Two questions

[cleolinda]

First of all: my mother and I are trying to decide on an e-book reader to get for my stepfather. His main problem is visibility--we hit on this as an alternative to large-print books, in that any book can become "large print" if you can adjust the font size. Portability is less of a factor, therefore--if one reader is larger than the other, that might actually be a bonus for us. I hear the Nook is sold out and kind of got crappy reviews along the lines of "Wait for the 2.0 version," but Mom thinks she might be able to get one anyway (she has Ways). On the other hand, the Kindle has a lot of advantages that I am vaguely aware of, but it's also got screwy DRM issues where it won't let you do things with, you know, the files you bought and paid for. So she says it would be nice to be able to have the e-books on the reader and the computer, DRM issues would be really frustrating, etc. So 1) ease of use and visibility for someone who is not a tech-head and 2) minimal DRM foolery, those are our main criteria. I know nothing about e-readers, except that I have the Stanza app on the iBella and don't ever use it. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Second: padawansguide needs a new host for her site, the movie-focused The Costumer's Guide (where I had tons of fun a couple of years ago trying to help identify all 60+ Marie Antoinette costumes. Good times); in particular, she says, "I would like at least 5-10 GB of disk space and at least 150 or more GB of bandwidth a month. With no weird [usage] caps they don't tell you about!" We discuss a couple of options at that first link, if you have any ideas.

Third, and not a question: New trailer for Iron Man 2.


(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

Comments

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I have no input on these issues. But. Iron Man 2 trailer: Oh dear god yes.

[iamsmr.livejournal.com]

Seconded! More specifically- Mickey Rourke is going to rock this. (But I'm kinda bummed they replaced the Rhody from the first movie. He was great at being the straightlaced flustered within-the-law guy without being annoying.)

[mcamason.livejournal.com]

I've heard good things about the Sony Reader. Good high-contrast digital ink, and you can put anything on it, according to the friend I've got that owns one.

[senshikittie.livejournal.com]

This. And the newer one (comes in black, I think) is actually bigger than the older model. They should have a display of it at your local Best Buy (I know this cuz we have one at ours, though I haven't gotten to play with it, yet) And, if my store is any indicator there should be plenty in stock.

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

The Kindle DX has a large screen than the other two Kindle versions. All of the ebooks out there have crappy DRM issues, more or less (not a fan of DRM at all; if I bought it, I should be able to read it anywhere I want).

[elizardbits.livejournal.com]

OH ROBERT DOWNEY JR. I don't think there are accurate words in any known language to describe even half the things I want to do to you.

[harper-knight.livejournal.com]

hehehe... yeah.. totally.

[fading-october.livejournal.com]

I feel kinda left out on the whole Iron Man stuff. I read the comics but I have no desire whatsoever to see the movies. I dunno if it has something to do with RDJ or what.

Fun fact: My boyfriends brother is named Anthony Edwards.

[ilikeblue.livejournal.com]

I won a Sony pocket edition ereader yesterday. (I know, lucky, right?!) I was looking at info online and it does seem the the larger Sony, or the touch edition would be something worth looking into. I love Amazon.com, but the Kindle seems a little too limiting and the Sony devices has been getting good reviews.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I just got a Kindle, but I never buy books, so I don't have much to say about the DRM issue. I will say that it is the easiest thing ever to put word docs, pdfs, etc on it--and it's even easy for free, even though Kindle aficionados like to talk about the 15 cents wireless method.

So far, I am loving it.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Wait until after January before buying anything, is my advice. The new Que reader (which has a bigger screen than existing devices) is coming out on Jan 7. I predict it's going to make a big splash, and if nothing else, it will put more pressure on existing device makers to lower their prices further.

I think I'd recommend against the Nook (right now) on the basis of how long it takes to change a page. Three seconds is WAY too long. The Kindle takes one second, and that's already on the long side.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that was the worst thing I've heard so far about the Nook. The problem is that we are desperate to think of something to get my stepfather for Christmas.

[h4yleyg.livejournal.com]

I have a UK version of the older Sony e-reader, and I really like it. Its functions are fairly basic - no interwebz on it for me - but the ext re-sizing is good, it's a sexy bit of kit and it's easy to use, with not much delay in page turning. I would definitely recommend a Sony model.

[fiducia.livejournal.com]

Best line in the trailer "You complete me!..."

Sadly I know nothing of these e-book things. My husband hosts his site on GoDaddy.com BUT he doesn't need near as much storage and bandwidth.

[colleenpowell.livejournal.com]

I'd try the Sony Reader. From what I've heard it doesn't have the compatibility issues of the kindle.

Nook

[teshara.livejournal.com]

You know, the three second thing is kind of annoying. However I'm curious to know if you still see text while flipping pages or if the screen goes blank. If you could still read text you'd learn to time it so you hit the turn button three seconds before you end the page.

