e-book readers

[Capt. Harlock]

If it's useful to anyone, there's a summary of many of the popular models at:
http://www.switched.com/2009/12/18/a-ve ... roundup%2F

[Lützow]

Rumor has it that Apple is going to unveil a 7" tablet PC at end of january. Could imagine that this machine will replace conventional ebook readers due to it's superior usability.

[Lützow]

double post

[Zakhal]

Ive used mine for som two weeks now and Im not going back to regular books anymore. This is better than reading real books. Its more comfy i.e its easier to read, easier to switch pages than in real book, smaller than real book, always stays on the right page, automatic bookmarks, doesnt need a bookshelf, very long battery life, light weight, good looking with covers made from real leather (atleast on mine [:'(]), etc.

I have several unread real books but Id rather read them from my eslick. What a waste collecting all those printed books! Once the price drops to 100-150€ everyone who likes reading is going to start buying eReaders.

Btw If you buy one of these readers make sure to get good covers for it. I carry my reader to everywhere and the leather covers give it that extra protection it needs. As nice it is its still not as durable as real book.

[Brigz]

I got enough Barnes & Noble gift cards from very generous relatives to nearly pay for it so it looks like I'll be getting a Nook. It's the one I was leaning toward. And since it's going to be nearly free I certainly can't complain if it's not perfect. I have Callibre and EReader Studio software so I won't have any problems converting formats.

[nelmsm1]

I got a Kindle from my kids last night and I love it.  It does make ready a lot easier and comfortable.  Got a leather cover ordered for it this morning.  I can see this thing going with me almost anywhere there is a chance I'll have to wait in line anywhere.

[Lützow]

ORIGINAL: Zakhal

I have several unread real books but Id rather read them from my eslick. What a waste collecting all those printed books! Once the price drops to 100-150€ everyone who likes reading is going to start buying eReaders.

No way. [:-]

Printed books are cultural assets and can endure centuries under right circumstances. However ebooks are just ephemeral bytes, published by a technology and data format which will be replaced sooner or later for a newer one. Once this happens your whole librairy will vanish into thin air. My dad shot movies in 8 mm technology when he was young and can't play those nowadays, as there are no appropriate devices available anymore.

That being said, I do agree that it's indeed quite convenient to read something on a backlighted screen. But I take ebooks as addition to printed issues, not as replacement. If publishers don't consider this, they will face similiar problems like the music industry. Why purchasing something if one can get a pirated copy for free, especially since books are very small sized downloads.

[Marc von Martial]

What Lützow says.

[Halsey]

ORIGINAL: Shawkhan

Get the Sony Reader. I got it at BestBuy, the expensive one, for $300. Kindle uses a proprietary format which means you only get to download books from Amazon. The Sony Reader comes in two models, with the expensive model using a touch screen and having voice options for handsfree operation. The wife and I like this feature as we can listen to it while driving.

Of course next year there will be better models at a lower cost, but that is the reality of modern electronics.

Over a million books already available for download. Step into the future, the paper book is dead. Great advertisement there, huh?

Fat chance...[:D]

When I'm doing reference work I might have a dozen books opened up and laying in plain sight.

How much would a dozen e-readers cost.[:D]

How do you see the drawings and pictures anyway.[;)]

[Zakhal]

ORIGINAL: Lützow
Printed books are cultural assets and can endure centuries under right circumstances. However ebooks are just ephemeral bytes, published by a technology and data format which will be replaced sooner or later for a newer one. Once this happens your whole librairy will vanish into thin air. My dad shot movies in 8 mm technology when he was young and can't play those nowadays, as there are no appropriate devices available anymore.

Im sure there will always be som physical copies but if a catastrophy happens that wipes out all digital data from earth, lack of reading material might be the least of our problems.

Also I dont believe the format we have now (pdf,txt) will ever disappear anywhere because there will always be a copy-paste method to transfer it into new format. Back in your dads 8mm age they didnt yet have the copy-paste technology.

