Commuter, most comfortable to hold/use?

[neinnine]

I used to have a kindle waaaay back. It had buttons, it was not very comfortable to hold, awkward to turn pages, and it was heavy, not very comfortable to hold.

I was using my phone for a while, but the glare and the bright light is hard on the eyes. I stopped when I read that blue light disrupts the sleep cycle (I have trouble with insomnia). Recently switched back to reading books from the library and I am terrible about returning them on time to avoid late fees. So perhaps I should consider an ereader...

I will probably read on the train, and also in home in bed. Am thinking I would like the following features:

* Comfortable to hold
* easy to change pages and navigate one handed
* easy to travel with (commuting)
* Has a light (is there a difference between backlit and frontlit)?
* Ability to dim light as needed (so I don't bother my partner)
* Has SD card
* can sideload
* not limited to an ecosystem
* I think I'd like the ability to highlight and annotate, I recall trying to do that with the kindle, but it was so awkward to use
* easy to find a protective case for it, one that always stays on (I drop things, cases help)
* I'm not sure if I have a preference for touchscreen or buttons

I've looked at nooks in the bookstore and when they display images (like books that you can purchase) when the page redraws it really bothers my eyes, I really don't like surfing on those things there's something about it that's unpleasant that makes me cringe. Is this a usual problem? Would I have an issue with eink? I can't remember what it was like to read my old kindle, when I purchased it I thought I'd use it a lot, but then I found myself switching back to my phone and leaving the kindle at home. It was heavy and clunky.

[JSWolf]

I have a Kobo Aura H2O and it fits all of your requirements.

It is comfortable to hold.
It is easy to change pages with one hand. I just swipe using my thumb be it left or right hand.
I find it easy to travel with as it fits easily in my bag.
It has a very nice front light that you can change the brightness. I quite often read in bed and a do not bother my wife.
It has a microSD card slot.
You can side load no problem. I use Caibre since it can also manage your collections.
It's not limited to just buying eBooks from Kobo. You can use Overdrive eBooks.
You can annotate/highlight.
There are plenty of cases available for the H2O. Aot of people like the Gecko cases but that's just one brand.
There are no page turn buttons.

One thing not mentioned before is that the screen is 6.8" instead of 6". The extra space is very nice.

[meeera]

I am guessing that you are in the USA, since you mention looking at Nooks in the bookstore. It is useful to put your country into your profile, as this is a global forum and answers may vary with geography.

If the SD slot is a flexible preference, and you're not too fussed about fonts and fine-tuning display preferences, you might find the Kindle Voyage a good choice for your needs otherwise. It has the choice of touching the screen or using the haptic buttons. It is also very expensive. The Paperwhite is a cheaper option; no buttons, just touch.

If you want the very smallest/lightest mainstream reader that still has a full six inch screen, the Kobo Aura might make it to your list. It doesn't have the best screen compared to current readers but it is perfectly readable. Secondhand it would be a budget option.

If you're after a larger screen and don't mind a little more weight the Kobo H2O is lovely, and is also coffee-resistant if you juggle a cup on your commute. It has the ability to highlight and annotate as well as to import these annotations into Calibre, but highlighting is a little quicker/smoother on the Kindle.

Kobos also allow you to manage your collections with Calibre, if that's useful to you.

Comfort of holding depends on device weight and on the case you choose more than it depends on the shape of the reader itself, IMO.

[JSWolf]

If you do want a 6"screen and can do without the microSD card slot, then the Kobo Glo HD is a nice choice.

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by neinnine

I was using my phone for a while, but the glare and the bright light is hard on the eyes. I stopped when I read that blue light disrupts the sleep cycle (I have trouble with insomnia).

I've looked at nooks in the bookstore and when they display images (like books that you can purchase) when the page redraws it really bothers my eyes, I really don't like surfing on those things there's something about it that's unpleasant that makes me cringe. Is this a usual problem? Would I have an issue with eink? I can't remember what it was like to read my old kindle, when I purchased it I thought I'd use it a lot, but then I found myself switching back to my phone and leaving the kindle at home. It was heavy and clunky.

The newer eink ereaders are a little better than they used to be but there will always be limitations to what the screen can do and how it can display images. They are not meant for browsing websites, displaying lots of images etc, they are not tablets. So you need to balance those negatives with the effects that reading on a tablet/phone has - glare, bright light and blue light/sleep issue. An eink ereader has none of those issues, the screen is far easier on the eyes (it is also frontlit compared to your phone being backlit) and that along with far better battery life is where they are far superior to tablets/phones.

Probably either the Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Glo HD are your best options, both small & light 6" ereaders and not too expensive (the Voyage & H2O are more premium models). Neither has an SD card slot but really, unless you are going to load thousands of books on it, the internal storage of just under 4GB is enough. As meeera mentions the Paperwhite will probably be better for highlighting/annotations, both can be used to sideload books, and in terms of not being tied to an eco-system, both need to be registered with either Amazon or Kobo to start with, but you just need to use Calibre on your computer to 'free' your books and be able to convert between formats, which means you are tied to nothing. And presuming you are in the USA, both can be used to borrow library books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

Neither has an SD card slot but really, unless you are going to load thousands of books on it, the internal storage of just under 4GB is enough.

