Comparison of eBook readers?

**monobrow** · 9 December 2010, 08:48

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

A few people have asked about Kindles specifically here, but does anyone know of a site which has done a group test of current readers?

I've been planning to get a Kindle for a while. The only common complaints are about vendor lock-in... DRM and cost. However, while there are 'unlocked' alternatives, aren't all the publishers only dealing in DRM products? If I don't want to get pirated/dodgy books but want to buy them (legit free books not included), do any major publishers allow open formats? Or is it a choice of lock-in with Amazon Vs iBooks Vs Google?

Can we not turn this into a rant about book prices and the 'evil of DRM' please... just want the facts on what's out there in terms of books and readers.

not sure if this answers your question, but I wouldn't bother with a kindle. why? well, apart from the fact they don't look very cool (!), you can't do anything else with them. AFAIK, Android has a reader, so basically, if I were you, i'd get the biggest baddest Android device with the kindle plug in. more bang for buck. I get the feeling that Amazon will stop shipping the devices in a couple of years and concentrate on fees from readers/plugins, Android, iPhone and blackberry have the tablet market allllll sewn up.

p.s I won a kindle in a raffle about a year back, sold it on that night!

**Spacecadet** · 9 December 2010, 09:19

Originally posted by monobrow View Post

not sure if this answers your question, but I wouldn't bother with a kindle. why? well, apart from the fact they don't look very cool (!), you can't do anything else with them. AFAIK, Android has a reader, so basically, if I were you, i'd get the biggest baddest Android device with the kindle plug in. more bang for buck. I get the feeling that Amazon will stop shipping the devices in a couple of years and concentrate on fees from readers/plugins, Android, iPhone and blackberry have the tablet market allllll sewn up.

p.s I won a kindle in a raffle about a year back, sold it on that night!

Backlit screens and a short battery life aren't suitable for the serious reader.

**kandr** · 9 December 2010, 09:19

I have ordered a kindle, however it has still not arrived from Amazon, probably due to the snow. Regarding the format issue, there is a free program that converts most format into the Kindle format, called Calibre, it also manages your ebook library. You can get loads of books for free that have gone out of copyright or PDF versions and convert them.

Once I get the thing I will put a review up.

**Fred Bloggs** · 9 December 2010, 10:58

Her indoors decided that on balance, given the clout of Amazon, a Kindle was the best bet.

**d000hg** · 9 December 2010, 11:16

Most interested in direct comparison of paid books and alternative readers, rather than pads/tablets. I dislike reading on a normal screen so the faux-paper display is a big plus.

For instance I don't know what the main contenders are, but Sony have the PRS-350S... but who sells books for it? I imagine most books I'd want to read are ones I'd pay for since I object to nicking them.

**yorkshireman** · 9 December 2010, 12:17

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

Most interested in direct comparison of paid books and alternative readers, rather than pads/tablets. I dislike reading on a normal screen so the faux-paper display is a big plus.

For instance I don't know what the main contenders are, but Sony have the PRS-350S... but who sells books for it? I imagine most books I'd want to read are ones I'd pay for since I object to nicking them.

I agree that you shouldn't consider iPad if you want just want to read books. Apart from the price and battery life I find my iPad too heavy to read for long periods (although the kindle software for iPad is quite usable).

BTW - I do like the iPad as a general purpose computer though!

**NickFitz** · 9 December 2010, 19:01

Originally posted by monobrow View Post

not sure if this answers your question, but I wouldn't bother with a kindle. why? well, apart from the fact they don't look very cool (!), you can't do anything else with them.

No longer true - the Kindle SDK is currently in Beta and there are already a couple of games and one or two other apps available for it.

**markmm** · 9 December 2010, 19:03

The Kandle is the only choice here, it has the most books and integrates seamlessly with the biggest online book store.

**thunderlizard** · 9 December 2010, 19:08

I think with ebook readers, you're better off going round the shops and trying some out. Your primary consideration will be how easy they are on your eyes, and you can't really tell that from website reviews. Once you've picked one you can check its spec and make sure it can deal with whatever the most popular file formats are. They have slightly different navigation methods, but they all boil down to clicking "next page" in the main.

I ended up getting Sony PRS-300 (this time last year), which had buttons rather than touch-screen because the touch-screen stuff makes it a bit too shiny for my liking.

Comparison of eBook readers?