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?

Kindle!
 

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 -- its the flyertalk of moble reading :)

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?

Kindle v. Sony
 

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.

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.

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.