Budget e-readers

Sony offers the best budget ebook reader

With recent price cuts from Amazon, the line between high-end and budget ebook readers is becoming increasingly blurred. When the Amazon Kindle 2 cost $360, a $200 e-reader seemed like a good deal. Now that the Amazon Kindle 2 and the upcoming Barnes & Noble Nook ring up at $260, a stripped-down ebook reader priced between $200 and $250 seems like less of a bargain.

While no sub-$250 ebook reader receives overwhelmingly positive reviewer support, two budget-friendly models earn relatively good ratings in reviews -- the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro (*Est. $200) and the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300 (*Est. $200). The Sony e-reader gets slightly more recommendations, and those who review both ebook readers tend to give higher ratings to Sony.

Because the Sony Reader Pocket Edition lacks a touch screen, it doesn't suffer from the glare and contrast problems that plague the Sony Reader Touch Edition. In fact, the 5-inch display looks fantastic, and some experts say the crisp text and excellent contrast even beats the Amazon Kindle 2. The 6.25-by-4.25-inch e-reader is also significantly sleeker than the Amazon Kindle 2. However, you'll lose some features over the pricier Sony Reader Touch Edition, including the built-in dictionary, MP3 playback and the ability to take onscreen notes. However, experts and users say the Sony PRS-300 is a good budget pick for recreational readers. "The PRS-300 is the perfect entry level reader and is great for those who value extreme portability," says Lisa Gade at MobileTechReview.com. Initial user reviews are generally positive, with most owners praising the gorgeous text display, portability and user-friendly interface. However, owners say students and researchers should upgrade to the Sony Reader Touch Edition.

A similarly sized ebook reader, the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro (*Est. $200), is another option for budget-conscious shoppers. Lisa Gade notes that it offers more features than the Sony Reader Pocket Edition, but it still lacks Wi-Fi. Still, Shane McGlaun at I4U.com says the price is right, and he's impressed with how easy it is to use. Like the Sony Reader Pocket Edition, the Astak e-reader supports multiple file formats, including ePub. However, the Astak e-reader has a smaller book library, so it tends to get lower ratings from experts. David Carnoy at CNET gives it just an "ok" rating, saying the Pocket Pro fails to impress when it comes to available books and the user interface. Overall, he would be more quick to recommend it if it cost around $150. Given the recent price drop for the Amazon Kindle 2 (and the impending release of the Barnes & Noble Nook), Carnoy thinks it's worth it to pay $60 more for one of these feature-packed e-readers. The EZ Reader Pocket Pro is pretty new to the market, and it's currently only available at Astak.com and Newegg.com.

Reviews are also mixed for the Cool-er ebook reader (*Est. $250), which is manufactured by a U.K. company called Interead. The slim, iPod-like device comes in an array of colors and includes E Ink technology like the major ebook readers from Amazon and Sony. The 6-inch screen is the same size as the Amazon Kindle 2, and the Cool-er supports a variety of file formats, including PDF, ePub, RTF, text and others. An SD memory card slot and MP3 playback are also included. The Cool-er does not include Wi-Fi, so it requires a computer connection (Mac or PC) to download new ebooks.

Priya Ganapati at Wired says the Cool-er doesn't really stand out from the crowd, but he calls it a "reasonably good looking e-book reader at an attractive price." Edward Baig at USA Today thinks the Cool-er is more stylish than the Kindle's ebook store, CoolerBooks.com, contains fewer titles than Amazon's, and popular books are more expensive. "Cheap in every sense of the word, but usable," says Jason Chen at Gizmodo.com of the Cool-er ebook reader. Multiple reviewers, including Chen, say the interface is awkward and not very user-friendly. Overall, experts say the Cool-er is no match for the Kindle 2, which costs just $10 more. The Cool-er ebook reader is available at CoolReaders.com.

Lesser-known than Amazon or Sony is Dutch-based BeBook (*Est. $250). With 512 MB of internal memory, BeBook can store around 1,000 titles, and an SD memory card slot allows storage to be expanded up to 4 GB. The device can play music and audio book files, but it lacks wireless connectivity. Battery life is reported to be excellent, with an estimated 7,000 page turns between charges. Like the Sony and Amazon e-readers, BeBook uses a 6-inch display, but reviewers say the four-level grayscale makes text less sharp. On a high note, BeBook supports an impressive array of file formats -- 25 in all, including PDF, ePub, Microsoft Reader (LIT), plain text, Microsoft Word, RTF, HTML and more. BeBook's store offers an impressive 20,000 free titles, and the BeBook e-reader comes preloaded with 150 classics. In spite of the generous file support, reviewers find that the BeBook fails to stand out from an increasingly crowded e-reader market. It costs nearly as much as the Amazon Kindle 2, and experts say this e-reader doesn't do enough to justify its cost.

BeBook also offers a pocket e-reader dubbed the BeBook Mini (*Est. $200). This ebook reader is virtually similar to the original BeBook, with the exception of a smaller, 5-inch screen. Like the larger BeBook, the BeBook Mini requires a USB connection with a Mac or PC to download books. Chris Oaten at Gizmodo.com (Australia) thinks the slim design and excellent battery life are pluses, but it can't compete with the Amazon Kindle 2 when it comes to features and price. Darren Murph at Engadget.com agrees that the BeBook Mini has some serious competition, but he's fond of the lightweight design and clear E Ink display. BeBook e-readers are sold direct at MyBeBook.com; shipping to the United States costs $25 at the time of this writing.

Foxit's e-reader, the eSlick (*Est. $260), is a relatively new ebook reader. Like most cheaper e-readers, the eSlick does not include Wi-Fi, and it depends on a USB connection for downloads. Features include a built-in MP3 player, SD card slot and a 6-inch display. Brian Thomas at TopTenReviews.com says the eSlick is a decent choice for an entry-level ebook reader. He calls it an "undeniable bargain," but that was before the Kindle's recent price drop. The eSlick only supports PDF and text files; all other file formats must be converted to a PDF with the included software. While this is a significant downside in some reviews, the eSlick does do a fantastic job with PDF files. It boasts an automatic reflow feature that reformats PDF files when zooming. "Foxit's eSlick handles PDFs better than any other e-book reader, but it's missing many features found on competing readers," says Matt Safford at ComputerShopper.com. Unless you read mainly PDF files, the Sony or Amazon e-readers offer more features for a similar price. The eSlick e-reader is only available at FoxitSoftware.com.