The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 4 is the gold standard when it comes to an e-reader providing the best reading experience possible, in conjunction with their great software features. The 4h generation model continues to employ a black and white E INK display, while the new Pocketbook Color is utilizing the brand new E INK Kaleido. How does the Kindle compare against a color e-reader?
The Kindle and Pocketbook Color have similar specs. They both have six inch screens with a resolution of 1072 × 1448 with 300 PPI. The front-lit displays are basically the same, but Pocketbook is packing more LED lights. The Kindle is using a single core processor, while the Pocketbook has a dual cure. RAM and internal storage are similar. Audio functionality is present on both, they both have Bluetooth to connect wireless headphones, but Pocketbook ships with a USB to 3.5mm headphone jack, for people who want wired connections.
When it comes to supported ebook formats and shopping experience, things are quite different. Pocketbook supports more formats, including CBZ/CBR for digital comics and manga, but you have to sideload all of this. The Pocketbook store is primarily populated for free titles, but it does have a number of paid ones too. Nothing really beats the Amazon experience, you can buy ebooks right on the Kindle, and have millions of titles to choose from. You can buy audiobooks right on the device too, but only in select markets, whereas Pocketbook needs to have all music and audio content sideloaded.
Pocketbook basically allows users to have more flexibility and control, users will have to sideload there own things to the device, or access Dropbox from the internet browser. A full color screen is a major selling point, Amazon will likely not do color for a few years. Amazon is more user friendly, you can do everything right on the reader, without really needing to sideload, although you can sideload in your own ebooks, you can’t do it with audio files.
In the video below, we take a look at the Pocketbook Color and Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 4, and compare them with the same ebooks, PDF files and other digital content.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
