I know librarians are asked all the time for advice on shopping for an e-reader.
Or, just in case you’re also still shopping for an e-reader, here’s a link to the latest post from Mashable:
How to Pick an Ereader This Holiday Season by Mario Armstrong
Here’s the final take from them but check out the criteria in the posting.
“I know this is a lot to take in, so I’m going to make it simple. Here are three recommendations that can’t go wrong.
- The discount shopper: The $79 Amazon Kindle WiFi with offers. Sure, it’s going to display ads. And no, it doesn’t have a fancy touchscreen. Maybe it’s not the absolute latest in tech, but the fact is that a lot of people find clicking a button an easier way to read a book than putting their fingers on a screen. It may be the cheapest model, but make no mistake: For its price, the Kindle WiFi can’t be beat.
- Touch It: The $99 Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch. For an ad-free, touchscreen ereader, this thing can’t be beat. Barnes & Noble is a major name with a huge selection of 2.5 million books. Plus the device features a newer e-ink display and long battery life (two months for one hour of reading per day).
- Jaw Dropper: The $199 Kindle Fire. While it’s not as powerful as the NOOK Tablet, it’s also not as expensive. For under $200, Amazon managed to produce a real tablet computer — no small feat! Just last year a tablet this size cost twice as much. Amazon’s device carries a rich ecosystem of apps, music, films and books. The Fire is guaranteed to impress.”
I bo;ught my first e-reader (A Sony) years ago for $399 so I’m just thrilled at the reduction in the price point. At home we still have the old Sony Reader as well as an iPad or two and a Kobo. We like them all.
My advice is that there is a big difference between reading comfortably on a plasma screen and on e-paper. I believe that it’s the difference between how the eye and the brain reacts to reflected light reading and projected light reading. (Think about how interrogators shine bright light in your face to un-nerve you…). You need to think hard about your style, type, and location of reading. I read news, gossip mags, business reports, short stories, and non-fiction and prefer the tablet experience for it’s wireless timeliness, Flipboard and colour. My wife reads fiction the most and prefers the e-paper experience. I don’t worry about reading on my tablet on the beach – my norm is in airport lounges and planes so sunshine isn’t a problem. My wife often reads on the bus and at the bus stop. While e-paper does great in summer sun, the pages fade and disappear in sub-zero Canadian winters.
I also think that magazines are going to look a lot more like television in the coming years – yes that means video commercials, demonstartions, links, etc. in app. I suspect that’ll mean that tablets will overwhelm but not eliminate e-paper based reading devices.
I’d always get the WiFi option but I’d try to use free wifi sites (like Starbucks and the library) only and not have a 3G subscription on the reader at this time. I pay too much for connectivity already and don’t need to pay for more. I want better tethering and integartion between my device (like the old HiFi phono system components).
Stephen
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And if you’re in New Zealand where the range of ereader devices are much more limited, I’ve made this infographic to make it easier to decide which ereader is best for you.