Comfort Reads discussion

I've been looking at ereaders and trying to comparison shop. If anyone owns one of these devices, I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts about the pros and cons of your particular model.

One thing I haven't figured out yet is the different file types that each model accepts. If you don't own a Kindle, does that mean you can't shop at Amazon for books? I'm still a little confused on that point.

I'm just going to paste in here this great page of ereaders and reviews from Goodreads users that Hayes so kindly provided us with:

http://www.goodreads.com/ereaders

Well Lee I'm old fashioned so I still read books but my husband absolutely loves his Kindle. As far as I know he has only ordered books from Amazon and he has remarked that it's incredibly easy to download books.

Thanks Mary, I love real books too and I will NEVER give them. These slim ereaders seem appealing for stashing easily in a purse while I'm running around with my daughter.

I was interested to see that Amazon has released free Kindle reader software for a range of mobile devices, wanting to get in on the ipad wave I guess. Kindle apps This might finally prompt me to get the ipod touch I've been dreaming of...

I have the Kindle app on my iPhone but I've never used it. I also have thousands of free books or nearly free books on my iPhone but I've never read a whole book off it. It's just such a small screen. Clear but tiny.

Yeah, I don't think I'd want to read a book off my phone either. :-)

I'm not quite ready either Chandra and I definitely want to play around with a few before I commit to buying one. I'm sure they will keep improving them so there's no rush right?

Living in Europe the Kindle wasn't an option for me. They wouldn't send one (a copyright problem, I think) and I didn't have the opportunity to travel to the US (although they started selling them here about 6 months ago; I haven't yet spoken to my friend who bought one).

I have the Sony one, which has fewer bells and whistles (the later models have note taking options, and a few other things). For a year I used it to download the free material that you can find (Gutenberg, Feedbooks, etc.). I have just recently started buying a few "new" things. I just love it. But I agree: It will never, ever replace a "real" book.

I have a question for the Kindle users: can you put eBooks and printed material from other sources on them ? Or can you only download from Amazon?

are you aware of the new Apple tablet for this kind of application (e-reader)? they have promised to get better prices in order to seriously compete with Kindle....

Laura wrote: "are you aware of the new Apple tablet for this kind of application (e-reader)? they have promised to get better prices in order to seriously compete with Kindle...."

Are you talking about the IPad? I don't really have much of a desire to get an e-reader, but it seems to be the wave of the future. So, in the long run, I might get one, but maybe just to download vintage books that are hard to obtain in book form (or so expensive that you have to re-mortgage your house in order to be able to afford them).

Chandra wrote: "You know my only concern with the apple tablet (ipad) is that the screen looks very shiny/reflective. I personally couldn't read an entire book on a traditional computer monitor surface, but that ..."

I also wonder how big the font is and if one can adjust the size of it. And, I would agree that shiny/reflective screens would be (could be) a real problem.

Hi girls! Mine has 3 font sizes, but I think the kindle has more... but haven't ever seen one, so I'm not sure.

The iPad looks a little shiny to me too, but the readers have a "matte" (ish) finish. There is a little glare if the light hits it just at the right angle, but more from the metal of the device itself I find, not so much the screen.

Chandra wrote: "Another thing I think that ereaders could be GREAT for are college textbooks! Think of all the paper and money could be saved. I will admit to not knowing a great deal about the industry, but it s..."

That's the hope... also the weight of the books the kids haul around. I don't know aobut your kids, but my son's backback is criminal. They don't have desks or lockers here in Italy, so they have to drag their books back and forth to school every day. Outrageous!

Chandra wrote: "Another thing I think that ereaders could be GREAT for are college textbooks! Think of all the paper and money could be saved. I will admit to not knowing a great deal about the industry, but it s..."

