eInk Reader Choice

f0liev3rte · 12-22-2015, 01:42 AM

Hi All

I have been researching for a while now to buy my first eInk reader. My requirements are few, however they are specific and my research brought me to a couple of conclusions up until I remembered one last thing I would really like and since then I have struggled finding a complete answer.

I narrowed down to the Kobo Aura HD or the Sony PRS T3. I have found both for sale second hand in Australia at good prices and was just about to buy the Sony when I did a quick search on the ability to use Cyrillic fonts in order to read books in Russian. Lo and behold, Google fails me. The search is so sparse and I find very little comprehensive information.

The overwhelming sense is that the Sony eBook readers are country specific and unless I buy the Russian version, I will not be able to read Russian eBooks. Is this true? Because I am having a hard time believing that I could not just simply load a font onto the English version. I read about embedding fonts into ePubs using calibre? Is this achievable with cyrillic fonts and compatible with the Sony? Have I missed something completely and does Sony actually support the ability to read Russian eBooks on all models?

Failing the ability to do that, do you, Mobileread users, have any suggestions for other eBook readers based on this criteria.

- Good PDF support (yes I have done my research here, I was content with the Sony reviews for PDF). It is not my most used format, but I do have them in my collection.
- No front light necessary/ability to turn it off.
- Russian support with English/Russian dictionary.
- Under 160 Australian Dollars
- Simple, with the hope that it will last a time. I am not one of those people that "upgrades" every year when something gets released.

Thank you in advance!

f0liev3rte

HarryT · 12-22-2015, 04:14 AM

Sony are out of the reader business, so I wouldn't recommend buying a T3.

Kobo are pretty good, and well-regarded, but I don't know if Kobo devices have a Russian dictionary. Perhaps someone else can advise (or else ask in the Kobo forum here at MR).

Have you considered a Kindle? They have by far the best dictionaries around, and come as a standard with excellent Russian dictionaries.

Both Kobo and Kindle come as standard with Cyrillic fonts, so no need to embed fonts.

davidfor · 12-22-2015, 05:46 AM

Unfortunately, the Kobo's don't have a Russian dictionary. But, there is a way to add one.

PDF is mixed blessing. The display is very good, but can be slow. But the navigation isn't great. And they don't do PDF reflow. Personally I avoid them, but a solution a lot of people like is to install Koreader.

Other than that, any of the Kobo's will fit your requirements. And, at the moment, JB HiFi have the Glo HD at $159.

f0liev3rte · 12-23-2015, 01:54 AM

@HarryT

It is a good point and I understand that there will be no further updates to the Sony Line, but that doesn't necessarily make the T3 a bad choice does it? What would be gained out of having the company still producing them other than firmware support? I was particularly drawn to the Sony for some reason...

I did consider the kindle, but nothing I have is in their supported format. And so I would have to convert everything. Not such a big issue I know, but still it pushed me to look at other devices.

@davidfor

Is is difficult to add dictionaries? I would think it should not be. Thanks for the heads up about the sale!

Does anyone have any experience with the Cybook Muse? or the Pocketbook touch series? They came up as options also.

Still wondering whether or not it is possible to add languages to the Sony T3. Anyone?

davidfor · 12-23-2015, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f0liev3rte

Is is difficult to add dictionaries? I would think it should not be. Thanks for the heads up about the sale!

No, it isn't hard. The problem is usually finding a dictionary that can be converted to the right format.

HarryT · 12-23-2015, 05:58 AM

The Kindle is the only device for which additional commercially-published dictionaries are easily available. If dictionaries are important to you, this makes the Kindle worthy of consideration. Not that you'd need additional dictionaries on the Kindle, because it comes with a very good monolingual Russian dictionary as well as English to Russian and Russian to English translation dictionaries.

ReadingManiac · 12-23-2015, 09:39 AM

Have you looked into the Kindle Paperwhite? It fits your criteria and I swear by mine.

f0liev3rte · 12-23-2015, 05:50 PM

Kindle was going to be my last choice because of the closed format issues. But, it is certainly in consideration. I wonder about the PDF viewing on them though. Reviews seem to be ok, but not great.

I'm probably going to plunge and buy the Kobo as I found one an Aura HD online for 100 AUD delivered. Which is, in my opinion, a bargain. And for PDF reading, just install Koreader.

The Sony is still tugging at my sleeve though for some reason...

Lets see how it goes.

JSWolf · 12-23-2015, 06:14 PM

If you really do plan on PDF viewing, I suggest a tablet for that. eInk Readers are notoriously poor at displaying PDF and ones that can do a decent enough job are rather expensive.

Hemmi · 12-23-2015, 07:44 PM

I just got a Sony T3 from Ebay. Absolutely the best reader I've ever had!

f0liev3rte · 12-23-2015, 08:10 PM

@JSWolf
I do understand that tablets are far superior, and I also understand the limitations of PDF viewing on an eInk device. But, those limitations don't worry me too much and hopefully PDF viewing will be kept to a minimum/converted. But, I still want the option there on the same device.

@Hemmi

I just seems like its the best decision, and I love the design. Do you know if the T3, bought with English firmware, has the ability to read books in Russian and also has dictionary support?

You aren't by any chance, in Australia, and bought the only one that was for sale on eBay here last week?

JSWolf · 12-23-2015, 08:22 PM

Forget converting the PDF. It will come out awful and virtually unreadable.

Cinisajoy · 12-23-2015, 08:29 PM

If you convert a pdf, it is unusable.

susan_cassidy · 12-23-2015, 09:03 PM

It is unusable if it has embedded tables and/or images. If it is just text, it tends to convert fairly well.

JSWolf · 12-23-2015, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

It is unusable if it has embedded tables and/or images. If it is just text, it tends to convert fairly well.

