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[HowardRoark]

Bought a Kindle 3. I wanted to wait for the touch Kindle, but I really wanted an e-ink reader for when I go on vacation in a few weeks. Also, I got the Amazon case. Kind of expensive, next to the Kindle...

 

[cbox]

Torn between the new kobo touch and kindle, I'm in canada so isn't the kindle hard to get (border fees, bla bla )

I do love the kobo look, its so clean and beautiful - the kindle keyboard makes it look more like a glorified pocket translator from 1993.

This is my first dive into ereaders as I want to read more, but i'm torn at which one to get.

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

Torn between the new kobo touch and kindle, I'm in canada so isn't the kindle hard to get (border fees, bla bla )

I do love the kobo look, its so clean and beautiful - the kindle keyboard makes it look more like a glorified pocket translator from 1993.

This is my first dive into ereaders as I want to read more, but i'm torn at which one to get.

Get the Kindle. Do eet.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Torn between the new kobo touch and kindle, I'm in canada so isn't the kindle hard to get (border fees, bla bla )

I do love the kobo look, its so clean and beautiful - the kindle keyboard makes it look more like a glorified pocket translator from 1993.

This is my first dive into ereaders as I want to read more, but i'm torn at which one to get.

Nook Touch isn't sold in Canada?

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Nook Touch isn't sold in Canada?

No B&N presence there, but it does have native epub support.

Love me my NOOK touch. Been using it tons since I got it three weeks ago, and just got below 40% battery.

 

[Blackhead]

Torn between the new kobo touch and kindle, I'm in canada so isn't the kindle hard to get (border fees, bla bla )

I do love the kobo look, its so clean and beautiful - the kindle keyboard makes it look more like a glorified pocket translator from 1993.

This is my first dive into ereaders as I want to read more, but i'm torn at which one to get.

The Source and Staples started selling the Kindle in Canada about 2 weeks ago, so good timing.

I'm personally leaning towards the Kobo Touch. Kobo added an option to change the refresh rate so it's after 6 pages (like the Nook Touch). It has PDF scrolling and landscape support (the best PDF rendering and reading experience of the 6" eink ereaders). It has native support for cbz/cbr files! It has a decent webbrowser (again the scrolling feature is crucial) which allows downloading of ebooks to read on the device. It's already received an update from Kobo, with more on the way... the only reason to get a kindle is if you insist on buying all your ebooks from the Kindle store. I'd have gotten the Kobo already but there's a rumor going around that Sony will release a new ebook reader and I'm tempted to wait and see—but Sony's ereaders are usually expensive :/. I also hear the iRiver HD might be available soon. The Kobo Touch is the best available for me right now, I'll probably get it sometime in July.

See this comparison review: Kobo Touch vs Kindle 3

 

[cbox]

The Source and Staples started selling the Kindle in Canada about 2 weeks ago, so good timing.

I'm personally leaning towards the Kobo Touch. Kobo added an option to change the refresh rate so it's after 6 pages (like the Nook Touch). It has PDF scrolling and landscape support (the best PDF rendering and reading experience of the 6" eink ereaders). It has native support for cbz/cbr files! It has a decent webbrowser (again the scrolling feature is crucial) which allows downloading of ebooks to read on the device. It's already received an update from Kobo, with more on the way... the only reason to get a kindle is if you insist on buying all your ebooks from the Kindle store. I'd have gotten the Kobo already but there's a rumor going around that Sony will release a new ebook reader and I'm tempted to wait and see—but Sony's ereaders are usually expensive :/. I also hear the iRiver HD might be available soon. The Kobo Touch is the best available for me right now, I'll probably get it sometime in July.

See this comparison review: Kobo Touch vs Kindle 3

yeah I've been leaning towards the kobo, being a graphic designer the look is just sooooooo much better than the kindle. The Kinde does looks nice and I do love amazon, but something about it doesn't sit well with me, I'm certainly not a person who buys books all the time, nor one who writes notes, etc. I appreciate the extra features but they just aren't for me, I like the simplicity of the kobo better.

I didn't know the source and staples had it, definitely gonna check it out to see which one I like better, youtube reviews can only go so far.