ORIGINAL: Lützow
That being said, I do agree that it's indeed quite convenient to read something on a backlighted screen.

e-ink readers are not backlighted. Thats one of the reasons why I bought my reader.

ORIGINAL: Lützow
But I take ebooks as addition to printed issues, not as replacement. If publishers don't consider this, they will face similiar problems like the music industry. Why purchasing something if one can get a pirated copy for free, especially since books are very small sized downloads.

The good thing about books (and most music too) is that they dont cost millions to make like games or movies. The middlemen might get hurt but if most of the money goes straight to the writer it might be enough to keep him working.

And there will always be those that dont pirate. In example I dont pirate games even though there is no reason why I couldnt do it. Instead I just bought 160€ worth of digital games from steam just yesterday alone. And Im currently planning to moving on digital games only. I simply dont have the room for physical copies of games anymore. Games just like books take too much space.

ORIGINAL: Halsey


How do you see the drawings and pictures anyway.[;)]

Ive read som comments from irex 10,2" reader users that they have used it to show drawings and stuff like that in their engineer work. However it was too big and expensive for my pocket-books so I didnt buy it.

[Zap]

disregard

[Adam Parker]

I thought this whole discussion was moot until I visited Amazon just now.

But Kindle is finally coming to Australia. At $489, no thanks!

Yes Aussies, in 10 days we will soon be able to live in the Amazon download book economy but until the Aussie government loosens up copyright restrictions, we only get access to a paultry sum of books - and at around $12 each from what I could see in my browsing.

And...

It only charges by USB (owing to the not included US power source - great if you're travelling to the US). To upload your own documents such as PDF's, it then costs 99c per meg!

I don't think they've thought this one out too well yet [:D] Nuh, we're just about to build the largest Ikea in the Southern Hemisphere and I can't imagine its build-it-yourself bookshelves going empty anytime soon.

[JudgeDredd]

I don't understand them.

They are expensive and restrictive. My local library probably has a greater collection and variation of sources and that's free.

Reminds me of Game vouchers (Game is a PC (not so much now) and console gaming store)...people can get you vouchers from there...but they are time limited to use...so the logic seems to be

"Here's what I'll do Mr Game...I'll buy £20 of your Game vouchers for my friend...then he can have the priviledge of being tied solely and exclusively to your store...but wait...I want you to do more for me...I want you to MAKE him spend them within the year...is that ok? I mean...why would I want to give him £20 cash and be free to spend it wherever and whenever he likes on what he likes?"

Seems a little odd. There should be a benefit to someone buying vouchers and locking you to a store...like £20 will get you a £25 voucher???

[Lützow]

ORIGINAL: Adam Parker

But Kindle is finally coming to Australia. At $489, no thanks!

Yes Aussies, in 10 days we will soon be able to live in the Amazon download book economy but until the Aussie government loosens up copyright restrictions, we only get access to a paultry sum of books - and at around $12 each from what I could see in my browsing.

Yeah, Amazon is under pressure now. With the imminent release off iSlates and tablet-pc's they won't sell much Kindle's in the future anymore. Who would pay almost $ 500,- for a pure reader, when he can have a full-fledged computer with equal dimensions for a similiar price? And yes I know, e-ink devices have a long battery duration, but that does not make up for their lack of funktionality.

I foresee, till christmas ebook-devices will be given away for free with annual newspaper subscriptions.

[Zakhal]

Tablet pcs last only hours on battery while e-rink readers last for weeks. You would have to read books from them while they are wired. Also tablet pcs are backlighted so your eyes get tired. And they are much more heavier so its not all that comfy to read from them.

I read my eink reader everywhere even more so than real books. Its simply more easy and comfy to read. Hell I even take it to the bathroom..

E-ink readers are pricy still true so they are not for everyone yet. The digital books cost almost as much as physical books which is stupid imho but its just a matter of time these things will get cheaper.

