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E-Book readers - what's best?


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We are thinking to get my mom a Kindle or Nook or whatever, but aren't sure what to get. Ability to download books for free from the library would be a bonus. It's unlikely that she'd want to use the devise for much more than reading.

Suggestions?

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Our library has three different e-readers to loan out-- the Kindle, the Nook and the Sony e-Reader. I've tried all three, and absolutely loved the Nook. It was the most like reading a book, really easy on my eyes and simple to understand. The Kindle had some fiddly little buttons and I didn't like the way it felt to hold or read. I don't remember much about the Sony e-Reader except that I really didn't like it and set it aside almost immediately.

I don't know about downloading books from libraries, but if you have the Nook, you can read any book Barnes & Noble has available for free if you are in one of their stores. There might be a two hour time limit on that....

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I have a Kobo, but I think those are really a Canadian thing. The iPad and the Nook Color don't have those eInk screens, so I'd not recommend either of those. If I had to buy one of the US ones, I'd go with a Sony because of the ease of putting multiple formats on it.

If you're only going to buy books from Amazon in Kindle format, the Kindle is fine, but I download a lot of books, and I also buy from other websites, and it's just easier to have a reader that reads all different formats.

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i'd recommend sony, just because i own one and like it. a quite small PRS-350 has touch screen and supports adobe DRM (digital rights management) which means you can lend books from libraries though i've never done that myself (although i used the DRM to buy books online).

however, sony is no good if you want wifi, 3-G or any of that stuff. in the states if you want to buy books easily on your reader without going online, kindle or nook is probably better but you'll have to look if they support adobe DRM. i am personally against kindle, because (1) its format, .mobi, is awkward, amazon-specific and not supported by anything else (basically, it makes you amazon's whore) and (2) i don't like the design.. all those butttons.. why..? i don't know anything about the nook.

anyway, my choice was sony and i'm happy with it. it's your basic run'o'the mill small reader (if you choose PRS-350.. other models are bigger and more expensive) that's pretty versatile with different formats it can read and supports adobe DRM which (theoretically) means you can borrow from libraries. you can use dictionaries and annotate text.

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I have two ereaders - a Sony and a Nook Color. I like both, but the Nook Color is better.

Even though it doesn't use e-ink, the screen has an anti-glare thing that makes it easy on the eyes.

They use the Android operating system, and they're hackable. So I can read Kindle books on it, as Kindle has an app for Android phones.

I love the touch screen. It makes me feel like I'm flipping through pages.

Pandora on it is nice, too.

Really, you can read anything on any ereader with the right software and a little research. Not sure how useful that is for your mom, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

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Just wondering about those e-readers...if you get a subscription to a magazine/journal or whatever...does your device store that information and can it be printed out at anytime? Or is it just a license for you to use it for a while?

Any information would be appreciated.

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I have a 5" Sony eReader. I really like it, but I'd rather have a Kindle, they came out in Canada a lot longer after I got my Sony. I do use mine a lot, and its Mac and PC compatible (I use a Mac). I can also make my own PDF's and read them on it, good for study notes. (Takes up a lot less space!)

I had an eReader app on my iPhone, but the book selection sucked, and the screen is a bit small. iPad's are really neat, but I wouldn't pay that much for one. (And then you have to pay for books, it gets expensive)

I'd go for Kindle..

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