Re: Nook

[camelai.livejournal.com]

It does a sort of... flashy thing. It pauses for a moment, then flashes once or twice, then the new page shows up.

iPhone Kindle App

[ab257z.livejournal.com]

I don't have a Kindle machine, but use the iPhone Kindle app, and also Kindle for PC with Whispersync, so I can read the books on both devices, and it automatically syncs my position between the iPhone and PC. For non-DRM public domain books Stanza is a good app. I've gone thru several dozen books on the iPhone..

[moongirli.livejournal.com]

I don't have a recommendation for a specific reader, necessarily, but I'd suggest looking into one that supports mobipocket ebooks. My library (and lots of others in MI) offer it as a downloadable option, and you can download it to up to three computers/devices, which would allow you to have a copy on the computer and on the reader. [I'm not sure if where you live the libraries offer this, but if they do, it might be worth looking into.]

[nicolars.livejournal.com]

Icon love!

[divajess.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree with a previous commenter that the refresh rate of the Nook makes it unusable. I read tons of ebooks...Until now it has always been on a PDA or my iPhone, but I got the Nook for Christmas.

I think the Nook screen is the best of any of the other ereaders I have seen--it has the most shades of gray, and the best contrast between the screen and text. I didn't like the Sony interface at all and felt that it was way too fussy. I really like the Nook interface and it feels organic to use. I also like the hardware--it is simple and polished, no extraneous buttons, no unnecessary-95%-of-the-time keyboard (Kindle, I am looking at you, you TI-calculator looking kit.).

I *will* say that the LCD along the bottom can be a tad laggy, but I have not experienced any of the problems that people have been complaining about.

There is a lag in refreshing pages when compared to the Kindle (from what I have seen on review videos), but 1) I know B&N is sending out firmware to fix that, supposedly this week, and 2) I actually don't notice it. Maybe it's because I've never owned a dedicated ereader before, but it doesn't bother me while reading at all. I am almost done with my second book on it and I got it last week. :-)

(I am a tech review blogger and a massive geek, so this is not my first time at the gadget rodeo. lol)

[camelai.livejournal.com]

I agree. I have a Kindle (ok, it's my boyfriend's, but I use it more than he does), and I've tried out the Nook at a local B&N. I like both devices, but I think the Nook is better. (I suspect Amazon will come out with a Kindle 3 in the near future to compete.)

The contrast on the Nook is awesome. This will be important if your step-dad has trouble with his eyesight. Also, I think the Nook has more text size options, so the text can get bigger (I can't guarantee that, though).

The lag is a little annoying, and the touch screen navigation isn't as smooth as the iPhone, for instance, but it's nice. The interface and navigation are much more intuitive on the Nook than on the Kindle.

The Nook also has a supercool feature where if you're sitting in a B&N store with it, you can read any book, start to finish, for free (just like you could read a whole dead tree book in the store without buying it.)

The Nook's wireless is through the AT&T network, which is many times better than the Sprint network that the Kindle is on. The Nook is also Wi-Fi capable, the Kindle is not.

With the Nook, you can back up your books to your computer and you can use memory cards to expand the memory of the device.

What I've seen of the Sony ereaders (which is admittedly, not as much as I've seen of the other 2), they look clunky. The interface/navigation is not intuitive, there's too many buttons. And the screen isn't as good, I don't think.

All this said, I DO like the Kindle. And there is the Kindle DX, which is about the size of a newspaper, instead of the size of a paperback book, which could be good for someone with eyesight issues.

[cpip.livejournal.com]

I have loved my Kindle quite well, I must say; I've a first-gen Kindle, and it works quite well. I don't move stuff from Kindle to computer, so I've never worried about the DRM.

[ladyvorkosigan.livejournal.com]

I have a Kindle and love it. The DRM on the amazon stuff is a problem, but when you buy or download non-amazon e-books you can do what you want with them and I've never had a problem with them working on the Kindle, s that's something. And it is really nice to have access to Amazon's library when it's something where the DRM doesn't really bother me (something where I just want to read it once and don't really care or whatnot). The wireless is also a huge plus; I love being out and about and able to download a new book I've heard about.

[etod.livejournal.com]

Really? So if I bought a MobiPocket book (I have a few for my Mobi app on my Blackberry) it would work on the Kindle? I haven't really found a clear answer on that which is a little frustrating.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

I have the Kindle, and I like it. I haven't used any of the other ereader options, so I can't say I like it better, but I do like it. The huge library available for it is one of the reasons; the fact that I can sync my library with the Kindle, the PC app and my iPhone also helps.

[mysticowl.livejournal.com]

I just bought Sony's newest eReader for my brother and he was really happy. It was thin and light-weight, but with a fairly large screen. You can see it here: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+Reader+Touch+Edition+Digital+Book+-+Red/9492667.p?id=1218117385281&skuId=9492667&st=sony%20ereader&cp=1&lp=2

There's software that comes with to load books, but you don't have to use it, you can just drag and drop word documents into it as if it were a flash drive.