That would be great, but I doubt that the textbook industry would go for this. They make huge amounts of money selling (in my opinion often vastly overpriced) college textbooks and I doubt that they would want students to have a more cost effective option. But, I don't think that I would ever want to get illustrated books like a picture book on an e-reader. One of the joys of reading picture books is reading the book with a child and of being able to see and touch the illustrations; I don't think that an e-reader would allow for this.

Hayes wrote: "Hi girls! Mine has 3 font sizes, but I think the kindle has more... but haven't ever seen one, so I'm not sure.

The iPad looks a little shiny to me too, but the readers have a "matte" (ish) finish..."

The Kindle has 8 I think. I have only changed mine once so I don't remember, but my mother has one and loves the font feature.

Hayes wrote: I have a question for the Kindle users: can you put eBooks and printed material from other sources on them ? Or can you only download from Amazon?


I know that you can use other sources, but I have never tried it.

Darkpool wrote: "I was interested to see that Amazon has released free Kindle reader software for a range of mobile devices, wanting to get in on the ipad wave I guess. Kindle apps This might finally prompt me to g..."

I get emails all of the time telling me about yet another device that I can read my Kindle stuff on...that is true.

Christine wrote: "Hayes wrote: I have a question for the Kindle users: can you put eBooks and printed material from other sources on them ? Or can you only download from Amazon?


I know that you can use other s..."

My husband bought a Kindle a couple of months ago, and I have yet to really use it. He loves it though.

Anyway, you can put other files on there - PDF, TXT, Audible, MP3, and Mobipocket (unprotected). You can get the Kindle to read any book to you, as long as a book doesn't have that function deactivated, which is weird but kind of cool.

I really like the fact that you can instantly get books, like classics, for free. The Kindle has a built-in dictionary, and search function, so is terrific for text books.

But I still prefer to read a tree-book novel!

Great conversation! Thanks everyone for chipping in!

What I really want to know is what type of file do all the free ebooks come in? And can they be read on the Kindle? What type of file does project Gutenberg use for example? Does anyone know?

Gutenberg has different formats available, including PDF, which works on the Kindle.

I keep seeing something called epub. Do you know if this is a widely used type of file?

E-pub is an open standard for e-books. Kindle's format is based on it, but e-pub files need to be converted (or maybe just renamed). Amazon offers a conversion service where you email files to them, and it's free if you have a Kindle.

Cool! Thanks Gabriele.

I'll pass that along to my husband, Lee - my font of information! : )

There is a program called Calibre

http://calibre-ebook.com/

which is a free, open source program which lets you convert any format to any other format. I don't understand how it works, but I managed to get a very long file in a word processsing format onto the reader.

Thanks, Hayes!

:-)

the most import thing is to get down the book prices!!

I agree Laura. :-)

The library is still my best friend.

I love the touch, the smell, the pristine newness of a book that hasn't yet had its spine broken or pages bent (both of which, I hate to admit, I do). It almost feels as if I'm the first to discover the treasures hidden beneath the cover.

My friend gets most of her e-books through the library. I believe she uses a nook. She loves it--and loves that she has a free source for e-books.

I would love an e-reader but the cost is still a bit prohibitive and I own so many unread paper books that I'd feel guilty reading e-books until I make a good dent in my already existing collection.

One of the reason that I am a bit hesitant about getting an e-reader is the fact than I am not only rather unenlightened to say the least when it comes to technology, but that I also have a tendency to break such objects.

I walked by a Chapters store today and noticed they are selling an ereader called the Kobo. I wonder if it's any good? Does anyone have a Kobo?

I read about the Kobo when the press release first came out and it sounded neat. I'm not sure how it does in actuality though.

Thanks Wendy, I'll do a little reading about it. The price is good at $149 Canadian.

That is a good price. Is it produced through a Canadian book chain, (like the Nook at B&N, or the Kindle at Amazon?)

I managed to destroy mine. I was using it to listen to an audio book, was walking around the house and the earphones wire got hooked on a doorknob. It flew out of my hands and crashed to the ground, breaking something in the screen. The audio works, but the the screen does that trick that the old black and white TVs used to do, the image split in the middle, half up and half down.

