eReader Review
Ranked #4,160 in Computers & Electronics, #82,432 overall
What is an eReader?
A hand held electronic device that is used to display ebooks. eReader is shorthand for ebook reader. Generally these devices are optimized to minimize eye strain by using special displays/modes which replicate reading a real book or newspaper. The advantages of eReaders are numerous, the most compelling being the cheaper book cost, the ability for the reader to change font size, having a number of books available anywhere you go (a library worth on the device, given network options nearly unlimited!). The major limitation is Digital Rights Management. I prefer epub formats as I can move the file anywhere and they resize/look great on all devices. You can't simply lend your ebooks to your friends after reading.
There are a number of highly popular eReaders available on the market which I have gathered consumer descriptions as well as videos below.
My personal choice of eReader are all my systems including my iPhone 4, my iPad, my MacBook Air and my desktop iMac. I have the Kindle Software on them all, as well as leveraging iBooks with ePub formats for easy reading, bookmarks and notes.
After finishing this brief eReader Review you'll better understand the strengths and limitations of each of the devices and hopefully be more informed about what eReaders are as well as what type of device would best fill your needs.
There's a pretty hi end full color eReader available in Japan at the moment, read more about it here: Color eReader.
If you enjoy the site, and like reading free ebooks, please consider reviewing my first ever, 3 Steps to Satisfaction. It's a short study on the benefits of matching our passions and our daily labor, or check in at my blog, Victus Spiritus (nourishment for the soul). In addition there's a section Social Media Evolution detailing some of the amazing changes that are taking place with communication via the web.
What's inside:
- Kindle Fire
- Kindle Fire Overview Video
- Kindle Touch
- Kindle Touch Video
- NOOK Color
- Amazon's Older Gen Kindle
- Kindle Videos
- Apple iPad
- iPad videos
- Plastic Logic's Que
- QUE video
- Asus Color Ereader
- Barnes and Nobles Nook
- Nook Video
- Large Screen Kindle (Kindle DX)
- Kindle DX Video
- Amazon Kindle 2 eReader
- Kindle Introduction Movie
- SONY PRS-700BC eReader
- Sony PRS-700 Video
- eReader Revolution
- jetbook eReader by ectaco
- jetbook Review
- iRex iLiad eReader
- iRex iLiad eReader Movie
- iPod Touch, iPhone, or the Large iPod Touch (rumored) as eReaders
- Google eReader for Mobile Devices
- eBooks, food for your eReaders
- What's your favorite eReader? (Plexo)
- Google Grapevine on eReaders (blogs)
- Flickr eReader Photos
- YouTube eReader vids
- Other eReader Review sites
- Victus Spiritus
- Reader Feedback
Kindle Fire
The Kindle Fire is a full color 7" multi-touch tablet and is Amazon's answer to Apple's iPad as the dominant market tablet. From the kindle fire Amazon tour introduction here is the short description of features:- 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books
- Thousands of popular apps and games
- Ultra-fast web browsing - Amazon Silk
- Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content
- Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle
- Fast, powerful dual-core processor
- Amazon Prime members enjoy unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows
Kindle Touch
The touch screen ereader from Amazon for under a hundred dollars is the Kindle Touch. It has a 6" display form factor and functions over wifi.What we're witnessing as consumers is both differentiation in the tablet market combined with the commoditization of both hardware and software. The high end tablets will retain the latest features while the lower end devices converge towards selling at close to or even less than their manufacture cost (subsidized by media sold through the device).
