ebook readers and price drops

sad_winslow · 06-25-2010, 04:27 PM

Has anyone had any experience with the Nook, Kindle, or Sony Touch e-readers? the recent price wars have got me re-evaluating the merits of each of them and if I should consider picking one up. I am a voracious reader - I have bookshelves overflowing through my entire apartment. Any thoughts on the good/bad/ugly of these devices, and if they're worth it at all, particularly now that price points are going sub-$200?

wolf · 06-25-2010, 05:28 PM

I am an early adopter of the Kindle. I have a Kindle1 and love it. Since the price drop I have started considering purchasing a Kindle2. I have several friends with Nooks, and after playing with them, I really don't like the device. The "color" display is only there to show titles, and reduces the reading-area. I don't think the "lending" feature of the nook is enough to recommend it ... if you can afford a $250 device, you can afford to pay $10 for a book. Consumer Reports liked the Kindle better, too. There is a lot of free content available for the Kindle, and you can port over pdf files, so even if you are trying to read on a budget, it's more than do-able.

sad_winslow · 06-25-2010, 06:13 PM

Good points. The color thing on the nook I always thought was a little stupid. It does, however, take SD cards, and I like the chess and sudoku built in. but the keyboard on the kindle does have some interest for me, too. I can't decide if I should just save up for an iPad instead(or equivalent, cheaper tablet later), or skip the whole thing entirely. Also one thing I don't like about the e-books often for sale as a whole is that they're either free "classics" that i've already ready from project gutenberg a billion times, or they're like.. the stuff you buy in airports. super lame. i'm still torn.

a big draw, though, is as a portable PDF reader. I like white papers/research papers a lot.

SteveDallas · 07-08-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sad_winslow

Good points. The color thing on the nook I always thought was a little stupid. It does, however, take SD cards, and I like the chess and sudoku built in. but the keyboard on the kindle does have some interest for me, too. I can't decide if I should just save up for an iPad instead(or equivalent, cheaper tablet later), or skip the whole thing entirely. Also one thing I don't like about the e-books often for sale as a whole is that they're either free "classics" that i've already ready from project gutenberg a billion times, or they're like.. the stuff you buy in airports. super lame. i'm still torn.

a big draw, though, is as a portable PDF reader. I like white papers/research papers a lot.

I have a nook. I like it a lot. (I bought it before the recent price drops... yay me!!) I expect there will be more applications than chess and sudoku floating around, as it's built on the Android platform. (If you're willing to violate the innocence of your OS to gain root access, this is already possible. There is a simple, but workable, Twitter client, and the Android version of Pandora will run with some hoop-jumping.)

The touch-screen keyboard takes some getting used to. It is IMO not as easy to use as the one on the ipod touch. However, I like it a ton better than I like the buttons on the Kindle, which I have had a chance to try out.

By all accounts the current version of the Nook handles PDFs better than the current version of the Kindle.

I've also tried the ipad at the Apple Store. The ipad vs. the electronic ink-based things (Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, etc.)... you're really talking about different animals.

ETA: No, of course I didn't read the whole thread before I posted.

Flint · 06-25-2010, 08:37 PM

How heavy are these devices?

Unfortunately my wrists are in such poor condition that it can be slightly uncomfortable to hold up a book for extended periods, in certain positions.

wolf · 06-25-2010, 08:42 PM

10.2 ounces for the Kindle, may be slimming down sometime after August ... there are rumors that a lighter device will be released then.

Nook is 12.2 ounces, according to B&N's site.

Flint · 06-25-2010, 08:49 PM

Maybe when OLED monitors hit mainstream...

sad_winslow · 06-26-2010, 01:24 AM

I dunno about OLED. not really at all the same as e-ink. eyestrain, for one.

sad_winslow · 07-01-2010, 01:58 AM

well, woot.com got bought by amazon yesterday, and now woot has a pretty good deal on a latest-generation kindle starting tonight for 24 hours, so I ended up ordering one. We'll see how it is, and I hope I don't regret not having the chess app that Nook offers. For some super-nerdy reason, the chess thing really, really appealed to me. But the Kindle should be an interesting experience; I'll post my thoughts when it arrives if anybody cares.

