Bibliophiles suffering from undersized residences, rejoice! The E-readers are here, and now we have enough diverse types on the market to support some degree of competition and innovation. Of course, no device is ever the right fit for everyone, so below we have some simple explanations of each challenger. Also, be sure not to miss the Fujitsu S1500 Scansnap Scanner.
Amazon’s Kindle provides a good sized library of books and magazines and newspapers which are obtainable by way of their wireless data network. This reader can hold close to 1,500 e-books, which is good, as it features no expansion slot for added memory. The Kindle could play MP3 and AAC audio and can talk to Windows and Mac programs. A nice addition to check out is the Fujitsu S1500 Scansnap Scanner.
The battery is sealed into the device and is not replaceable, nevertheless the battery life is regarded as “good”, which may or may not be useful for you. Regrettably, it won’t work with free e-books from your public library which use the ePub format. Also, although the wireless service can function outside the US, you would be charged additional fees for downloading books there. Be sure to check out the Fujitsu S1500 Scansnap Scanner.
Barnes & Noble’s Nook can offer you about the same number of books and publications as the Kindle, and additionally it is ePub compatible and is made to allow you to lend selected e-books for as many as a fortnight. The Nook will not allow you to download books outside the US, though. The Nook is comparable to the Kindle concerning system compatibility and offers the additional benefit of an expansion slot for more memory, along with a removable battery. The Nook does not work with word or text files, however, and the technology is still somewhat buggy.
The Sony Reader is the granddaddy of e-readers, and therefore has the benefit of having figured out most of its problems. The Reader has additionally been subject to a few updates, therefore it has been able to respond to market forces along with developments in technology. The reader is able to store thousands of electronic books, and a lot more can be accomodated with the supplement of an optional memory card. There isn’t a book or periodical format which the Reader doesn’t support, such as ePub and PDF files. Interestingly enough, one upgrade the Reader has yet to offer is wireless capability, consequently each file must be dragged and dropped from a PC.
The iPad is yet new enough to be a relative unknown, regardless of its much-ballyhooed and fashionably late appearance at this particular party. In accordance with most reviews, it functions extremely well as a reader, supporting all of the formats that may be accessed through the rival e-readers, and features a few gaming applications also. Interestingly, Apple has decided to sell this device as a business tool, regardless that it is outperformed in this area by most netbooks and Apple’s own iPhone.