E-readers... Kobo v Kindle v Nook

[Mesquite]

I'm thinking of getting myself a basic e-reader but can't make my mind up which to go for...

There's the Kindle. Loads of hype but I've heard and seen examples where the screen freezes or goes black and Amazon aren't exactly keen on solving the problem...

Then there's the Kobo. Much the same as a Kindle but £10 cheaper but has the facility to expand the storage up to 32gb via micro SD card

And finally there's the Nook. It's the most expensive of the lot at £79 and the heaviest as well but its battery life is the longest at approximately 2 months

So what would you folks recommend?

I'm leaning towards the Kobo as I really don't like some of the stories I've heard about how Amazon have treated Kindle users. Has anyone got a Kobo and if you do what do you think of it?

 

[British Red]

I bought into the Amazon audio book service (Audible.com), to play audio books on my blackberry when travelling. Without explanation Amazon withdrew UK support for the device rendering my books useless for my purposes. They pretty much said "suck it" when I asked for help or support. I will not buy an Amazon proprietary product again. Kobo for me I think....its a close thing though

 

[Mesquite]

I bought into the Amazon audio book service (Audible.com), to play audio books on my blackberry when travelling. Without explanation Amazon withdrew UK support for the device rendering my books useless for my purposes. They pretty much said "suck it" when I asked for help or support. I will not buy an Amazon proprietary product again. Kobo for me I think....its a close thing though

I remember you mentioning that Hugh and coupled with the fact that Amazon have deleted books off of kindles users have purchased due to copyright issues and refused to offer refunds as well as the screen issue doesn't sell it to me...

 

[Biker]

Got my Kindle 4 last Christmas, a present to myself for £89, they're only £69 now. At the time I also bought a 3 year insurance deal against loss, breakage and damage for £17. I turned off the WIFI as soon as I'd registered my kindle with Amazon and then bought a shed load of ebooks off ebay for under a tenner, with conversion software to convert ebook .lit, PDF files all to .mobi format for Kindle. In fact I've just received 400.000 ebooks on 8 DVDs and there are tons of new books up to May 2012 on them, so I'm pretty much set for life as regards books. So, I haven't bought a single book from Amazon, don't need to.

However while traveling to the Moot this year I busted the screen on the Kindle. Dug out the receipt once I got back to Kent, marched into Argos and they replaced it and I took out a new insurance cover for it again (the one they sell is a one shot deal)

I am well impressed with my Kindle, you can read it in bright sunlight, unlike most PC type screens, the battery with the WIFI turned lasts me a month easily. So although I bought an Amazon product I have nothing else to do with them for buying books and I'm not dependent on them to update the software each time. Mine still worked fine right out of the box with the software settings it came with.

Hope this helps Steve.

Back to the mince pies now. tata.

 

[Harvestman]

As I just received a kindle touch for Christmas, my choice has been made for me.

 

[Corso]

looked at them myself but there's something about paper I can't quite shake off

do you realy own the kindle books you buy?.....

 

[Biker]

looked at them myself but there's something about paper I can't quite shake off

do you realy own the kindle books you buy?.....

I know what you're saying about the feel of a book in your hands, but with the Kindle you get both options, there are books on that that I've wanted to read but resented paying over a tenner for it. I know it sounds cheapskate but that's what I'm like.

As for owning the books Kindle lets you download, I really wouldn't know, I haven't bought one form them yet. The digital ones I have stored on my Kindle are downloaded directly from DVD's I bought online and I have copies on them on the PC. What I can't do is point to a bookcase and say "that's my library collection" if that's what you're saying about physically owning them.

 

[bearbait]

Some UK libraries will loan e-books, but my library says "Unfortunately Kindle users are not able to borrow library ebooks. This is because the Kindle device does not support library-loaned material."

I think in the US Kindles can borrow library books. Maybe it will come here eventually?

BTW you can also get a number of free books for your Kindle from Amazon, and loads of free books for many e-readers from Project Gutenburg.

I'm pleased with my Kindle (the basic Kindle Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display) but I don't like not being able to share/trade Amazon's proprietary books, which, of course, you can do with a p-book. But an e-reader is undoubtedly a convenient way to haul a number of books around, particularly if travelling: you can load it up with a number of Lonely Planet or Rough Guides and it's a fraction of the size and weight of the p-books.

As per Biker, I turned off the wi-fi as soon as I got the Kindle and I download books from Amazon/Gutenburg to my computer first before loading them to the Kindle. They're backed up then on the lapdog and again on its backup.

