Travel Technology - Shopping for an ebook reader

I never thought I'd actually want to buy one, but after looking at a model one of our tech guys bought, I think I do! I did a search and the threads I could find were several months old. Any thoughts from those of you who have had one for a while? Do you really use it/like it? Pros/cons for the different models?

I never thought I'd actually want to buy one, but after looking at a model one of our tech guys bought, I think I do! I did a search and the threads I could find were several months old. Any thoughts from those of you who have had one for a while? Do you really use it/like it? Pros/cons for the different models?

I highly recommend the Kindle. I have both the Kindle and the Sony, but I like the Kindle better.

Pros:
-wireless delivery of books from amazon
-titles are cheaper than Sony (usually around 9.99/ea)
-don't need to connect to a computer to download

Cons:
-cost
-"paddles" take some getting use to

My wife likes her Kindle a lot.

I haven't used a Kindle but I can recommend my Sony Reader -- its the original model and I find it easy to use. I also read books on my Palm device (Garmin iQue) which while much smaller, it is easier to read in low light conditions (since the screen is backlit). But that takes some getting used to.

Check out www.mobileread.com (http://www.mobileread.com) -- its the flyertalk of moble reading :)

Any thoughts from those of you who have had one for a while? Do you really use it/like it? Pros/cons for the different models?
I've had my Sony Reader for over a year and just got an Amazon Kindle about a month ago. Both have their advantages but I'm going to switch to the Kindle 100% after I finish reading the books I've already purchased on the Sony Reader.

The Sony Reader is smaller and I like the way you press the buttons for turning pages better. The Amazon Kindle is bigger and clunkier but has wireless delivery of books, magazines, and newspapers.

I ordered the Wall Street Journal on the Kindle and it's fantastic. I read it on my commute to work and actually find it easier to read than the physical newspaper. That might be unique to those who commute via public transportation because we have to learn "newspaper origami" in order to read the paper without disturbing our neighbors. I also like the fact that I can continue to get my subscription when I'm out of town (in the U.S., that is).

The Kindle also allows you to preview most books via download directly to the device, then if you like it you can just click to buy it and read the rest of the book.

Finally, I kinda feel that Amazon's committment to ebooks will be greater than Sony's and so feel more comfortable investing in a library there. With most books being DRM'ed, my use of the books I buy is linked with the company producing the reader. :(

I used to have a Japanese Sony a few years ago and 'hacked' it to be able to display and read all sorts of files. I actually didn't really use it that much largely because it didn't deal with pdfs, webpages and other funny formats that well.

I really like the idea of a newspaper subscription but am now thinking about buying a smaller tablet laptop (Fujitsu P1620) which I can fold and thus use as a book, while still have a fully functioning laptop. That way I can view files in any format I want.

I'm wondering if there is any decent reader software for that kind of use?

I originally signed up with Chase for a credit card to get a Sony E-Reader for $50. It got back ordered. By the time that the units were back in stock, I had decided that despite the huge price deferential, I was going with a Kindle.

The wireless delivery and larger inventory convinced me. I agree that the Sony has a more streamlined appearance, but the Kindle beats it on substance. I don't like the cover for the Kindle and agree that the design is a little klunky, but it works greats. I wish it had wifi for use outside the US. You can use a Kindle outside the US with a tether cable, but I'm not sure how smooth that works or doesn't work. Despite the slower speed, I wish Amazon had gone with Cingular and GSM. The amount of data being passed is small and presumably some roaming (or sim unlocking) option would be available.

I am definitely intrigued by the Kindle. Biggest selling point for me would be the wireless delivery of newspapers. I love to keep up with the local news on the road, and being able to do that on a plane, or even in a hotel without having to fire up the laptop would be great. Add that to being able to download a new book as I'm wrapping up the last one and it looks like a winner.

Lack of PDF support is a big issue for me and will probably make me wait this one out for a while before writing that check.

I am definitely intrigued by the Kindle. Biggest selling point for me would be the wireless delivery of newspapers. I love to keep up with the local news on the road, and being able to do that on a plane, or even in a hotel without having to fire up the laptop would be great. Add that to being able to download a new book as I'm wrapping up the last one and it looks like a winner.

Lack of PDF support is a big issue for me and will probably make me wait this one out for a while before writing that check.

Ive read PDFs on my wifes Kindle. It just is a little kludgy and they dont all work well.

We got a kindle the day it was released. And sold it last week.

It's just not ready, in the end we only used it to read the Reuters RSS feed, which we now do on a PDA or iPhone.

It's a shame, I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't work for us.

We got a kindle the day it was released. And sold it last week.

It's just not ready, in the end we only used it to read the Reuters RSS feed, which we now do on a PDA or iPhone.

It's a shame, I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't work for us.

I would be interested to know why it didn't work for you. I have to admit, I am having trouble acclimatizing myself to those paddles, but the wireless delivery, plus the reduced cost of books more than makes up for it.

Granted if they could figure out a way to have a backlight without killing the battery, that would be great, but it's a nice to have, not a got to have.

