# Quest for an e-reader!



## Overread (May 14, 2017)

So we've another thread on this topic as well, though its more focused on the budget end of the market whilst I'd not like to be as limited in this one; plus I don't want to hijack the other thread for my own ends.


So yes I'm in the market, potentially, for another e-reader and I've done a little research into a few options and would be most keen to hear peoples views here!


First up my current e-reader is a Kindle gen 3 which means its got the physical keyboard and the page-turning tabs. It works great and is still going strong and, honestly, if it could have a back-light fitted into it that's what I'd do as otherwise it does all I want it too.

The page tabs I love; the keyboard is handy but really not that essential as I don't take notes and can hop onto a PC to do any buying or surfing and such.



So Amazon has a range of Kindles, though they've shied away from physical buttons for a long while. The cheapest from them is clearly the Paperwhite which has the backlight feature that I'm really after. The downside to me is that it hasn't got the page turning tabs. In addition I believe its internal memory is less than the gen3 that I have (though annoyingly amazon likes to say "stores thousands of books" on its specification page; which is a useless term that lets them vary memory sizes as much as they please without telling the user.


After the Paperwhite there's the Voyage and then the Oasis.
The Voyager appears to try and return closer to physical tabs with a pressure sensor; although from what I've read some love it and some really hate the sensors sensitivity and its location on the device. Other than the  touch sensors its also got a fancy light sensor which, again, can be a nice or annoying feature when the ambient light levels change.

The Oasis appears to be VERY highly priced and a bit fancy; but it is the first to return to using the physical tabs, if only on one side of the device. It's also got a much smaller screen and has a battery split in half with its case (and I've read some reports that the magnet clip on case battery doesn't always work as well as intended).



So really from Kindle alone I'd say that their upper level ones have a lot of price but honestly not many practical bonuses barring the change in page turning tab design. The are faster with things like PDFs but I use a tablet for those and never really read them on an e-reader - too slow to respond even on the fast ones and too much fiddling around to get it to work. So the PDF aspects are not a concern for me.


After Kindle there's the Nook which appears to be the most popular alternative brand choice. A few more menu options in general than the Kindle, esp with setting up the page to read (font size, line spaces etc...).
 I want to use the kindle store front I've got to use its android app so that is a bit of a faff to get that to work though from what I can glean it seems to work ok at that. I will have to look more into this though as I've enough books on the amazon store that I'm not going to have an e-reader without good functionality in this respect.


After that there's the inkBook Prime which appears to be a newer face to the market, but it seems that its not quite up to scratch just yet in all respects. It's only bonus is full both sides paddle buttons just like the e-reader I'm used too. It's not as popular either so reviews are fewer in number in general.



So there we go; it seems that if Amazon could make a paddle button e-reader with a backlight I'd be sold without debate; but for some reason they had buttons and have gone for all these alternative fancy ideas. I'm leaning toward the paper-white at present for being the most well rounded and sensibly priced option; but I'm open to being swayed from that choice


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## Susan Boulton (May 15, 2017)

I am lazy. I just have the Kindle app on my Samsung tablet, on my phone, laptop and desktop, so I have my ebooks available without having to have another device.


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## Theophania Elliott (May 15, 2017)

I have an Oasis. It's worth noting that it's reversible. It's designed to be held in one hand, by the thick end. So when you swap hands, you turn it 'upside down', and not only does the screen flip over, but so do the buttons.

So, I have it set so the bottom button is my flip-forward button. When I swap hands, it's still the bottom button, even though the reader is now upside down and the button that was on the bottom is now on the top.

So you still get a reader with buttons for either hand. Quite cool!


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## HareBrain (May 15, 2017)

Overread said:


> The Voyager appears to try and return closer to physical tabs with a pressure sensor; although from what I've read some love it and some really hate the sensors sensitivity and its location on the device. Other than the touch sensors its also got a fancy light sensor which, again, can be a nice or annoying feature when the ambient light levels change.



I've just got one of these. The pressure sensor is fine, but I almost never bother using it, because you can also move forward a page just by touching almost any part of the screen (apart from the extreme left, which moves you back a page).

I haven't found the light-changing thing to be at all intrusive.

For basic reading I generally find it a pleasure to use, but there are irritations in other areas. Sometimes it seems to skip on a few pages when starting up, and the operating system doesn't seem at all intuitive.


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## Vertigo (May 15, 2017)

@Overread Note that if you go for a Nook or Kobo, then you will need to convert the format of all your current books that you have on Amazon if you want to read them on your Nook. All the Kindle variants use AZW which is the only format sold on Amazon. All other eReaders use ePub and do NOT work with the Amazon AZW format. The free application Calibre can convert between any formats but first the DRM must be removed. This can also be done using Calibre but only with a slightly grey downloadable add on.

