Thread: Wireless Reading Devices

Originally Posted by majurey

An analogy is with the various MP3 players competing with the original iPod. Why did the Zune tank and iPod reign supreme? I reckon it's about the software and storefront, i.e. iTunes. It was such a no-brainer in terms of buying and downloading tracks. I found the Kindle is to iPod as Kindle Store is to iTunes. Right now, Kindle is winning hands down, although Apple's iBookstore is catching up with respect to sales volume.

Google has really fumbled and have delayed launch until next year.

Interesting.....most people I know (including myself) severely dislike I-tunes. If I could do without I would.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

Interesting.....most people I know (including myself) severely dislike I-tunes. If I could do without I would.

"Computer people" hate iTunes because of its locked-in nature, inflexibility, resource hogging, etc. But if you think as a pure customer, who wants to just get the songs on the ipod and listen to them...it's a smooth, stylish and above all EASY way to go.

Just like Kindle. Seriously, push a button and the book is there in seconds.
I agree with majurey, it's all about the interface.

In the real world I am a networking tech and as such I need to understand how things like this work and how the ereaders do what they do. I would like to add to the discussion some information as to how the ereaders do what they do and the technical aspects of the readers.

When you take the readers to there base they are simply mini computers with a brain, CPU, that takes the files that you put on the reader and formats it for display. The CPUs are made to recognize only a certain set of formatted text (in this case the books themselves). Fortunately for us the customers the format that the readers are designed to understand are pretty much standardized to epub and pdf formats. However the problem that we customers run into is that the books are encrypted by the store that you get the books from and the decryption algorithm are built into the CPU. What this means is the books are proprietary (available from only one source). In the IT world proprietary is a curse word but its the way that the makers have put together the readers.

As a consequence as a perspective customer you need to make sure that you are buying the reader for a good store. Buying the Kindle (Amazon) vs the Nook (Barns and Nobles) vs Alurtek (Borders) vs Sony is not a decision as to the best reader so much as a decision of who is the best store for you.

The differences that I can see is:

1) Amazon - pros - high visibility and very likely to be recognized by your pals, cons - can't walk into one of their stores and browse to your hearts content;

2) Barns and Nobles - pros - in most malls, cons - might not be near you.

3) Borders - pros - Have a wide variety of low cost readers, readers start at $100, cons - not in most malls.

So when you consider buying an reader you need to be more concerned about the store that you buy from rather than the reader itself since all of the readers that you get will be proprietary to that store.

I personally selected Borders because they offered the functionality that I wanted at a lower price then the other stores. The other readers prices started at $165 where as Borders offered $100 so I took the lowest cost provider. I think that all of the readers are quite capable and excellent readers its all comes down to which store do you want to be hooked to.

Jimr - I do not think the push button functionality is really enough to select one reader over another, I had a Pandigital from Barns and Nobles (which was stolen) and now an Alurtek from Borders which both provide the same functionality that you are describing. I push the power button and my last book is open to where i left off.

LX - Like Jimr, I do not like the ipod because its proprietary (available from only one source) which is the same reason why I don't like cartridge razors (they are proprietary). Another reason I do not like ipod is its too high priced (last I saw a 16gb ipod was $150 and a 16gb MP3 was $75.)

Originally Posted by JimR

"Computer people" hate iTunes because of its locked-in nature, inflexibility, resource hogging, etc. But if you think as a pure customer, who wants to just get the songs on the ipod and listen to them...it's a smooth, stylish and above all EASY way to go.

Just like Kindle. Seriously, push a button and the book is there in seconds.
I agree with majurey, it's all about the interface.

Not really the locked in thing I have no problem with that. The resource hogging and inflexibility I don't really notice. It's HORRIBLY slow though. That and every time I do something new.. (like last week I put VLC player on it and then tried to get the video's on it) I have to figure out how to work it all over again. Some things work very easily, installing new apps for instance is a piece of cake.

I severely dislike the way I have to "synchronise" things in order to get my music on it though. Terrible terrible system.

For someone who uses all apple stuff I'm sure it's great. Someone who buys music from I-tunes, who buys apps from the app store, AppleTV etc. But as soon as I want to place already converted media (CD's etc) on it....it's just a pain in the butt.

Originally Posted by jbcohen

LX - Like Jimr, I do not like the ipod because its proprietary (available from only one source) which is the same reason why I don't like cartridge razors (they are proprietary). Another reason I do not like ipod is its too high priced (last I saw a 16gb ipod was $150 and a 16gb MP3 was $75.)

Like I said. If I'd have to buy it I probably wouldn't either. But as a gift it's greatly appreciated.

Although I do have to note that it's not completely proprietary. Anyone can create an application/music etc and have it judged and distributed through the I-tunes store.

So yes, it's somewhat halfway proprietary but not completely.

I haven't read the entire thread, so apologies if some of this is a dupe.

First, I'm typing this on my iPad.

I am a voracious reader and easily will go through a Gone with the Wind sized novel in a week. I am the kind of guy who used to visit Barnes and Noble every week and bought a book or three. As an aside, if I could read textbooks the way I read fiction, you'd be talking with double doctor danbrew...!

I haven't bought a book in a bookstore since I bought my first kindle the week they were announced. Yes, it takes some getting used to - electronic devices do not feel like a book or smell like a book. But they sure read like a book.

The kindle is great for reading outdoors. The ipad is great for reading at night. I'll give the nudge to the iPad for now, but agree with other posters that the hardware has a way to go and that we will see user interface changes along the way.

I often see folks complain that you can't share an ebook - sure you can, just like with a real book. Let somebody borrow your device. Folks also express concern about what will happen In the future with the publisher and whether the format you have purchased will survive to be read on the next generation of devices. Great point, and if you re-read your titles, a valid point of concern. I don,t typically revisit books I have read, so less of an issue for me.

The value proposition for ereaders for me is convieience and the ability to read right now without having to make a trip to the bookstore, the fact that I can travel and take a relatively small device with me that has lots of books on it, and in the case of the iPad, that I can do Internet and email on it. I have more than paid for all of my devices in the savings on content - if you are considering an ereaders, just look at the cost savings on the titles and do the math tom determine how many books you need to read before you have paid for the device.

I have a wifi Kindle sitting in my amazon shopping cart right now.... So tempted.

$139 is not too bad.

Dont forget about Project Guttenberg...

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Get the DX - the standard kindle is too small. A great device, to be sure, but the DX is 100x better.

Originally Posted by danbrew

Get the DX - the standard kindle is too small. A great device, to be sure, but the DX is 100x better.

Not sure I would want a DX... Seems like it would be a little on the large and heavy side. Also for that money you are starting to get into iPad territory.

It's not too large and heavy (just about the size of the iPad, but lighter weight), although I hear 'ya on approaching iPad territory in terms of expense.

You can't read the Kindle at night without a light - but of course you can't read a book at night without a light either. You can read the iPad at night without a light. You cannot read the iPad outside in bright light - you absolutely can read the Kindle in bright light.

Honest? With one exception, I haven't touched my Kindle(s) since I bought the iPad. The one exception? Going to the beach and sitting in the pool with my Kindle. In a large zip lock bag...