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Which Reader Do you Recommend?
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message 51:
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Lara Amber
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Jan 22, 2016 07:56AM
Becky, just to be clear, these are voyage cases and won't fit the Paperwhite. (See now you have to upgrade.)
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Thanks Lara Amber. I did catch that... But I found there are similar ones for my Paperwhite that I think will fit what I want and not break the bank. So still very useful for me!
For a dedicated eReader I think the Kindle Paperwhite is the way to go. It's simple to use and easy to read.
I am a huge fan of the Kindle Paperwhite. I have a visual disability that prevents me from reading printed books or doing much on a computer screen. The Paperwhite with it's clear text and side lighting is the only thing that allows me to keep reading. It is a lifesaver. I had my Paperwhite before I became disabled and I loved it then. I used to travel a lot and the Paperwhite is a perfect travel companion. You can read it on a plane or in a tent without disturbing other people. When you're out where there's no electricity, the battery lasts forever.
I love books and have a cupboard of about 600 which I re read. Then I was given a kindle, mmm will I use it?5 years later, and I have updated to a kindle white. easy to carry with me, I have introduced a kindle my 86 yr old uncle ,all is going well.
We both still like our paper books , so I will buy any series I really like. I have this fear that the format will change or something and I wont be able to re read favourites.
so if you are not a re reader then the kindle is a wonderful way to read. If you like to share and discuss with people then welcome to this site.
Kateb wrote: "We both still like our paper books , so I will buy any series I really like. I have this fear that the format will change or something and I wont be able to re read favourites. "I'll say again, Calibre.
Kim wrote: "Kateb wrote: "We both still like our paper books , so I will buy any series I really like. I have this fear that the format will change or something and I wont be able to re read favourites. "I use calibre I am talking about in 10 years time, some of the books I re read I have had for that long. Calibre is great particularly for reading the synopsis of each book
Kateb wrote: "I use calibre I am talking about in 10 years time, some of the books I re read I have had for that long. Calibre is great particularly for reading the synopsis of each book"I'm pretty sure Kim’s point is that Calibre can easily convert e-books between different formats.
The thing is, format changes are gradual. It isn’t like one day everything’s in one format, and then the next day everything’s in a new format and everybody has forgotten the old format. There is a transition, or perhaps the formats are competing technologies being used simultaneously. In any case, there is a period of time when people will be developing programs that can be used for conversion so you can still use your files with the latest technology.
E-book files, graphic files, audio files, etc. can all be converted between different formats today. You can convert your old VHS tapes onto blu ray, or even your old vinyl records into MP3s. If there’s a demand for converting it, somebody will find a way to do it.
I think we have missed the point. I use a kindle, in fact I have a few hundred ebooks. As a computer teacher I realise that things can be converted, but you try looking at notes you did 10 years ago.so Kindle for when I am out, but paper books to re read in a few years time
It seems to me that if you keep your e-reader's OS updated you should have no problems with file format changes. You can also cloud store your books. I use both KOBO and Kindle (mostly KOBO and I use a KOBO e-reader). Another thing you can do is cloud store your books. When I am done with a book I remove it from my device but keep it on my account. If, two years later, I decide to r-read a book I download it again. Any format changes will be included in the new download and my e-reader, which I keep updated, will have the OS to run those changes.
I'll add my voice to the chorus praising the Kindle.My wife and I both swore up and down that we were paper book people and couldn't imagine reading electronically. Then we got Nook Simple Touches as our first e-readers, and they were magical, wonderful things. Our public library has a solid e-book collection, and it was really neat to be able to download a book, run it through Adobe Editions, and load it on to the Nook without ever leaving the house.
Then our Nooks both died quick deaths in the DR (short version -- our entire house is bare cement) and we replaced them with the most basic, ad-supported* Kindle. We have been blown away. For example:
-- Built-in dictionaries. Especially useful when reading in, say, Spanish, which we both do.