HungLikeJesus · 07-01-2010, 07:41 AM

Yes, please do.

skysidhe · 07-01-2010, 09:14 AM

I like paper books, I like flipping through the pages, noticing the bookmark lovingly
holding my last page(cheesy I know) and everything else tactile about holding a book.

I hope the kindle type things don't do to the book like the c/d did to LPs although that was a good thing.

bbro · 07-01-2010, 12:33 PM

I'm with Sky on this one. I like the actual books. I stare at a computer screen for work, I don't want to have to read a book on one, too. Then again, my dream house would include a two floor library.

Lamplighter · 07-01-2010, 03:16 PM

Kindle upgrade v3.0 :
Has a transparent "page" that the reader can turn as they read.
Allows handwritten notes in the margins.
Retains notes for future reference.
Allows pages to be folded, torn, or crumpled by 3-yr olds of the family

Kindle upgrade v4.0 :
Charges the reader's bank account late fees if it is borrowed by a friend.

sad_winslow · 07-01-2010, 06:41 PM

To all those who say that they love paper books:

Let me tell you guys something - I live in less than 900 square feet of apartment and I have, I think, eleven sets of bookshelves. Some have the shelves double-stacked, and all of them have piles on top of them. There are piles of books (and magazines, I don't discriminate) next to the bed, around and on top of my desk, the couch, around the television(delicious irony), and, ahem, in the bathroom.

I LOVE books.

And I'm drowning in them.

I'm also not particularly willing to pay $10 for a digital copy of something that's locked to a single manufacturer, though. Ebook prices are still too high to justify their regular purchase, if you ask me, without guarantee of rights in perpetuity across multiple platforms.

Mostly, I expect to be using it for news and blogs, free publications, a portable PDF reader, and Wikipedia. I'm really (nerdily) excited by the idea of being able to carry piles of research papers with me.

One thing that the Nook has over the Kindle is that I saw the Nook has a chess app built in, and sudoku. Man that's appealing. But the sale on the Kindle was too much to pass up since I've been chomping at the bit to play with one. Plus, my birthday is soon, so here's my present

Shawnee123 · 07-01-2010, 07:28 PM

I think it's a wonderful medium, I'm not part of it...yet.

However, there is something about the feel of a book, the sight of books on shelves, the subsequent browsing of hardcovers, or even softcovers.

They're comforting, books. I bet if a tornado takes your home you will salvage at least one book. I can't imagine a nicer possession.

Mind you, I've misplaced books in my years, but I've never consciously thrown one away, or even given one away or sold it. I still have my books from childhood. Mom gave me much leeway in ordering from the scholastic book club or whatever it was called, but often had to limit me to 4 or 5 at a time, because I was voracious.

Excuse me, I must go read The Mystery of the Witches Bridge and The Phantom Tollbooth one more time.

06-25-2010, 04:27 PM	#1
sad_winslow Big McLargeHuge Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: california, USA Posts: 203	ebook readers and price drops Has anyone had any experience with the Nook, Kindle, or Sony Touch e-readers? the recent price wars have got me re-evaluating the merits of each of them and if I should consider picking one up. I am a voracious reader - I have bookshelves overflowing through my entire apartment. Any thoughts on the good/bad/ugly of these devices, and if they're worth it at all, particularly now that price points are going sub-$200?

06-25-2010, 05:28 PM	#2
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I am an early adopter of the Kindle. I have a Kindle1 and love it. Since the price drop I have started considering purchasing a Kindle2. I have several friends with Nooks, and after playing with them, I really don't like the device. The "color" display is only there to show titles, and reduces the reading-area. I don't think the "lending" feature of the nook is enough to recommend it ... if you can afford a $250 device, you can afford to pay $10 for a book. Consumer Reports liked the Kindle better, too. There is a lot of free content available for the Kindle, and you can port over pdf files, so even if you are trying to read on a budget, it's more than do-able. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-25-2010, 08:37 PM	#5
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	How heavy are these devices? Unfortunately my wrists are in such poor condition that it can be slightly uncomfortable to hold up a book for extended periods, in certain positions. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-25-2010, 08:42 PM	#6
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	10.2 ounces for the Kindle, may be slimming down sometime after August ... there are rumors that a lighter device will be released then. Nook is 12.2 ounces, according to B&N's site. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-25-2010, 08:49 PM	#7
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Maybe when OLED monitors hit mainstream... __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-25-2010, 06:13 PM	#3
sad_winslow Big McLargeHuge Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: california, USA Posts: 203	Good points. The color thing on the nook I always thought was a little stupid. It does, however, take SD cards, and I like the chess and sudoku built in. but the keyboard on the kindle does have some interest for me, too. I can't decide if I should just save up for an iPad instead(or equivalent, cheaper tablet later), or skip the whole thing entirely. Also one thing I don't like about the e-books often for sale as a whole is that they're either free "classics" that i've already ready from project gutenberg a billion times, or they're like.. the stuff you buy in airports. super lame. i'm still torn. a big draw, though, is as a portable PDF reader. I like white papers/research papers a lot.

