Kindle vs. Sony eReader.

[ashleybea]

I am looking into getting either a Kindle or the Sony reader. Does anyone know which is better?
I'm having a tough time deciding, I read different reviews that sway me to the kindle then I read another and I wasn't and e reader.
Can anyone help me? Thanks!

 

[Tiggeroo]

You also might want to consider the Barnes and Noble Nook, although you might not be able to get it until the week after the holidays.

 

[Pamlur]

There are a lot of threads here, discussing the various ereaders. I think search works now.

 

[luvmy3]

You also might want to consider the Barnes and Noble Nook, although you might not be able to get it until the week after the holidays.

They are vailabkle for shipment January 11
I bought myself a Sony and am debating on whether or not to return it and get the Nook.

 

[M5ward]

I have the first generation Kindle, and I love it. I just bought my daughter the second generation Kindle for Christmas.
It is easy to use, easy to read, downloads books quickly, and makes it so that I'm never without something to read, no matter what time it is. The Kindle was a gift from my husband last Christmas..absolutely one of the best gifts I ever received.

 

[emma'smom]

We bought my mother a Nook....why? You can share your books on the Nook (pass them to others who have an e-reader....even just a iphone e-reader app or one on their computer). So, my mom can feel like she is downloading a book for two people instead of one. However, the Nook books seem to have a range of prices where I have never bought one for over 9.99 with the Kindle.

 

[5 for WDW]

My husband bought me the Kindle 2 for a combo b-day/Xmas gift. He gave it to me early so, I have had it for about 2 months now. It is hands down the best gift I have ever received.

It was a piece of cake to figure out. Navigating the store is incredibly easy. Any books I purchase are literally to me in less then 10 seconds if not instantly.

Highly recommend the Kindle!

 

[DVCLiz]

We bought my mother a Nook....why? You can share your books on the Nook (pass them to others who have an e-reader....even just a iphone e-reader app or one on their computer). So, my mom can feel like she is downloading a book for two people instead of one. However, the Nook books seem to have a range of prices where I have never bought one for over 9.99 with the Kindle.

As far as we know from the early information, you can share certain books - depending on the publisher - once, for 14 days. That's very limiting but if you know someone who wants to read a book that you have bought - and if that person can read the book and finish it within 14 days - it might be a nice feature.

Still it's not a feature that would make me want to pay more for Nook books over Amazon books, which is what most of the comparisons I've seen are saying. B&N is about two dollars more for the titles I've seen compared. I'd much rather have cheaper ebook prices consistently than limited features that don't really mean much to me.

But then everybody knows I love my Kindles!!!

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

I have been trying to make this decision for myself also. I have been going back and forth between the kindle, sony reader and the nook. I finally told hubby to go head and get me a Kindle for Christmas - I will use it for awhile then pass it too my daughter if I decide that I rather have a sony or nook later next year, depending on the reviews of those who are getting them now.

 

[LadyZolt]

DH has researched both and bought the Sony Reader. He says, "If you want to sit in a coffee shop and read a book, the Kindle is fine. If you want a more 'book-like' experience, the Sony Reader is better. If I want to sit on an airplane and read a book, the Sony Reader is better. It has easier to use controls, too. In a few years, there will be a reader that will be the best of both worlds. I don't know who will make it, but I'm sure someone will."

DS23 is getting a Nook as that is what he thinks is best for him.

I say: Look at all three and then figure out which one you think you'd like the best.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[bumbershoot]

With the Kindle, you can have multiple devices on one account. My SIL has her mom and dad on her account, so if one of them buys a book they can all read it. Totally allowed.

If SIL bought a book I really wanted to read, I could disconnect (not the real word but hubby-the-one-who-works-in-the-kindle-dept is playing with DS right now) from his account, and then put my kindle on SIL's account. Read the book, then disconnect from her account and go back to hubby's. Totally OK.

There's a limit of the number of devices on one account...something like 6? I think?

 

[my3sonsagn]

While we're on the topic of e-readers, how available are older books for them? Most of the books I look for are based on others' recommendations and are frequently 5, 10, 15 or more years old. I'd love to have one, but I'm not sure how practical it would be for me.

 

[luv2nascar]

still undecided about which one to buy DD. The nook not being available until1/11/10 is detering this one.

 

[RitaE]

There's a limit of the number of devices on one account...something like 6? I think?

There isn't a limit to the number of devices on one account but most books have a limit on the number of devices it can be downloaded to, which is usually 6 but sometimes 5 or less.

So I can have an account with 10 different devices, but only 6 of them could receive a copy of the book I just bought.

 

[DVCLiz]

DH has researched both and bought the Sony Reader. He says, "If you want to sit in a coffee shop and read a book, the Kindle is fine. If you want a more 'book-like' experience, the Sony Reader is better. If I want to sit on an airplane and read a book, the Sony Reader is better. It has easier to use controls, too. In a few years, there will be a reader that will be the best of both worlds. I don't know who will make it, but I'm sure someone will."

DS23 is getting a Nook as that is what he thinks is best for him.

I say: Look at all three and then figure out which one you think you'd like the best.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

Dorothy, just out of curiosity, what makes him feel the Sony is a more book like experience? I have a Kindle and I have it in a leather cover, so it feels like I have opened a book when I begin to read. The screens and eink are identical on the two products, so I was just wondering what made him feel the Sony was more book like. To me, they are exactly the same on the exterior except for a few minor things like the way you push a button.

 

[legalsea]

Here is a link to a guy named Bufo Calvin who has a blog called “I Love My Kindle” (which I subscribe to on my Kindle). This link is to the internet version.

Bufo not only writes about the Kindle, but he writes and compares the other e-readers. Good source for information.

http://ilmk.wordpress.com/

 

[lovesmurfs]

I really wanted a Kindle, but now I'm leaning toward the Sony eReader -- with the Sony I would be able to download books from my library and read on it, rather than have to purchase outright like the Kindle requires.

 

[TDC Nala]

I got the Sony because you can download library books.

However, there is some sort of problem with the software used by the libraries, and if you upload more than one library book at a time to your reader, and there are two on there using different formats, none of them will work. Then you have to remove EVERYTHING from your reader, reset it, and reload the library books one at a time. I'm currently having to finish one and completely delete it from the reader and all the software before uploading the next one. It's said they are trying to fix the software, but it's a pain.

 

[legalsea]

I really wanted a Kindle, but now I'm leaning toward the Sony eReader -- with the Sony I would be able to download books from my library and read on it, rather than have to purchase outright like the Kindle requires.

However, with the Kindle you can download lots of free books. You are not limited to the Amazon books (although Amazon does run lots of specials for free books). You may download free books from several websites like:

Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Manybooks: http://manybooks.net/

mobipocket: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/HomePage/default.asp?Language=EN

You simply hook up the Kindle to your computer (these are all 'public domain' books).

There is also a way you can load the mobipocket website onto your kindle, and so browse the site, without being connected to the computer, and download the free books.

Again, Amazon offers lots of free books. For instance, right now you may get, for free, several books from Don Brown (Treason, Defiance, Black Sea Affair), as wel as "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker" (a cookbook). I also recently got "Red Mars" by Kim Stanley Robinson, "By Reason of Insanity" by Randy Singer, "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb, and "Magic Kingdom for Sale- Sold" by Terry Brooks.

Many current authors allow Amazon to give away their earlier books so as to get people interested in their current offerings.

Here is a link to the current "Kindle Best Sellers". Note that virtually all of the top ten books are free.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/

 

[jrmasm]

I do not own a Kindle. I have the Kindle app on my phone. Is it possible to read the books I've downloaded for my phone on my computer?

Thanks