-- The wi-fi loading of books. Now instead of downloading the book, running it through Editions, connecting the device ... it just magically appears (when we have wi-fi. But that's less of an issue in the US).
-- The Kindle store. The books are so much less expensive than the B&N store, especially taking into account the Kindle Daily Deals. Prior to the Kindles I had actually purchased ... 4 e-books (or 8, depending on how you count LOTR & Dragonriders of Pern). Now ... yeesh. Hundreds. In a little over a year. Humble Book Bundle and StoryBundle certainly haven't hurt that.
-- Things I purchase on Amazon can also be auto-loaded to the Kindle App on my iPod Touch, which is especially handy for reference books, since I don't *always* carry the Kindle with me.
Really, the only disadvantages we've found to the Kindle are (1) the device itself feels cheaper, but only when it's outside of the nice, inexpensive leatherette case, and (2) we can't use the cases my wife made for the Nooks because they're not quite the right size.
At this point I hardly ever read things in paper format, and I can reserve buying paper copies of books for things that I really want to have sitting on a shelf or that don't render well small or in B&W (graphic novels, sheet music, RPG books).
I'll second (third? Fourth?) Calibre. On the rare occasions where I've found something that's not available in .pdf, .mobi, or .azw I've been able to convert it without issue or effort (barring DRM specifically designed to prevent that, but that's a separate conversation).
*For me the ads aren't intrusive at all. The appear on the lock screen and, sometimes, the home screen, but never interrupt reading.
Matthew, in my experience, the Nook also has dictionaries and wifi downloading of purchases, and the cost for most ebooks I've seen is comparable because the publisher sets the price, to be fair. There are a lot of Amazon/Kindle exclusive deals and Amazon imprint and KDP books that BN can't offer or match, so maybe that's what you're referring to? I will say that i love the ease of using the dictionary with the kindle v though. On mine, you highlight a word and it automatically pops up 3 boxes: dictionary, translation, and wikipedia. Very convenient. The nook made me highlight and then look up. I also like that i can browse the dictionary in lookup mode. The nook didn't let you do that and you'd have to download and open it separately. But the kindle does it automatically, and when you're done, it takes you back to your spot in the book.
How about cost? I've heard I should be prepared to spend about $100. Is that reasonable?
I think so. You can get the kindle base model for about $80 but it's pretty limited and I think you'd do better to get one that had everything you think you'd want and pay a bit more up front than buying a base model and then paying again to upgrade.
Laurie wrote: "How about cost? I've heard I should be prepared to spend about $100. Is that reasonable?"You can wait for a sale. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Online Forever Sale (I've lost track), they seem to discount them about 20-25% or so.
I have an iPad 2 and a second-gen Kindle and I like them both for different reasons. The Kindle is very much like reading a book while the iPad's iBooks feature is easier to do "deep dives" into specific words by looking up definitions or linking to the internet when the onboard dictionary doesn't have a particular word or phrase.
I also make notes on both as I go, which is a nice feature, but I like the iPad's version better. No idea if the new Kindles have improved in this area. I don't upgrade things until they break.
You can't use the iPad in daylight but you can't really use the Kindle in the dark, so that's a toss-up. If you're comfortable reading a book, you'll be fine with the Kindle's limitations in that regard.
Definitely get one without ads. It's worth the extra money.
Kim wrote: "Kateb wrote: "We both still like our paper books , so I will buy any series I really like. I have this fear that the format will change or something and I wont be able to re read favourites. "I'll say again, Calibre."
Calibre is terrific. It's also fairly intuitive if you've ever used any program ever.
I often email books to myself in order to store them online and use Calibre to change formats between Kindle and iPad, depending on my mood.
Becky wrote: "I think so. You can get the kindle base model for about $80 but it's pretty limited and I think you'd do better to get one that had everything you think you'd want and pay a bit more up front than ..."Time to save my pennies!
Trike wrote: "Laurie wrote: "How about cost? I've heard I should be prepared to spend about $100. Is that reasonable?"You can wait for a sale. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Online Forever Sale (I've lost track),..."