 

[06nbarnhill]

I am considering jumping on the bandwagon and getting the new E Ink nook tomorrow.

Quite a few concerns though since the tech is still catching on and I hate being left in the dust 6 months later by a huge leap forward in tech at the same price. I am really hoping that I can go 4/5 years without ever feeling the need to buy another E Reader. Leaning towards nook because it looks like the new one is getting better reviews than the Kindle and it looks like Amazons future efforts will be more ipad like which isn't something I am interested in.

Some questions:

1. Do you REALLY feel like an ereader saves you money?

2. Are many textbooks available for them?

3. How common are libraries that let you check out books on your ereaders?


I want to jump on it now because of this deal:

Beginning Friday, while supplies last, customers will receive a free, 2GB microSD card loaded with 30 NOOK Books -- from cooking and lifestyle to classics and reference --when they show a bookseller their old device and purchase the NOOK reader that best suits them. Book lovers of all ages will love the All-New NOOK, the Simple Touch Reader(TM), which dozens of leading reviewers have praised as the best dedicated reading device on the market. The easy-to-use, ultra-light, portable 6-inch eReader features a simple, immersive experience with a full-touchscreen and the most-advanced E Ink(R) Pearl display, the longest battery life in the industry with an incredible two months on a single charge and the most social reading experience ever with NOOK Friends(TM) -- all for just $139.

I will just borrow a friends kindle for the day......

 

[Fjordson]

Torn between the new kobo touch and kindle, I'm in canada so isn't the kindle hard to get (border fees, bla bla )

I do love the kobo look, its so clean and beautiful - the kindle keyboard makes it look more like a glorified pocket translator from 1993.

This is my first dive into ereaders as I want to read more, but i'm torn at which one to get.

Kindle, most def.

 

[Marty Chinn]

I am considering jumping on the bandwagon and getting the new E Ink nook tomorrow.

Quite a few concerns though since the tech is still catching on and I hate being left in the dust 6 months later by a huge leap forward in tech at the same price. I am really hoping that I can go 4/5 years without ever feeling the need to buy another E Reader. Leaning towards nook because it looks like the new one is getting better reviews than the Kindle and it looks like Amazons future efforts will be more ipad like which isn't something I am interested in.

Some questions:

1. Do you REALLY feel like an ereader saves you money?

2. Are many textbooks available for them?

3. How common are libraries that let you check out books on your ereaders?


I want to jump on it now because of this deal:



I will just borrow a friends kindle for the day......

1. Depends how much you read. It can once you get past the upfront price difference of the e-reader itself if you're talking from a pure cost perspective. There are other advantages that might warrant the cost, but if you're going purely on books, you gotta buy enough to save past the investment

2. There are but it really depends what textbooks you need. Personally, an e-reader is much better for linear reading like novels and less so for books you'll jump around in a lot or need for studying on some subjects. So textbooks aren't something I'd use one for.

3. Depends on your area. In my area, there are quite a few. You can go online and see what your local library has to offer.

I think the new Nook is a good point for linear novel reading right now. The page referesh is good, the screen is great quality, the touch interface is nice, and it's compact and light. Unless you need something like color e-ink, you don't have much to worry about for an e-reader. I also think the new Nook is the best e-reader out there right now with maybe the exception of the Kobo depending on your needs. I love Amazon, but the Nook is definitely better than the Kindle at this point in time and you can convert Kindle books to the Nook anyway. So I really wouldn't worry about the tech advancing too much at this point.

 

[frankie_wilde]

I'm still confused whether I should buy a Kindle or a Tablet :/ and reading this thread got me more inclined towards the Kindle

 

[Grath]

I find the 3G pretty convenient--once you finish a book on an e-Reader you do want to immediately buy another book or three--but make no mistake about it, the browser is terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible. I wouldn't use "technically capable of internet surfing" as a justification for getting the Whispernet version.

Could you please tell me if i can use (as in post on, not reading) Twitter on the 3G Kindle? I don't care if it's ugly or the page is scrambled, but if it works?