[coffeehouse.livejournal.com]

I have both 1st and 2nd gen Kindles.

DRM is NOT an issue.
Amazon has a huge library and they just updated so that pdfs are read natively, no need to email yourself.

My mom who doesn't even take advantage of her Viking sewing machine's computer capability (that thing could sew you and entire copy of HP in 15 on a piece f silk) loves the font size on my kindle b/c she DOES NOT have to SWITCH to her READING GLASSES. She can read it with her NORMAL glasses.

Get him the DX. I totally recommend the kindle after loving the Sony, but having DRM major sony issues and the nook needs more time. I love the idea of a color touch screen, but my kindle battery (with wireless off) lasted me 13 days in Europe.

That's my two cents, Cleo.

Plus, you can totally put whatever you want on it via usb… it takes the same mini usb cable as my bluetooth headset and my camera.

[coffeehouse.livejournal.com]

sorry about the typos… back pain + tree trimming + wine...

[glenvorian.livejournal.com]

I hope the Costumer's Guide finds a home, it's one of the best sites on the net.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! :-) Don't worry, the site won't go away. I just am frustrated with the random disk space caps they've implemented.

[jesspark.livejournal.com]

I love my Kindle; I've had it for almost a year, and Amazon has yet to slip into my condo in the dead of night and remove any of the books that I've purchased -- or not purchased, as the case may be. You can easily download lots of public domain books for free on sites like feedbooks.com (http://feedbooks.com) and put them on your Kindle, bypassing DRM issues entirely. Someone else commented above that any e-reader is going to deal with DRM, which is sadly true, at least for the time being. Only recently did iTunes do away with DRM for its music files... it's going to be a while before we see the same thing with e-books.

Now, if your mom wants to be able to read e-books on the computer (in addition to simply storing the files there, that is, which you can do, too), there's always Kindle for PC (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=ms_sbrspot_0?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311&pf_rd_p=498990411&pf_rd_s=center-22&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0015T963C&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=02S0ZXEP8CSGY8JXGM7G), which is free. I haven't used it, myself; I have a Mac, and Kindle for Mac isn't out yet.

One thing that I really like about the Kindle is that if you're willing to share an Amazon account, you can share the books that you buy with up to six devices/people. My parents and I all have Kindles and my mom also reads books on her iPod Touch, so if one of us buys a book, we can all be reading the same thing at the same time on our various devices. For a family that reads frequently and enjoys the same kinds of books, this is a godsend -- no more waiting for someone to finish the book so you can read it!

Anyway! I haven't experienced any problems with my Kindle and I use it every day; I've read sixty-seven books so far this year, and they've all been on the Kindle. My Kindle is the first version produced, but, as mentioned, the Kindle DX is honkin' huge, so you might want to look into that if the Kindle appeals to your family but you'd like something a little larger. Whichever e-reader you decide on... the Kindle, the Kindle DX, the Sony Reader, or the Nook... you can also buy a gorgeous leather cover for it from Oberon Design (http://www.oberondesign.com) so it won't be nekkid. :D

[coffeehouse.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the feedbooks link!!!!!

[zhaneel.livejournal.com]

On the other front, there's also the Jetbook (jetbook.net). It doesn't use e-Ink so it's cheaper with no annoying flashes. It also supports more formats than just about anything else I've seen. (I admit one thing that is very attractive is its language support and dictionaries.)

There's always DRM issues, but at least this is geared for Mobipocket, along with the most common document formats, including ePub. Kindle just plain scares me with its DRM, as does the Nook.

[gorgeousnerd]

I've seen my sister's second-generation Kindle, and she loves it. My dad just got the latest generation (which may be second? I'm not entirely sure), and it hasn't left his hands since. I'm no expert on ebook readers, but from what I can tell, the only way to circumvent DRM in most cases is to hack, which I don't recommend (in a lot of cases, it voids warranties).

However, I have been using Kindle for PC for about a month, and I love the interface. I think it's easier to read than trying to read .pdfs in Adobe Acrobat, particularly because the quality doesn't degrade if you fiddle with the font settings (which is easy to do because there's a button on the top). And if you guys get a Kindle -- I'd recommend the DX if you do, since the screen is geared to handle bigger media like newspapers -- it'd be a good way to have the ebooks on both the Kindle and computers.

[jadesfire2.livejournal.com]

I got my dad a sony because I felt it was the best product. he's pretty happy with it, however, the large print can only fit so many words on screen at a time. I think most of them come with six inch screens, but if you can find one bigger than I'd go with that for large font sizes. Also pay attention to the refresh speed in reviews, because the larger the font the more pages the ebook will be and the more often he'll be turning pages