06-26-2010, 01:24 AM	#8
sad_winslow Big McLargeHuge Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: california, USA Posts: 203	I dunno about OLED. not really at all the same as e-ink. eyestrain, for one.

07-01-2010, 01:58 AM	#9
sad_winslow Big McLargeHuge Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: california, USA Posts: 203	well, woot.com got bought by amazon yesterday, and now woot has a pretty good deal on a latest-generation kindle starting tonight for 24 hours, so I ended up ordering one. We'll see how it is, and I hope I don't regret not having the chess app that Nook offers. For some super-nerdy reason, the chess thing really, really appealed to me. But the Kindle should be an interesting experience; I'll post my thoughts when it arrives if anybody cares.

07-01-2010, 07:41 AM	#10
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Yes, please do. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

07-01-2010, 09:14 AM	#11
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	I like paper books, I like flipping through the pages, noticing the bookmark lovingly holding my last page(cheesy I know) and everything else tactile about holding a book. I hope the kindle type things don't do to the book like the c/d did to LPs although that was a good thing.

07-01-2010, 12:33 PM	#12
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	I'm with Sky on this one. I like the actual books. I stare at a computer screen for work, I don't want to have to read a book on one, too. Then again, my dream house would include a two floor library.

07-01-2010, 03:16 PM	#13
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	Kindle upgrade v3.0 : Has a transparent "page" that the reader can turn as they read. Allows handwritten notes in the margins. Retains notes for future reference. Allows pages to be folded, torn, or crumpled by 3-yr olds of the family Kindle upgrade v4.0 : Charges the reader's bank account late fees if it is borrowed by a friend.

07-01-2010, 06:41 PM	#14
sad_winslow Big McLargeHuge Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: california, USA Posts: 203	To all those who say that they love paper books: Let me tell you guys something - I live in less than 900 square feet of apartment and I have, I think, eleven sets of bookshelves. Some have the shelves double-stacked, and all of them have piles on top of them. There are piles of books (and magazines, I don't discriminate) next to the bed, around and on top of my desk, the couch, around the television(delicious irony), and, ahem, in the bathroom. I LOVE books. And I'm drowning in them. I'm also not particularly willing to pay $10 for a digital copy of something that's locked to a single manufacturer, though. Ebook prices are still too high to justify their regular purchase, if you ask me, without guarantee of rights in perpetuity across multiple platforms. Mostly, I expect to be using it for news and blogs, free publications, a portable PDF reader, and Wikipedia. I'm really (nerdily) excited by the idea of being able to carry piles of research papers with me. One thing that the Nook has over the Kindle is that I saw the Nook has a chess app built in, and sudoku. Man that's appealing. But the sale on the Kindle was too much to pass up since I've been chomping at the bit to play with one. Plus, my birthday is soon, so here's my present

07-01-2010, 07:28 PM	#15
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	I think it's a wonderful medium, I'm not part of it...yet. However, there is something about the feel of a book, the sight of books on shelves, the subsequent browsing of hardcovers, or even softcovers. They're comforting, books. I bet if a tornado takes your home you will salvage at least one book. I can't imagine a nicer possession. Mind you, I've misplaced books in my years, but I've never consciously thrown one away, or even given one away or sold it. I still have my books from childhood. Mom gave me much leeway in ordering from the scholastic book club or whatever it was called, but often had to limit me to 4 or 5 at a time, because I was voracious. Excuse me, I must go read The Mystery of the Witches Bridge and The Phantom Tollbooth one more time. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

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