It's been over three years since Amazon launched their first Kindle reader (November 2007 to be precise). The Kindle has had a huge influence on the development of the ebook reader and ebook market - but it's worth remembering that it wasn't the first ebook reader to hit the market. That would have been the Franklyn eBookMan, which launched in 1999. Even the Sony PRS beat the Kindle to market, launching in 2006.
However, ebooks are now becoming accepted by the public - primarily as a result of the Kindle. Whether traditional printed books could eventually become obsolete or not is debatable - but it certainly seems as if ebooks are here to stay.
More and more people seem to be getting themselves an ebook reader. The recent ebook reader price cuts from Sony, Amazon and Barnes and Noble has made ebook readers a much more affordable option for many consumers. The Kindle is definitely the market leader, but it's far from the only option available. So, if you're thinking about getting your first ebook reader, what are the key points to look for?
One of the most important factors that you need to consider is the quality of the display. Special e-ink technology displays are used in most ebook readers. This gives a reading experience that is surprisingly similar to reading text printed on paper. It's considerably easier on your eyes than reading on a back-lit computer screen. It is also easy to read in direct sunlight or even glare from fluorescent lighting. A further advantage of e-ink technology displays is that they use power only when "turning the page" - so battery life is extended.
It's tempting to go for the largest display possible. Obviously readers with larger screens have a higher ticket price than those with smaller displays. They are also physically larger of course - and they weigh more. This will impact upon the portability of the device. That may not represent a problem for you if it's your intent to read mainly at home. However, a larger reader will be harder to operate with one hand - something which many users like to do.
One of the key factors in the success of the Kindle was its ability to browse for, buy and download books in less than sixty seconds from practically anywhere. Nevertheless, both Amazon and Barnes and Noble have now launched Wi-Fi only entry level models of their readers. These cost a little less than the 3G readers and could be a good option for anyone who doesn't anticipate having any requirement to download books without using a computer or connecting via a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Obviously there's not a great deal of sense in having an ebook reader unless there's a good selection of books to read on it. At the moment, no standard format for ebooks has been agreed. Google uses the ePub format - but Kindle books are in a format which is proprietary to the Kindle. However, Amazon has made free apps - which allow users to read Kindle books on a variety of different devices (e.g. the Windows PC, the Apple Mac, the iPhone, the iPad) - freely available.
The cost of exactly the same ebook can be quite a bit different from one reader to another. If you read a book a week, then making the right choice of reader could save you enough money on ebooks to make the reader pay for itself in a matter of months. It's well worth your while to check before you come to a decisions as to which reader to choose.
http://inexgorica.com/electronic-gadgets/e-readers/
http://inexgorica.com/electronic-gadgets/e-readers/