Simple-to-use touchscreen, with audio and built-in Wi-Fi
- Most-advanced E Ink display, now with multi-touch
- New sleek design - 8% lighter, 11% smaller, holds 3,000 books
- Text-to-speech, plus audio books and mp3s
- Built in Wi-Fi - Get books in 60 seconds
- Massive book selection, over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less
- New - Borrow Kindle books from your public library
NOOK Color
- Stunning 7-inch color touchscreen
- 8 Gigabytes of local storage + wifi for an endless library of reading
- Enhanced books, magazines, newspapers & interactive kids books
- Over 2 million titles at your fingertips
- NEW! Popular apps, games, music & more
- NEW! Full featured email & fun social features
- NEW! Enhanced web with video
NOOK Color offers the largest selection of titles with new ones arriving every day. 1 million FREE books are ready for instant download and you can sample all books FREE before you buy. Most titles are $9.99 or less and are ready to read in just seconds.
The NOOK Color is priced at $249 and is the most inexpensive android tablet on the market, although to get access to the full Android store you'll have to root the device.
Read more about the NOOK here.
Amazon's Older Gen Kindle
- Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation for $139
- Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite, 3G Works Globally - Latest Generation for $189
Features (from Amazon):
- Kindle is our #1 bestselling item for two years running. It's also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon. Now it's even better.
- All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen - 50% better contrast than any other e-reader
- Read in Bright Sunlight - No glare
- New and Improved Fonts - New crisper, darker fonts
- New Sleek Design - 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6" size reading area
- 17% Lighter - Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback
- Battery Life of Up to One Month - A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off
- Double the Storage - Up to 3,500 Books
- Built-In Wi-Fi - Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds
- 20% Faster Page Turns - Seamless reading
- Enhanced PDF Reader - With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights
- New WebKit-Based Browser - Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental)
Apple iPad
From AppleiBooks
The iBooks app is a great new way to read and buy books.1 Download the free app from the App Store and buy everything from classics to best sellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you've bought a book, it's displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich color, so it's easy to read, even in low light.
Plastic Logic's Que
From Plastic Logic:QUE is built using our unique plastic electronics technology. The result is a stunning form factor that is sleek, lightweight and incredibly easy-to-read. Its touchscreen-based interface is elegant and easy-to-use.
QUE is available in two models. Visit QUE.com to find the one which is right for you.
QUE plans to begins shipping in mid-April 2010. For full specifications and pricing, and to place a preorder please visit
QUE video
Asus Color Ereader
There are a few articles that describe the Asus Color dual screen ereader.Mostly rumors at this stage surround this devices feature set.
Barnes and Nobles Nook
One of the most compelling features of the Nook is the dual screen approach. The reader page, which is black and white, is easy on the eyes by using E Ink technology. It also has a full color screen touch screen on the bottom of the reader for control. Another great feature is the ability to lend books to friends 14days at a time (a big plus for social readers like myself that enjoy cajoling friends into reading great finds).From the Barnes and Noble source, "Store as many as 1,500 eBooks, newspapers, and magazines on your nook, so you'll never be without your favorites. And with an added memory card you can keep up to 17,500. eBooks download in seconds. Many bestsellers and new releases are just $9.99, and thousands of titles are free, so you can enjoy more for less."
Nook Video
Large Screen Kindle (Kindle DX)
The exciting large screen Kindle DX reader will be available this summer. The major upgrades include:- a 9.7" viewable screen (better for magazine or newspaper page reading)
- native PDF reader
- more memory, carries up to 3500 books, periodicals and documents
- auto-rotating screen
Expect the Kindle DX to be a big hit with readers due to the added storage and native pdf reading utility. That translates into high demand for the Kindle DX, so make sure to get your ORDER in fast (first come first serve).
For more information enjoy the Kindle DX page.
Kindle DX Video
Amazon Kindle 2 eReader
What Amazon Has to Say About it's favorite eReader"With a sleek and thin design that makes Kindle 2 as thin as a typical magazine and lighter than a paperpack, the new Kindle has seven times more storage and now holds over 1,500 books. It has a longer battery life and faster page turns. An advanced display provides even crisper images and clearer text for an improved book-like reading experience. And Kindle 2 even reads to you, with "Read to Me", our new Text to Speech feature.
