not techie, the Kobo would have appeal.

I would agree with this assessment. ^^^

Care · 12-19-2010, 05:01 PM

Do you know what bugged me the most about the Kobo? I read for very long periods of time and it is almost impossible (or really uncomfortable) to hold and tun pages with your left hand. I do like the epub support though. If you plan on getting books from the library the Kobo would probably be the best choice.

Latinandgreek · 12-19-2010, 05:40 PM

I think the PRS-350 also fits into the same price range, as it's on sale. No wi-fi, a smaller screen, but you get a pearl touch screen, great dictionary performance (so I've read) and good PDF rendering, quick page turns and epub use as well (which is handy if your local library has overdrive). I hope no one minds that I threw that in there.

Todayswheather · 12-19-2010, 06:09 PM

Has anyone had experience using a macbook and PRS 350 for library books?

elemenoP · 12-20-2010, 11:21 AM

Todayswheather, I use a macbook and PRS 650, which is the same software as the 350. I have no problems at all using library books. I love love love it. You can ask me if you have any questions about this combo.

eP

treadlightly · 12-20-2010, 11:52 AM

The Kindle is faster and has better page turning. Those two features won me over.

jocampo · 12-20-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvish Legion

How do the kindle 3 and kobo stack up against each other? I'm trying to decide between these two and with a 10 dollar price difference its really hard to see if ones better than the other? I've played with both the new kobo (with wireless) and the new kindle 3s, the screens on both are really nice, they both seem like they'll do what I want (be able to read everywhere without the added weight of a ton of books) I don't see my self using the read to me feature of the kindle, so whats the major difference besides the 10 bucks?

Elvish,

Have you checked ebook's selection? Price and ebook availability is an important factor when buying, in my opinion; you can get an awesome ereader but if you cannot find good books for it, then you will have to start thinking about breaking DRM and converting via Calibre and a lot of additional stuff that you can easily avoid since the very beginning.

I would suggest thinking about ebook selection, then hardware/device.

KShesConnected · 12-22-2010, 12:06 PM

I haven't used a Kindle 3, but I have a Kobo. I believe the major difference is the e-book format. I like that I was able to upload books from the library and some photography e-books from my laptop as well as the books I bought through the Kobo app.

ProfCrash · 12-22-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvish Legion

How do the kindle 3 and kobo stack up against each other? I'm trying to decide between these two and with a 10 dollar price difference its really hard to see if ones better than the other? I've played with both the new kobo (with wireless) and the new kindle 3s, the screens on both are really nice, they both seem like they'll do what I want (be able to read everywhere without the added weight of a ton of books) I don't see my self using the read to me feature of the kindle, so whats the major difference besides the 10 bucks?

It really depends on how you want to use your device. If you are a library user, the Kobo is the better choice because it can read EPubs.

Is there a reason you are not looking at the Nook?

I love my Kindles and cannot see buying a different e-reader. I don't read library books and the Amazon book sells all the books I need.

Care · 12-22-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

It really depends on how you want to use your device. If you are a library user, the Kobo is the better choice because it can read EPubs.

Is there a reason you are not looking at the Nook?

I love my Kindles and cannot see buying a different e-reader. I don't read library books and the Amazon book sells all the books I need.

Maybe he/she is in Canada and doesn't want to do all the extra stuff to get one here? The Sony's are pretty pricey here as well so some people take them off their list in Canada for that reason.

Or maybe they don't like the Nook...

ProfCrash · 12-22-2010, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Care

Maybe he/she is in Canada and doesn't want to do all the extra stuff to get one here? The Sony's are pretty pricey here as well so some people take them off their list in Canada for that reason.

Or maybe they don't like the Nook...

That is fine. It was a question. I own a Kindle so I have no problem with the OP excluding the Nook from his/her search. (winks)

It could also be that the OP has a friend who has a Kobo and has heard of the Kindle but not the Sony or the Nook's. If that is the case then it might help them to know of some other options.

Care · 12-22-2010, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

That is fine. It was a question. I own a Kindle so I have no problem with the OP excluding the Nook from his/her search. (winks)

It could also be that the OP has a friend who has a Kobo and has heard of the Kindle but not the Sony or the Nook's. If that is the case then it might help them to know of some other options.

You are right and I totally get what you were saying. I hope I didn't come off sounding snotty because I didn't mean it that way at all. I was just kind of wondering aloud since I thought it was weird as well that it wasn't on the list (I am kind of biased since I love my nook

). I know a lot of Canadians that don't want a Nook because it's not available here. I also know a lot who have bought one so who knows. Or this person may not be Canadian and my whole post makes no sense, lol.

12-19-2010, 12:24 AM	#1
Elvish Legion Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	Kobo or Kindle 3 How do the kindle 3 and kobo stack up against each other? I'm trying to decide between these two and with a 10 dollar price difference its really hard to see if ones better than the other? I've played with both the new kobo (with wireless) and the new kindle 3s, the screens on both are really nice, they both seem like they'll do what I want (be able to read everywhere without the added weight of a ton of books) I don't see my self using the read to me feature of the kindle, so whats the major difference besides the 10 bucks?

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12-19-2010, 12:34 AM	#2
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Kindle is faster, allows you to organize books into collections, you can change the dictionary (I currently have French-English installed on mine) and is imho less buggy. The only upside of the Kobo is the epub support, but if you are even a little techie, epub is a very easy DRM to liberate and then you can use Calibre and send it in mobi to the Kindle. I think that the Kindle is an overall better choice, but I can see how if you are not techie, the Kobo would have appeal.

12-19-2010, 12:52 AM	#3
Greenhat Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle 2	the downside of Kobo is that it has a built in dictionary that cannot look plural words and it takes 4 steps to look up work. while the Kindle dictionary is more performant and fast. but the downside of kindle is that it reads only its native format while kobo reads ePub which means with kobo you can borrow ebooks for your town libraries and read them.

12-19-2010, 05:01 PM	#5
Care Aes Sedai Posts: 659 Karma: 46166 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Aura and Kobo Mini, had a Nook, NOOKcolor, Nook STR.	Do you know what bugged me the most about the Kobo? I read for very long periods of time and it is almost impossible (or really uncomfortable) to hold and tun pages with your left hand. I do like the epub support though. If you plan on getting books from the library the Kobo would probably be the best choice.

12-19-2010, 05:40 PM	#6
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	I think the PRS-350 also fits into the same price range, as it's on sale. No wi-fi, a smaller screen, but you get a pearl touch screen, great dictionary performance (so I've read) and good PDF rendering, quick page turns and epub use as well (which is handy if your local library has overdrive). I hope no one minds that I threw that in there.

12-19-2010, 06:09 PM	#7
Todayswheather Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	Has anyone had experience using a macbook and PRS 350 for library books?

12-20-2010, 11:21 AM	#8
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Todayswheather, I use a macbook and PRS 650, which is the same software as the 350. I have no problems at all using library books. I love love love it. You can ask me if you have any questions about this combo. eP

12-20-2010, 11:52 AM	#9
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	The Kindle is faster and has better page turning. Those two features won me over.

12-22-2010, 12:06 PM	#11
KShesConnected Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo	I haven't used a Kindle 3, but I have a Kobo. I believe the major difference is the e-book format. I like that I was able to upload books from the library and some photography e-books from my laptop as well as the books I bought through the Kobo app.

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