To begin with, there’s no such thing that can be termed the perfect e-readers. Nothing is perfect. This age old proverb holds true even for one of the latest entrants into the electronic consumer market segment. It is the e-reader, the sleek compact devices that is here to transform the way we read that is being referred here. It is a gadget that translates books in digital format for our eyes to read. The e-reader arrived into the consumer mart with an advance popularity chart that would have placed a Grammy record chart to shame. Such is the hype created with advertising strategies adopted by the makers, that it gets difficult for the consumer or customer to decide the good from the best. There is nothing ever bad about these gadgets, as per the raving reviews that we read about the product.
With its yet nascent status, e-readers are yet a gadget that appeals upon the intrigue factor in a person. That a gadget, electronic in physical reality, with its display screen can replicate a hard cover or paperback book or conventional novel makes this gadget a novel item to be experienced. The common specifications that are listed by the makers of each different brand of the e-reader resemble each other so closely that there is no way for a consumer to decide which one is best suited for the task.
The aim of this article is therefore to share knowledge with the reader, which helps to list factors that need to be weighed by the reader, before finalizing the e-reader of the reader’s choice.
Price – Given the flood of e-readers that have inundated the market the price range has been well established as between $200 to $500.
Screen size – Do not get confused with this specification as written by the maker. Decide the main task that you wish to perform on this gadget. If it is technical documents that you are more probable to be reading with this gadget, then go for the largest screen size. For all else a smaller screen size suffices, including reading novels in e-book format.
E-Book Source – A very important factor for decision making. You have an e-reader but what if the reader is only capable of rendering e-books of a particular format? You would have very less choice of reading material with such an e-reader. It is therefore advisable to go for an e-reader that supports the most number of e-book formats.
Touch Screen vs. Keypad – This once again would depend on personal liking and end usage. In case of greater needs to type notes while reading, a keypad is a better option. However this adds to the overall size of the gadget.
Bonus features – No consumer gadget this day can remain in demand if it does not multitask. E-Readers too follow this same consumer market paradigm. E-Reader has additional features like mp3 player, PDF reader or image viewer. The features that best suit your taste should be the guiding factor for your decision making.
Internet Access – If you are a person who likes to be updated to the latest of the world, then an e-reader with the feature of internet access inbuilt in it is a necessity for you. This allows you not only to download e-books directly from a seller’s site but also to update your subscriptions etc without the need of any other offline transaction.
Battery Life – This should have been listed right on top of the list but this is a factor which all of us are well aware of, not requiring much explanation. A long batter life is always a premium in all consumer gadgets including this e-reader.
In conclusion, what can be said is that given these deciding factors, at the very moment you would find e-readers like the Kindle from Amazon or Reader Line from Sony are leading by way of specifications. However with new models and makes entering the market everyday this lead may not hold true for long.
Keep watching the Good e-reader blog to keep yourself updated on the latest happenings in the e-reader market.
Also be at our Good e-reader forum for a wide ranging discussion on anything related to e-readers. You will also come across the comprehensive list of e-books that is available for download at extremely nominal subscription charges.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.