eReader options

[Don Y]

The problem is you can't find *new releases* in the used book market.

[rbowman]

I've never noticed a limitation. My tablet's screen is and inch longer and 1/8 narrower for 7" diagonal. The problem you get into is the overall size. Back when we started to develop a tablet product I spec'ed out a couple of Acer 10" tablets for the programmers on the project. The selling point was the charger was a separate connection so you could leave it on the wall wart and use the USB port for the debugging interface.

After working with them, I walked across the street to BestBuy and bought an almost identical tablet but in the 7" form factor. I realize that if I was going to hump around a 10" tablet I might as well bring the 13" Win7 notebook with the real keyboard. I can slip a 7" tablet, or the almost identically sized Kindle into a cargo pocket.

Phones have been through the same thing. The postage stamp sized display is awkward, so they started to grow up to the phablet class with 5 to 7" screens.

It's all about being mobile and if you can't reasonably stick it in a pocket or purse it's a problem.

[rbowman]

Thanks. If my current keyboard dies I'll probably move to the Paperwhite. I'll admit to being firmly embedded in the Amazon ecosystem these days :)

When Amazon first started up they tended to promise items they couldn't deliver, especially with less popular books and European CDs, so I ordered more from Barnes & Noble. Amazon got it together. There's a brick & mortar B&N across from where I work and I walked over last week to but a 50% off calendar. I think that's the only thing I've bought there in about a year. Leaning towards Amazon is why I went with the Kindle rather than the Nook. In retrospect it was the better choice.

[rbowman]

300 books in a Kindle are very easy to dust... And she'll have enough room on the shelves for knick knacks rather than trying to stuff books in two deep and make structural improvements when the shelves start to sag too badly.

[Don Y]

Neither of us is looking for "portable" more than "living room, bedroom, or office". We don't travel anymore. In the past, if I traveled, I'd pack a large "aircraft carrier" laptop (small displays and small keyboards are irritating). SWMBO would pack a *tiny* laptop in her travels to economize on space in her luggage (she would only use it to stay connected to her email).

When I reference stuff in my archive, the tablet PC just frees me from sitting at a "PC" (even laptops create the "desktop" style interface). Standardizing on PDF's means I can also reference those same documents when "working" at a desktop/laptop -- without having to deal with an assortment of formats.

When she's reading (leisure), the BOOK is in her lap on the couch, in bed, etc. When not actively reading, the "novel du jour" sits in a basket by the bed. She could conceivably store an ereader in that same space when not in use. Charging would require some other arrangement.

But, she's likely to get frustrated, at some point, with the experience. She was using a PDA (kept in her secretary) for addresses and calendar. But, grew frustrated with ActiveSync's flakey performance and opted to go back to paper and pencil.

[Don Y]

I repeat, she's only looking for this to read LIBRARY BOOKS. You don't have to store -- or DUST -- books that are only in your house for a couple of weeks! :>

[Don Y]

We deal with Amazon very little. Our two most recent transactions were net losses -- for Amazon *and* us (items returned for full refund -- Amazon lost two shipping charges; we lost two "buying events")

The second package is sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to be dropped off at the UPS office tomorrow.

The BIG advantage to brick and mortars is you can actually *see* what you are buying and don't have to rely on some dweeb to put the *right* item in the box!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sounds like you should stick with real books then. No sense spending money for the reader and then buying books if she is only going to read books from the local library. Both Nook and Amazon prime have freebies, but mostly older books. If she is reading two books a month from the local free library that could translate to $20 a month to buy them.

In your case, I'd borrow a reader from a friend for a couple of hours to see if she would like to handle it at all. Or stop at a Barnes & Noble store to handle one. It has to be her choice if she is going to like it. From things I've read and heard over the past couple of years, the split is maybe 80-20 on the like/dislike.

[Juan Doe]

Amazon is my goto store for virtually everything.

Shirts and pants are the only products that are troublesome since the idiot clothing manufacturers can't seem to standardize on sizes.

[Susan Bugher]

I believe they show up pretty fast - but maybe not real cheap at first. Just threw that out as one more option to consider. Good luck with your quest for the best solution.