 

[Deleted member 1235]

I'm still confused whether I should buy a Kindle or a Tablet :/ and reading this thread got me more inclined towards the Kindle

kindle > ipad 2

I own both, kindle is very impressive book replacement tech.
Love my ipad, but if I had to give up one, it would be the ipad. Reading on kindle is boss.

Don't cheap out and get the cover with the attached light. AWESOME for reading in bed.

 

[Tornado Condor]

Kindle with special offers. I bought it and it's already paying itself off with the awesome offers.

 

[06nbarnhill]

I'm still confused whether I should buy a Kindle or a Tablet :/ and reading this thread got me more inclined towards the Kindle

Well it all really depends on your price range and what you want. If the device is for you know.....reading.....you should go Kindle or Nook. If you are set on Kindle I would wait till next gen (this fall) since right now Nook is a step ahead in features and tech.

Just my opinion.

 

[forgeforsaken]

I'm still confused whether I should buy a Kindle or a Tablet :/ and reading this thread got me more inclined towards the Kindle

What are you looking to do primarily? Are you looking to read novels and the like, then get a Kindle or another e-Ink device. If you are looking to read comic books or graphic intensive text books then a tablet is better. I have both a Kindle and an iPad and I couldn't imagine using the iPad to read a book.

 

[06nbarnhill]

Took the plunge today and got the new E-Ink nook.

My Impressions: Easy to use, very clear screen, great feel. Its very small size prevents it from being gaudy and one of those "look at me and what i am using" devices. Love the interface and the speed that it navigates. It looks great and is easy to read even in bright sun. I have played around with the latest Kindle quite a but I can say with some confidence that I really believe that the Nook is the superior device.

I still have some unanswered questions that I won't know until i try out the features such as how good the battery life is and how easy it is to make your own epub document. So well will see.


One HUGE gripe. I have had a BN membership for 5 years and I renewed about 5 months ago as a result of the prompting of several BN employees. NOW I buy my nook and they tell me that my old subscription is useless for ebook discounts and they want me to buy a NEW 25$ membership to get their fancy ass online discounts......my reply....you can burn in hell. I mean how FUCKED up is that. They should give that discount to all current members.

 

[Blackhead]

The first Google eBooks-integrated e-reader: iriver Story HD

Starting this coming Sunday, July 17, the iriver Story HD e-reader will be available for sale in Target stores nationwide and on Target.com. The iriver Story HD is the first e-reader integrated with the open Google eBooks platform, through which you can buy and read Google eBooks over Wi-Fi.

The iriver Story HD, which retails for $139.99, is slim and lightweight with a high-resolution e-ink screen and a QWERTY keyboard for easy searching...

I thought this ereader was DOA but this target and googlebooks hookup might give it a chance. tempting... (I tried to buy the Kobo Touch last weekend but it wasn't in stock).

 

[thezerofire]

wow that's really nice. and for the same price as a Kindle 3? hm.

 

[Blackhead]

Sony Preparing Improved E-Book Readers in Challenge to Amazon’s Kindle

Sony Corp. (6758), Japan’s largest exporter of consumer electronics, plans to introduce a line of upgraded digital book readers in the U.S. as early as next month to challenge Kindle-maker Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)

The Sony Reader, priced from $180 to $300, will probably be offered with hardware and software improvements in August, Phil Lubell, vice president of digital reading at Sony Electronics, said yesterday in an interview in San Francisco.

The new products will be introduced to U.S. consumers before Sony’s first tablet-computer models, which are scheduled to go on sale later this year. The Tokyo-based company, whose readers trail behind the Kindle and Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS)’s Nook, plans to continue its push to sell dedicated digital readers because they are cheaper than tablets, Lubell said.

“Sony appears to be struggling to expand its e-reader business as fast as it had originally planned,” said Nobuo Kurahashi, an analyst at Mizuho Financial Group Inc. in Tokyo. The digital-book operation may be pressured further with the introduction of tablets later this year, he said. “There are some overlaps between tablets and e-readers.”

Sony fell 0.7 percent to 2,133 yen as of 2:40 p.m. in Tokyo trading. The shares have dropped 27 percent this year, compared with a 2.6 percent decline in the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average.

