EmailWhen shopping for an ebook reader, buying guides encourage consumers to first consider how they will be using their e-reader. What types of books will you read? Do you also want to download magazines, newspapers and RSS feeds? Considering your needs and how you'll use your ebook reader can help you identify which e-reader will be best for you. Here are the top features to consider:
- Size. E-readers vary in size from only slightly larger than a thin paperback to 8.5-by-11-inch tablets. Smaller devices are more portable, but also have smaller screens.
- Display technology. E Ink Corp. is the leading manufacturer of e-reader displays, and its electronic paper is designed to look like text on real paper. Good contrast and crisp text make for easier reading, and a backlight-free screen helps prevent eye strain. Sixteen-level grayscale delivers more tones for better looking text, graphics and photos, while four-level grayscale will be comparatively dull and struggle to render detailed images clearly.
- Navigation and user interface. Consider the positioning of buttons and other navigation controls. Left-handed users may struggle with landscape mode on models where control buttons are on the right. Toggle and joystick controls are easy to use, but typically take more time than interacting directly with the device via a touch screen.
- Ebook access and file compatibility. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble have the largest ebook stores, and each company boasts over one million books, periodicals and other files. Sony has its own ebook store, and its e-readers are compatible with thousands of free public domain books from Google. Mobipocket, now owned by Amazon.com, but still compatible with other manufacturer's e-readers, lists around 40,000 titles on their website. Additional ebook retailers offer books in Mobipocket, text, PDF, Microsoft Word or other file formats.
- Wireless connectivity. Experts say that the easiest e-readers to use are those with wireless connectivity; ebooks can be purchased and downloaded from anywhere, at any time. Readers without wireless capability require USB connection to a computer to download ebooks. Most major e-readers are compatible with both Macs and PCs, but check before you buy.
- Memory. Memory on ebook readers varies widely, and many offer expansion slots that allow users to save titles to memory cards, helping to free space on the device itself.
- Battery life. Most e-readers will last as long as two weeks with minimal usage, or two to three days with more regular usage, between charges. A few -- those that rely on the battery to power lights, interactive touch screens and other features -- need to be charged more often, as frequently as every day.
- Multimedia and other features. Some e-readers offer extra features, including basic music players, annotation programs, document sharing, text-to-voice capability, handwriting recognition, web browsing and games. Generally speaking, the greater the number of extra features, the higher the price.
History of the ebook
The concept of ebook readers was born in 1971 when Project Gutenberg, a volunteer organization dedicated to digitizing books and other publications, was created. The founder, Michael Hart, started the project by digitizing first the Declaration of Independence (hand-typing the text), followed by the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the King James Bible. In 1998, the first two ebook readers were introduced: the Rocket eBook (NuvoMedia, Inc.) and Softbook (SoftBook Press, Inc.); both models have since been discontinued and have not been replaced. The ebook market remained relatively quiet until Sony introduced its first ebook reader in 2006, which was followed by the Amazon Kindle in 2007.