With Kindle 2 we kept everything readers love about the original Kindle-the convenience of reading what you want, when you want it, the immediacy of getting a book wirelessly delivered in less than 60 seconds, and Kindle's ability to "disappear" in your hands so you can get lost in the author's words. We're also excited to announce that the Kindle Store has over 230,000 ebooks available. "
You can read more about the Kindle 2 on my Kindle 2 Lens or at Amazon's Info Page. I've also recently started a Kindle 2 group which is chock full of information about the Kindle, as well as eReader reviews.
Kindle Introduction Movie
SONY PRS-700BC eReader
Here's Sony's eReader self review:"Begin a new chapter with the PRS-700BC Reader Digital Book. Boasting an impressive 6.0-inch, touch screen display, this Reader uses paper-like E Ink® technology which makes it easier to read, even in bright-light situations. In addition to a built-in light, there's an interactive touch screen that lets you turn pages with the slide of a finger or activate the bookmark. You can also create annotations with a virtual keyboard, highlight text with a stylus pen, search for text in your digital book, and easily adjust the font size. A faster processor gives you quicker response times when opening content or turning pages. Ideal for travelers or people who like to read while on the go, the PRS-700BC holds approximately 350 digital books."
Sony PRS-700 Video
eReader Revolution
A thirty day publicity focused challenge, where Dave Farrow read in a small window area. For each page read an elibrary of 100 classics was donated by Sony to a school to promote reading.
jetbook eReader by ectaco
From Ectaco's jetbook eReader site:"E-books have been around for a while but it is only with the ECTACO jetBook that they have truly come of age. The newest generation of handhelds offer all the latest advances in the world of e-reading including the most advanced display technology. jetBook not only turns pages but provides a crisp, clear image on a larger display screen that is easier to read than any paper book ever was. jetBook also offers everyone incredible opportunities for translation and learning with its pre-loaded translating dictionaries. An mp3 player rounds out the advanced features to let you listen to your favorite audio files as you read. jetBook is fully compatible with both Mac and Windows-based PCs. The ECTACO jetBook e-Book Reader supports .txt, .pdf, .fb2 and .jpg file formats."
jetbook Review
iRex iLiad eReader
From iRex technologies homepage info about their eReader:"What is the iLiad?
The iLiad is a portable device that lets you read and write as you do on paper everywhere you go.
the iliad
Everything you like to read, like books, newspapers and documents, you can now take along on a device as small and light as a single book. Even in bright sunlight the display of the iLiad offers you perfect readability. With the iLiad can you also send, receive and share documents with family, friends or business colleagues.
More than just reading
Just as with normal paper, you're able to make notes and annotate existing documents, but unlike paper your annotated documents and notes can easily be transferred to a PC or another iLiad. Your friends and colleagues can also add remarks or edit your notes and return them to you. The iLiad is not just about serious stuff, you can also do Sudoku and Crossword puzzles, read comics and sketch or draw on it.
What can you do with the iLiad?
- Anything you can print from your PC can be read on the iLiad. You can also download books and other information from the internet. You can even receive digital subscriptions to international newspapers on an iLiad.
- The iLiad has a wireless connection to automatically download content and updates over the Internet. You can also connect the iLiad directly to any PC with a USB cable. The iLiad Companion software enables you to easily transfer and manage the documents between your PC and the iLiad.
- The iLiad can hold dozens of books and documents. Memory capacity can be increased simply by inserting a Compact Flash or MMC card, just as with digital camera. You can even insert your USB-stick into the iLiad to quickly read content.
Easy on the eyes, easy on the environment
The paper-like display of the iLiad produces a stable image, unlike a flickering PC screen. So the reading experience with the iLiad is much more comfortable, enabling you to go on for hours without tiring your eyes.
The display only consumes power when a page is turned so the power consumptions is very low. And just think of the paper you can save. You no longer need to rely on printed editions of newspapers, books or your own printed documents and notes!
iRex iLiad eReader Movie
iPod Touch, iPhone, or the Large iPod Touch (rumored) as eReaders
The apple touch and iPhone both run the iPhone OS or operating system.Here are a couple of ways to get started using an iPod touch or iPhone for reading eBooks.
