Portable Ebook Reader

The ebook readers market has mostly been dominated by a few companies. Sony Readers and Kindle from Amazon are the most popular ebook readers in the world.

Content is the only real difference between these devices. Amazon is known to distribute content directly from its store. Though a closed system, it is accessible widely through apps on smart phones and PCs. Many other companies including Sony do not have across platforms provision or an integrated bookstore experience, but they offer open format support.

The Kobo eReader has been in the ebook market for quite a while and Smartphone users may be familiar with the preinstalled app. The manufacturers of the Kobo eReader are moving from pure content to both content and hardware with the aim to provide a complete solution like Amazon. The Kobo touch eReader is a good and genuine alternative to the Kindle.

Hardware

The Kobo touch eReader is well designed and has an interesting “quilted” back finish. It is of course not a real quilt, but the plastic material is sturdy enough. The device has a diamond pattern that is nice to hold and provides a user with something extra to hold on to. At 185g, it is lighter than the kindle touch, but slightly heavier than the new Kindle from Amazon.

The Kobo touch ebook reader is built with an E-ink display of 6 inches and just like many other models, it will easily fit into a small bag or jacket pocket. The device also has USB connections and also a microSD card slot on the side in case you need to expand the memory. This device only has a home button below the screen and a power slider at the top. All other operations are by touch, thus no need for more buttons.

Getting content

In order to sync the Kobo eReader, the user will require a Kobo account. Unlike the Kindle which offers users PC free operation, the Kobo touch requires a user to download software from a Mac or PC before connecting to your device.

If you as have an account all you need to do is key your details in the application and all content you have purchased will be available and ready to sync to the Kobo touch eReader. If there is no existing content, you can navigate and purchase them via the desktop application. PayPal is included in the payment options on the Kobo store which makes things very easy for most users.

The advantage of having a Wi-Fi enabled device is that you can easily browse and search free ebooks or even download a preview of a book without necessarily having to use a computer. The Kobo store is easy to navigate and is accessible from the device’s home page.

Any book purchased on the Kobo store is made available on your eReader, mobile device and desktop computer on one same account. It is not a must you connect to your computer as long as you do the initial setup well and if you will only stick to the Kobo bookstore.

This device has the ability to perform cross device bookmark syncing, which means that you can continue to read a book on your eReader from the point you left off on the phone and vice versa.

The Kobo touch is an EPUB ebook reader and so it does not restrict you to Kobo’s bookstore. Of course the reading experience is better if you stick to the Kobo store but if you buy EPUB titles and authorize your device with Adobe Digital Editions, you will have the ability to read from these collections as well.

This ability of the Kobo touch lets you have more freedom than the Kindle. This is because you can shop around to find the best prices and you get to choose where you source your books from. The only downside to this is that you will lose the syncing function, meaning that your EPUB ebooks will not be automatically mirrored to other devices.

Reading Experience

In actual reading, the Kobo touch offers readers a great experience. The E-Ink screen has good contrast and the letters are well formed and crisp. For your preference, you can select a different font and even change the font size. The device has highlight and dictionary functions and offers the share on facebook function. Page turning on this device is fast and very easy as you only need to tap at the edge or swipe across the page. It is however possible to sometimes turn pages by accident with a stray finger.

The e-ink display of the Kobo touch has 2 distinct advantages that you get over LCD displays. One is that they are not glossy which makes it easy to read in bright conditions or outdoors. They are great for poolside reading. The second advantage is that the battery life for this device is very efficient because there is no backlighting.

The battery life is one month but this very much depends on the reading you do. The Wi-Fi also shortens the battery life considerably, so it is advisable to use flight-safe mode if you do not need a connection.

The Extras

There are some few extras in the Kobo touch. These include a browser in case you want to browse the internet although it is still an experimental browser and may be a bit slow with tricky navigation. A Sudoku game and a sketchbook are also some of the extras hidden in this device.

Another feature is the Reading Life section which is available on the home page and offers a social side of the eReader. This section is basically a kind of an achievements system where upon taking various actions readers earn awards. From this section you can also see the stats of activities like number of books read, page turns and even hours spent on reading.

Verdict

There are many eReaders that are technically proficient but not all of them impress. The service offered by the Kobo touch rivals that of the Amazon Kindle and it’s impressive because there is a full system to explore. It is a good and interesting alternative to the Kindle and it is competitively priced.

