Viewing 30 posts - 1 through 30 (of 30 total)
  • Best eReader?
  • mildred
    Full Member

    The wife has offered to buy me an eReader for Christmas. I initially wanted the bog standard kindle but would appreciate a lit screen; I like to read in bed at night.

    I’ve looked at the Kindle whitepaper but it seems daft to buy that at £109 when for £129 I could buy a Kindle Fire, that does everything the same plus loads more. But that got me thinking – wouldn’t this then be a distraction from reading. I have an iPhone, laptop etc. so it just seems like too much of an overlap with these items.

    So, what else is there out there?

    Ideally I’m after a lit screen function for basic kindle money. Any ideas? I’ve seen the kobo glo but that’s again back into Fire/whitepaper money.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    Less is more in this situation. Get the paperwhite. Built for reading, and reading alone.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    I think you’ve answered your own question there. I use my iPad and iPhone, but I don’t like being restricted to one source (Amazon) for my ebooks. I get mine from all over the place, some I found recently will only open in Bluefire, because of the Adobe DRM applied to them, but they’re books I’ve had as paperbacks for thirty years, and unavailable anywhere else. But I want a device that does do lots of things, reading books being just one of them.
    Go for the backlit Kindle, I think it does what you’re after.

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    plodtv
    Free Member

    I am not sure why using a kindle restricts you to one source mine hasn’.t Like Jamie says if you want a book reader get something with digital ink a tablets a tablet if you want a tablet get one of them instead, but don’t think its going to be like reading of an ereader.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    I’m in the same position – Ms S has offered to buy me a Kindle – then she saw the Fire and said ‘why don’t you get one of those?’

    TBH, if I was going to get a tablet, I’d want a 32GB Nexus 7, so I reckon I’ll just stick with the non-3G Paperwhite.

    Looks like demand is going to be sky high though – not available till December according to the Amazon site.

    mildred
    Full Member

    so are the other manufacturers eReaders able to download amazon kindle content?

    I do like the look of the Fire – the ability to have full magazine content, watch love film etc. is attractive, but again, I can’t help thinking it would distract me from reading. I sort of think – £68 for the standard model would leave me a lot left over to buy me a lot of books… but I’d still have to put up with the nagging whilst reading in bed with the lamp on.

    Anything else worth looking at?

    jota180
    Free Member

    The basic Kindle does one thing and does it so well, nothing else comes close
    You can get lights for them if needed and contrary to comments above, they aren’t tied to Amazon for content.

    chojin
    Free Member

    Have you considered a Kobo? The Kobo store has many more books available than Amazon (surprisingly) and can read most things.

    Plus it’s real cheap – can be had for about 60 quid I think.

    mildred
    Full Member

    I looked at the Kobo Glo, but the price difference between that and the paperwhite is negligable. Is there anything about it that makes it better than the kindle?

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    I have just switched from my Sony Ereader to a HP Touchpad running Android with a CoverUp anti-glare cover on the screen – which gives a pretty decent reading experience and I can turn the brightness down pretty low at night to read.

    Battery life obviously an issue but the 4:3 form factor and size is much better for the books I read. And the touchstone dock makes a good stand for reading at my desk.

    I am using Mantano reader which is very good and read protected epubs and pdfs.

    Kobo use Adobe DRM so Mantano can read them I think, although I haven’t tested it as I pulled the DRM off the books I bought from Kobo anyway.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    Can you read normal epub files on a Kindle?

    higgo
    Free Member

    The basic Kindle does one thing and does it so well, nothing else comes close

    Except the Kobo….

    Touch or, if you want something smaller, Mini… http://www.whsmith.co.uk/KoboeReaders.aspx

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    More research required I think.

    Thanks.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    Buy a Kindle and use Calibre, free software that will manage books in any format and convert them automatically when you transfer them to your reader. You are tied to nothing.

    100thmonkey
    Free Member

    Im using Kindle, no complaints, despite having the use of Ipad etc I just prefer the simplicity and ease and battery life of it. Dont bother with the 3G versions unless you are going to be remote for long periods, theres always wifi around to get books etc

    andyh2
    Free Member

    Would that Calibre software work to convert library e-books for reading on a kindle then?

    thekingisdead
    Free Member

    The wife has offered to buy me an eReader for Christmas. I initially wanted the bog standard kindle but would appreciate a lit screen; I like to read in bed at night.

