Are e-readers still too underdeveloped to be worthwhile?

WibXL

I had a Sony ereader but ended up selling it as it just wasn't the same as reading a paper book for me but it did have some advantages that I liked such as being easier to hold than a thick paperback and the amount of classics that you can download for free.

It also took up very little space in my bag which was another plus but as it tends to take me over a week to read a normal sized novel being able to fit a huge amount of books on there wasn't really needed for me.

If I was out and about a lot then I'd consider buying one again but as the majority of my reading is done at home I don't really need one, the new Kindle does look nice though and it's nice to see it priced so low.

chrisw112

I have been considering a Kindle - as I am away from home a fair amount.  I have also downloaded quite a lot of ebook reference books (amongst other ebooks) - in pdf format.  Would these load into the Kindle without any problem and would they be easy to read?  - they are ok on PC.

I need to make a decision very soon though - because going on holiday for 2 weeks at end of the month.

Sonic67

I read PDFs on a Sony. I think the only trouble with pdfs on a Kindle is that you can’t resize fonts in the same way you can with the epub format. Reading pdfs on an e-reader is a bit more readable than on a computer though no colour.

IRobot

Also, the position of the page turn button is really important with an ebook reader. With the Sony you can hold it with one hand and the button's right under your thumb. Where is it on the Kindle ?

mike7

About halfway down the side. There is one larger button to move the page on, and a smaller one above to go back. A bit confusing at first as there are similar buttons on the other side. These are simply duplicated for left-handed readers.

IRobot

The Sony's (prs505) got one there as well but the one on the bottom left right under your thumb is a lot more convenient. I guess the Kindle can't have one there because of the keyboard.

sniffer66

I use the Kindle reader on my iPhone and have read about 15 books in the last 2 months using it.
Ok its not that great for screen size but its great to use on the train or in bed when space and arm use is limited. Hold it in one hand and use that hands thumb to turn the pages by brushing the screen

It really came into its own when I took it to Lindos in Rhodes for my hols though. The whole of Lindos is wireless so I was able to browse and download any book I liked from under my beach umbrella
I usually read a large paperback a day on the beach so saved myself a lot of weight in my suitcase. Not very good in bright sunlight obviously but not bad for a free app, plus I always have my phone with me.

Pecker

I think ultimately the Kindle will win the e-reader 'format wars':

BBC News - Amazon profits boosted by Kindle

Note:

Amazon's big advantage is pretty obvious.  You buy an e-reader to read 'virtual' books so you don't need to bother with 'real' (physical) books or going to the shops.

Where do most people do their online shopping?  Amazon.  Most people buy things like Sony's e-reader from book shops...which sort of misses the target audience.

And Amazon, of course, have had the Kindle up at the top of its front page since just before the UK launch.  Massive (and free) advertising for every visitor to Amazon.

I'm sure Sony have their own site where you can download their books, but where is that?  Who knows about it?  How many people use it?

Steve W

mike7

Sony seem tied to Waterstones and the ebooks are quite expensive. Not made any real comparisons with Amazon, but glad I chose the Kindle.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/browse/ebooks/4294964587/

Edit Additional information:

Interesting comparison - The Fry Chronicles
Actual book has a cover price of £20-00 although the going rate is £10
Watersons are charging their ebook at £14
Amazon Kindle price currently  £6.30 !!

Dan Brown's latest The Lost Symbol is £7.71 from Waterstons yet only £2.69 from Amazon. Need I go on ?  The reason for the odd figure prices is because there is VAT on  e-documents, but not on actual books.

Whilst I agree with Sonic that bringing the price of e-readers  below £100 would have a significant effect on their sales I think that if the books were considerably cheaper than their paper counterparts this would have an even greater effect.

confused88

I have bought a number of books from the Kindle store for my PC and now I am thinking of getting a reader. If I could run Kindle on the Sony Reader I would perhaps choose the Sony. Amazon allows you to run Kindle on PC,Ipod,etc but not on other e-readers... or is it not Amazon responsible for that?