Hayes wrote: "That is a good price? Is it produced through a Canadian book chain, (like the Nook at B&N, or the Kindle at Amazon?)

I managed to destroy mine. I was using it to listen to an audio book, was walki..."

That's the kind of thing that would happen to me, wow.

Gundula wrote: "Hayes wrote: "That is a good price. Is it produced through a Canadian book chain, (like the Nook at B&N, or the Kindle at Amazon?)

I managed to destroy mine. I was using it to listen to an audio b..."

Can't tell you how p***ed off I am at myself!

I have been following this incognito.... I am a morone with computer stuff. I don't understand much of the jargon. I also need an e reader that functions very easitly and is practically indestructible. I break all mechanical objects! Furthermore I love the feel of books, love writing in the margins, love lending them to others. I don't think any of these things are possible with an ereader.

But here is the problem. My eyesight is getting worse and worse. I cannot/ do not want to listen to audios. I will be unable to hear what Oscar is up to..... I do not want to isolate my self from others. Audios cost three times a normal book. So that is out.

So I need a ereader that lets me read current literature - a wide selection is important! The books have to be as cheap as possible. That is more important than the price of the gizmo. The font must be large. Preferably I would like to be able to adjust the background color. If you choose a large font does the text get longer, or do you have to move across the screen? Can I easily get back to where I finished reading? I sort of think Sony is the best, but do they have as wide a collection of books as Kindle? I do not like the idea of having to buy all books from Amazon. Oh yes, the instruction folder has to be easy or I will never understand it...... Can one read in the sun? I read just one book at a time,and I must be able to acces the maps and pictures in th books. Can you get a really good atlas as an ebook? I really am drowning in all my own questions...... Where do I put the ebooks I have read?

I do not want to, but I might have to buy an ebook. Any advice is appreciated!

There is the Sony 600 series which is touch screen. I am contemplating buying one now that I have murdered the 505. The buttons aren't bad actually, but I don't have an iPod, or a touch screen phone, so for me it's not a problem.

Hayes, with the Sony,
1.how big is the font?
2.When you have a large font, do you have to push a button to move across the screen?
3.Is the font really dark?
4.Can you change the background color? I think it is easier to read a white text on blue background.
5.Is the manual written so it is not difficult to understand?
6.Is it sturdy so I will not break it?
7. Is it often that a new book comes out and it is available to read on the Sony?
8.Can you buy any ebook.
9.Can you buy Amazon's ebooks that are meant for Kindle?
10.Can you easily get back to where you stopped reading?
11.Can you read in the sun?
12. how do you recharge it? Plug it in the wall or buy batteries or recharge batteries.....
13.Can you see the pictures and maps in a book, or are these not available?

I numbered the questions so you could just answer by stating the number and yes or no. I thought this would be easier...... Do you like having one? What don't you like about them? Which do you think I should buy?Thanks! Anybody else who wants to help me understand this please join in. All advice is appreciated! You could like tell me what you have and then answer the questions?!

Hayes wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Hayes wrote: "That is a good price. Is it produced through a Canadian book chain, (like the Nook at B&N, or the Kindle at Amazon?)

I managed to destroy mine. I was using it to list..."

It might be better if you don't get p***d off at yourself, but put the blame on the headphones, well, you know it might make you feel a bit better.

