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Re: E-book Readers
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110079
The Money.com article unfortunately offers very little useful information (each "review" consists of four short sentences), and it gets a number of things wrong, especially with regard to the Nook--a product that was rushed to market and is peppered with "rev.0" bugs and design flaws:

http://technologizer.com/2009/12/06/nook-review/>
 Here's a more accurate and detailed comparison of the current crop of ebook readers:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/12/11/koy_2009_e_book_readers/>

And here's an overview by tech writer Andy Ihnatko:

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/1948278,ihnatko-ebook-nook-kindle-itouch-121909.article#>
 But if I were thinking about an ereader right now, I'd put off the purchase for a few months, because big changes are in store. Apple's aggressively priced iPad and its iBook service have thrown the industry into turmoil.
 For example, Amazon's large-screen Kindle DX is dead in the water. Why would anyone pay $489 for a one-trick pony with a s-l-o-w b&w screen... when for ten bucks more they can get an iPad with a brilliant color touchscreen that plays books, movies, and games, and runs 140,000 different applications? The same is true of the Que and IREX ereaders: they simply aren't marketable any more, at least at the current asking prices.
 Even the smaller E-ink based (b&w) readers such as the standard Kindle, Nook, and Sony Readers are starting  to look a lot less attractive *at current prices*. $250-$275 for a one-trick pony with a 6" b&w screen is looking steep nowadays. I predict major price cuts in the next year. From where I sit, $99 looks like a reasonable price for a b&w ereader-only device like the standard Kindle. (Kindle fans--yes, I know there's a web browser too, but let's face it, it's no match for Firefox or Safari, just as the MP3 music player in Sony's Readers is no match for an iPod. For practical purposes these are single-use devices: good with books, mediocre with anything else.)
 Perhaps the best indicators of where this is all heading are three recent pieces of news from Amazon. First, within weeks after the iPad's introduction, Amazon bought TouchCo, a company specializing in touchscreen displays. Second, a week later their Kindle group posted more than fifty (!) new job openings, including one for a Display Technology Manager with expertise in color LCDs--not E-ink. It's a safe bet that the next Kindle will have a color LCD touchscreen... like Apple's iPad. Other ereader manufacturers are likely to follow suit.
 And finally, a rumor surfaced last week that Amazon is considering *giving away* Kindles to its Amazon Prime customers. I stress that this is only a rumor... but if they did it, this would effectively squash the market for competing b&w ereaders (e.g., Nook and Sony readers), while locking more customers into Amazon's proprietary ebook format. (Every ereader except Kindle uses the open ePub standard.) Amazon reportedly has millions of units in its warehouses, and I doubt they'll be able to sell them for $259 for much longer... so giving them away could be a brilliant marketing ploy, harking back to King C. Gillette's "Give away the razors and sell the blades" strategy.
 The bottom line is that this market segment is going to see major changes in the upcoming months, so if you can hold off on a purchase until things settle down, you'll probably reap the benefit of much lower costs and/or better features.

Just my two cents' worth, as always...  :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: E-book Readers
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110094
Thanks for the current info., Andy. Since both of us can read, buying two E-readers in the $260 range seems a bit much. For free, we'll give it a try.

Ed
Re: E-book Readers
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110100
I retired after working with computers to pay for life for 45 years, from programming to systems architecture to network security. I guess that it's still paying ;-)
 Arguing by position of authority is fallacious by nature, but, that said, I'd note four things:

1) an iPad is an iTouch that won't fit in a shirt pocket,
2) an iPad, set up the way I'd want it is >$800,
3) a Nook is based on open-source software, and will be enhanced by thousands of talented zealots in some unorganized way (like linux, some good, some bad)
4) My refurbished netbook from eBay cost $155 with free shipping. It has 2GB RAM, 32GB solid state disk,
 Which is the better solution? Fielder's choice... now back to lurking to find out about LD's.

--Mike (2007 RT SS, looking for LD)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: E-book Readers
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110102
Quote
4) My refurbished netbook

I have a netbook, too, as well as a Sony eReader.  I read in bed at night...using a netbook in this way while I'm laying down would be a real PITA...and much harder on the eyes than an eReader.  Of course, as always, YMMV.

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
 
Re: E-book Readers
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110126
Two other suggestions: (i) www.mobipocket.com - reader which works on smartphones - list of supported hardware is at http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp?Language=EN (ii) www.audible.com - plays through either your PC or smartphone going down the road - see http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/offers/howItWorks.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
 My preference is the audio version. The only issue is if there are any pictures, charts, etc, in the hard copy version.

Jim