The cost and availability of content should also be considered. A quick glance at some recent titles in the kindle reveals that the prices are the same with occasional higher priced titles in the Kindle store and vice versa.

Overall the Kobo touch is a great option that should be considered by anyone planning to buy an ereader.

Buy the Kobo Touch here.

Reading a favorite book in a comfortable bed before finally retiring into the night is one of the best stress relievers that I could ever think of. Reading a book or telling bedtime stories have been proven to be an effective and practical non-pharmaceutical tranquilizer for an exhausted brain because of the usual wearisome activities we have gone through the rest of the day. Some of us probably can recall those times when we use candles or an oil lamp while reading or maybe using a flashlight under the blankets as we flip through the pages of an engrossing book that we just can’t get enough of.

As time goes by, reading books has evolved into a more sophisticated manner. The E-reader was first introduced to the market in 1999 when Gemstar promoted the eBookman which was an e-reader that could record and play sounds. E-book readers were never very popular until 2007 when the Amazon Kindle was widely promoted. Many say this was the kick start of the public’s acceptance of this great, new technology, and paved the way for the newest E-readers available in the market today.

It was in October 2009 when Barnes & Noble released the first version of the Nook E-reader which originally came with Wi-Fi and AT&T; 3G wireless connection capability. This amazing device was subsequently followed by its successors – the Nook Simple Touch, Nook Color and the Nook Tablet.

Then came the latest innovation in E-reader technology – the Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ . This is the latest version of the Nook E-readers and it comes with revolutionary technology that creates a gentle glow that is optimized for the most convenient low light reading. It has the Easy-to-Adjust GlowLight that could be customized for preferred glow intensity.

The SimpleTouch is the lightest of all Nooks, and is 6.5 inches by 5.0 inches by 0.47 inches and also weighs the lightest at just 6.95 ounces. It also comes with an installed chargeable battery which could be attached to a computer via USB or from a wall outlet using an adapter. Its 6-inch touchscreen with 16-layer grayscale is very easy on the eyes with its 600×800 resolution that supports 6 adjustable font styles and 7 font sizes. It also supports wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi® (802.11b/g/n). It has the original data storage capacity of 2GB which could hold up to 1,000 books, which should be plenty for any avid reader.

Nook GlowLight also supports ePub and PDF file formats and JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP for graphics. This means you can buy ebooks from many different websites and easily upload it to your Nook. Other e-readers force you to only purchase e-books from their own store which really limits your choices as far as pricing and availability goes. You can also syncronize the last page you’ve read on your Nook, with your smartphone or computer using the FREE NOOK Reading App™.

As you can clearly see, with the latest innovation in Nook e-Reader technologies, bedtime reading has never be so comfortable and sophisticated. A lot of happy customers have expressed their satisfaction with the new Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™, so check it out for yourself. It makes a great gift for friends and family.

The expanding popularity of portable e-book readers has e-gadget manufacturers climbing the walls to improve, innovate and expand operations, portability and user convenience. Amazon’s Kindle broke open the e-book reader market, although it wasn’t the first e-book reader on the scene. Barnes & Noble’s Nook is a terrific product as well, and its now-generation reader offers some tough choices for e-book fans that has Amazon concerned. Then bring in Sony products to further complicate matters. These top three e-book reader options can make an e-book reader’s head spin, so let’s compare them on size, capability and adaptability.

The information below reflects the common models within the same price range; it wouldn’t be fair to compare a “deluxe” model with a “basic” model. The approximate price range is roughly $115 to $160 and notes the Barnes and Noble Nook Touch Reader, Amazon’s Kindle 3 and Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition.

Size and Weight Comparison

BN’s Nook Touch Reader, hereafter called NTR for typing convenience, sports a 6-inch display and a 5 x 6.5-inch profile. Weighing in at 7.48 ounces, you barely know you’re holding or carrying it.

The Kindle 3 also offers a 6-inch display and a 4.8 x 7.5-inch profile; it’s a little longer than the Nook but not prohibitively so. The negligible weight difference with Nook, 8+ ounces versus 7.48 ounces, is noticed, but after the conscious notation, you barely notice it.

Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition boasts the smallest and lightest numbers of the three at 4.11 x 5.71 inches and 5.47 ounces. It also has the smallest display screen at 5 inches.