OK here goes Chrissie!! (so glad you're organized! thanks)

Sony 505 (don't forget to check out the Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/ereaders

1. Variable, 3 different sizes. I usually use medium, or large when it's late and the eyes are tired.
2. No, the text fits into the screen size. With the large font you just have to "turn" the page more often.
3. I found it dark enough. Surprisingly like a book page. The "paper" is more greyish than white, and there is very little glare.
4. cant do that on the sony.
5. I found it pretty easy.
6. Obviously not sturdy enough, as I managed to break mine. It did fall from my hands moving at a pretty good velocity, however.
7. I had mine for a year and just bought a book last month. There are a lot of books available, but I think it depends on the kind of thing you want to read. You can check out Waterstones site, and I know there are a lot of others.
8. I think so.
9. I'm not sure... I think the Kindle has a different format, so it might not be possible, but maybe someone who has a Kindle can answer that question.
10. Absolutely. It remembers where you were when you turned it off and there is a good bookmark system.
11. Yes
12. either by using the wall charge (which you have to buy extra) or using the USB cable hooked up to your computer.
13. Pictures are limited. But I haven't read anything with more than a few simple diagrams anyway.

I numbered the questions so you could just answer by stating the number and yes or no. I thought this would be easier...... (yes, it was, thank you!)

Do you like having one? I adore it.

What don't you like about them? Screen is a bit small. I'd love an iPad, but that's not going to happen soon.

Which do you think I should buy? I didn't want the Kindle becasue I didn't want to be linked to Amazon. The Kindle I think has more features, ability to make notes which the sony 500 doesn't do. Not sure about the 600. I think it depends on a lot of things, which only you can evaluate.

Thanks! Anybody else who wants to help me understand this please join in. All advice is appreciated! You could like tell me what you have and then answer the questions?!

Gundula wrote: "It might be better if you don't get p***d off at yourself, but put the blame on the headphones, well, you know it might make you feel a bit better.."

Thanks Gundula. I'm irritated mostly becasue I had just bought 4 books and managed to read only 1!! Ah well, I can still read on the computer screen, even if it's not as comfy.

Hayes, so since I can buy any ebook I can in the future when I want to buy a book at Book Depository see if it exists as an ebook. That will be simple.

However this with font size is harder. I measured what is comfortabble for me to read on the computer. An "I" is about 1/2 a centimeter high. Which font would I then choose on your Sony?

When you are recharging the ereader via the cable into the computer, can you do other things with the computer at the same time? Does it take a long time? Do you have to do this every day?

Hayes, thank you for taking so much time to help me!!!

Chrissie wrote: "Hayes, so since I can buy any ebook I can in the future when I want to buy a book at Book Depository see if it exists as an ebook. That will be simple.

However this with font size is harder. I m..."

No problem Chrissie!

The biggest font size would make the "I" about half a centimeter. The medium is okay for me, but only if there is enough light. Can rarely manage the small size. (I think the Kindle has more size options)

When the ereader is charging on the computer you can do anything you want with the computer. The erearder remains unusable, however. (While it's charging in the wall you can use it normally).

The charge lasts about 3 days for just reading, half a day if I'm listening to an audio book. Takes about 45 minutes to charge it completely.

Hayes -this really helped me - thank you tons!!! I wonder if the onn does pictures? I will go back and study the GR site, but it is nice talking to someone that has one!

I'm late chiming in on this, but I just found your group :)

I have a BeBook Mini that I am very happy with. BeBook supports the most formats, and is very easy to use (no touch-screen though). At present, I'm using it mostly to read e-books from my library system. I've had it for about 6 months and I'm very happy with it. Easy to read, easy to use. The reading screen is e-Ink and only b/w; the text is crisp and clear. The mini is very small: a touch smaller than a standard paperback on the surface, and less than 1/2 inch thick. Weighs just over 5 ounces. Fits very easily in pockets.

Two weeks ago, I acquired a Kindle DX -- won it in a drawing I forgot I entered :) I do like the ease of obtaining books for it, but that is a very dangerous thing for me. Must remember to pay bills FIRST! Then I can go book shopping.

The best thing about these devices is the storage. My BeBook currently has about 200 books of my own on it as well as a couple of library books, which will disappear on their due date. The Kindle has 60 books on it for now. Its kinda neat to carry around that many books without hurting my back LOL