This is one of the things that has always angered me about Amazon. If you don't want to get into DRM removal and converting of formats then they are effectively locking you into their readers which in turn locks you into their ebook sales.

There's a fairly good comparison of the more popular readers here: What's the best eReader? The best e-book readers you can buy in the UK today


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## Overread (May 15, 2017)

Thanks all! It sounds like the easier option for me is just to stick with Amazon and the Paperwhite instead of fussing with having to adjust the books I've got on Amazon. A pain that it locks you into a single retail choice, but not unworkable.


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## Vertigo (May 16, 2017)

To be honest I think you're right and in fact my next reader might be a kindle, which actually angers me because I feel I am surrendering to what seems to be the inevitable success of what I consider to be a policy that will ultimately be to all readers disadvantage.  But sadly I think your decision is the right one...


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## crystal haven (May 16, 2017)

I haven't an e-reader, just apps at the moment. I originally used the Nook app, and loved it. Then Nook stopped being supported in the UK and I had my books moved to Sainsbury, then from Sainsbury to Kobo. If I was buying an e-reader now, I might well buy a Kobo and keep the Kindle as an app. I find the app very easy to use, and using the apps give me both choices of Kindle or Kobo.


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## Parson (May 16, 2017)

@Overread .... My old Kindle was like the one you are describing. I then had one with the tabs, but without the back light the screen got damaged or I'd still use that one. I now have a paperwhite with a cover. I like it very well but was surprised by a few things. (1) The backlight feature works very well, but I am surprised at how seldom I actually need to use it. (2) It weighs a smidge too much for my taste. It's not hard to use or anything, but you do feel like you are holding on to something, whereas the second one I would sometimes forget I had it in my hands. (3) the battery life while still excellent is something which needs to be checked from time to time. The first seemed to run just about forever.

All-in-all given what's available today I still think the PaperWhite is the best reader when cost is considered. I certainly wouldn't go to any of the "off" brands. 

my2cents


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## Overread (May 16, 2017)

I suspect as e-readers and tablets close the gap in features between them the dominance of Kindle might wane once 3rd parties can make affordable e-readers which can run android based applications smoothly - ergo simply install and run the Kindle app. Though that might be a good few years yet - I suspect e-ink tech must be rather expensive considering that hte rest of most e-readers is very basic tech compared to similarly priced tablets and smartphones.


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## Vertigo (May 16, 2017)

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's far and away the most expensive component.


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## ratsy (May 17, 2017)

OR, I suggest the paperwhite with cover as well. Changing pages is easy, and its all ive known since i didnt try the original one. I love having the cover too. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover, Onyx Black: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store  You can open it and hold it like a book if you enjoy that. The backlight and no glare is amazing, and you can read it in the dark or on the beach, no problem.


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## Overread (May 26, 2017)

Thoughts:
1) The paperwhite is neat!

2) The touchscreen is far better than I thought!

3) The built in organising system is still annoyingly simplistic (just collections no sub-collections within collections). Gah why can't Amazon update that bit its not like its asking much for sub-collections or something. A folder within a folder is kinda simple these days.

4) Reading in the dark is now possible!


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## Vertigo (May 27, 2017)

I don't worry too much about organising stuff on my reader as I do all my organising on my PC, where all my books are actually stored permanently, and use Calibre. In fact I periodically clear out most of the books I've already read except possibly the last read book in a series as I might need to refer back to it when I begin the next in the series. I have found on my reader that it performs better with less books on it but that might be due to it's extreme (relative) age meaning the software is not as smart. So the only form of organisation I really have is grouped by author and that seems to do me fine.


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## Pyan (May 27, 2017)

I've had a Paperwhite since my first Kindle 4 suffered a nasty accident when I fell asleep reading and levered myself up on an elbow when I woke up - crack, interesting abstract black and grey screen. It's in a case, with a pocket opposite for bits (usually an order list of titles in a series) and a pen loop - and honestly, I wouldn't be without it. Battery life is excellent, storage on the machine itself is more than adequate (I usually have about 25 books on it, with about another 450 in the Cloud), the backlight is brilliant (hah), and the swipe to turn pages is just right - not too sensitive. Thoroughly recommended - I just wish that I hadn't been such a Luddite when they first came out...

Edit - oh, and the joy of being able to buy the next in a series at 2am, when you know that the bookshop won't be open for another 7 hours, and might not even have it in stock...


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## Charles Gull (May 27, 2017)

I'm still grinding away with the Kindle App on my Samsung Note3. Does everything I need and is also a phone!


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