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Aug
9
Ereader Devices and the Traveler
Filed Under Kindle, Reader, Reviews, e-Book, eReader, jetBook | Leave a Comment
The potential usefulness of ebook reading devices for travelers has not escaped the attention of bloggers and journalists. For example, we’ve recently noted a review from a Sony Reader user who was about to take the Reader along for a week at the beach, another review about taking an Ectaco jetBook along on a cruise vacation, and the Amazon Kindle’s presence on Time Magazine’s list of “gotta have” travel gadgets.
Concierge.com has also weighed in on the topic of ereaders for travelers. Tom Loftus recently explained why he views the Amazon Kindle as the “most important piece of travel technology since the inflatable neck pillow”:
Say you’re on the road and you suddenly realize that you must have–must have!–Oprah’s new book. All you need to do is turn on the Kindle and connect to the store. (The connection is through Sprint’s EV-DO network. It’s free.) You’ll have to pay for the book, but it will be cheaper than the dead-tree version. Or, if you wish, you can download sample chapters for free.
Earlier, a gear review at Concierge.com discussed the value of the Sony Reader to travelers. Noting a perceived tepid response to the Sony Reader in some quarters, the reviewer had this to say:
To these arbiters of judgment, I offer a single and uncontestable fact: My 80-day circumnavigation would have been much less pleasurable without my Sony Reader. Thanks to it, I was able to take part–whenever I wanted, and for long, memorable stretches–in one of my most favorite of activities: reading.
So if you have a getaway planned for these last few weeks of summer or the upcoming Labor Day weekend, you might want to think about giving the ebook reader of your choice a “field test” during your getaway.
Aug
8
The blogger at Techusers.org recently gave the Ectaco Jetbook a thorough test when she took the Jetbook along on a cruise vacation. She gave good marks to the Jetbook’s built-in dictionary and the device screen:
Dictionary: I love the dictionary included. All I have to do is press the menu button, then select dictionary. This highlights the first word on the page and then all you have to do is to navigate using the jog pad to the word you want and press ok. It was almost like have my Rocket book back, but without the touch screen.
Screen: I was worried that the screen would be green like the Ebookman or Kolin reader. I was worried for nothing. In regular light reading is great, but the brighter the better. In the Sun the screen is better than e-ink, but then again I am not a real big fan of e-ink. Page turns are so much quicker which really enhances my reading experience. I am glad that someone out there is creating alternative devices.
The blogger also liked the Jetbook’s file management, font size choices, and page turning attributes. In the minus column, she placed the lack of support for html, .doc and .rtf document formats, the inability to add fonts, the lack of backlight for the screen, and an awkward on-off switch.
Her overall conclusion: “This is one of the easiest-to-use e-book readers I have come across. There are cons to the reader, but I wouldn’t let that be a show stopper. I think that the Jetbook is excellent as a second reader and [complements] the on-the-go person.”
Aug
7
How Do the Amazon Kindle and the iRex Iliad Match Up?
Filed Under Kindle, Reviews, iRex Iliad | 1 Comment
SlashGear recently performed a side-by-side comparison of two ebook reading devices — the Amazon Kindle and the iRex Iliad.
Their verdict? Go with the Amazon Kindle, “[b]ecause it’s cheaper and does what it says it will do. Granted, there’s great room for improvement here, but the extended battery life and seamless use with Amazon.com make it the logical choice for those looking for an easy way to read on the go.”
The reviewer did appreciate some features of the iRex Iliad, such as a stylus that enables the user to make notations on book pages. However, the reviewer concluded, “[i]f it lived up to its promises, the iRex model would be a clear winner and perhaps worth the extra cash, but it’s not there yet.”
Aug
6
Amazon Kindle - Sony Reader Comparison
Filed Under Kindle, Reader, Reviews, Uncategorized, e-Book, ePub, eReader | Leave a Comment
A recent post at Blog Shop Review states a preference for the Amazon Kindle over the Sony Reader.
I have owned the first generation Sony Reader since last December, and read over twenty books on it, and just recently purchased the Kindle. While the Kindle is not perfect, it is superior to the Sony Reader in several meaningful ways that make it a far superior choice[.]
The first reason listed for the Kindle preference is available books: “[T]he number of books available for purchase for the Kindle is at least triple the number available from Sony.” (We have noted here at eReader Central that Sony did recently announce support for the EPUB format in the updated PRS-505 Reader, which serves to increase the number of ebooks that are compatible with that model of the Reader.)
In addition, the Blog Shop Review stated that with the Kindle, “[b]uying books is far easier; they are transferred directly to the Kindle without having to be downloaded first to a computer.” Other features listed as in the Kindle’s favor include screen contrast, available font sizes, the ease of changing pages, and the number of books that can be held in the device’s memory.
Aug
6
The Amazon Kindle ebook reader is Number 9 on the Time.com list of 25 Gotta Have Travel Gadgets.