If you want to convert e-books see the quite impressive (and free) Calibre e-book management software. You can also download "newspapers" and other periodicals (actually I believe RSS feeds) using this software for your e-reader.

 

[Pandabean]

I have had a kindle (the small version but not the touch) for just under a year and I can say it has been great when I have travel with work, which I have been doing alot of recently. So with 4hr plus flights I have been doing alot of reading. Even managed to get 3/4 of the way through Game of Thrones.
I do have a huge collection of books that I downloaded for reading and I have bought some ebooks from amazon.

I have not had any issues yet with it.

For a while before I got it I was thinking it wouldn't be as good as a paper book and fair enough there are some drawbacks (including the annoying take it out of its case for security at the airport) related to that but they are outweighed by the fact that I don't have to carry multiple books in my bag.

I have yet to take it out hammocking but then I tend to leave most of the techno stuff at home to get away from it.

 

[rosshs1]

I've had a kindle 4 for about 6 months, and I can't fault it, it may be an idea to go and have a play with all of them if you can, see which feels right to you. There are ways around Amazon's policy, but that's already been covered. There are ways of backing up your books too which may be worth a look into.

Sent from my MZ601 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Corso]

I know what you're saying about the feel of a book in your hands, but with the Kindle you get both options, there are books on that that I've wanted to read but resented paying over a tenner for it. I know it sounds cheapskate but that's what I'm like.

As for owning the books Kindle lets you download, I really wouldn't know, I haven't bought one form them yet. The digital ones I have stored on my Kindle are downloaded directly from DVD's I bought online and I have copies on them on the PC. What I can't do is point to a bookcase and say "that's my library collection" if that's what you're saying about physically owning them.

its just me and my digital distrust i dont believe that I would own the books I download any more that the post I put up on here or the papers I've published....

 

[Indoorsout]

I bought myself the Kobo Touch when I got my tax rebate in September and must say I love it! The screen is good, easy to read in almost any light and unlike a physical book you can store literally thousands on there. I love my books, I love being able to look at the bookshelf and go 'that one' but I also love being able to take a reader smaller than most paperbacks with me on a long journey or a trip to the docs and know I'm set up

I deliberately avoided kindle so I wouldn't be tied to Amazon. Glad I did.

 

[British Red]

its just me and my digital distrust i dont believe that I would own the books I download any more that the post I put up on here or the papers I've published....

Legally you do not own any e-book you download from Amazon - you are merely permitted to use it

 

[Elen Sentier]

I just use it free on my HTC, like it fine and don't have yet another gadget to remember

 

[tenderfoot]

i just use a generic android 7 inch tablet by ainol for same price.(various models/specs on ebay) dowloaded the kindle app and any number of other free e reader apps, conversion apps etc. This does so much more than a kindle or kobo,
i run microsoft office compatible software , browsers, play games, can attach mini bluetooth keyboard, it has an adaptor to attach a vodaphone dongle for mobile internet, usb key, add sd memory, play music, watch vids stream content.... why tie yourself to a kindle?

 

[Indoorsout]

A tablet is good, and I'd love one. But not for books. Backlit screens mean the battery life is tiny in comparison and the text is much easier to read with an e-ink screen. Less eyestrain and longer service. I have my phone for all the other stuff - it has a kindle app too, but the battery life is severely shortened if you read much. I used my Kobo every day for 2 weeks before having to charge it, and I'm a big reader

 

[Steve27752]

I like my Kindle:You_Rock_

 

[Corso]

Legally you do not own any e-book you download from Amazon - you are merely permitted to use it

I thought as much. I think I'll pass then....

 

[Pandabean]

One other thing, I have some really old books (1800s, early 1900s which I like to collect) and as you can guess the more you look at them/open them etc the more wear goes through them so I have some of them on my Kindle as well. That way the wear will be minimised and preserves the books for a bit longer.

 

[Elen Sentier]

i just use a generic android 7 inch tablet by ainol for same price.(various models/specs on ebay) dowloaded the kindle app and any number of other free e reader apps, conversion apps etc. This does so much more than a kindle or kobo,
i run microsoft office compatible software , browsers, play games, can attach mini bluetooth keyboard, it has an adaptor to attach a vodaphone dongle for mobile internet, usb key, add sd memory, play music, watch vids stream content.... why tie yourself to a kindle?

I'm interested in your tablet as - if i get one - I want to do other stuff too (not games though). It does wifi OK presumably so don't need dongle if in range ??? What's it like to write on? I need to write, a lot