Ebook readers

[seeker 0]

as i have stated in my previous posts i do enjoy a good book or 10 while im on my hols and also i love my gadgets so i was thinking of getting an ebook reader. i was wondering if anybody here has used one of these and if so what did you think it? what model did you get and of course any advice about them?.

[BigDUSA 71]

My wife uses the Kindle and loves it. So easy, quick to d/l books all at a discount.

[jacko 8,827]

Got any pictures of these things. I have had a couple of books on my computer for years, but reading from a computer just isn't comfy. Are these things the equivalent to a paperback you can read while propped up on pillows in bed?

[Obsession 571]

Got any pictures of these things. I have had a couple of books on my computer for years, but reading from a computer just isn't comfy. Are these things the equivalent to a paperback you can read while propped up on pillows in bed?

 

Amazon have a few, and reviews. I couldnt post a link as you wouldnt get to view my account. Pretty expensive, imho.

[joekicker 53]

Generally, if you simply go to Amazon.com, the Kindle is big, front and centre.

 

It's pretty light, fairly well lighted, fairly easy to read and of course it stores lots of books, each of which you can ONLY buy from Amazon. But it's simply not like reading a book. I figure they are still at least one generation from an actual reader that will actually catch on, plus they are still way above a good price that consumers will pay. The new Barnes and Noble one supposedly is a step up from Kindle, but still not far enough, and they have to do better than $250 for something that paperback publishers don't charge you for at all, eh?

 

You can download gazillions of free books to read on your computer, in several formats including a new one called epub -- which requires an online or client reader. It's still not like a book, not that a computer ever will be.

 

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[seeker 0]

Ok just been looking at amazons kindle(only available in USA?) also the sony version and these things are quite expensive for what they are! i have downloaded a couple of free books from a scifi page http://www.baen.com/library/ but reading them on a computer screen just aint the same. I read somewere in my search that the next generation in ebook readers is gonna be the next big thing and guess whos making it? Apple so seeing what they have done for touchscreen phones i think im gonna hang on a while and see what happens.

[Sailfast 503]

I have the Kindle App on my Iphone. It's sort of OK, but... well... I think the next generation of humans won't care, but it just ain't a book.

Good thing is that you can read without a secondary light and it fits in my pocket.

Bad thing is that if my phone runs out of juice, I run out of reading material. Plus, well... it just ain't a book.

[jacko 8,827]

Generally, if you simply go to Amazon.com, the Kindle is big, front and centre.

 

It's pretty light, fairly well lighted, fairly easy to read and of course it stores lots of books, each of which you can ONLY buy from Amazon. But it's simply not like reading a book. I figure they are still at least one generation from an actual reader that will actually catch on, plus they are still way above a good price that consumers will pay. The new Barnes and Noble one supposedly is a step up from Kindle, but still not far enough, and they have to do better than $250 for something that paperback publishers don't charge you for at all, eh?

 

You can download gazillions of free books to read on your computer, in several formats including a new one called epub -- which requires an online or client reader. It's still not like a book, not that a computer ever will be.

 

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Thanks, I took a look, looks like one of those personal organisers that didn't catch on years ago. Amazed I cannot transfer some of the books I downloaded to the gadget and have to get them from Amazon, like Apple software eh? At $259 it is far overpriced too. As to books on the laptop, well yes easy to obtain, but not practical. Perhaps one of the newer netbooks would work, but the thing I have won't pass to the bedside table single handed, and I would worry about it sliding to the floor when I turned.

Whether I can download a book in under 60 seconds wireless or not, seems superfluous, when I was thinking of loading it like an Ipod or music to my cell phone.

[seeker 0]

You know what guys....im gonna stick to the wood mulch format, even though i use and enjoy technology and all the things it enables me to do i just dont think you can replace somthings and getting hold of a an old yellow paged, written on, well read( hench well enjoyed), been through the mill, dropped off the bed a few times, drooled on fire lighter(just in case we run out of fuel) can be beaten yet! so its just a good old book for me.

[Big_Brian 179]

I bought the Sony PRS-505 a few weeks before my last trip and can't praise it enough. I get through 3-4 books most weeks and this holds 160 - and takes SD cards that could add 1,000's more, so that's me sorted for a while.

 

 

I've yet to buy a book, the first thing I did was download a torrent with 15,000 scifi & fantasy books. That should keep me busy.