The number of Americans who own an electronic reader such as Kindle doubled in the six months to May as college graduates and adults in the highest income category choose the devices over tablet computers, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

bah, no mention of a price drop. Sony readers are the bleeding edge hardware-wise but they also so darn expensive.

 

[06nbarnhill]

wow that's really nice. and for the same price as a Kindle 3? hm.

Yeah I would not touch it personally. Another ebook reader in a crowded market already filled with heavyweights who already have strong ties (and therefor leverage) to the bookselling and publishing industries.

This is one battle that goodle would have been smarter to avoid.

 

[Loki]

The Nook Touch is undoubtedly the best e-ink e-reader on the market right now. It's fantastic in every respect.

 

[sparky2112]

The Nook Touch is undoubtedly the best e-ink e-reader on the market right now. It's fantastic in every respect.

My son (14) just got one. Looks great, feels great, works great...

 

[thezerofire]

Just got a Nook Touch for my birthday. Seems great so far, but I didn't get much chance to use it before having to go to work.

 

[HiroProtagonist]

Here is Ars Technicas review of the iriver Story HD (aka the Google reader):

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/revi...-not-gold-ars-reviews-the-iriver-story-hd.ars

The good:

HD screen allows for crisp text, and lots of it
Body is thin and light
Storage is expandable
Page-turning button is positioned well

The bad:

No headphone jack
No annotating or highlighting passages
Line spacing, font, margins are not customizable

The ugly:

Brown? Really?
Searching within books: you can't do it

What is with that color? eh.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Here is Ars Technicas review of the iriver Story HD (aka the Google reader):

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/revi...-not-gold-ars-reviews-the-iriver-story-hd.ars



What is with that color? eh.

No searching makes it kind of eh. Especially if you're using it for text-book viewing and the like.

 

[Blackhead]

Here is Ars Technicas review of the iriver Story HD (aka the Google reader):

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/revi...-not-gold-ars-reviews-the-iriver-story-hd.ars



What is with that color? eh.

Oh, I didn't know the device could display comics (and djvu). hmm... i'll have to hold off getting the kobo touch until i can see this device for myself.

No searching makes it kind of eh. Especially if you're using it for text-book viewing and the like.

why would anybody use an eink reader for textbooks?

 

[HiroProtagonist]

No searching makes it kind of eh. Especially if you're using it for text-book viewing and the like.

Yeah, that was my favorite part of the review.

Worse, you can't search within the ebooks on this Google eBooks flagship reader. The irony: it burns us.

Funny, and true.

Oh, I didn't know the device could display comics (and djvu). hmm... i'll have to hold off getting the kobo touch until i can see this device for myself.

Comics will definitely look sharper on the iriver, but the Kobos ability to scale images (at least pdfs) should make for the superior reading experience.

 

[Technosteve]

iriver Story HD has same rez as ipad, anyway i can just duct tape that screen to my ipad =(.

 

[Blackhead]

Comics will definitely look sharper on the iriver, but the Kobos ability to scale images (at least pdfs) should make for the superior reading experience.

well I'm hoping that the sharper screen of the new iRiver means I won't have to do any scaling. I probably won't use it much for comics (I doubt it has a manga mode) but if it's able to handle pdfs like a paperback—sharp enough so I can see the typeface with no need for zooming, scrolling and panning—then I'd get it just for that alone. From what I've seen so far, the Kobo Touch trumps the iRiver in every measure (price, UI, device design, product support and interaction with the Kobo developers on mobileread, etc) except the screen... but what a screen is seems to be.

 

[dLMN8R]

I just got a Kindle 3G with special offers and am astounded at what I've been missing all these years. The thing is pure joy to read from, the offers are actually pretty decent so far, and I love how Whispersync works and such.

No idea how it compares to the rest since this is the first ereader I've owned, but on its own it's pretty amazing. ePaper looks such high-resolution too, and there are far more shades of gray than I expected there to be.

 

[-viper-]

Is Amazong going to release an updated version of their Kindle? What can I expect in the upcoming months?

Besides the Kindle, what other eInk readers should I possibly wait for?