Becky wrote: "I think so. You can get the kindle base model for about $80 but it's pretty limited and I think you'd do better to get one that had everything you think you'd want and pay a bit more up front than ..."
Thanks. I'll be on the lookout for sales.
Trike wrote: "You can't use the iPad in daylight but you can't really use the Kindle in the dark, so that's a toss-up."The Paperwhite and the Voyage both have lighting built-in. Like using a reading light except less obtrusive and can be scaled up and down.
Laurie wrote: "How about cost? I've heard I should be prepared to spend about $100. Is that reasonable?"You can also keep an eye out for someone wanting to sell their old one when they upgrade. I'm on my fourth Kindle and all my previous ones have found good homes. kboards.com has a buy, sell, trade section. Amazon also sells refurbished models.
Another option, Amazon allows you to do monthly payments for all models. They don't charge you interest or jack up the price.
the Basic (5 payments of $16.00)
PaperWhite (5 payments of $24.00)
Voyage (5 payments of $40.00)
Becky wrote: "Matthew, in my experience, the Nook also has dictionaries and wifi downloading of purchases, and the cost for most ebooks I've seen is comparable because the publisher sets the price, to be fair. T..."Thanks for the clarification. Looking back at the device specs, it turns out that the wifi vs. sideload difference was a function of the restrictions MyMediaMall puts on epub format loans, not the device itself (azw loans are handled through Amazon, epub through Adobe Editions). I don't remember having the same direct "touch a word" access to the internal dictionaries, but it has been a year and a half ...
At least back when we made the switch Amazon was running a lot more in the way of sales, although B&N may have caught up by now.
As a very recent convert to ereaders, I recommend the Nook Simple Touch if you can find a used one. It's pretty much a purely utilitarian reader, but it's got great battery life. I'm not crazy about being tied to a service like b&n, so I buy epubs through kobo and directly from publishers. The further ability to check out library books through overdrive just makes it perfect. I've still got a stack of library books that need to go back, but I never have the time.
Christopher wrote: "As a very recent convert to ereaders, I recommend the Nook Simple Touch if you can find a used one. It's pretty much a purely utilitarian reader, but it's got great battery life. I'm not crazy abou..."Thanks Christoper!
I realize I am a little late to the game here. I would also vote for a simple e-reader as the way to go.I have a 4th generation Kindle (the one with the side buttons) that I got used on eBay and love it. My wife has the paperwhite with the touch screen, but I actually prefer the basic version without the back lighting. In my opinion, it just feels and reads more like a real book.
Edwin wrote: "I realize I am a little late to the game here. I would also vote for a simple e-reader as the way to go.I have a 4th generation Kindle (the one with the side buttons) that I got used on eBay and ..."
Appreciate the info, Edwin!
If you are going to a simple e-reader like the Nook, then I would also look at the Kobo Touch 2.0. Here is a link to a video comparing the Kobo to Kindle.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4d2U...
Laurie wrote: "How about cost? I've heard I should be prepared to spend about $100. Is that reasonable?"I buy all of my ereaders used. I'm very hard on them and hated waiting for replacements. I break about 1 a year, minimum. So, I have 3 Nook Colors. When I break one, I buy another. It was cheaper to do it this way than to buy a new one and a warranty- I think I got all of mine for $40-$50 including postage. It's getting to be a good time of year to pick them up used- people get them at Christmas, hate them, sell them on eBay.
I lucked out on my Nook Simple Touch because a guy a work sold it to me for $20. I regularly see them on craigslist for around $30-$40, though.
I LOVE using my Samsung Galaxy Note Pro Tablet! I storage my Calibre Library and Audiobook files on my desk top PC. When I'm ready to choose a book, I then transfer (copy the file) via wifi with a File Explorer App (I recommend Solid Explorer.) That way I don't run out of memory space on the tablet trying to storage my large collection. When I'm done with the book I just delete it from my tablet but the original stays on the desk top just encase someone else would like to read it.
