E-readers - any good???

I use an iPad, great. Just finished a book last night on it. Also movies, email, net, games,

90% of my business stuff, etc, etc. Love it. There are plenty of freeware ebooks out there, some of which are by popular modern authors.

Stevesub

Posted from my iPad while on the road.

Stevesub

TG

Have a Google around for the Nook colour version ereader. Runs Android in the back end and very easy to convert into a fully operating Android Tablet PC. Load the Kindle app for Android and you have all bases covered in one device.

Cheers

A

Hi TG,
One of our daughters gave me an Amazon kimble just before we left home, along with a case to protect it, and i am reading 'books' on it which download in just a minute or two. It has 3G and connects directly to the Amazon website. Requires you to set up an Amazon account and the credit card is immediately billed the amount.

I initially had difficulty using the small keypad and ended up setting up the account online via my laptop, but registered it successfully using the kimble.
(maybe I am just a bit 'slow' at doing it but there are instructions to guide you through the process)!

Also, you are limited to using the Amazon kimble e-books but there are thousands to choose from. The battery is charged via USB connection, however I think you can also get a 240v charger. Not sure how long it would take to run the battery down but I connect and charge every week or so, and it is faster than the phone to charge.

The screen is fine to use in direct sunlight and easy to read, unlike mobile phones, laptops and camera screens. You can change the text size and line spacing, also have it read to you. Probably there are other features I haven't explored at this stage too.

I wouldn't think there would be any problems using it on the beach unless you dropped it in the water!

Books have cost me under $10 and one was under $5, considerably cheaper than buying new from bookshops.

If you ever fill up the space on it you can have Amazon archive books for you and it stores them until you want to read them again. Not sure how many you can store on it before you would want to do this - lots I would think.

I have currently 9 titles on mine and am reading the third one.

It does cut down the weight and space required in carrying books around but if more than one of you wants to use it, you would have to buy a second one. (In this case, apparently you can send books between the two at no charge, or at least that is what I understand happens.)

Hope this helps you.

I haven't used any of the other types available and wouldn't have bought it for myself but I do love it.

Cheers,

Heather G

TG
I had the same thoughts as you
Found an informative review here

http://www.cnet.com.au/amazon-kindle-3-339305659.htm

I do most of my reading at night so will check out the light that is available
and the other offerings. Although I like the simple black & white idea

I've just bought a Kindle and read three books straight off - no problem with the eyes. It is so good my wife insisted we buy a second one. I can't get WiFi from where I am so I download to the computer. You need a cover for protection but the aftermarket ones are only $10.
I also downloaded a conversion program to convert some of the other formats to suit the Kindle - works well. Go for it.
Good price direct from Amazon in US and very fast delivery.
Cheers
FJB

my other half has a Sony e reader and loves it. We looked at a Kindle but apparently you can only buy books from Amazon. We were told not to get a backlit reader as it does damage to your eyes.

at the risk of high jacking this thread....what is the benefit of a dedicated e reader as against simply using a laptop?.......I am assuming that an electronic copy is downloaded so why not do so and read on the laptop?.

or am I missing something important or specific to an e reader?

thanks

Hi TG

We have yet to get ours, but we're looking forward to ease of holding and page turning for arthritic hands. We are tossing up between eco-reader and Sony at present. Choice magazine reveiwed them last year, and there have been a few threads with first hand reports on a number of brands on www.caravanersforum.com.

Motherhen

The other option is to go to the second hand books shops in each town. Pick up a book for about five bucks, or swap with a book you have already read. If you did not like the book, just sell or swap it at the next town. If you do like it, add it to your collection at home.

Friends have just bought a Kindle ( not a kimble) and quite like it

They bought it for her mother to read because she has arthritic hands

Only thing with them is the Amazon library is limited in Australia compared with USA.

There is a workaround like this.

Set up an account with an American Address It could be a shop or anything.

Buy a prepaid Entropay virtual visa card from www.entropay.com

Set this as your payment method and billing address in your Amazon account

and the mailing address as your home.

Allows you to access the American Amazon library.

Cheers

Ereader comparison

Maybe this will help

After research I am about to get a Kobo with WiFi from Borders

Alan

My nine year old son, eight year old daughter and myself all have a kindle. My husband and I have iPads. My husband doesn't mind using the iPad as an ereader, but I find the screen and style is not to my taste for reading books. I use the kindle for reading books. I find it is not only one of the cheapest dedicated ereaders on the market ($139) it also performs it's function well as a dedicated ereader. The iPad (in my opinion) is a tablet that I use for internet, email, and some apps.

I have an iriver ereader and could not receommend it.

I have trouble downloading books, and when I do download onto the reader the writing is smaller than a telephone book and I cannot increase the size of the font.

I have tried a few things but nothing works.

It appears that it is also not compatible with adobe downloader.

I opted for the original Kobo; liked the fact that it runs on the open standard ePub format. And there's competition among online ebook sellers of ePubs so you can often do better with shopping around.

It doesn't handle PDFs very well but there are ways of getting around that.

Bear in mind that eInk readers use glass screens and so the units need protecting.

Hi TG
I have just purchased my 2nd kindle for my husband/son. My son is dyslexic and the kindle has the capability of reading to him while he follows the text. The reason I bought a 2nd kindle was when we were away camping my husband kept pinching my kindle.
As far as downloading books from Amazon - you are not locked in to Amazon only. You can download books from boarders, gutenberg etc. Just google ebooks. My girlfriend has just purchased a kindle after seeing mine, she had a cheaper version and was not impressed with the battery life. I have read 3 books on my kindle and am only now recharging.
You can recharge from a usb plug or buy an adapter online for usb to 240 v they cost $1.00 on ebay. Very very handy.
Yes I bought a cover on line from Hong Kong $8.00 and yes I take it down the beach to read.
With the Australian dollar doing so well, purchasing from Amazon is great. Mine arrived within 3 working days.
I hope this helps.

TG
At the Amazon site page you can select that you are from Australia.
You select order now $139 version and there is a blue area that says "Important information" this has a drop down menu and you select the country you are from. Then you select add to cart.
Including postage it costs approx $169 Australian (well mine did last week).
You may have to set up an Amazon account first.

Good luck.