Technology What eReader should I buy?

[tryp]

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Wondering what reader I should buy. I'd prefer one on the lower end of the price range. What's important to me is the ability to read PDFs, and books from places other than the website (booksonboard etc.). A good selection of books is also important - I read a lot of obscure-ish sci fi fantasy. I also need to be able to get journal articles and possibly textbooks on there. I'd also like to be able to organize at least a bit. I'm thinking of the Kobo but I'm not sure...
Plus I'm in Canada, so I need something readily available there, which is why I thought the Kobo, though if something else is really better, I'm willing to import.

 

[PulseOx]

ipad hands down

 

[Slevin]

Depends on what you are going to do with it. Just books then a Kindle or a Nook. If you want something more versatile then go with an iPad it can handle everything and it is vastly expandable with all the different apps available for it.

I owned a Kindle and an iPad and I can say the iPad has the best overall experience but if all I ever did was want to read eBooks then I'd go with a Kindle since it's more comfortable to hold than the iPad at long stretches of time. However, I did sell my Kindle to get my iPad because it has more functionality

 

[omniatlas]

nook/kindle if you want to read novels.

ipad for everything else (inc. reading journal articles which is next to impossible on the nook b/c of its screen size).

 

[DrJosephKim]

You may want to get something smaller than an iPad. If I were back in medical school or residency, I'd get the Samsung Galaxy Tab. It's just a better size overall for the clinical environment.

 

[wendykroy]

The Nook Color is a tablet like e-reader with more functionality than the e-ink devices but half the price of an Ipad. If price is a big issue, the Nook Color is a good compromise at $100 above the cheapest devices but $250 below the admittedly lovely ipad.

 

[DOctorJay]

ipad + noterize (app) ftw

 

[J-Rad]

The Nook Color is a tablet like e-reader with more functionality than the e-ink devices but half the price of an Ipad. If price is a big issue, the Nook Color is a good compromise at $100 above the cheapest devices but $250 below the admittedly lovely ipad.

Nook can also be hacked to run Android.

 

[Mografi]

I would say get an iPad if you want to do everything, or one of the new kindles if you literally just want to read on it.

I personally love having the Kindle app on my iphone/iPad/laptop, because it syncs, and I always have my phone with me...so I've been doing a lot more reading than I have in years. Also, being able to change the font size immediately kills all printed books....such a huge deal, but highly under the radar.

 

[confuse]

If you just want to read ebooks, then Kindle is probably the best option for its price. If you want to read ebooks and do everything else, I suggest that you get a tablet netbook. This tablet netbook came out last year and had really good reviews. It's about the same price as an Ipad.

http://www.amazon.com/T101MT-EU17-B...2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1296404713&sr=1-2

 

[Wafflyw]

When it comes to ebook reading, the iPad is good, but it doesn't really feel right. Kindle is better for ebook reading than iPad, in my opinion.

 

[goldenwest]

Wait for the android tablets to come out... aaaaaaamazing.

 

[Kahr]

Love my Kindle for reading, I'd go with that (though just for books!)

Nook has one awesome advantage, ability to get e-loans from the public libraries.

 

[movax]

The Kindle (and other eInk-based readers) have one undeniable advantage, and that is their screens are as close to a "real" book as you will get. Readable outdoors, and barely sips power.

Also their downfall, because you won't be watching videos/similar on it either. The Nook Color is a good intermediate option between the two ends of the spectrum (eInk display on the Kindle, IPS display on the iPad).

 

[BAMF]

Ha, I'm all about using the Kindle app on my Android phone. One less thing I have to carry! The best thing is that you don't have to buy from the Kindle store to use it - just save the files onto your SD card and you should be good to go. If you have or are thinking about getting a smartphone, I would just use that and save the money.

 

[riteshn]

Samsung galaxy tab, it will be your mobile , mobile internet & reader

 

[basupran]

Nook can also be hacked to run Android.

$200 new

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VSlrx5psZM
Nook Color is an impressive device when overclocked + honeycombed.

 

[luckviii]

iPad for what you need. It can easily handle PDF much better than kindle. It's back light so you can read almost anywhere. Use the app papers and you can get your medical journals on it as well as mark it up. Reading is a better experience on kindle but if I had money for only one device go for iPad

 

[mrdentist1372]

Amazon Kindle reader is the best. It has E-ink, which will enhance your pleasure of reading through a E-book reader.

 

[SurfWaxAmerica]

Nook Color. Renders PDFs in color and perfect, has plenty of storage space to load up your textbooks, powerpoint slides, documents, etc. Has a web browser + wifi, it's a beast.

 

[DrJosephKim]

Don't get an iPad if you plan to do a lot of reading outside in direct sunlight.

Don't get an iPad if you plan to use polarized sunglasses.

Find a way to lease an iPad if you always want the latest technology.

 

[evoviiigsr]

.

 

[Groove]

No experience with Kindle, but I have a 1st gen iPad that I use for lots of ebook reading. In fact, I have it on a stand next to my computer and read and work on my workstation at the same time. I find novels or other reference books easy to read on the screen, but possibly because I haven't used anything else. Yes, reading outdoors is going to be off limits but I don't recall ever reading books on a sunny day in the park in the first place. If you even remotely thought you might want to do anything else on this device, then again... iPad. Movies, web surfing, magazines, apps, games, etc.. I mean, I have documents at home that I can load on my iPad and finish working on with a bluetooth keyboard, email, etc.. It does it all.

That being said, most pure Kindle users I come across seem to be very happy with the device.

Stepping back for a moment though, I think you have to look at the big picture. I don't think eInk ebook readers like the Kindle are the way of the future. The tech is just too limited, so either Amazon is going to make a niche product for primarily reading books and only books, or they are going to embrace technology that allows them to extend the functionality of the device and we all know Amazon is designing a tablet at the moment with LCD/IPS which leads me to believe they are planning more to challenge the tablet market currently occupied by iPad and the android contenders. I think eInk looks more natural, but I seriously think the advantages/disadvantages to reading off an LCD tablet vs eInk reader to be small. Reading books off the iPad with a glowing screen while lying in a dark bedroom was yes...very alien to me at first, but I quickly grew used to it and it seems very natural now.

 

[Katatonic]

Personally I just got a Kindle a couple weeks ago and absolutely love it. All I wanted was something to read books on, so the iPad etc. was out. Go to a store and get some hands on a few of them and see what you like vs. what you need.