Alright, now that we all know the iPad sucks... E-READER THREAD

[oman]

I was considering this ipad thing purely based on e-reader functionality, but since it just has a regular LCD screen... *******, it's time to buy an e-reader.

For those of you who don't know, an e-reader is an ebook reader - a piece of tech that lets you read a near-infinite number of books.

Unique features include:

• The ability to read in sunlight, due to NO GLARE! (thanks to E-Ink, a proprietary technology)
  
• None of the eye strain that accompanies crt or lcd screens (again, thanks e-ink!)
  
• Massive battery life (we're talking days or weeks - seven thousand pageturns is about average I believe)
  
• Slim form factor so college kids like me don't have to lug around a bunch of textbooks

The first mass-produced e-readers were the amazon kindle and the sony e-reader (Kindle pictured below).

Of course, despite generational upgrades, those were rubbish. The recent CES event was widely seen as the coming-of-age party for e-readers, and gave us a bunch of new options. Here are some:

B&N Nook

The Entourage Edge, which combines a netbook and an e-reader

The PixelQi, which made a bunch of nerds excitedly slobber over themselves declaring the "death of e-ink" (i'm not convinced, but judge for yourself - interesting video at http://gizmodo.com/5444232/notion-in...en-is-obsolete )

The one I'm interested in, though, has a dumb name like bebook neo or something. But just look at it:

fantastic

 

[oman]

what pisses me off is how pricey these things are. the neo won't come out until late feb and costs $300ish, which i think is a good lil bit for a black-and-white device - but hey, as long as it lets me read anything, anywhere

 

[ratboycom]

I want one that is small as a paperback and just as light. Like if I can hold and operate it comfortably with one hand then I would buy it.
I like the Nook, edge and the PixelQi because they run android which means more applications are available giving it more functionality than just for reading books.

 

[oman]

interesting. i was hoping the apple tablet would deliver something like what you described, but since it fell flat on its face, i realized all i really want is a device that will let me load up ANY pdf and read it comfortably in the sun with no glare

i hate all this DRM (digital rights management) crap that tries to limit what pdfs you can boot, et cetera. thankfully amazon realized that anti-user-friendly **** wasn't getting it anywhere and ditched it; still, i'm confident the competition can do better

and youre right, hardware design and build quality is of the utmost importance. the nook looks fantastic in that regard, eh?

 

[Mr T]

The Kindle you pictured is a few years old - the current model (there are actually two current models) is a bit sleeker. I own the current version and absolutely love it. But the iPad thread reminded me of who these e-readers are really meant for. They are meant for readers. Those of us who always have a book in our hand and just love to read. For us, we only want a reader (and maybe a simple mp3 player). We don't want aps or gps or anything else that computers do. We simply want to read and buy content over an easy to use wireless connection.

I decided on the kindle but really any of the current e-readers are fine. Amazon has not given up their DRM - most other readers use the open e-pub format however.

I would be happy to answer any questions on my e-reader experience.

 

[oman]

youre absolutely right - i basically only want a barebones e-reader. personally, i'd even be willing skip out on the wireless connection since i mostly plan on using it for books that are legally available for free, as well as older out-of-print textbooks

i was considering the prs-300 (the updated pocket version of sony's old prs-600) since it has lovely build quality (steel frame, one-handed usability, fantastic battery life), but apparently there are issues regarding pdfs - there's only limited zoom available on them, which might make it a bit hard to read since the screen is only 5"

such a lovely looking device though. sigh

 

[Dakota rube]

I don't need another gadget.

Laptop, smart phone, iPod, gps... too ******* many "things".
It's like the pile of remote controls on most people's coffee tables.

I don't see any one box ever taking the place of all my gadgets, but I sure don't want to add to the pile I already have.

 

[oman]

this one actually saves space because it reduces the number of books you buy

i mean i like physical books as much as anyone, but i have enough old ones to create a library - i sure as hell don't need more

besides, as a college student, this reduces the number of things i have to carry to school to exactly one (and a notebook for note-taking)

 

[coldarchon]

bought a simpad for 30 bucks @ebay, thats enough ..

 

[Tck13]

I'm really interested in one of these but I haven't taken the plunge. Not sure why. Availability of books maybe?

What else does one need to pay for with one of these? WiFi? How do they work (in general)?

 

[BP348]

My wife got me a Sony E-Book reader for X-Mas.

I haven't used it much but for what I want it for, just read books, it's pretty good.

My problem is that I read so much if I had to buy all the books I'd go broke. The library is my friend

 

[lakewolf]

what about the new mininotebooks ?

A HP one cost ~$400

 

[holymadness]

My problem with e-book readers is that they do one thing. Seriously? If it does one thing, it had better cost $35, like disposable cellphones you buy at 7-11. Someone invented a gadget not too long ago which allows you to do nothing but look up wikipedia entries. I kid you not. Just think for a second about how stone-age that is.

I should like to think we are at the point where we can realistically create the all-in-one device. Despite Dakota Rube's

ing, it's our best hope of avoiding the nightmare scenario of 15 different remote controls on the table. The iPad was the most promising attempt but turned out to be a wash. This Edge looks interesting, but I know nothing about it. The Nook has been receiving good press, but I have been reading horror stories about shipments delayed for up to 2 months.

I seem to recall one of the tech blogs running several pieces about ereader fatigue after CES. It seems every competitor is throwing its hat into the ring without actually offering any standout technology. I wish I could find those articles.

 

[why]

What's the point of an electronic device that weighs as much as a book and simulates reading a book with page turns and such? I have books. I can mark in the margins. I can dog-ear pages. I can drop them on pavement with no damage. The indices, bibliographies, appendices, publisher information, annotations, and everything else are pretty much formatted the same way. I can skip to pages and set the book down easily. The books won't change, so I don't need updates or anything from the Internet.

I just don't understand the point of paying money for something with less functionality.

 

[coldarchon]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

what about the new mininotebooks ?

A HP one cost ~$400

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/a...ase-price-799/

double the price and you dont need another computer at all ..