From Wired blog network (thanks to Charlie Sorrel):
"First, head to the App Store and grab the free download of Stanza. It comes with one book: H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (well worth reading if you haven't already). Using the application is as easy as you'd expect. At left you see the library page. Here you pick your book, listed by author or title. Click on one and the text slides across to fill the screen. Font size is controllable while you are reading, but to change fonts and colors you need to visit the iPhone's central settings section."
From How to Read eBooks on your iPhone (thanks KingTaj):
"Manybooks.net addresses the bookmarking issue by naming each page header uniquely, so that when you're on page 31 of The Old Man and the Sea, the page header indicates that you're on page 31. This allows you to bookmark the page, and easily get back to were you left off. Now on to the general process:
First, navigate to the mobile version of manybooks.net: mnybks.net
Second, browse either by Author, Title, Categories, or Recommendations until you find an eBook that interests you.
Third, read the eBook, and when you're ready for a break, just add a bookmark. As mentioned, the bookmark will include the page number and will take you to the exact page you left off. To keep your iPhone bookmark list cleaner, consider creating a folder for the eBook and adding all related "bookmarks" here. Alternatively, consider just naming each bookmark the same, in effect keeping only the latest place in the eBook. "
Google eReader for Mobile Devices
eBooks, food for your eReaders
Google Books
Kindle Book Store
Sony's eBook store
Many Books.net
(thanks to Polifemus for posting the creative commons bookstore pic)
What's your favorite eReader? (Plexo)
Ectaco Jetbook E-Book Reader Graphite Black - Ectaco JB5B
Ectaco Jetbook E-Book Reader Graphite Black - Ecta more...0 points
Sony PRS-700BC Reader Digital Book - Windows
Imagine holding a library of books conveniently in more...0 points
iRex iLiad eReader 2nd Edtion ER0141-002-000
The iLiad is a personal electronic device that sto more...0 points
Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation)
The iPod touch has always been an amazing iPod. An more...0 points
Apple iPod touch 16 GB (2nd Generation)
The iPod touch has always been an amazing iPod. An more...0 points
Flickr eReader Photos
YouTube eReader vids
Other eReader Review sites
- eReader HQ
- While the Kindle 2 may be wildly popular right now there's some hefty competition (SONY, iRex, Ectaco, iPhone/iPod) fighting for reader attention. A community of squid members focused on supplying accurate up to date information about current eReaders and supporting accessories, eBooks, and free eLibraries
- Electronic Book Readers - Kindle 2 VS The Rest
- Why would you want to consider purchasing an Electronic Book Readers? Well for starters, they are convenient and you have a choice of books to read that would put a small library to shame.
- Amazon Kindle 2
- For those familiar with the Amazon Kindle, you already know that this device has revolutionized book reading. It is an eReader, a natural evolution of the book. The Kindle 2 is a hand held electronic device which provides clear and crisp readable text, and is capable of storing an entire library.
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joelo_32 Dec 31, 2010 @ 1:26 pm | delete
- Great lens, for the moment I have a Kindle, in my lens I have some of my favorite books.
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Sycro
Dec 2, 2010 @ 1:20 pm | delete
- great lense
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Sycro
Nov 29, 2010 @ 12:55 pm | delete
- great lense
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mskaylay
Nov 25, 2010 @ 11:07 pm | delete
- Well written review & lens. I hope to get one by next year. Thanks for sharing.
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ndasika Feb 8, 2010 @ 4:53 am | delete
- Thanks for providing all this on the readers, it helps in making purchasing decisions. Keep up this good work.
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messel
Howdy, Victus Spiritus is my default soapbox and communication hub, please stop by and say hi.
I'm Mark Essel a long time systems engineer gone web author/entrepreneur....
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