Capacity and Accessibility

The NTR can hold up to . Its battery can last up to two months on charge under minimum use capacity. In other words, you can’t get two months of use under full WiFi use or downloads—just reading. (Those general conditions restrict all battery use comparisons, however.)

The Kindle 3 can hold up to 3,500 e-books in its 4GB memory. The built-in, permanent battery can last up to a month on a single charge if WiFi is turned off. However, its WiFi capability draws a definite plus to this device.

Sony’s device can hold up to 1,200 e-books with a 2GB memory. It can also support word documents, Adobe PDFs, EPUB/ACS4 formats. The Pocket Edition is compatible with both Macs and PCs. Coming in a distant third in battery capacity, it provides only two weeks maximum average use prior to recharging. Sony’s product has no direct Internet access capability, so you must download from a PC or Mac into the device.

Distinct Advantages and Disadvantages

Sony’s device is great for short-term use and storage swaps, but its lack of direct connectivity is a drawback for many. It’s slimmer, lighter, more compact design is a plus over the others, however.

Nook’s longer battery life and expandable memory slot allows slight advantages over both the Kindle 3 and the Pocket Edition. Its multiple platform readability matches Kindle 3’s, and both Nook and Kindle stand above the Pocket Edition in direct Internet access.

Kindle 3’s biggest advantage is that the $114 price tag for the Kindle-With Special Offers edition. Completely identical to Kindle 3 in other ways, the Special Offers version provides a $25 discount for non-intrusive ads in the screen saver mode and on the main menu. Because there are no ads while reading, the ad-supported version is highly recommended.

However, the touch screen and button resign puts Barnes & Nobles’ Nook a half a notch above Kindle 3. Its longer battery life secures it in the number 1 slot—for now.

The author of this post is Holly Miller, who writes for Coupon Croc. In the market for the hottest gadgets? Save big when you shop online and use an Argos discount voucher.

Samsung E6 and E101 are the first e-book readers from the manufacturer which were recently revealed at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Both e-book devices are touchscreens: the Samsung E6 comes with 6-inch E-ink display, while the E101 features 10-inch one. Unlike other portable devices, Samsung E6 and E101 were introduced with handwriting capabilities directly onto the display. The tool allowing users to annotate their reading selections, calendars and to-do lists is an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) stylus pen which utilizes EMR technology. The Korean giant was also serious about low power consumption of e-books’ displays delivering natural reflect light similar to that of printed paper.

The Samsung e-readers support a wide range of file formats include e-pub, PDF/a, TXT, BMP and JPG. The E6 and E101 are equipped with Samsung’s text-to-speech (TTS) built-in technology. Both models come with Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) capability allowing customers download books and newspapers wirelessly as well as transfer them from other devices thanks to built in Bluetooth 2.0. The readers are powered with 2GB internal memory and microSD memory card with maximum 18GB storage. The company’s partnership with Google means there is a lot of content available for E6 and E101 users. When speaking about battery it may deliver up to two weeks of use only with 4 hours of charging.

Samsung E6 should be available in March for $399 with black and white colors. The 10-inch version of E6 will cost $599.

STORY is the latest e-book reader from iRiver. And yes, it’s as good as it can get. The keyboard design is one of its nice features. I can say it’s sexy, it’s solid, and it’s slim. After the iRiver Story’s release in the UK, Germany and Korea, it’s finally coming to the US. This wait definitely is taking its effect since that people really are looking forward and get excited about the iRiver Story.

The iRiver Story includes features such as 6-inch e-link display with a 800 x 600 resolution, 36 inches slim, has built-in features of a mp3 player, voice recorder, office file viewer, personal organizer, a memopad and a scheduler. You can store up to 13,000 books with its 2GB internal memory and an expansion SD Card slot that can store up to 16GB. This gadget can read Microsoft Excel files (.xls), PowerPoint (.ppt), Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf), Microsoft Word (.doc), e-Pub, and play wma, audio book files, and mp3 files. The battery life lasts for up to 9,000 pages – up to 30 books. How is that possible? It’s because the iRiver Story will consume battery life only if the pages are turned. If you will be using this to play audio files, the battery can last for up to 24hrs. If you want to record voice, then it can last for up to 5hrs.

The iRiver Story lets you read your e-books just like when you’re reading paper books. How incredible is that? You still have the old paper book feel while using a so-called high-technology gadget!

