eReader options

[Don Y]

SWMBO is complaining that the library is turning more and more to ebooks (do away with the brick&mortar facilities and let amazon act as the "library" -- some sort of contract they've hammered out).

She's not keen on giving up look/feel of paper. But, figures there's no other option for some of these titles (if library has it in *any* form, they will not process a request to find a "paper copy" at some OTHER library in the next town, etc.)

I've moved much of my technical library to electronic form (simply can't afford to keep all that paper on shelves, here!) and do so with a "tablet PC". It gives me a decent screen size (~12") so that I can view typical 8.5x11 pages/sheets in full size (assuming there is a half inch margin on the page -- which the display doesn't need to reproduce!).

Also gives me color, the ability to make annotations with the pen, support for external media, non-proprietary file formats AND other utilities -- things that aren't usually present in an eReader (which tries to be smaller, lighter and run for long periods off battery).

I offered to build her an identical machine but she's not keen on the size (she's used to reading paperbacks or hard-bound editions which typically don't have/need the larger page size that the materials I read require). And, the things she reads tend not to have illustrations, charts, "color", etc.

So, anyone with a fair bit of first-hand experience willing to share observations as to what they like/dislike about *their* eReader (make/model)? ISTR at least one unit only allowed you to put materials onto it via a wireless link -- to a *vendor*! I'm not sure how that will work with the library's offerings. Nor how you can later "backup" those acquisitions onto some other media (lest your eReader *fail*).

[These are all issues that my "solution" avoided...]

[Frank]

I've got the cheapest Kindle and even though the screen is only 7 inches it is very readable because you put books in their format.

I'm sure their Kindle Fire is better as there is a touch screen and color.

Amazon will let you download the reader to any machine as they want to sell books but there is plenty of free stuff from them or others, e.g. the Gutenburg project -

Then there is free software where you can inter-convert formats for the reader programs -

[Tony Hwang]

I used to have Kobo but iPAD has an app for eReader. I have a Kindle now.

[Don Y]

Yes, for "novels" you can afford to reflow text somewhat arbitrarily -- no illustrations that you have to shrink or "pan" to fit onto a smaller display (or, one with lower resolution).

I can't see the need for either -- if reading "novels". There's no/few illustrations that could benefit from color (unlike my technical literature which might use color to convey information). And, I can only see a touch screen as a frill to allow for gestural "page turning".

But, can you freely move documents onto and off-of the reader? A friend had me set up her nook some years back and the only way on/off the device was via wireless and a connection to their "store".

Yes, I already use that on my tablet PC as I have to address documents in multiple formats (though I favor PDF for a variety of reasons).

[Scott Lurndal]

That is not true for the Nook. I have two Nooks (epaper) and both of them show up as a disk drive when plugged into a USB port and you can copy epub's to and from them at will.

If you buy epubs from B&N via the wireless, you may or may not be able to copy them off your nook (depends on firmware version and amount of free built-in storage space).

B&N no longer lets a purchaser download the epub and sideload to the nook, but you can buy from google play or baen or find them on alt.books then sideload them.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Tablet PC is too big for a reader. My wife has a Kobo, Nook, Kindle. While she likes them all, her favorite is the Kindle Fire with 8" screen.

You books are saved in a library and are available to be read on most any device. The present book she is reading can be synced with her phone in seconds and she can continue reading where she left off.

[Jim Rusling]

I have a Kindle Paperwhite with their cover. I had a Kindle keyboard earlier. I really like the Paperwhite with it's built in back light. I also like the sync feature since there are times I read on my Microsoft Surface and on my Android phone.

This is the one that I have:

[Don Y]

That depends on what you are reading. I'd be hard-pressed to read some of my technical documents on an 8" screen. I'd either be forced to put on reading glasses to try to read all the "tiny print" in some of the tables and illustrations; or, have to pan back and forth to read individual items -- then figure out which row/column I happened to have been in, at the time.

Being able to see an 8.5x11 sheet of paper *as* an 8.5x11 sheet of paper is a huge win.

If you're only reading novels (no page formatting/layout information preserved in the document), you can afford a smaller screen -- as long as the imagery remains crisp at the scale you prefer reading.

When I played with my friend's nook, it seemed that I was constantly "flipping pages" (I read very fast) while that's rarely the case with the larger (more content) pages on my tablet PC (or, if reading PDF's on a PC -- where I can see an entire page on the screen without having to scroll down to the bottom of the first column, then

*up* to the top of the next, etc.)

Is the "library" *off* the device? And *not* requiring a connection to some cloud service? (We don't use cell phones) E.g., I can slap a PC card, SD card, thumb drive, etc. into my tablet PC to gain access to other parts of my document collection (if I don't want to use the network connection -- wired or wireless). So, the tablet PC doesn't need to have a huge disk to access the ~2TB of documents that I maintain...

[Don Y]

"cover"? That's just to protect the device? (I see violet/blue/yellow covers about halfway down that page)

What value was there to having alphanumeric entry on the device? Is this mainly for searching for titles, passages, etc.?