Reading on the large screen is a breeze since I'm able to customize the font and its size, and the background (nite mode is a beautiful thing). Its also fantastic for audiobooks. It is on the expensive side, and it does alot more than just read books, but I consider it a worth while investment.
Do the Kobo and the Kindle both handle the same formats?
Kobo and kindle can both read mobi format. However books purchased from kindle store are of azw format. Similarly the books purchased from kobo are in epub format. calibre is a free application which can easily convert between all formats.
I'm still using a very stripped down e-reader I bought years ago, the Aluratek Libre. I have an iPad, but I don't like reading with a back light. The Aluratek offered the ability to read a number of different file types and I can hook it up to my MacBook. This means I can store books on my computer, get books from pretty much anywhere and convert to file types I can use. It also has an SD port, so I'm not limited to the space on the drive. I find it's easiest to transfer books using the SD card. It's the perfect size to fit in your pocket and the screen is nearly the size of a paperback page. I still have no interest in getting a Kindle or Nook. I don't like the limitations choosing either of these present as far as content. I never liked the idea of having to pay extra to eliminate advertising either. Do they still do that with the Kindle?
Glen wrote: "Kobo and kindle can both read mobi format. However books purchased from kindle store are of azw format. Similarly the books purchased from kobo are in epub format. calibre is a free application w..."
Thank you, Glen.
I started my ereading using the Kindle app on my Android phone. Not the best way to go, but it was the "gateway" drug for me.When deciding on my first reader, I kept going back and forth between Kinde Fire or traditional Kindle. The choice was made for me when I won a free Kindle Fire (first edition), which I used and abused for years before replacing the Kindle Fire HDX was released. (It had Amazon Prime capabilities that the standard Fire did not).
I now also own an Kindle Paperwhite which I purchased last year for the cruise.
Here are my thoughts . . .
If you are looking simply for a reader of traditional books:
Standard Kindle/Paperwhite
- lightweight
- better reading experience for text
- better battery life
- hold tons of books
- fits easily into your purse (I carry it with my everywhere)
- low cost
- I have the model with ads, I don't even notice it most of the time
However, if you also want to read graphic novels:
In this case the Kindle Fire is the way to go.
- Most of them are rendered quite nicely
- Depending on which app you are using, they have cool features to zoom into panels or sections of panels
If you are looking for a reading/media device:
I love my Kindle Fire HDX
- reading experience has a definite glare in the sun, but this is a trade off
- with Amazon Prime I can cache video content for times when I don't have a connection (limited library)
- decent selection of games/apps
- can use it for email and surfing social media
- on short trips, I am able to travel without a laptop
Hope this helps.
Valerie wrote: "I started my ereading using the Kindle app on my Android phone. Not the best way to go, but it was the "gateway" drug for me.When deciding on my first reader, I kept going back and forth between ..."
Great tips! Thank you Valerie.
That Origami case looks awesome. It looks like it is exclusively for the Voyage and wouldn't fit a Paperwhite. Is that correct?The Voyage had just come out when I bought my Paperwhite, and it seemed like the main differences between them were the self-adjusting light and about $80. The light wasn't worth $80 to me. (:
Laura wrote: "That Origami case looks awesome. It looks like it is exclusively for the Voyage and wouldn't fit a Paperwhite. Is that correct?"If you're looking at the one I linked to, you’re correct, it only fits the Voyage. But Becky posted in message 52 that she found some similar ones that fit the Paperwhite so it might be possible to find one that works just as well for your Kindle.
Laura wrote: "The Voyage had just come out when I bought my Paperwhite, and it seemed like the main differences between them were the self-adjusting light and about $80."
