Tell me about E-Readers...(Kim_M)

fwiw -- David just bought an HP **because** HP is totally going out of the "computer" business and they were instantly "on sale" everywhere (and it was ... gee whiz ... a computer he didn't have *rolling my eyes*).  However, the "sound" it makes when you swipe across it changes depending on how you hold it -- it only screams in agony when you hold it a particular way.

I truly can't be serious about something that screams back at me when I touch it.

So beware - you may see cheap ones out there and cheat acoutrements but all that means exactly zero -- they won't be making them any more (and he says it's not as good as the I-Pad anyway)

fwiw - he has an I-Pad and takes the danged thing to bed with us.  (Yeah, he does -- he uses the alarm on that to supplement his alarm in the morning.)

His true opinion is that he really can't figure why anyone buys a "reader" captive to a company (like Barnes & Noble or Amazon) when the I-Pad is a computer *and* a reader and does all so you don't have to stop doing one thing to do another.  And you can get apps for the I-Pad to read *any* of the other companies' stuff.

 I have an iPad and do some reading on it (via Kindle app and Google Reader) BUT the advantage of the dedicated readers is non-glare screen, MUCH lighter and honestly much better at what they are created to do. No question in my mind that a tablet can be a sometimes reader but in NO way supplants them for hardcore readers

I don't keep up with it as closely but I do know that the Nook touchpad version was raved about in some recent reviews and that Amazon was to be announcing new Kindles too.

I don't think there is a huge difference between Kindles and Nooks - I believe that Jackie and her DH have both between them so hopefully she'll answer

( in a complete aside, Callie I haven't heard any other person complain about a noise from the HP tablet so I would have it checked.  They suffered from poor support for WebOS but the hardware was always rated very well)

kpwlee

don't think there is a huge difference between Kindles and Nooks - I believe that Jackie and her DH have both between them so hopefully she'll answer

We do have both and both are easy to read, download books, etc. No difference that I've seen and I've read books on both.  The major difference is the battery life.  The Nook's battery needs recharging much more often then the Kindle.  The good thing is it warns you well in advance that it needs charging but if I had a choice (nook was a gift to me from DH), I'd have the Kindle. 

Don't have one but am considering the Kindle.  That is the black and white one that is not backlit, right?  I need something that is not backlit, since I work on a computer screen about 12 hours a day already and have migraines, vision problems, and a persistent "twitch" above my left eye.  For the past two years I've been doing audio-books only to give my poor eyes a rest but am considering an e-reader.

 I have a Kindle and love it!  I've only actually bought a couple books, but gotten over 100 others for free.  Amazon has a Kindle discussion board, and there is a woman named Joyce who posts daily with free book offers.  Most of them are by fairly new authors, but the ones I have read have been good. 

I can't even think of anything I don't like about it!

Kindle is where it's at. IMO a Nook is no where near as easy to use, the color feature alone makes it not really replacing a BOOK since most are well, black and white and shades of grey...but if you are one of those that reads mags on it I can see that being a draw (and they claim Kindle is doing color soon, boo...don't need it, just something else to break!). Given what happened to Borders recently? I would probably make sure whatever I buy is going to have a company behind it for a good long time. I know Amazon ain't going anywhere.

I love my Kindle. In fact it is my Kindlebaby. That is what I call it.

I will never be without one. This is from an avid reader that worked in bookstores for the bulk of her life in work.

rwbeagles

Nook is no where near as easy to use

Gina, I have to disagree.  You know I'm not particularly tech wise and even I have had no problem using the Nook.  It's not harder to use than the Kindle. If you can give me an exampleof how the Nook is harder to use than the Kindle,  I'll compare it to DH's Kindle. That said, the battery life alone is enough reason to choose Kindle over Nook.

 My Nook isn't the one with color but doesn't bother me as I don't read anything but books on it.  B&N possibly made the move to the e reader to insure they stay in business.  Borders might not have gone under if they had a similar product.  :)  I love reading and said I would never get an e reader until I got one. :)  I've converted a lot of non believers among friends and family.  I should be getting a cut from someone.  lol

Not backlit, Lies.  Either one.

My only issue, so far, is that I'm cheap.  I prefer to pick up used books, or go to the library and our library doesn't have a great selection/number of copies of e-books.  And I certainly can't get them for 50 cents at a yard sale!  Otherwise I'd have one already.

I don't like the touch screen on the Nook. I much prefer buttons. IMO a touch screen is more likely to have issues and bugs, than buttons will. I like a full keyboard I have access to at all times so I can footnote, search, and such without having to pull up anything else. The touchcreen keyboard is also my least favorite thing about the iPhone I have, too. I much prefer to have buttons I can feel under my fingers as it makes for less errors and oopses. If the iphone had a full keyboard I think it would be perfect. I am USED to touchscreens because I have an iphone. I don't like them on my reading devices. They redid the keyboard on the newest Kindle and I dislike it it because they removed some things. But it is still, there...at least.

 We have a Nook and are quite pleased with it. (even my extra picky other half, lol) We have the regular, noncolor one. Easy to use, download things, etc.   We have an app that converts books as well, so we can switch other formats.  I still love my paper books, but since I like to flip between books, the Nook makes it pretty handy to cart along reading material.

NicoleS

My only issue, so far, is that I'm cheap

the books I have on my iPad are either free or stupid cheap

There is a color version of Nook but the basic version is now a touch screen and supposedly kicks butt - as I said earlier Amazon is rumored to be putting a new touch screen version out and perhaps a color version as some people use the ereaders for mags and find the color is a better showcase for magazines

NicoleS

My only issue, so far, is that I'm cheap. 

Fair argument! I think the way the costs for ebooks went up thanks to Apple is really annoying. You can now pay upwards of $15 for a new title when before it was seldom above $10.

I've worked in a used book store so I know the kind of deal you can get. For me the offset is, I don't then have to put the books in a landfill or have them gathering dust, silverfish and mouse droppings in my house. A .50 PB is a throwaway read. And I would, throw them away. I am far from the greenest of people but I can do this much. Not buy cheap books I will then just throw away (and believe you me MANY of the cheap PB you turn into a bookstore WILL, be thrown away). I also do not have to pack them up and move them when I move house.

The frugality issue is one I can certainly see being a big one for people. I buy MORE books now that I have a Kindle in general...but if you but take the time to look thru (which I am too impatient to do) you CAN find some really great free or $1-2 titles on it.

I think the best thing that can happen is that the wasteful dinosaur that is the HB mass marketed titles...go away or scale back their printing runs to miniscule amts because people just read them on ereaders. This can only be a good thing for the planet...and like I said, I am FAR from a green person. But this makes sense.

Someone showed me the Kindle at work and it really did look like a book!  I mean as much as a flat screen can look like a paperback.  My friend has the Nook (color) but she hates the battery life and I did not like the screen, maybe that is why I thought Nook was not backlit?  It didn't seem like it was, or at least it looked very different from the Kindle.  I don't really want color, I just want something that reads books (no Internet, games, apps, bla bla bla....my laptop is already my portable e-child so not interested!).

and for those interested. Amazon is talking about doing a book rental thing similar to Netflix with a monthly pay rent type set up. They are having issues with some of the vendors and such because of the impact it might make on SALES of books...presumably the same problems studios have with Netflix itself. I hope this comes to pass. I also would not mind some sort of a trade in program either where you could trade in your purchased books to say some sort of charitable bank of books then distributed to women's shelters or hospitals, etc. You would then reap credits to buy new books, etc.

The possibilities with ereaders are really endless. But of couse someone would always be on the losing end...it's that way with most technology.