Part 2: Ebook reader holiday roundup (7 items to consider when buying an e-reader)

Nov 25 2009

Ebook readers appear to be on the minds of a lot of people this holiday season. The Barnes & Noble Nook won’t be shipping until January 4 now because of unexpected demand. And Sony can’t guarantee shipment of their new Sony Reader Daily Edition for Christmas. If you’re going to buy an e-reader for yourself or someone else, you need to act fast.

The popularity of ebooks is definitely on the rise. There are a lot of newcomers to the world of ebooks and they are finding it a daunting task to choose a device that best fits their needs. I have been getting a lot of questions about which ebook reader is best. While I can’t speak for everyone, I can give some practical advice for those seeking to make ebooks a part of their daily lives.

Choosing an ebook reader is like choosing any other piece of electronics. You want a device that you feel comfortable with and meets your needs. Also keep in mind your budget. Don’t blow all your money on a reader because you won’t be able to afford to buy any ebooks later on.

Here are 7 items to consider:

1. Compare the different features of the ebook reader and decide which features you really want and will use. A lot of ebook readers come with extra bells and whistles, like being able to store and play music. If you want to listen to music while you read, then this is something to consider. But you’ll probably pay a little extra for it. My Sony Pocket Edition does not play music, thus the price was cheaper. A lot of readers can also store pictures in black and white. Do you really need black & white pictures on your reader?

2. Different e-readers require varying levels of computer knowledge. If you’re not comfortable using new software and configuring devices to your computer, then I’d stay away from Sony, as their ebook software totally sucks (see my previous post about Sony here). For ease of use, the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook might be a better way to go. You can download ebooks directly to your advice and you only need to set up an account on their respective websites. No pesky software to deal with.

3. There are different screen sizes and display features. If your eyes are prone to get tired easily, try an e-reader with e-ink technology. It most resembles the printed page and is much easier on the eyes. E-ink comes standard with most e-readers, but with a slightly higher price tag. You can also find cheaper e-readers with standard LCD displays that come with backlights. These will be much harder on the eyes though.

4. Size. While all e-readers will be much more compact than carrying a handful of print books, there are differences in size. For example, the Kindle DX is larger than most readers and many will find to bulky for their needs. On the other hand my Sony Pocket Edition is very compact and can easily fit into a briefcase/shoulder bag/purse without even knowing it’s there.

5. How many ebook formats do you want? The rule of thumb is the more formats an e-reader supports, the more options you have on where you buy your ebooks. The Amazon Kindle has fairly strict DRM settings and can limit your choices. On the other hand, Sony is a little more relaxed so there are many websites I can shop for ebooks at. Try to find a reader that supports ePub because it is a free, open source format that is extremely flexible (and quickly becoming a standard).

6. Dedicated e-reader vs. multi-use device. I prefer to have a dedicated reader so I don’t get distracted. I still use my iPhone to read short fiction, but a bulk of my reading is done on my Sony Pocket Edition. Do you prefer to have one device that meets all your needs, or do you not mind carrying one more electronic device with you? An iPhone/iPod Touch will give you more bang for your buck because of all the other features, although the trade off is smaller screen space.

7. What accessories come with your ebook reader? This may seem like a minor issue and might be far down on your list of priorities, though it is one more thing to consider. My new Sony Pocket Edition did not come with a plug for the wall outlet. The only way to charge is to plug it into a computer. A wall plug can be purchased separately. Some e-readers come with carrying cases, others don’t. My point is to know exactly what is in the box with your ebook reader so you don’t find yourself having to buy a bunch of accessories.

My main point is to do your research. There are a lot more ebook readers out there other than the ‘big 3′ – Sony, Amazon and now Barnes & Noble. Many of them are made from smaller manufacturers and vary greatly in features and price. The internet makes it really easy to do your research and compare the different products.

One more item to consider is the extended warranty most companies will try to upsell to you. I bought the extended warranty for my Sony Pocket Edition that extends coverage to 2 years and covers things like accidental drops, spills and so forth. E-readers are still using newer technology and are a lot more fragile than other electronics. 2 years is a long time and a lot can happen. If you are offered an extended warranty, find out exactly how much it covers and for how long and, obviously, the price.

I hope this post helps to answer your questions. If there’s a question that I didn’t cover here that you want to ask, please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer. And if I can’t answer it myself, I know other ebook experts who can probably point you in the right direction.

4 Responses

Stumbled across your post while searching through google. I read the beginning and its fantastic! I don’t have time to read it all now, but I have bookmarked this site and will read the rest tonight. : )

Jack Nickels 11/30/2009 7:49 pm
If one is interested only in using the reader for READING purposes, which digital reader would u recommend. So far, have explored the Kindle, Nook and the iRex readers.

Thanks!

Lynn 12/4/2009 9:24 pm
Hi Lynn – Nook is the new kid on the block right now, but it looks very promising. The Kindle has been out for a while so it is tried and tested. You probably can’t go wrong with those two. However, I’d personally recommend the Sony Reader Pocket Edition because it’s A) less expensive than Nook or the Kindle, and B) it’s made for reading and nothing else (no music or anything).

Also, the Sony Reader now supports the Epub format which gives you more choices on where to buy your ebooks from. Be warned though, Sony’s ebook software is frustrating at best.

Hope this helps. Thank you for your comment.

Brad Vertrees 12/4/2009 11:38 pm
Hi I am going to buy a sony prs 300. But I am not sure if I can transfer all the PDFs I already have in my pc into the reader. Does the sony software checks for authentication? Moreover these PDFs has images and tables. Does the reader show them correctly? I am puzzled.

Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks!

Zamanoski 2/28/2010 11:27 am