e-book readers (Kindle, Nook, etc.)

[LesStrat]

Which one do you recommend and why?

Advantages and disadvantages of each of the major brands?

[Silver]

I like the look of the Kindle but i've only looked at the range of products available briefly. The screens look the same on all of them apart from a size difference between some brands. I have not had the opportunity to really check out the more in depth features.

If i were to buy one, my major consideration would be the price and availabilty of books. I think the Kindle wins in this respect because it has the might of Amazon behind it. I don't know much about the market, but i was looking into a Sony reader before and the books were more expensive.

[andrizzle]

have you considered an ipad? I know it's more expensive, but there's a Kindle app, and the iBooks app, it's backlit, and you can use it for the internet and other things... you don't have that option with a Kindle/Nook

[Silver]

have you considered an ipad? I know it's more expensive, but there's a Kindle app, and the iBooks app, it's backlit, and you can use it for the internet and other things... you don't have that option with a Kindle/Nook

The whole reason for thing like the Kindle to exist is that the surface looks like paper and is easy on the eyes. I for one find it quite hard to be reading and concerntrating on a computer monitor, esspecially when i've been staring at one all day.

The iPad is also considerably larger and less portable too.

[Despair]

Notion Ink Adam with Pixel Qi display. Nearly as good as eInk for greyscale, but faster response time. Also has a backlit mode. Much nicer than the iPad for battery life and bad lighting conditions. Tegra 2 gives it faster CPUs and GPU with lower power draw. Far more open platform. Also has a pair of micro USB 2.0 ports. It does share the iPad's increased weight compared to a smaller dedicated eReader, but there's a lot you get with a full tablet in exchange for the extra weight.

Unfortunately they can't meet demand on the Pixel Qi display, demand far outstripping supply.

And there's improvements in the pipeline, with the Tegra 3-based Adam 2 expected in Q2-Q3 '11.

In the long run, ebook readers are going to become more convenient than paper. Switchable backlit/reflective modes are a killer feature. Easier to read in the dark than paper, easier to read in light than a typical LCD and faster than eInk.

[Hoss]

neither...i have the app on my android phone and macbook.

[Chaos]

The whole reason for thing like the Kindle to exist is that the surface looks like paper and is easy on the eyes. I for one find it quite hard to be reading and concerntrating on a computer monitor, esspecially when i've been staring at one all day.

The iPad is also considerably larger and less portable too.

+1

The Kindle was designed to replace a book. It's screen and feature set are optimized for this function. It does its job very well.
It was never meant to be a “Swiss-Army knife” / Jack-of-all-trades, master of none like an iPad.

[ehdwuld]

hello
I got a Kindle 2 years ago
there is a website with a ton of public domain books
http://freekindlebooks.org/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page


also if you ant audio books to play thru Librivox has tons of these as well

[Andrew Lamprecht]

They all suck. Pick up a REAL book.

[Pierre]

... Kindle.


Mind you I'm a LITTLE biased. Just a little. Tiny little bit.

However I've seen a few and they're really, really well designed gadgets.

[Aceman]

I like analog

[80's_Metal]

I bought my wife a kindle last year and it is awesome! books are cheap from amazon and instantly transfer to your machine.

Also my Droid will do ebooks from google, another great alternative.

However I like the size and feel of the kindle much better if all I was doing was reading...

[GuitarStv]

How paper-like is the Kindle? I've heard people say that the electronic ink is much easier to read than a computer monitor (no real refresh rate to speak of) and that it's not backlit. I could never replace books with an LCD . . . they bug my eyes too much after a few hours.

[Pierre]

In my experience the Kindle is very easy on the eye. Honestly, I felt it was just the same as paper ink. It looks nothing like a typical computer or TV screen. It's just black on white, no pixels, no backlighting... very comfortable.

[80's_Metal]

In my experience the Kindle is very easy on the eye. Honestly, I felt it was just the same as paper ink. It looks nothing like a typical computer or TV screen. It's just black on white, no pixels, no backlighting... very comfortable.

Yes +1

[dominus]

Kindle.

Much lighter than a hardcover book too. Makes it easier to read while lying in bed. It's also searchable, so if you're trying to find stuff in a book, you can come across it easily.

Tons of software online for converting other formats to it too, so I've got plenty of free books for it. Amazon will also have freebies scattered all over the place if you just want something random and free.

[MojoMonster]

If you don't mind being tied to Amazon, the Kindle.
If you do, the Nook Color, mostly because it's using an Android based OS and has already been rooted.
From what I understand B&N is going to/is offering apps for it.

If you just want a feature-rich eInk reader that can open most file formats, the Sony eReader is hard to beat.

All that said, I think I'd wait a few months.

MM

[LesStrat]

I like analog as well. That was not the point of the question.

My DIL wants a Kindle. My wife likes the idea. She reads more on her phone than from books (probably should get her the kindle app). She never liked reading analog, but she WILL read on her iPhone.

I had heard that Kindle was limited to amazon.

[uOpt]

I am waiting for google books (the to-buy variant) to release a single book I want to read

No, seriously, my wife is very happy with the kindle, both the gizmo and the service, and reads her books on an iPad and the PC, too. Myself I didn't sign up for Kindle since they don't officially support Linux or FreeBSD. Reports say it runs but the Google system is much slicker.

I also don't like that Amazon has first pulled books from kindles (some Animal Farm edition), then said they didn't intend to and would never do that willingly and now did it again. When I pay for a book I want to get the rights to read it indefinitely.

[grumptruck]

I got my wife the nook (wifi not color):

1. its not as properitary as the kindle... it can do EPUB.
2. it's based off of android
3. touch screen type-pad
4. Lending feature (they did it first)
5. You can download any book and read for an hour a day at any Barnes and Noble in America.
6. SD memory support

If those 6 features aren't big for you. The kindle is still cool... Since I am an amazon shopper: Games, body-grooming stuff, Christmas shopping... I had more biased towards the Kindle...

The HUGE plus in Kindle's favor is Battery life and being an outlet I already had a log-in for.

But the features and flexiblity of the Nook sold us.