Which e reader to buy

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Which e reader to buy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

1039 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 53

#903871 27-Sep-2013 17:05

I can't really speak for the kindles, but I've had a Kobo Glo since January and I really like it. I would definitely get an ereader with a built in light if you can as I've found that a really handy feature and use the light a lot more than I thought I would. I have only ever used calibre to transfer/convert books, works well enough, little bit clunky I find. I only used the kobo software to register my device but it seemed reasonably ok to look for books. I was a little bit confused when it seemed to update itself to a Whitcoulls version of the software, I guess the localised NZ version.

gazza007

39 posts

Geek

#904619 29-Sep-2013 17:23

Wife's got a kindle Paperwhite and I've got a Kobo Glo.Not really a great deal of difference but the Kindle does seem slightly better made and the battery seems to last quite a lot longer,probably a month opposed to about a fortnight with my Glo,not a scientific test just my 2c worth.Agree about using calibre it works fine mostly.

JimmyH

2898 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1554

#905283 30-Sep-2013 18:26

Have had a Kindle for a few years and love it.

Recently replaced it with a Kobo Aura HD which, IMO, is a better unit.

Bigger screen, higher resolution (=crisper fonts) and pretty zippy. Plus, it takes microSD cards if you want to lug a large library with you at any point (although, I don't have enough ebooks to need that feature for the forseeable future).

It does, however, cost more than the Kindle.

Elpie

1304 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 272

#905607 1-Oct-2013 11:04

JimmyH: Have had a Kindle for a few years and love it.

Recently replaced it with a Kobo Aura HD which, IMO, is a better unit.

Bigger screen, higher resolution (=crisper fonts) and pretty zippy. Plus, it takes microSD cards if you want to lug a large library with you at any point (although, I don't have enough ebooks to need that feature for the forseeable future).

It does, however, cost more than the Kindle.

I had a Kindle since they were released but switched to Kobo Aura HD a few months back. I tried a Kindle Paperwhite in between (tried three in the end because I kept getting faulty ones) but, oh boy! do I love that Kobo. Best e-reader I've ever had.

MurrayM

2502 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 742

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#905759 1-Oct-2013 15:31

timmmay: I use a "send to kindle" program that Amazon released. I just right click on a mobi/pdf file and say "send to kindle".

When was the last time you used "Send to Kindle"?

The reason I ask is because a friend of mine that uses it to send stuff to her Kindle recently called me to complain that it wasn't working any more. Every time she tried she would get a "network error". After much mucking around we found a whole bunch of people complaining that "Send to Kindle" had stopped working for them too. They think it is something to do with the security certificates that Amazon uses. Amazon apparently know about the problem but have been dragging their feet for a while in getting it fixed. See here for the thread on Amazon's help forums.

timmmay

20859 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#905765 1-Oct-2013 15:44

I used "send to kindle" yesterday night, it worked fine.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

MurrayM

2502 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 742

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#905770 1-Oct-2013 15:50

timmmay: I used "send to kindle" yesterday night, it worked fine.

Weird, I just tried it on my friend's PC and it still comes up with the "network error". So I guess this isn't affecting every user, just some of them!

timmmay

20859 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#905793 1-Oct-2013 16:14

Fingers crossed!

MurrayM

2502 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 742

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#905796 1-Oct-2013 16:16

timmmay: Fingers crossed!

We got around the problem by using the Email to Kindle function, that still works ok.

qyiet

454 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 94

Trusted

#906153 2-Oct-2013 09:04

Nety:
mattwnz: ... with the kindle is that you can not borrow books from libraries that use overdrive...

You can, once again using Calibre.

Hey Nety, can you link us to a howto on that?

Warning: reality may differ from above post

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#906235 2-Oct-2013 10:16

MurrayM:
timmmay: Fingers crossed!

We got around the problem by using the Email to Kindle function, that still works ok.

Do they still charge you for that (on 3G)?

I have a DX, and I used Calibre to email some converted epubs to my Kindle. They got there OK, but I noticed that Amazon charged me for using Whispernet for non-amazon purchases. I guess on a WiFi connection it wouldn't be an issue, but because AMazon are paying for the 3G connection, they charge (It's OK with me, I just use the cable now).

HP

Shop now for HP laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

MurrayM

2502 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 742

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#906244 2-Oct-2013 10:19

trig42:
MurrayM:
timmmay: Fingers crossed!

We got around the problem by using the Email to Kindle function, that still works ok.

Do they still charge you for that (on 3G)?

I have a DX, and I used Calibre to email some converted epubs to my Kindle. They got there OK, but I noticed that Amazon charged me for using Whispernet for non-amazon purchases. I guess on a WiFi connection it wouldn't be an issue, but because AMazon are paying for the 3G connection, they charge (It's OK with me, I just use the cable now).

We didn't use 3G as my friend's Kindle doesn't have it. We just emailed the Word document to her Kindle's email address and had the Kindle connected to the internet via wifi and the doc came through just fine.

qyiet

454 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 94

Trusted

#906258 2-Oct-2013 10:32

trig42:... I used Calibre to email some converted epubs to my Kindle. They got there OK, but I noticed that Amazon charged me for using Whispernet for non-amazon purchases.

If you set it up to email to yourname@free.kindle.com instead of yourname@kindle.com it will only download when connected to wifi, so you won't be charged.

Warning: reality may differ from above post

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#906284 2-Oct-2013 10:45

Ahh, OK.

I don't think the DX has WiFi. It has never asked me for any WiFi passwords. If I turn the Radio on, it just shows a 3G connection.

qyiet

454 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 94

Trusted

#906308 2-Oct-2013 11:03

trig42: Ahh, OK.

I don't think the DX has WiFi. It has never asked me for any WiFi passwords. If I turn the Radio on, it just shows a 3G connection.

TIL: You are quite correct.. The Kindle DX doesn't have wifi. I assumed that it was like regular kindles just bigger. They have both 3G and Wi-Fi.. however Wikipedia confirms that the DX is 3G only.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Kindle_DX_Graphite

Warning: reality may differ from above post

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5