Yeah, yeah, I know I've already blogged about "reading green" so excuse me for bringing this up again but we've had a lot of conversation lately about e-book readers on our brand new chat loop for Three Wicked Writers. Oh yeah...please sign up for it if you haven't already. Lots of very cool people hanging out at this loop.Ahem Ahem...I digress (as I often do) LOL. The subject is ebook readers. Now, let me say first off that I got an ebookwise reader last Christmas and I simply love it. Not only is it relatively inexpensive (around $140) but it's roughly the size of a paperback book, lightweight, and it lights up. It's great to use when the family is watching tv together and you're sitting in the dark. My hubby loves to watch the crappiest stuff of tv. No kidding. He loves Ice Road Truckers, The Deadliest Catch, bass fishing (which is like watching the grass grow) and weird stuff like the Knife Show, where these redneck guys try to sell "bulk" quantity knives with names like RAMBO, THE TERMINATOR and DEATH BLADE. Gag me. Ooops. I digress again. Sorry, but his watching habits get my panties in a twist. Oh yeah...ebook readers.
Now a number of chatters mentioned the Sony and I have to admit, this looks really good. Apparently the print quality is excellent. It's a little pricier than what I have but I like the idea of going into my local Best Buy and being able to hold it in my hand, experiment a little. The machine, if you've pulled it up on-line, looks beautiful. I understand it also allows pdf (Adobe) files which is verrrry nice. Someone mentioned that her tax guy says it's a tax deduction since she uses it for promotion. She brings it to book signings and other public appearances and has excerpts (of her own work of course...smart chick) and lets people check it out if they are interested. Hmmm. I like this idea. Use it for promo and get a tax break.
Don't know much about the Kindle but from what I've seen, it would be GREAT for someone who wants a hand-held computer that will allow him/her to buy newspaper and magazine subscriptions plus books. It's still really pricey, I think. Does anyone out there have one? Can you tell us about it? This looks so good but I'd really like to know more.
Before I got my ebookwise reader, I had a HORRIBLE book buying habit. Do I hear any AMENS out there? Holy Cow! I was baaaaad. Now I spend far, far less, I can carry my entire library with me in my PURSE. What a super cool thing!
Soooo. Guess I just wanted to see what everyone else is using or thinking of buying. If you don't have a reader of any kind, may I make a teeny weeny suggestion? Christmas is right around the corner and Santa is listening.
17 comments:
http://www.bookeen.com/shop/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=417 Here's another one that's been around for years. Bigger screen (total size about like a trade paperback), produced in France. Similar technology to a Sony, similar price, supports pdf, etc...
Thought you might want to have a look. When I first looked at these, they were $500.
For readers overseas who can't get a Sony, Kindle, etc., this might be an option.
Hmmm. Around $350. It looks really nice. I think these devices should start going down in price.
I gotta admit it. I want a Kindle, met one up close and personal at RWA, and just ordered one.
Yes, the new Sony is very nice, slick, beautiful, and I almost went for it.
But, its nice to know I can use my Kindle to surf wikipedia or my favorite blogs when the kids have commandeered all the computers in the house. There are some third party apps that make it very attactive if you don't have a blackberry (I don't!). And *gasp* I can even buy books from the last child free sanctuary (bathroom) in our house!
But the Sony really is a nice machine. I may end up wishing I'd bought that instead. :) We shall see.
One of the reasons I didn't go for the Kindle... all I want to do with my digital reader is read. That other stuff isn't--important to me. Guess I'm not into checking e-mail, etc except at my desk. Probably the same reason I never turn my cell phone on unless I leave town.
A Sony e-reader is on my Christmas/birthday list this year. Right now, I have to save all of mine to floppy disks, which are becoming extinct (my CDW died...it'll read, but not write!) and hubby commented on that fact the other day...I'll lose all my e-books if I can't download them into something soon!
Oh Liane...please come back and tell us what you think about the Kindle. I'm dying to know. We all are. See? I was thinking how neat that would be if you are continually fighting with others for use of the computer. That would eliminate that problem. Cruise the web, write email, Yeah. Nice.