But then again, like everything in life there is a downside. The iRiver Story doesn’t have wireless capabilities such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G. But don’t worry, because in the later part of 2010, the iRiver Story U.S. version will have Wi-Fi capabilities. As per the final price ranges, there aren’t announcements yet. Some say it would cost at around $340 USD, however as I said, this isn’t final.

Of all the different e-book readers out there, you have the decision for as to which one has the “edge” you are looking for. I have stated everything there is to know about the iRiver Story, now it’s up to you to go, get, and judge it.

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If you haven’t heard of Astak, they are based out of San Jose, CA and manufacture cameras, DVRs…and now lucky for us…ebook readers!

The Astak 6″ EZ Reader is the North American name for the Jinke Hanlin V3 (a Chinese company).

My favorite feature of the EZ Reader is the fact that it has native support for an enormous list of file formats: PDF, TXT, RTF, EPUB, LIT, PPT, WOLF, DOC, CHM, FB2, PRC/MOBI, HTML, DJVU, MP3, TIFF, JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG, RAR, and ZIP.

Box Contents

The 6″ EZ Reader comes in a well-designed box that is covered with all the jazz you’d expect from a portable ebook reader.

Inside, you find an instruction manual, an AC adapter with USB input, a USB cable, earphones, and of course the device itself in a nice leather case.

Already I’m happy to see that Astak hasn’t decided to use any proprietary cables or adapters (cough…Apple…cough) and has made everything as simple as possible.

Charging

As soon as I unpacked the EZ Reader I plugged it into a wall socket. There’s a small indicator light on the top left that indicates how charged the battery is (either yellow or green). It turned to green (full charge) quite quickly (less than an hour), but I’m guessing that the battery was pre-charged when it was manufactured so it likely had some life in it already.

Design

As you can see from the picture above, the EZ Reader has a black frame with buttons along the bottom and side. The USB port is in the bottom and there’s an SD card expansion slot on the top. Without even reading the user manual I could easily figure out what all the buttons did. Astak really did a good job making the unit simple and easy-to-use!

The screen uses eInk technology so that means it’s easy on the eyes and can be viewed in direct sunlight, unlike many other electrical devices.

At 7 ounces and (7.2″ x 4.7″ x .4″), the EZ Reader is of average size and weight for it’s class of 6″ devices. The battery can reportedly handle 8,000 page turns on a single charge, which is also pretty average. However, the battery is removable / replaceable, which is great!

There’s 512 MB onboard storage, which the average reader should find adequate, but if you want more you can plug a 4GB SD card into the expansion slot. Very handy!

The leather case that it comes with is well built and there’s magnets to help the ebook reader snap into place. Clever!

My only complaint about the design is that the body of the EZ Reader looks and feels a bit “cheap”. It’s not as polished and “flashy” as the Amazon Kindle. But it seems durable enough – I imagine it could withstand being repeatedly dropped or generally just treated poorly.

Navigation

The buttons of the EZ Reader are well thought out. The menu system uses a folder system to organize ebooks, and the numbered buttons at the bottom of the unit are used to navigate through the folders and select files. To turn pages, there’s two buttons on the side, but if you’d prefer two of the bottom numbered buttons can also function as page turners.

The “zoom” functionality is quite powerful and has 4 or 5 different settings. Unfortunately images don’t zoom but that’s not entirely important for the purposes of a portable ebook reader.

The time between page turns leaves a bit to be desired (approx 3 seconds). Hopefully Astak improves the hardware for the next model.

Computer Interface

Hooking up the EZ Reader to a computer is simple! It’s just a matter of plugging in a USB cable. No extra software or drivers necessary (at least not with Windows XP). A new removable drive gets automatically mapped in “My Computer”, and then all you need to do is copy your ebook files into it.

I tried a PDF ebook because those are the most common. It copied quickly and looked great on the screen of the EZ Reader. As I said before, I’m a huge fan of devices that use standard cables, formats, and interfaces, all of which the EZ Reader excels at.

Conclusion

The Astak EZ Reader is priced fairly competitively ($235), is easy-to-use and navigate, and can handle nearly every ebook file format known to man. It’s not the prettiest, fastest, lightest, or most feature-packed portable ebook reader, but for the price it’s hard to beat!

If you want the flexibility of being able to read any type of ebook you find online, give the EZ Reader serious consideration.

Plus, did I mention that you can get it at Buy.com? How convenient!

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