Which eBook Reader is the Best?

Mistress.Erin writes "I cannot decide between Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader. I've read some reviews, but their motives can be somewhat suspect. So, I come to the most tech savvy group around to ask: which eBook reader is the best? If not Kindle or Reader, then what?" We've discussed this question before, but things have changed a bit since 2005.

Comments

Suspicious motives?

[Infonaut]

I've read some reviews, but their motives can be somewhat suspect.

I'm actually more curious about why you wrote that than I am about the eBook readers in question.

The one that isn't Sony

[EggyToast]

if you need an explanation as to why "not Sony," you don't read /. enough.

Re:The one that isn't Sony

[db32]

It seems to me that "not Amazon" is about an equal push so we are back to which one.

Which reader?

[mknewman]

Personally I find both Kindle and Sony's reader too large. I use a Toshiba E805 PocketPC with VGA (640x480) to read books with either EReader.com's free reader or Mobipocket. The price is equivalent, about $400, but you can do far more with the PDA, it will surf the web decently, show movies, play games, play music, etc. You can even get a phone PDA that will let you download books and all kinds of other stuff over the air. I have a T-Mobile Dash and although small the screen is definately good enough to read books on too.

Nokia N800 or N810

[c41rn]

I'm not sure what kinds of eBooks the OP plans on reading, but using the Linux-based Nokia N800 or N810 internet tablets as eBook readers using FBReader is pretty popular. You can use the tablet for lots of other cool stuff too. You won't be able to read DRM'd stuff though.

And free content....well, sort of.

[iknownuttin]

The best e-book for me is not an eBook, but the good ol' old fashioned ones with covers!

I'm with you. And, I went to my local library and got a card. And now, I have access to thousands of titles for the cost of my tax dollars.

I think a big part of the popularity of the e-readers is because it's just another gadget. Folks will come up with plenty of rationalizations as to why they need it or how it's so superior to a book. But that's the consumer mentality, I guess. It goes the same for fast cars (need them to merge with traffic!), SUVs (safety after all and I have kids!), computers, cameras, etc...

Re:And free content....well, sort of.

[orclevegam]

Time to blow some karma.

What is it about the eBook articles on slashdot (a tech geek site FFS) that seems to bring all the Ludites out of the woodwork? I can understand people complaining about DRM, but at least half the negative posts are people saying eBooks are stupid and you should just buy the paperback. What's wrong with these people? Are they also going around campaigning for the return of the slide rule? I can appreciate if they give reasons why they think eBooks aren't ready yet, or what changes they'd like to see in eBooks, but just flat out condemning the technology for no reason other than they don't like it is silly.

Iliad Reader

[BigPink]

Why not consider the Iliad? It's an open (linux) platform, has wifi, a better screen than either of the others, and you can annotate books & make notes w/ the stylus. A bit pricier, tho:

http://www.irextechnologies.com/products/iliad

Owner of both Kindle and Sony Reader

[DrRobert]

Two reasons that there is value to an ebook reader over PDA or laptop:

1. The eInk screen is substantially easier to read. The Sony 2G is actually uncanny... looks like stickers stuck on the screen. The Kindle is much less contrasty and harder to read.

2. Battery life. eInk does not use significant power unless you are turning the page, so the battery life of these things is on the order of 1week plus with heavy usage. When I have used laptops or PDAs for reading, the batteries die quickly (before I want to stop reading).

Comparing the two.

Sony:
      Much more contrast on screen. Very easy to read.
      Smaller
      Lighter
      Much more intuitive user interface. It has multiple choice buttons for navigations.
      Better physical design with buttons in convenient positions
      Feels more solid and less cheap than Kindle
      Software allows you to retag and organize files.
      DRM and limited store is a big minus.
      Better multiple format support

Kindle:
      Staggeringly bad industrial design. Only really one good way to hold the thing without hitting one of the buttons which inexplicably are found on every side.
Want to turn up the contrast on the screen.
Bizaarr user interface that requires scrolling and multiple clicks with a secondary lcd screen to perform simple functions.
Keyboard take a lot of space.
No software to tag and oragnize files. So the list of files on the device is unweidly, long, and filled with incomprehensible tags from Gutenberg, Manybooks, or Fictionwise.
Very restrictive DRM which cancels out its advantage of having a much larger and easier to use store for books.
Wireless is good for subscribing to periodicals, not much else.
Amazon has a staggeringly inefficient mail-in system for conversion. No conversion has worked well so far, strange spacing and formatting even in simple documents.
They need simple PC software to manage the thing. The self-contained bit is inefficient and a waste of wireless and organization.

I figure there are three kinds of reader:

1. Like me - buy and keep books forever. Neither reader much good because DRM keep you from owning the books forever, just until the store dies or you want to change to a better competing reader.
2. Buy books read and resell - no right-of-resale with either device.
3. Buy "beach books" and throw them away. Both readers were made for you with the Kindle having a better store.