eBook Readers Consumer Guide

Reviews & Comparisons - Find Out Which eBook Reader Is Right for You!

Best Ebook Reader eBook Reader Tips Kindle vs Nook Kindle vs iPad eBook Reader Buying Guide

eBook reader reviews

Find out which eBook reader is right for you...

Are you planning to purchase an eBook Reader or an eReader and are not sure which one is the best for you? Well, on this website you will find eBook readers reviews and comparisons and many other tips and tricks. You will find useful information and videos on eBook Readers. If you like this website please click on the Facebook Like/Recommend button to recommend it to your friends. Just read and enjoy!

What Is an eBook Reader or an eReader?

An Ebook Reader is a device that can display books in electronic (digital) format. An electronic book or an ebook is an electronic version of a printed book. An eReader can be especially designed for displaying ebooks or can even be a general device such as an iPad or even a smart phone.

VIDEO: E-Readers

What Are the Advantages of an Ebook Reader And Why Should You Get One?

	You don't have to carry a bunch of printed books with you wherever you go - just carry one small and light device.
	You can have thousands of ebooks stored on your ebook reader at any one time.
	You have the ability to translate the ebooks into many different languages.
	Electronic ebooks are generally cheaper than the printed ones.
	Ebooks can be backed up to recover them in case of a loss.
	An ebook can be purchased, downloaded and used immediately - don't have to go to the store to get one.
	Ebooks can save a lot of paper and ink - are environmentally friendly.

There are really a multitude of ebook readers to choose from, but it can be quite a difficult task to pick one that is right for you. I decided to do a extensive research of the ebook readers on the market today to find out what choices are there and to help you find the perfect ebook reader.

There are mainly a few main players in this market and they are Amazon, Sony, Samsung and Barnes & Noble. Let’s see what they have to offer!

Before deciding to purchase an ebook reader you need to know what are your preferences, such as the screen size, memory size, number of shades combinations, operating system, number of formats, touchscreen, wireless and Wifi capable.

How To Buy An eBook Reader or eReader

With so many options and eBookstores in the mix, how will you find the right one for you?

There are seven key factors to consider: design, display size, display type, connectivity, content selection, memory and price.

Design: The most important design aspect of an eBook Readeris its page-turning buttons. The best designs have buttons for Next Page on both, the right and the left of display. eReaders with this feature, such as Amazon Kindle, don't take much force to click and sit naturally under your thumbs. If you have the chance test where the buttons fall when you hold the eReader to make sure they are comfortable. eReaders with page turn buttons on only one side of the device tend to tire hands or fingers faster. Some eReaders, such as Dony's Pocket, Touch, or Daily Editions offer an experience closer to paper books by letting you swipe to turn pages. This idea is nice but not always comfortable.

Display Size: The majority of eReaders come with 6-inch screens, which offer around the same amount of text as you would find on a trade paperback page depending on the font size, but won't have you turning pages too often if you decide up the magnification. If you are in the market for something more pocketable, look for a 5-inch model such as the Sony Reader Pocket Edition, which can fit into a jacket of cargo pant pocket. These displays can generally fit the same amount of text as a mass market paperback. Large-screen, 9.7-inch eReaders are mainly geared toward the education market. Students find devices such as the Kindle DX useful because they allow more space for notes and are optimized for displaying textbooks pages and graphics.

Display Type (E-ink or color LCD): Now that the iPad is taking off and more affordable color eReaders are hitting tyhe market, people are wondering whether e-Ink (single monochrome) or a traditional LCD is the way to go. Which is best for you? e-Ink screens are more easily viewed outdoors because they don't have any glare. They also don't cause eye strain, making e-Ink devices a better choice for extended reading sessions. Last but not least, e-Ink displays use far less energy, allowing these eReaders to last for several days or even weeks on a charge. Aside from allowing users to read in the dark, LCDs display full color, which makes eReaders with these screens a better choice for surfing the web, viewing photos, and watching videos.

Connectivity (wireless downloads): Both Amazon and Barnes and Noble offer two versions of the Kindle and Nook, one with 3G and Wi-Fi, and one with just Wi-Fi (for a lower price). The ability to buy and begin reading eBooks within a few minutes no matter where you are with 3G is a great feature. However, most people will get the Wi-Fi-only version of thsese eReaders, since they will save some money. If you want to save even more money you can get a non-connected eReader such as Sony Pocket Edition. Getting content on these eReaders isnt' painful, just drag and drop or sync, just like you would with an MP3 player. In general, having at least Wi-Fi on board makes life easier.

Content: Not every eReader is attached to a corresponding eBookstore, so is it better to buy one from booksellers such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble or go with an independent device? Many of the major eBook sellers use an open source file format called ePub, which often means that users can view titles on any eReader that can read that format and decode the DRM. These stores include Barnes and Noble, Borders, Kobo, and Sony. iBooks sells ePub files, but with DRM that restricts the books to Apple devices. Amazon sells books in a proprietar format, which means that only the Kindle and Kindle's software and apps can read the files. That makes it impossible to move your books to a new, non-Amazon eReader legally. However, Amazon currently has the largest selection of modern titles. Independent eReaders offer the most freedom, but there is no guarantee that the larger stores will always play nice with them. Some stores, like Barnes and Noble and Amazon sell newspapers and magazines, but not all stores do. If you have a chance, take a look through the online bookstore for the reader before you commit to buy an eReader. Also, if you plan on reading library ebooks, check to see what format your local library uses, and make sure your reader supports it.

Memory: The memory of the eReader is also important because the more memory you have the more books you can store on your eReader. For example, the Barnes and Noble Nook eReader has 2GB of memory (which can store up to 1500 ebooks) and the Kindle-latest generation has 4GB of memory(which can store up to 3500 ebooks). However, one advantage that the Nook has over Kindle is that the memory on the Nook is expandable. The Nook has a micro SD slot where you can insert a micro SD card and add more memory, even more than of the Kindle.

Price: Last but not least you must take in consideration the price of the device. How much are you willing to spend? If you have a large budget, you can get the best of the ebook readers, one that includes Wi-FI and 3G connectivity (such as the Kindle 3G) or the new color Nook eReader or even the bigger size Kindle DX. If your budget is smaller, then you can get the Kindle Wi-Fi (without the 3G) or the black and white Nook (both of them are under $150 right now) and they still get the job done.

[Factoid]

The Amazon Kindle and the Barnes and Noble allow owners to share ebooks with six different devices - iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, Android device and Blackberry.

EBOOK READERS COMPARISONS AND REVIEWS