Amazon’s first-generation e-book reader certainly needs improvement — the page-turn buttons are awkwardly placed, among other things — but anyone who likes to read on the road should consider it an essential companion. That’s because you can take a veritable library with you. The 10.3-ounce device holds around 200 books; infinitely more if you load books onto external SD cards. Better yet is Whispernet, Amazon’s built-in wireless service — it piggybacks on Sprint’s EVDO network — that delivers books on demand in seconds.
The other gadgets on the Time.com “gotta have” list include an assortment of items for travelers, such as a universal adaptor, camera, battery pack, portable DVD player, and video recorder.
Aug
6
Bookz Text Reader App for iPhone Gets a Thumbs Up
Filed Under News, Reviews, iPhone | Leave a Comment
Manybooks.net recently had good things to say about the Bookz text reader application for the iPhone. First of all, Manybooks.net noted, the Bookz app is simple to use — download text files from the Web, and read the files on your phone. Furthermore, “[t]he interface is clean and responsive, and the preferences are accessible, and easy to use.”
The Bookz app is available through the iTunes App Store. Learn more about Bookz online.
Aug
4
Amazon Kindle - A User Review
Filed Under Kindle, Reviews, e-Book, e-Ink, eReader | Leave a Comment
Over at the Dragonsept Arts & Publishing blog, there’s a user review of the Amazon Kindle. From the blogger’s perspective, the Kindle’s screen is its strong point:
The screen of the Kindle is where it really shines. The resolution is crisp, and it is incredibly easy to read. The text comes out black-on-gray, and very sharp. There is a bit of pixelation at the smallest resolution, but it’s still much better than reading on a small LCD. My preference is settling on the second-smallest text, which is one size lower than the default from the factory. The screen flashes all-black for a moment when changing pages, presumably to reset the electronic ink. It takes less than 1 second to change pages, a very acceptable time.
The weak point identified by the blogger is the lack of open standards compatibility. “Sadly, the only open standards the Kindle natively [are] .txt and HTML. However, it supports Mobi, which you can create from PDFs and other formats without cost. One can also get documents converted to the Amazon format for free by sending them as an attachment to an email address unique to your Kindle.”
Overall, the blogger gives the Kindle a good grade.
I really, really like this device. . . . The electronic ink is a huge improvement over light-emitting screen types. The screen size is wonderful - and this from someone who thought he never cared about the small PDA screen before. The cover that comes with it makes it very easy to hold on to, and protects the screen nicely. It would also be a great place to clip on a book light, if you need to read at night without bothering a bed- or room-mate. I would like it if it supported more formats, but I am content that I am not locked in completely to Amazon’s format.
Do you own a Kindle? We’d love to have your comments and thoughts on. your Kindle experience.
Jul
28
The blogger at The Blue Skunk Blog writes that he’s been using the Kindle “for a solid month. I’d like to be able to say that I either love it or hate it, but I can’t. The reading experience isn’t better or worse than a paper book, just rather different. And there have been some surprises - fewer of a technical nature and more of those that are behavioral or social.”
The blogger notes, among other things, that he’s “amazed at the body of support that has already developed around the Kindle. Stephen Windwalker is releasing the draft of his book The Complete Users Gide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle. Lots o’ blogs, discussion groups, etc. ‘I was so busy learning how to use the book, I never got around to reading it, ‘Groucho might now say.”
With the blogger keep using the Amazon Kindle?
You better believe it - I’ve got $360 wrapped up in this puppy. It works great for trips. It’s much easier to read at a table when eating alone. It has features I’ve not yet explored enough. And it does become transparent when the reading material is compelling. It just needs to be priced much, much lower to find a popular market.
Jul
15
Polymer Vision Readius: Watch This Demo
Filed Under Demos, Readius, Reviews, e-Book | Leave a Comment
The Polymer Vision Readius has received media attention recently, as its release is awaited.
In this video provided by PhoneMag.com, the Readius is the subject of a hands-on demonstration at Mobile World Congress 2008. Watch this demo to get an idea of how this foldable digital reading device works.
Jul
15
E-book Devices Revolutionary? Not Until Prices Drop
Filed Under Kindle, News, Reader, Reviews, e-Book | Leave a Comment
Are digital reading devices such as the 
revolutionary? Not until costs come down, says Kiplinger.com.
These devices have some nice features, the writer says: Both the Kindle and the Sony Reader are “surprisingly easy to read, even in sunlight, and mimic ink-on-paper pages. However, he adds, the cost of the devices and the e-books is a limiting factor.
But our main gripe with digital-book delivery is the cost. These devices are too expensive given their limited advantages. A portable reader in the $100 to $150 ballpark would persuade us to overlook a lot of drawbacks.
Plus, the electronic books themselves could come down in price. Featured titles on Sony’s eBook Store range from about $5 to $19, and Amazon sells most digital bestsellers for $10. Given the significantly reduced publishing and distribution costs, all e-books should cost about $5. Maybe someday.