A reader with 4GB of storage will easily hold around 3000 average-size novels, which is sufficient for most needs.

[u238110]

soulfuldog and JSWolf are reccommending the Glo and the Paperwhite, however an Amazon review stated that the Glo is heavier than the Paperwhite, and I personally found even the Paperwhite to be too heavy (as compared to the early gray Kindle). I found the gray Kindle to be ideal regarding weight. I'm not willing to buy a device that weighs more than the Kindle Paperwhite; and I'd prefer to buy a device that's even lighter (and a backlight is a requirement of mine).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by u238110

I personally found even the Paperwhite to be too heavy (as compared to the early gray Kindle). I found the gray Kindle to be ideal regarding weight. I'm not willing to buy a device that weighs more than the Kindle Paperwhite; and I'd prefer to buy a device that's even lighter (and a backlight is a requirement of mine).

If you require a backlight, that means LCD devices. Tablets tend to be heavier than eInk readers because they have greater power requirements and therefore heavier batteries.

[u238110]

Eink is what I want. I think backlight is an accurate term for the type of technoogy the Paperwhite uses...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by u238110

Eink is what I want. I think backlight is an accurate term for the type of technoogy the Paperwhite uses...

No, it's very different.

A backlight is a light that, as its name suggests, is behind the screen and shines through it. This is how the overwhelming majority of LCD screens are illuminated. Such a screen can't be used at all without lighting.

EInk devices can't be backlit for the very simple reason that an eInk screen is opaque, so can't be lit from the back. Instead, an eInk screen has lighting LEDs in front of the screen, and a light diffuser to spread the light evenly over the screen. The light is reflected from the screen, rather than shining through it. This is called a "frontlight". Because it works by reflected light, the light isn't required in good ambient lighting conditions.

Hope this clarifies the difference.

[barryem]

I have a Kobo Glo, a Kobo Aura, a Paperwhite, a Voyage and a Nook Glowlight Plus so I can easily compare them.

The ones that come closest to matching your description of your needs are the Kobo's. In particular, the Kobo Aura is very light, even in it's case, and is the smallest of the bunch and still has a 6" front-lit screen.

The Voyage weighs about the same and is only slightly larger and has a much better screen but it costs a lot more. I think the Voyage screen is excellent and the Kobo Aura's screen is only really good.

I do more reading on my Voyage but I do a lot on the Aura as well and I find it just fine for reading. The thing is, when they're side by side to compare them the Voyage really stands out and the Aura seems a bit faded. But when actually reading I find whichever screen I'm reading with to be excellent. I think the differences are a lot less important when you're reading than when you're comparing.

My suggestion is to get the Voyage if you can afford it and if you can't, get the Aura. This assumes, of course, that you want something very convenient and small and light.

If you're less fussy about portability and don't want to pay the price for the Voyage the Paperwhite screen is pretty much as good as the Voyage's screen but the Paperwhite in it's case weighs about twice as much as the Voyage in it's case, and it's bigger.

All in all, though, if you throw the dice and pick one based on chance you'll still be fine. They're all excellent devices and the very worst of them is really nice for reading. It's a question of optimizing for you. There aren't any bad choices here.

Barry

[John F]

Originally Posted by u238110

soulfuldog and JSWolf are reccommending the Glo and the Paperwhite, however an Amazon review stated that the Glo is heavier than the Paperwhite, and I personally found even the Paperwhite to be too heavy (as compared to the early gray Kindle). I found the gray Kindle to be ideal regarding weight. I'm not willing to buy a device that weighs more than the Kindle Paperwhite; and I'd prefer to buy a device that's even lighter (and a backlight is a requirement of mine).

Looking at the specs, the Glo HD is lighter than the paperwhite.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by u238110

soulfuldog and JSWolf are reccommending the Glo

JSWolf is recommending Kobo Glo HD, not the Kobo Glo.

and the Paperwhite, however an Amazon review stated that the Glo is heavier than the Paperwhite, and I personally found even the Paperwhite to be too heavy (as compared to the early gray Kindle). I found the gray Kindle to be ideal regarding weight. I'm not willing to buy a device that weighs more than the Kindle Paperwhite; and I'd prefer to buy a device that's even lighter (and a backlight is a requirement of mine).

According to MR's Wiki, the Paperwhite 3 weighs 205g. The Glo HD is 180g. And even if the review was for the Glo, it is only 185g. Based on release dates and other specs, the Glo should be compared to the Paperwhite 1 which was 222g. So, I have no idea what sort of scales that review was using.

And for completeness:
- Kindle Voyage: 180g
- Kobo Aura: 174g
- Kobo Aura H2O: 233g

[JSWolf]

Take the eInk device's weight and add to that as you'll need a case and that will add to the weight. But, that will also make the Reader easier to hold as well as give some measure of protection.

[ApK]

I'm a little surprised by the OP. The reason I love my K3, the reason I haven't fallen in love with my PW and really want a Voyage, is for the buttons, because that's the only way I can hold it and turn pages comfortably one-handed. I can't see how it's better to have to keep re-positioning your thumb.

The K3 would be a bit heavy to hold say, standing up on a long strap-hanging subway ride, but a lighter button device like the 4th gen non-touch Kindle or the Voyage would seem ideal.

ApK