    Ordinary kindle and a bedside light!?

    avdave2
    Full Member

    Would that Calibre software work to convert library e-books for reading on a kindle then?

    I’m not sure what format they come in but Calibre is a free download so just download it and check.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    CAlibre is great but occasionally has some formatting issues.

    For the OP. Whatever Kindle floats your boat but the Fire is not really a kindle; it’s an android tablet.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Ordinary kindle and a bedside light!?

    The Paperwhite has other advantages, a higher res screen and nicer fonts IIRC

    If you are seriously considering a tablet like the Fire as an e-reader, go to your local Waterstones where they have all the different Kindles on display. The difference in readability between a tablet and a “proper” kindle is massive, IMO.

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    The difference between an ereader and a tablet is mostly down to the reflectiveness of the screen. Tablets have glass like screens which relect massively, causing eye strain.

    I used a Sony ereader for years, but have switched to a tablet with an anti-glare cover on it so the reflectivity is similar to the ereader, but it is color and I can read in bed easier and with less eyestrain as it effectively has a backlight.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    I really don’t find that. I’ve not tried a paperwhite but the reason I read on my kindle other than a tablet is because it is NOT backlit. I find I’ll read for longer with a “passive” screen that I need to light myself (either with daylight or other lights). I’m pretty sure there was some report that said using lit screens before sleep hurts how you sleep but I may have made that up.

    willard
    Full Member

    I have a cheap android tablet with a 7″ screen and use that for books and the occasional film. It’s very good for films and ok for reading books when Aldiko is used, but battery life is poor compared to a Kindle.

    If it was not for the requirement to do films, I would have bought a Kindle. If it was not for the requirement to be cheap, I would have maybe gone for an iPad. Far too expensive.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    I’ve not tried a paperwhite but the reason I read on my kindle other than a tablet is because it is NOT backlit.

    The backlight is optional and when off the screen is exactly the same as a normal Kindle so I suppose it just gives you the extra option if you want it.

    As willard just mentioned above, the other great advantage of e-readers over tablets is massive battery life, but whether that is a practical advantage or not depends on where you do your reading I suppose!

    oddjob
    Free Member

    Be aware that you can’t read a back lit screen for very long without getting tired eyes and if you read one in bed, it stops you sleeping for ages because of the blue light. Get a bog standard black and white e reader if you want it as an e reader and a tablet if you want one of those.

    At the moment there isn’t a device (that I know of) that can do both of these things.
    ( I have a sony reader that is pretty good and an ipad that is great but causes insomnia)

    alfabus
    Free Member

    paperwhite is not a back light, it is a front light, and therefore not eye straining.

    <is getting one for chrimbo/>

    Dave

    jota180
    Free Member

    What are other ereaders like in brilliant sunlight?

    Obviously not something the Scots would worry about 😉 but for the rest of us are they OK? as good as a Kindle?
    Tablets are going to be crap in all guises I suppose?

    TurnerGuy
    Free Member

    I’m pretty sure there was some report that said using lit screens before sleep hurts how you sleep but I may have made that up.

    I am not finding this at all – at night I knock the brightness of my tablet right down, to the point that it is almost unreadable during the day, and read a bit of a technical book before wandering off to sleep.

    When doing the equivalent with my Sony ereader and a separate light my eyesight was suffering over time.

    Maybe reading with a side light would be better – I was using one of these

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mighty-Bright-MiniFlex-Clip-On-Reading/dp/B003FZA1MY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352742904&sr=8-1

    which is a pretty good light.

    There is also a mode on Mantano reader where the foreground and backgound can be flipped for night time reading, so I am reading black on white, but I don’t use it.

    mildred
    Full Member

    I’ve opted for basic Kindle due to my reasons for wanting one in the 1st place – just reading & nothing more. I have an iPhone which does everything the fire does + so if want/need to browse the web etc. I can use that. I don’t think the paperwhite represents very good value for money; when the fire is only £20 more for sooooo much more, it seems plain daft. Yes, the light facility would be nice, but it’s not essential; if I want to read in bed ill jut have to put up with the whinging from the wife.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    I don’t think the paperwhite represents very good value for money; when the fire is only £20 more for sooooo much more, it seems plain daft.

    To me they are two completely different products so comparing them is pointless tbh. Bear in mind the Paperweight has a significantly better screen than previous models (25% more contrast and 60% more pixels apparently) although I agree purely in terms of value for money the regular Kindle is the better purchase.

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