There are lots of eReaders out there to choose from and the field is only getting more crowded. Below you'll find the main features of some of the most popular or hotly anticipated eReaders on the market to help you choose which device best suits your reading needs.
Amazon Kindle
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Kindle is an eReader device developed and sold by Amazon, one of the world's largest online retailers. Version 2.0 of the Kindle was released by Amazon in February 2009 costing 9. Later this same year on October 19, 2009, Amazon launched an international version of the Kindle to capture more of the growing world-wide market for eBooks. The device offers wireless connectivity in over 100 countries. In June of 2009, Amazon brought the Kindle DX to the market. This differs from the Kindle in that it has a larger screen, increased memory, and the capability to rotate between portrait and landscape displays automatically. The Kindle DX International costs 9.
Sony Reader Touch/Pocket/Daily
Sony offers three different versions of their eReader at separate price points. The Touch version costs 9.99, which places it in the same price category as the Kindle. It has a 5" display with E Ink technology. What sets the Touch apart from Sony's other eReaders is that navigation on this device is by touch screen. Both the Touch and the Pocket can hold up to 350 books, although you can greatly increase the capacity of both devices by buying Sony's Memory Stick PRO Duo. Although the Pocket can hold the same number of books as the Touch, it has a smaller screen and lacks some of the features of the Touch, including adjustable font size, highlighting and notetaking capabilities, and a built-in dictionary. The trade off is that the Pocket costs 0 less at 9.99. At this price, the Pocket is one of the most affordable eReaders on the market.
Another similarity between the Touch and the Pocket is that they both do not have wireless capability and require books to be transferred via USB cord. All versions of the Sony eReader accept the following file types: Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, BBeB Book and other text file formats, as well as EPUB/ACS4. Sony addressed the issue of more efficient delivery with it Sony Daily Edition. This eReader has free 3G wireless access. Content is available for wireless download through Sony's Reader store and Google books. Downloads through other provides must be transferred to the device via USB. The Daily costs 9.99, but holds up to 1,500 books and has a large 7" screen. The battery lasts two weeks on all of Sony's eReaders, provided the wireless is off on the Daily Edition.
Apple iPad
The iPad is a tablet computer, which offers users many more features than a dedicated eReader. However, the device has been singled out as a game-changer for the publishing industry in part because of Apple's history of revolutionizing the music industry with iTunes. The iPad has not yet been release but is available for pre-order for the price of 9, similar to the Kindle DX. The screen is an expansive 9.7" and is an LED-backlit IPS display. It does not use E Ink as most of the other eReaders on the market do. On the plus side, it has a massive amount of storage, with options starting at 16 GB and going up to 64 GB of flash storage. Customers can also choose between wireless and 3G capability. Apple has already developed the iBook app, which will allow readers to buy books through the Apple store and read them on their iPad. Books available through Apple are formatted as EPUB files, although third party applications will likely expand the range of file formats that can be read on the iPad. The battery charge for the iPad will last for about 10 hours of active use.
Barnes and Noble's Nook
Barnes & Noble, a physical and online book retailer, released the Nook at the end of 2009 to compete with Amazon's Kindle. The device is priced at 9 and has a 6" E Ink display. The display sets the Nook apart, in that there are two screens. The bottom screen is for navigation and the the top screen is for reading. The Nook can hold up to 1,500 books, although unlike the Kindle, the memory can be expanded, as there is a microSD slot in the device. Users of the Nook can loan any books they have downloaded to others. Loaned titles can be sent to another Nook, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, iPod Touch, or iPhone using Barnes & Noble's eReader software. Although the Nook does not support Word documents, it can accept the following file formats: EPUB, PDB, PDF, JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP, and MP3. Barnes & Noble utilizes AT&T's network to deliver books wirelessly to the Nook. With wireless off, the battery can last for up to ten days.
Plastic Logic Que proReader
Plastic Logic's Que proReader has not yet hit the market but is expected to be available in the summer of 2010. According to the company website, pre-orders of the device are currently unavailable as they are sold out. There will be two versions of the device. The 4GB version will hold up to 3,000 and cost 9.00, while the 8 GB version will hold 6,000 books and cost 9.00. Like most other eReaders the display uses E Ink technology. Both devices will have a large screen at 10.5". Users will be able to navigate by touch and can use the virtual keyboard to enter search terms. File formats compatible with the Que include: PDF files, GIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ePub, TXT, HTML, and RTF. Documents can be transferred wirelessly from PCs, Macs, and BlackBerries right to the Que. While both devices use wi-fi, the 8GB version also uses AT&T's 3G network to deliver content. Barnes & Noble powers the Que store, where users can find lots of content for the proReader.
Spring Design Alex
Another new entrant into the eReader field, Spring Design's Alex is not yet available but is set to launch in late 2010. The device will cost 9 and have memory capable of holding 1,500 books. More storage can also be added on for a price. Like Barnes & Noble's Nook, the Alex will have a dual screen. The 6" inch screen at the top will be used mostly for reading text, while the 3.5" bottom LCD screen will be best for navigation and browsing the web. The device is compatible with WiFi, 3G, EVDO/CDMA and GSM and supports the Adobe EPUB, PDF, and DRM file formats. Content will be available through a Borders-branded eBook store. The battery life on the Alex device typically lasts for two weeks with wireless turned off.
Spotlight on EReaders - Which Brand Comes Out on Top? BARNES AND NOBLE APPLETON WI
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