I actually turned the self-adjustment feature off not long after getting my Voyage. I just didn’t care for the way it adjusted and preferred to do it manually. I do the same on my other devices, like my smart phone. Maybe this makes me a control freak. :)
For me the biggest and most important difference was the PagePress buttons that give you an alternate method for turning pages without touching the screen. I use both methods interchangeably but, when I’m snuggled up under the covers, I like being able to squeeze the buttons through the cover without having to take my hand out to tap the screen. It was something I missed about the buttons from earlier Kindle models.
The Voyage also has a nicer resolution than the 2nd generation Paperwhite. The newer 3rd generation Paperwhite has the same resolution as the Voyage, though. I love my Voyage and don’t regret buying it, but I do think the Paperwhite is the better value for the money, especially for people choosing between the 3rd generation Paperwhite and the Voyage.
I have a Kindle touch, which is now about four years old. It's great, travels well, is light and I have it in a case which has a light. The battery lasts ages.When it eventually dies, I'll probably upgrade to a Paperwhite.
My wife uses a Kindle Paperwhite and loves it. I actually prefer to read on my smartphone. I have a Huawei Nexus 6 Android phone with a 5.7" screen (having just moved from a Samsung Galaxy). It's clear, stable, and, best of all, always with me, everywhere I go. I run the Kindle app and the Kobo app (both free) so can read in both the major formats. My wife still prefers having a dedicated ereader (bigger screen and e-ink) but she can manage to get through the day without reading a book. I can't. I need to have my books with me, always, and don't want to carry two devices.Also, no-one seems to have mentioned it, yet, but my wife and I both use the same Amazon account so we have access to the same library from our various devices. This is a really important consideration if you and your partner like to read the same books.
Graham wrote: "My wife still prefers having a dedicated ereader (bigger screen and e-ink) but she can manage to get through the day without reading a book. I can't. I need to have my books with me, always, and don't want to carry two devices."For what it’s worth, your Kindle books can be synced across multiple devices. So, if you did happen to prefer the look of a dedicated e-reader, you could use it at home without losing the ability to continue reading the same book on your smartphone when you’re not at home. I take advantage of this pretty often and it's really convenient.
I'm not sure if the syncing would be problematic if you and your wife were actually reading the same book at the same time on your respective devices. I think there's some sort of family feature you can use, but I don't know anything about how it works since I don't share my account with anybody and nobody in my family likes the same types of books I do.
YouKneeK wrote: "Graham wrote: "I'm not sure if the syncing would be problematic if you and your wife were actually reading the same book at the same time..."Thanks, I'm across all that. We do tend to get problems when we try reading the same book at the same time, so we avoid doing that - much as we'd have to if we bought paper books! One of the reasons, I think, is that Internet reliability in our part of Australia is rubbish and syncing isn't always successful. I blame the Luddite, anti-science, backward-looking, technology-illiterate, conservative government we have here. :-)
Laura wrote: "That Origami case looks awesome. It looks like it is exclusively for the Voyage and wouldn't fit a Paperwhite. Is that correct?"Hi Laura - Here's the one I found that fits the Paperwhite: http://www.amazon.com/Nouske-PWO-001-...
YouKneeK wrote: "For what it’s worth, your Kindle books can be synced across multiple devices. So, if you did happen to prefer the look of a dedicated e-reader, you could use it at home without losing the ability to continue reading the same book on your smartphone when you’re not at home. I take advantage of this pretty often and it's really convenient."
I use this all the time between my phone running the Kindle app and my Paperwhite. I love it. That was a major selling point in my decision to switch from the Nook to the Kindle.
The Kindle Paperwhite really makes a difference if you have problems with eye strain. My husband's eyes were really hurting him most of the time, so I bought him a Paperwhite. That combined with lubricant eye drops made a real difference for him. I like my Paperwhite very much, and use it to avoid getting eye strain problems. We're retired, so we have old eyes.
Sorry for the OOT question, but does anyone who has a Kindle Paperwhite able to connect their Kindle with OTG USB Flash Drive? I think my connector cable is damaged and I need to move a huge file (I can't send it to my Kindle address because of the size) to my Kindle.
