Which is the best ebook reader?

[arian_ma]

Hey guys, I'm looking for an ebook reader with the following specs:
- reads pdfs, can zoom
- small (6"-7")
- cheap

Let's hear your suggestions.
TIA

[Cos]

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[schocker]

I woudl also second that kobo wifi. The touch is a bit nicer but it is $99. I am unsure of the zooming on pdf's though. There is a mini one for $80 now but it is only 5" screen size. The new kobo glo is awesome but it is $130. Cos is right with calibre though, awesome software for adding books and managing a library. Wifi though is used for the Kobo book store, updating the device and mine has a web browser which would be useless. I love my kobo though, have about 250 hours on it so far.

[Tik-Tok]

I'm using my Playbook, $150 for a refurbed one. Works great as a e-reader. The battery lasts a long time if you just use it for reading, but no where near a real e-reader.

That being said, when are you ever more than 8 hours away from a charger?

[arian_ma]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I'll look into Kobo and let you guys know

[Kavy]

I have tried both and Use the kobo touch because I find backlit screens to really mess with my eyes after about 40 minutes of straight reading vs the E-ink where I can go 2 hours and be fine.

[D'z Nutz]

I love my Kindle 3G. Amazon pays for the 3G so you have free internet. How can you not like that?

[Cos]

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[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Cos


I didnt know that otherwise I would have bought one. Do you have to get it out of the US of A? Isnt this the one Amazon sold out of that they said they werent making anymore?

They're still selling them on Amazon and at Staples, so I don't think that's the one you're thinking of.

[duaner]

I have the Sony PRS-T1 which is decent. It's a bit on the slow side but reads ePub and PDFs. I've even put a PDF of an 11" x 17" fabrication drawing from work on it and was able to zoom in and out to read the drawing. The touch aspect is nice so that I can highlight and write notes.

It looks like there is a PRS-T2 out now which does away with the mp3 portion and has a faster processor and twice the battery life (2 months).

T1 vs T2 (http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/sony-prs-t1-vs-the-sony-prs-t2/)

And, yeah, use Calibre. The Sony software is absolutely terrible.

[arian_ma]

Hmm, lots of good suggestions so far. I'm attracted by the kobo's cheap price, as I'm going to be taking this thing traveling and I don't want to be worrying about it. Does anyone know if you can zoom on the kobo?

EDIT: is this the kobo you guys are talking about?
http://www.factorydirect.ca/Canada-Ontario-/Electronics__Portable_/ANDROID_TABLETS/Electronics__Portable__ANDROID_TABLETS_ANDROID_TABLETS/KO6470/N647-KBU-B_KOBO_WIFI_6__E_INK_EREADER_N647-KBU-B_/0

Wow! Cheap:
http://www.shoprbc.com/ca/shop/product_details.php?pid=79102

[blitz]

I use Kobo because the books you buy are in a standard epub format, whereas kindle is kindle specific.

I don't want all the books I buy to be specific to a certain brand.

[Cos]

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[Mitsu3000gt]

There are 2 Kobo's (touch) used in my family, both people love them. They also had the best book selection for the books we checked. My only complaint with them is subjective, and that is that it doesn't have a "hard" button for page turning, you HAVE to tap the screen. Some people like that though.

[Zorac]

Originally posted by duaner
I have the Sony PRS-T1 which is decent. It's a bit on the slow side but reads ePub and PDFs. I've even put a PDF of an 11" x 17" fabrication drawing from work on it and was able to zoom in and out to read the drawing. The touch aspect is nice so that I can highlight and write notes.

It looks like there is a PRS-T2 out now which does away with the mp3 portion and has a faster processor and twice the battery life (2 months).

T1 vs T2 (http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/sony-prs-t1-vs-the-sony-prs-t2/)

And, yeah, use Calibre. The Sony software is absolutely terrible.

i have the prs-t2, great reader, but you cant root it like the prs-t1. like was posted above, i find the e-ink a lot easier on my eyes than a conventional tablet. 2 month battery life is great too. +1 for calibre.

[hedge]

I have a second gen Kindle and a basic Kobo Wifi. As far as the hardware the Kindle is way better, it's faster, hard buttons for page turning and just feels more polished. I hate that you're bound to Amazon though.

I got the Kobo so that I could use it with the local library, Only had to get about 5 books from the library to pay for it. I don't really want to buy every book.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by blitz
I use Kobo because the books you buy are in a standard epub format, whereas kindle is kindle specific.

I don't want all the books I buy to be specific to a certain brand.

If you're using Calibre, it can convert formats.


Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
My only complaint with them is subjective, and that is that it doesn't have a "hard" button for page turning, you HAVE to tap the screen. Some people like that though.

I sometimes read stuff on my iPad where you have to tap the page to turn it and I gotta agree the hard button(s) are so much better. I especially like how both sides of my kindle have both the next and previous buttons.


Originally posted by hedge
I hate that you're bound to Amazon though.


Bound in what way? I have "lots" of books... none of which were purchased through Amazon :devil:

[duaner]

Originally posted by Zorac


i have the prs-t2, great reader, but you cant root it like the prs-t1. like was posted above, i find the e-ink a lot easier on my eyes than a conventional tablet. 2 month battery life is great too. +1 for calibre.
I don't even know what it means to "root it." lol I came across that in looking up the comparison yesterday but I didn't look into it. I like gadgets but I also like keeping it simple. I, too, prefer the e-ink for long periods of reading over something that is back-lit. I actually read a book on my iPod Touch. That screen is just a wee bit too small for good reading.


To the OP,

You might want to consider getting one that can do a variety of formats and doesn't hold you to one particular store to get your books. That is one of the main reasons I picked the Sony over the Kindle because I can get epub books from anywhere and put them on with no issues. I get most of my books from Kobo because they are generally cheaper than the Sony store.

Not trying to say to get the Sony, just saying that it is one among several that can do that. But the Kindle is supposed to be good and I'm sure Amazon has a great selection of ebooks. Heck, I get the majority of my hardcopy books from Amazon. I still prefer the feel of paper and turning real pages.

[ExtraSlow]

Necro-bump to see if anyone has any updates or thoughts on the best "simple" e-reader.
Wife has a Kobo, and seems to like it.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I did a ton of research recently, which included buying and returning a couple units.

I ended up with the Kobo Aura HD. Sharpest screen out there, front-lighting is amazing, and the battery lasts 2 months if you don't use the light a lot. Dead simple to use. No hard buttons to wear out turning pages. The back has a nice contour that makes it easy to hold one-handed, and there are lots of good sleep cases available for cheap.

And, perhaps most importantly, it will read ANY book format, unlike Kindle, which was a bit of a deal breaker for me. You can share books with your Wife too. The Kobo hardware was better than the Kindle Paperwhite 2 IMHO as well.

The touch screen is responsive for an eReader, there is no real lag turning pages or anything like that. Built in dictionary, reading stats, WiFi, etc. All the usual stuff. The screen is EXTREMELY fingerprint resistant as well, but I'm sure they all are.

I had a Kobo Aura before this, and the Kobo Aura HD is significantly better IMO, so I exchanged it.

If you actually buy your eBooks, Kobo has much better selection than Amazon Canada as well.

[The_Penguin]

I still love my Kindle, and it will handle any format if you use Calibre, which is small, and easy to use, so a no-brainer. Calibre also sends Calgary Herald, and ARS Technica stuff to my Kindle daily.
And with the Amazon 3G I can buy a book from anywhere.

The only thing I don't like about the kindle is it's easy to accidentally hit the page advance button when you don't want to.