As for newspaper and magazine subscriptions, I have given up on getting those on the Kindle. The lack of good graphics is to hard for me to get by.

The things you mentioned were what made me sell it.

The paddles are a nightmare, no backlight seemed like something I could deal with (but couldn't) and the general UI just drove me insane.

In the end it just couldn't replace a book, and I think that was the decinding factor in dumping it.

Oh, and the good news is that they sell on Ebay for more than they retail for. So I ended up getting the purchase price back + what I paid for the books on it :)

I have the Sony and really like it. I have thought about the Kindle but it's clunkier. It's also harder to transfer PDF files. I like having the books on my computer for backup which I don't think the Kindle does.

The wireless option looks interesting and the books are cheaper, generally on the Kindle.

I have the new Sony and love it - love the way it looks and feels (in its leather cover, you can hold it with one hand between your fingers the same way you hold a paperback book open, the ease with which you "flip" pages (great for reading in bed - despite the need for a bedside table lamp) and the battery life. Since I got it as a Christmas present, I have read 25 books on it (I read quickly - and a lot) - and I particularly like the fact that I'm not cluttering up my too small apartment with books I'd only read once. While Sony's ebooks aren't as cheap as they should be, I do like the fact that I can buy newly issued books for about $10.00-12.50 (instead of the $16-30 I'd pay for a hardcover or high-end trade paperback). Even taking into consideration the 30% discount that often applies to bestselling hardcovers in stores, ebooks are almost always a better deal.

I would also add (for the benefit of single women considering the purchase of a Sony ebook reader) that when I took my Sony on a business trip in January, it worked as well as a cute puppy would work for a man - in terms of its capacity to attract the opposite sex. Never in my life have so many charming and attractive strangers crossed the room and paid attention to me (or, more accurately, my Sony).

One of my colleagues has the Kindle and he says that, while he prefers the look and feel of my Sony, the Kindle is a better option for him because he wants to be able to read newspapers and magazines on it - he has a 2.5 hour commute in the mornings and he leaves the house before the hard copy of the paper arrives at his house. However, he doesn't like the fact that the battery life is a lot shorter with the Kindle than my Sony's battery life.

One thing I don't like about the Sony is that, so far, ebooks seem to be a little cheaper (but consistently a little cheaper) on the Kindle. New, popular releases are often priced at $12.60 in the Sony ebook store but only about $10-11 for the Amazon Kindle, and books that are priced at $10 for the Sony are often priced at $9 on the Kindle. That will eat up the price differential between the two units fairly quickly, if you're an avid reader.

But I still love my Sony.

I don't know if you're a PC person or a Mac person, but the Sony e-reader doesn't play well with Macs. You can load text files and PDFs, but you can't connect to the Sony bookstore.

In the end it just couldn't replace a book, and I think that was the decinding factor in dumping it.

I will agree with that. If I didn't travel all the time, and love to read, I probably would have gotten rid of this thing, however the convenience of being able to carry 20+ books in something the size, and weight, of a paperback book is worth it to me....

I will agree with that. If I didn't travel all the time, and love to read, I probably would have gotten rid of this thing, however the convenience of being able to carry 20+ books in something the size, and weight, of a paperback book is worth it to me....

I agree. I love the feel of a book but when you are humping around a heap of other equipment, having all your books on an ereader is great.

I use my Sony Clie, which is smaller than either the Sony reader or the Kimble but is just the right size to be able to pull it out and read on the train, standing in queues, etc - places that I don't bother to dig a book out even when I have one with me.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I agree...I don't think it would ever replace paper books (I don't think I'd take an ebook reader into the bath tub), but I love the idea of not running out of things to read while I'm travelling. :)

I don't know if you're a PC person or a Mac person, but the Sony e-reader doesn't play well with Macs. You can load text files and PDFs, but you can't connect to the Sony bookstore.

I run parallels on my Mac and connect quite nicely.

I use a Bookeen Cybook, which supports Mobipocket format and pdfs (plus various image formats and MP3 music). It's lighter and thinner than the Sony and certainly MUCH better than the horrible Kindle device.

You can buy books from mobipocket, ebooks, fictionwise and others.

Kindle has a great business model, but the hardware is terrible, and the wireless kills your battery-life.

Amazon owns Mobi, and the Kindle uses the mobi format, but with an extra security twist. There are various hacks that might allow you to port your mobi book to Kindle or maybe even your Amazon book to the Cybook.

http://www.bookeen.com/ebook/ebook-reading-device.aspx
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewproduct&PRODUCT=5

GBP 245 or USD 399

...but they are sold out at the moment

I run parallels on my Mac and connect quite nicely.

Right. Then let me amend my posting #16 to say... Macs don't play well with e-books unless you install Windows and possibly Parallels on your Mac and spend a couple hundred $$ in the process. And that assumes you have a Mac with an Intel processor.