Yes, I think that's essential. I was laid up for a while and found the tablet PC to be a very effective way for me to keep working without having to sit up, etc. As bedrooms aren't known for having good reading/work light, the tablet made up for it. The pen also made it easy for me to make notations without having to arrange for a writing surface *in* the bed. The handwriting recognition was surprisingly good (cut down on the need for the on-screen keyboard).

She won't be using anything else to read -- no phones and she despises doing anything "recreational" sitting at a computer.

The page size seems about the same as that of a paperback ("pocketbook"). If you adjust the font size to what you would encounter on a paperback print page, how readable is it? I.e., do you have to enlarge the text (font) to gain readability (resulting in less text on the "page")?

[Frank]

I download to my desktop and transfer them to the Kindle. Don't like using Kindle or tablet to download as browsing is a PITA.

Don't know anything about the Nook but see that their format is .epub vs .mobi for Kindle. My Kindle will read .mobi and .pdf but may do .epub too. Calibre can inter-convert them. Most .pdf's are big for the Kindle but I have a couple in the form of hunting maps on them.

[Susan Bugher]

First things first. . . ;)

The OverDrive app is one of the top-rated eBook apps available for iOS, Android, Chromebook, Mac OS, Windows, and Windows Phone.

I suggest you go to YOUR library's site and see what they have to say about HOW you can read the type(s) of ebooks they offer.

Susan

[Kurt V. Ullman]

I'd go with Kindle papewrite for general or recreational reading. I spend a lot of time outside and you can read it perfectly even in brightest sunlight. I haven't tried it for technical or other intensive uses. The main problem I have with the Nook is that Barnes and Noble owns but doesn't quite know what they want to do with it. Just over the last couple of years, they have said they love it, said they wanted to spin it off into a separate company, said they didn't want to spin it off. I am not sure I want to spend all that money on something even the owner isn't sure it wants to deal with.

[Susan Bugher]

"Welcome to Baen Ebooks, purveyors of DRM-free ebooks. This means you can enjoy your ebooks on as many eReaders as you choose for no additional cost." SF & Fantasy mostly. Their "Free Library" is here - check it out.

Susan

[Unquestionably Confused]

[snip]

+1 on Calibre, Don. It's a FANTASTIC program. Also, if you have access to the usenet (doh!) there are a number of binary groups there that post books in the epub and mobi format. Regardless of what reader SWMBO winds up with, Calibre will catalog them, convert them to the needed format and load them to your device.

She's like paper books? Help her with the transition and recommend that no matter what reader she buys, that she buys a "cover" for it. I went with Barnes and Noble's Nook reader and was quite happy with it. Then I bought an iPad 3 and have abandoned the Nooks in favor of the iPad. Love it and works fine for me. With the cover you can hold the Nook or iPad as if you were holding a book. Makes getting used to the eReader very simple.

[Don Y]

Virtually all devices are supported -- along with PC/Mac "computers". As she is NOT interested in reading on a computer (otherwise, any of the desktops, laptops, tablets or other "appliances" that we have would be acceptable options), this means getting a *device* that she can use to fill the role that a print *book* would have filled.

[rbowman]

I've got an older Kindle Keyboard:

which is equivalent to the current Paperwhite

I've been very happy with it. You can either buy from Amazon or sideload via the USB port. Many of the Amazon books are free or very inexpensive if you're not into the NYT best sellers.

Calibre can convert from a number of formats to the mobi format. Instructions for sideloading are here;

The way our library works is the eBooks are actually received from Amazon.

Some models are 3G. The 'special offers' are very non-intrusive. Basically you get a varying selection of ads when the device is turned off, not some popup every time you turn the page.

The Kindle app is available for tablets and PCs also as well as the hardware Kindles. If you're connected (3G or WiFi) your material is synched; read to page 103 on the Kindle at home, and when you go to that book on a PC at work, you'll be on 103.

Battery life is excellent as long as the WiFi is turned off. A charge lasts several weeks instead of several hours with a tablet. While I still like paper, the Kindle experience is almost as good and if you're traveling it beats a heavy bag full of books.

One nice feature is the dictionary. It comes with an english dictionary but I purchased a German to English dictionary. Put the cursor over an unfamiliar word and it pops up a definition most of the time. German being German, some of the compound words or verb forms don't work smoothly.

[Idlehands]

Kobo Aura H2O, waterproof, dustproof 6.8" backlit screen. I have read

18,000 pages last quarter alone. Coming up to it's first anniversay of when I purchased it it and love it.

This is my answer to replacing my paperback library since I have read them all to tatters :)

(Buy the case for it as well).

[rbowman]

You can subscribe to magazines and the color might make it more enjoyable. I only get a few magazines and prefer the dead tree format anyway.

[rbowman]

Yes, the files are stored locally. I only enable the wireless connection when I'm getting a new book from Amazon.

[rbowman]

Yes, but I seldom use it. You can make notes also but I seldom do that ever with paper books. The Paperwhite has a virtual keyboard. One thing the PW doesn't have afaik is the text to speech or audio books but I never used that feature anyway.