 

[06nbarnhill]

Is Amazong going to release an updated version of their Kindle? What can I expect in the upcoming months?

Besides the Kindle, what other eInk readers should I possibly wait for?

IMO just jump in now. Honestly every gen is going to be better than the last so you could wait forever. I would recommend either the EInk Nook or Kindle 3. Better to stick with companies with actually ebook market shares than buy an ereader that is inferior (Kobo, Iriver, Sony, etc) and whose company may not even be in the ebook market 2 years from now.

 

[Blackhead]

IMO just jump in now. Honestly every gen is going to be better than the last so you could wait forever. I would recommend either the EInk Nook or Kindle 3. Better to stick with companies with actually ebook market shares than buy an ereader that is inferior (Kobo, Iriver, Sony, etc) and whose company may not even be in the ebook market 2 years from now.

the kobo and sony ereaders are actually superior—they're certainly superior to the kindle3. I can't say much about iriver since I haven't seen the new one yet. if you buy ebooks that aren't encumbered by drm then it should matter if the company isn't in the ebook market 2 years from now. I very much doubt that kobo or sony will be going out of business anytime soon anyway.

p.s. the nook isn't even internationally available yet.

Is Amazong going to release an updated version of their Kindle? What can I expect in the upcoming months?

Besides the Kindle, what other eInk readers should I possibly wait for?

it's been strongly rumored that Amazon is going to release a new kindle later this year. nobody knows when exactly but it'd likely be before thanksgiving (duh). Sony should also be coming out with new ereaders, confirmed by one of their executives, and that's expected in the next two months. However, as 06nbarnhill already said, you shouldn't be waiting for any new ereaders to come out because what's available right now is quite good for most purposes.

 

[06nbarnhill]

the kobo and sony ereaders are actually superior—they're certainly superior to the kindle3. I can't say much about iriver since I haven't seen the new one yet. if you buy ebooks that aren't encumbered by drm then it should matter if the company isn't in the ebook market 2 years from now. I very much doubt that kobo or sony will be going out of business anytime soon anyway.

p.s. the nook isn't even internationally available yet.

In ways they are better than the Kindle....I will admit that I had forgotten that Nook was US only. (though I still think that those two readers are head and shoulders above the rest)

However the point stands that other than B&N and Amazon any of those other Ereader producers have such miniscule overall market shares that any one of them could give up the fight at any time. Getting out of the ereader market =/= going out of business.

 

[K701]

Got a kindle 3g w/ ads yesterday. Used to have a kindle 2 but sold it. Went to amazon to see some kindle games and none were available. Either they said "this works on kindle 2 (not 3)" or "not available in your region (USA)"

What's up with that?

Also any free books lately that are not out of copyright? like for example an author giving out the first book in a series for free? They used to do this a lot back in the kindle 2 days. That's how I found out about "Already Dead" which I liked.

 

[06nbarnhill]

Got a kindle 3g w/ ads yesterday. Used to have a kindle 2 but sold it. Went to amazon to see some kindle games and none were available. Either they said "this works on kindle 2 (not 3)" or "not available in your region (USA)"

What's up with that?

Also any free books lately that are not out of copyright? like for example an author giving out the first book in a series for free? They used to do this a lot back in the kindle 2 days. That's how I found out about "Already Dead" which I liked.

Publishers have really cracked down on any deals amazon or BN use to offer. General prices have gone way up and deals have dried up. At least for me I feel like my ereader is costing me way for money than it saving. Really I am using it for convenience not the price at this point.

 

[Blackhead]

In ways they are better than the Kindle....I will admit that I had forgotten that Nook was US only. (though I still think that those two readers are head and shoulders above the rest)

However the point stands that other than B&N and Amazon any of those other Ereader producers have such miniscule overall market shares that any one of them could give up the fight at any time. Getting out of the ereader market =/= going out of business.

but that doesn't matter; the device will still work e.g. the iRex. it's like arguing that you shouldn't get a calculator or a journal or a pen because the manufacturer might disappear at any time...

 

[06nbarnhill]

but that doesn't matter; the device will still work e.g. the iRex. it's like arguing that you shouldn't get a calculator or a journal or a pen because the manufacturer might disappear at any time...