[nelmsm1]

I got the Kindle for Christmas and I really like it.  It was much easier to hold that Kindle and click through the pages when reading King's Under the Dome then trying to hold and flip through the pages of the wife's hardback copy.  Not just tied to Amazon as you can get books from Project Gutenberg, Baen, and Smashworlds.  I'm sure there are others I haven't discovered yet.  You can also now transfer pdf files from you computer to the Kindle 2 without going through Amazon though I haven't tried it yet.  Did do the email version with an HPS user manual and it cost me a grand total of $0.30 to do it.  I just like the idea of having a lightweight, easy to ready, library to take with me wherever I go.  All the books I've purchased have either been free or cheaper then the hardback version.  I'm sure that other folks will like the e-readers that are coming out better but for now I'm enjoying the heck out of my Kindle.

[Hanal]

I received my NOOK the other day and I am so far happy with the purchase. I was not interested in buying something with greater functionality as I simply wanted to read ebooks and this product does a fine job with that. I like the ability to make a short swipe on the touch screen to turn pages and a firmware update now makes pages turn faster which was one of the early criticisms. I had thought that I needed to either be at a B&N strore or use a pc to make ebook purchases but I found that, like other models, there is a WI-FI set up so you can purchase books anywhere directly from the NOOK. The NOOK offers a large catalog on the unit, though the search/browse feature could be more refined, as it currently leaves you with too many pages to scroll through for each subject. My first purchase was Harry Turtledove's Hitler's War, which I did directly from the NOOK, while in my bunker-like office. The WI-FI connection was made and the download was quick. The adjustable font sizes and types are good enough for me, and reading the screen has been very easy on my eyes.
One downside so far is that I do not like how small the maps are represented. It would be nice if they could be larger with the ability to scroll.
You can charge the battery either via USB or outlet and so far the battery is still holding the initial charge. The instructions actually encourage you to leave it on and let it go into sleep mode rather than turning the unit off. The lower portion of the screen is in color but it turns off after a few seconds of non-use so the drain is limited. Swiping the screen to turn pages does not reactivate the color screen which is good. The keypads are large enough to accomodate my clumsy fingers so I do not need to use a plastic stylus which I thought I might need.

[Lützow]

ORIGINAL: Zakhal

Tablet pcs last only hours on battery while e-rink readers last for weeks.

That is true, but then again a windows tablet pc will - aside of reading - allow you to watch movies, listen music, surf the web, and even play Matrix games. Try that with a Kindle.

Also tablet pcs are backlighted so your eyes get tired.

Well, for me a backlighted device is more convenient. Works even with ebooks on my iPhone in a penumbrous room, where I otherwise would need glasses in order to read a real book. No argument here from my side, but I wonder why people claim that non-backlighted devices are eye-friendly, when they're used to spend most of their time on a pc anyway. I can work and play whole day without fatigue.

[Motomouse]

My Sony 505 is a contender for my needs.

Many folks use the iphone for ebook reading.

Compare the new google phone screen resolution. A reader in disguise!

Regards
Motomouse

[RedArgo]

Well, I got a Sony PRS-600 for Christmas. I really the device so far, although the Sony software that comes with it apparently has some problems syncing some of my PDFs. To get around that I switched to using an Adobe program that manages the library and handles all my PDFs.

It works great for ePub documents and works fine for PDFs if you view them in "small", but that is a little too small for me so I switch the size up to medium, and while it throws off the page wrapping, it makes them very readable.

I do have a question though, I've noticed if I have two PDFs with different file names, but the same document title the reader sees them as the same document and won't let me have them both on the reader at the same time. For instance, the COG:EE manual and appendix have different names like COG.pdf and COG_Appendix.pdf (or something like that), but the reader says both are titled COG, so I can't have both at the same time. Is there a way, without buying Adobe Acrobat, to edit the title?

Thanks,
Bill