 

Just like pirate movies on the net, there are LOADS of pirate books too - I read the latest Terry Pratchett and Dan Brown on the plane out.

 

It's worth installing Calibre on your PC, it's a free app for formatting books, as some of them are either in a format the 505 can't read, or are badly formatted in the first place. Using Calibre to convert to ePub (takes seconds) has sorted everything so far.

 

The screen on this one is only 6", but as there are no margins on the page, it's about the same visible text area as a small paperback. It's big enough, but a couple more inches wouldn't hurt.

 

I didn't go for the Kindle because of the "must buy from Amazon" bit. No thanks. I like free! Amazon even keep control; I read recently that for some reason they deleted George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 from ALL Kindles for some reason.

[jacko 8,827]

I bought the Sony PRS-505 a few weeks before my last trip and can't praise it enough. I get through 3-4 books most weeks and this holds 160 - and takes SD cards that could add 1,000's more, so that's me sorted for a while.

 

 

I've yet to buy a book, the first thing I did was download a torrent with 15,000 scifi & fantasy books. That should keep me busy.

 

Just like pirate movies on the net, there are LOADS of pirate books too - I read the latest Terry Pratchett and Dan Brown on the plane out.

 

It's worth installing Calibre on your PC, it's a free app for formatting books, as some of them are either in a format the 505 can't read, or are badly formatted in the first place. Using Calibre to convert to ePub (takes seconds) has sorted everything so far.

 

The screen on this one is only 6", but as there are no margins on the page, it's about the same visible text area as a small paperback. It's big enough, but a couple more inches wouldn't hurt.

 

I didn't go for the Kindle because of the "must buy from Amazon" bit. No thanks. I like free! Amazon even keep control; I read recently that for some reason they deleted George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 from ALL Kindles for some reason.

Animal farm isn't PC I guess, another reason not to go with Kindle/ Amazon, too much censorship about! Coincidentally Sony sent me a marketing email including this today. If it can be rotated, to give a landscaped reading area that would be preferable for me. The text looks a little small, can that be zoomed in-on? Edited December 1, 2009 by jacko

[joekicker 53]

Animal farm isn't PC I guess, another reason not to go with Kindle/ Amazon, too much censorship about!

 

Oh jacko, for heaven's sake -- it turned out Amazon was selling pirated books. It deleted them from Kindles, just like the REAL.... er, just like the novel 1984. No censorship involved. Mind, you certainly can argue it was very unpleasant to learn that Amazon can take anything they want off YOUR Kindle any old time for any reason at all including censorship if it pleases them.

 

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[jacko 8,827]

Oh jacko, for heaven's sake -- it turned out Amazon was selling pirated books.

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Treasure Island too eh.... swine!

[Big_Brian 179]

Animal farm isn't PC I guess, another reason not to go with Kindle/ Amazon, too much censorship about! Coincidentally Sony sent me a marketing email including this today. If it can be rotated, to give a landscaped reading area that would be preferable for me. The text looks a little small, can that be zoomed in-on?

 

jacko,

It has 3 levels of zoom, but the actual text size does depend on the original text size - you can only zoom larger than that, not smaller.

It can be rotated too (one button press), but I haven't found that to be of use so far.

 

joek,

Thanks for the explanation. Whatever the reason, I do NOT want some "big brother" to have control over a bit of kit that I own. Or should that be "big sister" as it's Amazon?

[Sailfast 503]

jacko,

It has 3 levels of zoom, but the actual text size does depend on the original text size - you can only zoom larger than that, not smaller.

It can be rotated too (one button press), but I haven't found that to be of use so far.

 

joek,

Thanks for the explanation. Whatever the reason, I do NOT want some "big brother" to have control over a bit of kit that I own. Or should that be "big sister" as it's Amazon?

Can you "lock" the rotation?

This is handy if you, for instance, like to read in widescreen while laying on your side in bed. (those of you who don't use an electronic reader are probably scratching your heads.. ??)

The Kindle Application on my Iphone will do this and it's great.

[Big_Brian 179]

Can you "lock" the rotation?

This is handy if you, for instance, like to read in widescreen while laying on your side in bed. (those of you who don't use an electronic reader are probably scratching your heads.. ??)

The Kindle Application on my Iphone will do this and it's great.

 

When you change it, it stays changed until you change it back.