I've been thinking about getting the Sony eBook - sat next to a guy with one on a flight late last year. One bonus for me is that I'm avid S/F fan, as was my seatmate. Turns out that Baen makes a number of electronic titles available at no charge. Not sure if you can load them on Kindle or not...

http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm

Cheers,
Jeff

I sounds like the Kindle will be a better product.....but like many first-generation models, it needs some improvements, which will be made based on customer reviews. I'll wait for the next generation to come out.

Deleted

My mom went and bought me a Bookeen for an early birthday present...just in time for a busy travel month. My first impressions....quite compact, easy to use and pretty! :)

I just bought the Sony ereader at Borders and did my research on the devices BUT didn't check out enough the available books! Turns out it was a big waste of money for me because the books you can buy are very limited! And, it' proprietary format so if Sony doesn't have it, you can't buy it anywhere. I couldn't believe they didn't even offer popular travel guides! Couldn't even find a Grisham book which I figured would be their main offering type. It's just awful!

canalgal: I find it very surprising that you can't find enough books on the Sony reader to keep you entertained. It's true that the ebookstore doesn't have every author (or even every bestselling author) you'd find in a bookstore, but it usually has a large proportion of current bestsellers and is filling in those authors' backlists. While Grisham doesn't seem to have signed on (no great loss, as far as I'm concerned), there are thousands of crime and mystery novels (my favourites). As an avid reader, I've found that while I can't always find exactly the book I want, I can always find a few dozen books (new and old) to keep myself entertained.

Initially I was also surprised that the ebook store doesn't have travel guides, but now that I've had the book for a while, I've been thinking that the technology doesn't suit that kind of reference book yet. While it's possible to jump around in the book using a table of contents or specifying a page number, it's designed more for reading page-by-page. You use battery power every time you flip a page but not while you're reading a page. Flipping back and forth in a travel guide would use up a lot of power, and also the layout of the pages isn't developed very well yet for complicated page layouts, which travel guides usually have.

I've been thinking about getting the Sony eBook - sat next to a guy with one on a flight late last year. One bonus for me is that I'm avid S/F fan, as was my seatmate. Turns out that Baen makes a number of electronic titles available at no charge. Not sure if you can load them on Kindle or not...

http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm

Cheers,
Jeff


Jeff, Thanks so much for posting this link! Great site!

Sony opens e-book reader to outside publishers (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-9998525-93.html)

Sony announced on Thursday that its Reader Digital Book will be able to read electronic books published using the .epub format that many of the largest book publishers are using.

Until now, Sony's e-book reader could only read books available from the Sony e-book store, PDF documents, and DRM-free text. Starting next month, the new PRS-505 Sony Reader model will be able to access secure DRM- and non-DRM-protected content in the .epub format, formerly called the Open eBook format. (Here's a review of the device.)

I just heard that the NY Times is going up to $1.50 shortly. The price of a subscription on the Kindle is $10/month, right? Does this make purchasing a Kindle a no brainer, or am I missing something?

I just heard that the NY Times is going up to $1.50 shortly. The price of a subscription on the Kindle is $10/month, right? Does this make purchasing a Kindle a no brainer, or am I missing something?

That depends whether you prefer to read your news in the old fashioned format, or on a small epaper screen. Personally, I found reading a paper on the Kindle rather annoying.

After trying the Kindle for a little while, I found it convenient to be able to download content whenever and wherever, but in the end the whole device was too frustrating. Thanks to ebay, the Kindle is gone, and I'm back to traveling with any number of three trusted companions: the paperback, a real news paper, or a magazine.

Girlfriend swears by her Kindle. She loves it

The always on connection to access the store to buy more titles is really worth it -- she's not technically savvy so the lack of a computer needed to connect and sync to is ideal so she can buy what she wants without needed me to do it for her.

Personally, i just wish I could hack the thing to take advantage of the free internet on it.

Hoping in the future devices like the kindle can be flexible/rolled up like a tube and thrown into a travel bag and be updated real time.

I love my Kindle. It's not perfect, but as e-reader devices go (and I've been trying different ones for 10 years) it's by far the best available.

In addition to everything you can buy from Amazon, with a little easy modifying, you can read any mobipocket book, including DRM protected ones bought from a mobi-compatible store. There are directions at mobileread.com. Plus, there are tons of free, legal books around if you go looking. Tor just gave away 2 dozen free ebooks. If I leave the whispernet off when not in use, the battery lasts for days without charging.

I have a 2 gig card in my Kindle, over 200 books so far, and I still have 80% free space on the card. It's as easy on my eyes as reading printed books (easier, really, since I can adjust the font) and as someone with a bad back, I appreciate being able to read while curled up on my side. That's something that's never been comfortable with a regular book.

Is the Kindle perfect, or all things to all people? No. But as an ebook reader, it's really good. And I believe that Amazon is in the ebook business for the long haul.

I took the plunge and bought a Kindle and I like it a lot. Reading the Times is a little different than reading a real paper. I guess I'm used to letting my eyes dart all around the page, and this is a little more structured.

Buying books instantly for $9.99 is great.

My new favorite thing is to look at Gawker and All Things Digital when I have a free moment. It's perfect, mindless bathroom reading :p:p:p