Thats an absurd comparison.

Electronic devices without support suck...period. No updates, fixes, etc is hell.

 

[Blackhead]

Thats an absurd comparison.

Electronic devices without support suck...period. No updates, fixes, etc is hell.

Well, first, if Electronic devices without support suck, does that mean that the nook touch sucks because it hasn't received one update since release while the kobo touch has already received three adding new features and fixes? Not really because the nook touch works reasonably well out of the box. ereaders do one thing, display books, and they'll be expected to do only that thing years after release.

Here's another comparison: music players. The iPods don't receive updates, fixes etc (except if something is broken at launch or perhaps to work with a new version of itunes). Yet an iPod from 2007 can still work and play mp3s released today, just like an ebook reader from 2007 can still work and display pdf, txt, epub, mobi files released today. if those devices don't receive any updates, it wouldn't be "hell".

 

[Snaku]

why would anybody use an eink reader for textbooks?

Some counties in Florida have replaced public school textbooks with Kindles.

 

[Blackhead]

Some counties in Florida have replaced public school textbooks with Kindles.

I pity those kids. Kindle textbook replacement programs have been tried time and time again but found not suitable.

 

[-viper-]

IMO just jump in now. Honestly every gen is going to be better than the last so you could wait forever. I would recommend either the EInk Nook or Kindle 3. Better to stick with companies with actually ebook market shares than buy an ereader that is inferior (Kobo, Iriver, Sony, etc) and whose company may not even be in the ebook market 2 years from now.

I'd be happy to wait for a Kindle Touch... or a colour Kindle.

 

[FutureZombie]

Is there an ereader that allows you to pull up multiple books at once and search through them? For instance, I am reading ADWD and I keep looking through the other books in the series trying to find certain passages that are relevant to what I'm reading. Ideally, I'd like to be able to open all of these books at once and search each one using a key word or phrase to search the entire text. Does this option exist?

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Is there an ereader that allows you to pull up multiple books at once and search through them? For instance, I am reading ADWD and I keep looking through the other books in the series trying to find certain passages that are relevant to what I'm reading. Ideally, I'd like to be able to open all of these books at once and search each one using a key word or phrase search of the entire text. Does this option exist?

Nook and as far as I know the Kindle have this feature. Have the index to each George Martin book marked for easy access.

 

[FutureZombie]

Nook and as far as I know the Kindle have this feature. Have the index to each George Martin book marked for easy access.

Excellent. Thanks!

 

[Blackhead]

i got the kobo touch. im typing this in its browser right now hehe. its a lovely device. someone should make a thread for it

 

[Rimshot]

I'm located in Sweden and am a little interested in a ebook reader. I am wondering if me being in Sweden will be a limitation on any of the stores these different readers use? As I know with Apple, they do not let you buy ebooks if you are in Sweden. You are only allowed to see the free ones :/

 

[PGamer]

Bump. Couldn't find an official ebook reader thread so I guess this one will have to do (if there is actually one could someone give me a link?).

Anyways, I'm trying to figure out what are the best ebook readers out there at the moment as the info in this thread might be a bit dated; I don't really know what's changed in the past year. I'm kind of thinking right now of getting a Kindle but I'd like to know if there are better options.

What I'm looking for:
-e-ink display, I don't want LCD
-ability to read PDFs (whether that be as native PDFs or converted into another format)
-preferably cheap but I guess I'd be willing to pay more if there are noticeably higher quality options
-fast response time would be nice
-available in Canada

Actually what I'm looking for looks to be pretty much the exact same thing as in the OP. I guess it comes down to whether or not things have really changed much in that last 1-2 years. If not I guess I'll go with the Kindle.

 

[Broder Salsa]

I'm located in Sweden and am a little interested in a ebook reader. I am wondering if me being in Sweden will be a limitation on any of the stores these different readers use? As I know with Apple, they do not let you buy ebooks if you are in Sweden. You are only allowed to see the free ones :/

This is my problem as well (Denmark). I am probably going to order a kindle but it's hard to find any good info on what's best for us here.