I've converted some text only PDF and it was not fairly well converted. PDF is a mess to convert.

12-22-2015, 01:42 AM	#1
f0liev3rte Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: Sony PRS-T3	eInk Reader Choice Hi All I have been researching for a while now to buy my first eInk reader. My requirements are few, however they are specific and my research brought me to a couple of conclusions up until I remembered one last thing I would really like and since then I have struggled finding a complete answer. I narrowed down to the Kobo Aura HD or the Sony PRS T3. I have found both for sale second hand in Australia at good prices and was just about to buy the Sony when I did a quick search on the ability to use Cyrillic fonts in order to read books in Russian. Lo and behold, Google fails me. The search is so sparse and I find very little comprehensive information. The overwhelming sense is that the Sony eBook readers are country specific and unless I buy the Russian version, I will not be able to read Russian eBooks. Is this true? Because I am having a hard time believing that I could not just simply load a font onto the English version. I read about embedding fonts into ePubs using calibre? Is this achievable with cyrillic fonts and compatible with the Sony? Have I missed something completely and does Sony actually support the ability to read Russian eBooks on all models? Failing the ability to do that, do you, Mobileread users, have any suggestions for other eBook readers based on this criteria. - Good PDF support (yes I have done my research here, I was content with the Sony reviews for PDF). It is not my most used format, but I do have them in my collection. - No front light necessary/ability to turn it off. - Russian support with English/Russian dictionary. - Under 160 Australian Dollars - Simple, with the hope that it will last a time. I am not one of those people that "upgrades" every year when something gets released. Thank you in advance! f0liev3rte Last edited by f0liev3rte; 12-22-2015 at 01:44 AM.

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12-22-2015, 04:14 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Sony are out of the reader business, so I wouldn't recommend buying a T3. Kobo are pretty good, and well-regarded, but I don't know if Kobo devices have a Russian dictionary. Perhaps someone else can advise (or else ask in the Kobo forum here at MR). Have you considered a Kindle? They have by far the best dictionaries around, and come as a standard with excellent Russian dictionaries. Both Kobo and Kindle come as standard with Cyrillic fonts, so no need to embed fonts.

12-22-2015, 05:46 AM	#3
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Unfortunately, the Kobo's don't have a Russian dictionary. But, there is a way to add one. PDF is mixed blessing. The display is very good, but can be slow. But the navigation isn't great. And they don't do PDF reflow. Personally I avoid them, but a solution a lot of people like is to install Koreader. Other than that, any of the Kobo's will fit your requirements. And, at the moment, JB HiFi have the Glo HD at $159.

12-23-2015, 01:54 AM	#4
f0liev3rte Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: Sony PRS-T3	@HarryT It is a good point and I understand that there will be no further updates to the Sony Line, but that doesn't necessarily make the T3 a bad choice does it? What would be gained out of having the company still producing them other than firmware support? I was particularly drawn to the Sony for some reason... I did consider the kindle, but nothing I have is in their supported format. And so I would have to convert everything. Not such a big issue I know, but still it pushed me to look at other devices. @davidfor Is is difficult to add dictionaries? I would think it should not be. Thanks for the heads up about the sale! Does anyone have any experience with the Cybook Muse? or the Pocketbook touch series? They came up as options also. Still wondering whether or not it is possible to add languages to the Sony T3. Anyone?

12-23-2015, 05:58 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The Kindle is the only device for which additional commercially-published dictionaries are easily available. If dictionaries are important to you, this makes the Kindle worthy of consideration. Not that you'd need additional dictionaries on the Kindle, because it comes with a very good monolingual Russian dictionary as well as English to Russian and Russian to English translation dictionaries.

12-23-2015, 09:39 AM	#7
ReadingManiac Genre Jumper Posts: 1,070 Karma: 11070900 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: Kindle paperwhite	Have you looked into the Kindle Paperwhite? It fits your criteria and I swear by mine.

12-23-2015, 05:50 PM	#8
f0liev3rte Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: Sony PRS-T3	Kindle was going to be my last choice because of the closed format issues. But, it is certainly in consideration. I wonder about the PDF viewing on them though. Reviews seem to be ok, but not great. I'm probably going to plunge and buy the Kobo as I found one an Aura HD online for 100 AUD delivered. Which is, in my opinion, a bargain. And for PDF reading, just install Koreader. The Sony is still tugging at my sleeve though for some reason... Lets see how it goes.

12-23-2015, 06:14 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,756 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If you really do plan on PDF viewing, I suggest a tablet for that. eInk Readers are notoriously poor at displaying PDF and ones that can do a decent enough job are rather expensive.

12-23-2015, 07:44 PM	#10
Hemmi Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,575 Karma: 15987608 Join Date: Apr 2015 Device: Sonys, Nooks, Kobo Libra, Forma, Mini, Paperwhite	I just got a Sony T3 from Ebay. Absolutely the best reader I've ever had!

12-23-2015, 08:10 PM	#11
f0liev3rte Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2015 Device: Sony PRS-T3	@JSWolf I do understand that tablets are far superior, and I also understand the limitations of PDF viewing on an eInk device. But, those limitations don't worry me too much and hopefully PDF viewing will be kept to a minimum/converted. But, I still want the option there on the same device. @Hemmi I just seems like its the best decision, and I love the design. Do you know if the T3, bought with English firmware, has the ability to read books in Russian and also has dictionary support? You aren't by any chance, in Australia, and bought the only one that was for sale on eBay here last week?

12-23-2015, 08:22 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,756 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Forget converting the PDF. It will come out awful and virtually unreadable.

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12-23-2015, 08:29 PM	#13
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	If you convert a pdf, it is unusable.

12-23-2015, 09:03 PM	#14
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	It is unusable if it has embedded tables and/or images. If it is just text, it tends to convert fairly well.