E Book readers

[MichKubota]

Wait - You should consider Google Ebooks!

Google eBookstore


Why?

Pro's
1. More free books.
2. Huge new book collection.
3. No need for special dedicated device to read book.
4. Your books stay within your library (online) not in the device. So if device is lost, damaged or outdated no loss of books bought.
5. Read your books from any device that can get online. Laptop, smart phone, iPad (or other Tablet) and even some ebook readers.
6. Get smart phone and have books available wherever you go without carrying a separate device. I know smart phone may seem like disadvantage but if you are buying Kindle etc might as well have a universal device like smart phone.

Cons
1. Battery life of dedicated device like Kindle is much better then smart phone when a portable device is used.
2. Visibility in direct sunlight is much better with the dedicated ebook readers. However; you need some sort of lighting to view dedicated ebook reader in dark. No different then a real book. Of course with Google eBooks using a laptop, smart phone, iPad (or other Tablet) device they include there own back-lighting.

 

[forgeblast]

I heard google will be coming out with their own reader, they have a huge book collection they have been scanning for the last 5-7 years. I would look into that.

Honestly I hit the button and the other posters about google posted....

 

[ronjhall]

One of the best feature of the Kindle and some others is they can be read in direct sunlight. Many of the other options are practically useless in sunlight.

 

[charlz]

Google, as noted, has been scanning in and out of copyright books for some time. Mostly the collections of large libraries. They also made agreements with publishers to get electronic copies of newly published books. In fact they just opened their ebook store:

Google eBookstore

What this means is that you likely have access to new works as well as a pretty extensive 'back list' of books to choose from and they support downloading in multiple formats. This would be a big benefit over the Kindle if you are interested in reading older books (not just the classics). What is not clear to me is if you purchase say the latest Tom Clancy novel (or other 'in copyright' works) in ebook format is if you get to download it or if you have to be connected to the internet in order to read it (as an anti-piracy mechanism).

The Internet Archive is another place scanning old books and making them available via OpenLibrary.org in various formats. Even Daisy for the sight impaired, a sticking point I had with Brewster over him originally going 'image only' when archiving books.

I was heavily involved with the ebook movement at one time and spent time with people from Project Gutenberg, the Internet Archive and even took a trip to Google to discuss ebooks before they ever started their scanning program. It is amazing the progress Google has made with boatloads of cash and busloads of brilliant people

I think the future holds battles between Google, Amazon etc as to who gets 'exclusive rights' to publish ebooks first. Kinda like what happens between movie companies, pay-per-view channels, dvd rental kiosks, video stores versus when it gets to be sold on DVD. After that hopefully price wars as they are seriously ripping people off on ebook prices. I have seen where you can buy a paper version cheaper than the electronic version and that is just ludicrous.

 

[texbaylea]

I was thinking seriously about getting a Kindle. I have been using Kindle for PC and yesterday a science fiction compendium (about 80 old books and short stories) disappeared from my library. I got some crazy message that said that there was a problem with the book on my list and I should download it again. I went to do so and it was priced at 3 times what I had originally paid.

No Kindle for me!

I am considering finding a cheap netbook and using that as my book reader. I would go to Google's eBook store.

I am a Science fiction fan and a fan of Baen. Some of the authors I like are available through Suvudu.

Vernon

 

[jinjimbob]

Lots of things to consider. I was looking around in the free library, ton of stuff there. I'll have to find out more of what she'll be reading and have her look at what's available.

Our library offers a download service to readers that include the Nook / Sony eReader, BUT not the Kindle.

Take a look on your library website, they will tell you what devices they support. I think I might get a Sony 'Touch Edition' one, http://ebookstore.sony.com/reader/
The Sony/Nook also support the Google eBooks.

 

[aczlan]

<snip>However, I read an article the other day that mentioned briefly that the Kindle does not support the format (epub?) that is used for ebooks in libraries</snip>

That is correct

Our library offers a download service to readers that include the Nook / Sony eReader, BUT not the Kindle.
Take a look on your library website, they will tell you what devices they support. I think I might get a Sony 'Touch Edition' one<snip>

Many libraries use Overdrive for downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. See: Device Resource Center - Compatible eBook Devices for a list of ebook readers that work with their software and: Device Resource Center - Compatible Audio & Video Devices for a list of compatible audio players.

Aaron Z

 

[texbaylea]

For Kindle owners:

How to Do (Almost) Everything With a Kindle 3 | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

I ran across this link and thought I would pass it along. Looks lik some useful tips.

Vernon

 

[picker77]

There is currently a war going on between Amazon (Kindle) and Google to win the e-book market. Google's main weapon is deliberately making their entire library incompatible with Kindle, but compatible with everything else. Kindle, OTOH, already owns the lion's share of the e-book reader market. Betamax vs VHS all over again, I guess.

I happen to use a Kindle DX my wife gave me for Christmas last year, and like it a lot. However, it was expensive compared to the new generation of Kindles, which I think are only around $130 or so for the same capability as the DX. Pretty reasonable.

Preloaded books should not be a consideration, since (assuming you buy the 3G wireless capable version of Kindle) there are a zillion free books available directly online that will download in seconds to your Kindle the minute you click on them, and use of the 3G wireless downloading service is free after you register your new Kindle with Amazon. So many, in fact, that the hardest thing is finding time to even look at them all online to select what you want to download. There are of course a zillion non-free books available, usually for less than $10, but I've downloaded very few of those so far. With a pocket paperback at WalMart going for $8 a pop, downloading a recent best seller hardback for $10 begins to seem like a bargain if you like to read a lot.

In addition to Amazon's Kindle book store, there are many free downloadable books on line on several websites that you can download to your PC and then dump to the Kindle via USB cable. Just about anything written in the past 200 years that's no longer in copyright (because of years elapsed) is available for free somewhere online.

I like my Kindle, and some of the best books I've read on it were freebies written in the 18th/19th/20th century and therefore out of copyright. Also most of the classics are available free at Amazon's Kindle book store.

Admittedly the only device I have experience on is the Kindle, but it works great and once you've paid for and registered the device with Amazon, there is a nearly endless supply of free stuff, and an infinite supply of paid stuff you can instantly download and read. A 500 page book takes about five seconds to download via 3G. Very slick. One of these days they'll have a color Kindle, which will be a big seller, I'm sure, but the current version is really wonderful for people who love to read but don't want to pack around a stack of books. That's me!

 

[nikdfish]

For what its worth, you can translate most any e-book format that does not incorporate some form of DRM distribution limitation into a format readable by the Kindle. Typically you only see DRM limitations applied to currently copyrighted commercial material. The Calibre package I mentioned earlier is a pretty painless way to do it & I've used it on Google e-book downloads of out of copyright material ...


Nick