My husband loves his newspapers and I'm hearing more and more that they are losing money and will one day be obsolete. That's sad but wouldn't it be cool to subscribe to The Wall Street Journal or other newspapers from around the world. He would truly love that. What a great gift idea, huh?
I Do love my little ebookwise. Cheap and easy to use. That Sony is verrrrry attractive. I haven't heard a single bad thing about it.
LOL, you've convinced me! I have a birthday coming in November, so I think I'll wait until then and see if I can't talk the hubby into buying me the Sony. hehe!
Okay, Anne, NOW you're talkin'!!! You deserve it. I honestly know how you feel. Every extra penny goes basically on my daughters back. I buy things for the house, my kids, etc. and always say "oh I'll just wait" when it comes to what I want/need. Sometimes we just HAVE to treat ourselves and a birthday is the perfect time. Hit Best Buy and check it out. Anny just loves hers.
Oh the Sony looks nice!
It does, doesn't it??? I heard they had a display set up at the ROmantic Times convention and they were selling like crazy. It's cool too that Best Buy is selling them. I think it would be nice to just go into a store and actually look at it, hold it.
I have an eBookwise reader, and I like it a lot except for one thing. I don't know why this is happening -- the early part of a book I downloaded from The Wild Rose Press is missing words. Not just any words, but the names of towns. So it reads "She moved there from and still remembered when she lived in ."
Apparently my device corrupted the file. All the words are on the copy on my computer. That went on for about 40 pages.
Now today I started a new one and it leaves out some places and names.Second and thirs sentences:
"I'm quite certain it's been following us since we hit ." held the collar of her (T shirt)
Since they hit WHERE? and WHO held the collar of shirt?
Does this happen to anyone but ME?
Lynnette Baughman
Lynette, try this. Some people will upload the html version straight onto the reader. A friend had the same problem. Try this: highlight the html version and paste it to an empty WORD DOC. Then load the WORD DOC to the reader. That should fix the problem. Let me know.
I am a passionate reader and have a huge library. Most of it in digital form. That being said, I have a deep loathing for proprietary hardware.
Many of my books, 70 gigs worth, are in pdf format. I have pdf readers for Windows, UNIX, Linux, and Palm. Some of my stuff is tombraider, and I have readers for that on Windows and Palm. I keep all of my books backed up on MMC or SD cards, which work in the Palm as well as all my computers.
That being said, I have found that items that are proprietary in nature have a major down side. They are pron to the winds of change of the hardware manufacturer and you may end up with an expensive paper weight.
Case in point, Microsoft has shut down the license server for their Zune media player. The people with a Zune, have to wait now for Microsoft to come up with some kind of patch, that allows them to pull their music from the device.
I love the digital medium, but I will not be locked into somebody's idea of what I want in that medium. I like choices, that's why I've stuck with my Palm for so long.
BTW, in case you couldn't tell, I'm a bit of a geek.
Well Karl, I personally LOOOVE Geeks. The best kind of people in my book. Now I'm really sorry to hear about ZUNE. My kids both have one and My son has an enormous collection of music. Hmm. Wonder where you get the patch. Does this mean they won't make the Zune anymore. Mmm. Probably a super dumb question. LOL.
I have a very good friend who loves reading from her Palm Pilot.
Regina, sorry I'm chiming in late. I remember convincing you to get the ebookwise. I'm glad you still love it. I lost my charger and haven't read any ebooks in a few months.
About the taxes, all readers or anything reading/writing related are tax deductions. As writers, we must read to keep up with the current market, so these tools are essential for our careers.
As far as my ebookwise, I only wish it could do PDF format. I tried converting a PDF I'd bought online, but the software built into these books won't allow it. Otherwise, I do love it and it's cheaper than the others out there.
T.
Nice Girls Play Naughty!
www.tessarae.net
You know, you might want to look into eventually getting the sony because you CAN read pdf on those. I'm going to use my ebookwise until it bites the dust, in the meantime and hopefully everything will start going down in price. Gotta admit being able to write this stuff off it further incentive to get one.
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