Susan

[Don Y]

SWMBO bought two (identical) pair of pants. They were different sizes (though marked identically). Additionally, the cuffs were frayed. In a brick and mortar store, she'd notice they were different sizes before bringing them home -- without even having to resort to the "dressing room".

I bought a "22cm, up angle, USB A male to USB A female cable". What arrived was an 18cm, DOWN angle, USB A male to USB A female cable" despite the fact that I had deliberately NOT ordered that variation. I was able to characterize the cable within seconds of handling the PACKAGE.

She bought a "cleaning kit" -- 8 oz variety (three 8 oz bottles). The *2 oz* variety arrived. It was a no-brainer to realize those tiny bottles couldn't possibly contain "a cup" of liquid, each.

In each case, we've invested as much time as if we'd driven to a local store, HANDLED the items ourselves to verify they are exactly what we want, then driven home.

[Don Y]

If they are new releases, they tend not to be inexpensive. Then she's got two books she'll have to donate?

We don't know anyone who uses an eReader. We can try B&N to see if the

*concept* is something she can accept. But, would still need to see what the relative differences are between different products and manufacturers. E.g., the little nook that my friend had would be VERY disappointing (poor contrast, flimsy, etc). [She's moved away in the years since then]

[Don Y]

And you have to go *looking* for them. The big appeal of the library is you submit a request for an item (even before they have considered buying it) and they inform you when it's arrived.

Thanks! I think we'll try Ed's suggestion of actually putting some devices *in* her hands and see what she thinks. I'm sure the demo units will have *some* sort of "reading material" preinstalled.

A neighbor has an iPad so I can ask her if she has any "reading" software that she could demo for us. (doubtful, not the "reading type"!)

After seeing those, I can show her what *I* use, just so she has a recent reference against which to compare...

And, if she opts for "none of the above",

[Ed Pawlowski]

In the past 6 or 8 years of using Amazon I've never had a problem, never had a return. I can see why you are disappointed given the failure rate of 100% but for most of us it is 0%.

We've bought a variety of merchandise from home goods, electronics, medical supplies. but not much clothing. I just checked and I've placed

140 orders with 1 to 8 items, every one perfect.

[Susan Bugher]

Don't recall what you use. You might take a look at these: :

FBReader is a free (and ad-free) multi-platform ebook reader.

Cool Reader A cross-platform XML/CSS based eBook reader

Susan

[Don Y]

I've never had an issue with an *eBay* purchase -- and those are "average joes", not businesses!

I've never had a problem with a DX purchase (and they have umpteen different varieties of some of their products).

We tend to have very *specific* "wants". E.g., the USB cable *had* to bend UP -- not down or off to the left or right like the other amazon offerings that I skipped over. It had to be 22cm long -- not the 18cm or 20cm that some of the others claimed. Someone else may just have *picked* this particular "right angle" cable without regard for those details. And, if the "wrong" part arrived, might never have noticed that it plugs in upside down... or is a few inches too short, etc.

E.g., if I order a hamburger, I *don't* want a cheeseburger. Nor a Reuben (I don't like cheese or corned beef!). If you don't want to sell hamburgers, then don't put them on the menu. If you HAVE them on the menu, then be able to deliver one when it is ordered!

[Don Y]

My documents are all being standardized as PDF's. This lets me access them with one reader (software) regardless of from which computer I opt to access them. It also lets me put things other than text/illustration into the file.

You , I ! :<

(sigh) I can truly sympathize with IT folks given the sort of crap they have to address...

[rbowman]

Edward Hamilton specializes in remaindered books. You can pick up a few tons of yesterday's coffee table books inexpensively. I don't know if he's changed his shipping charges but a couple of times I think the postage cost him more than what he got from the books.

[rbowman]

Patience... I use Netflix and watch some of the cable TV programs on DVD so for current shows I'm a year behind. One has to be careful to avoid spoilers.

[rbowman]

The pile by my bed includes the Kindle along with paper books, both from the library and one's I've purchased.

My PDA is and always has been a spiral ring notebook small enough to slip in a shirt pocket. I don't have that many addresses to keep track of, or anything that passes for a calendar. At work I use the Thunderbird calendar which gives me an alert so I can disappear before tedious meetings.