Kindle vs Nook & Sony Reader

I am curious why people are buying e-readers rather than netbooks. From what I have seen most netbooks are cheaper than the readers, and in color. I have the first generation Kindle but at this point plan to buy a netbook rather than the Kindle2.

Netbooks are not ideal for reading. Not only because of the horizontal orientation of the screens but the fact that they use LCDs and not e-ink displays like ereaders. Simply put, ereaders are specifically designed and optimized for reading ebooks. Netbooks are not. A netbook has its uses but it is not ideal for reading. Personally I already have a netbook and have no desire to read ebooks on it, but I do want a Nook specifically for building an ebook library.

I am a big fan of the Kindle, but think that maybe next year (when nook 2) comes out it will be ready for primetime and all the bugs worked out. I found a comparision of the two which is a good read: http://www.yourhelppage.com/index.php/showdown-kindle-vs-nook

It comes down to the technology used. I find staring at an LCD screen for more than an hour to be a huge strain on my eyes. Looking at a Kindle is like reading a real book. No headaches.

Microsoft has an excellent eReader Program----computer based
and many available free eBooks.
The Product Development and marketing cost for the Kindle-etc...
is very high. Kindle content availability is a very big selling point.
The net book program allowing for shift of screen image
allows this device to be used as an eReader too.
Perhaps Amazon President is also working toward
shifting from private format to universal.

As for eReaders --- the best is yet to come methinks.

Do the Sony erader, the nook and the kindle all have wifi capability to download books from. If not which ones do? Can you listen to books being read with earphones on all three?? and if so do you have to buy speial audi books or can all books be audio?? I have been trying to figure out which of the 3 is best for months and still not sure. The sony (not hand held pocker size) is the only one that seems to have the option to write notes with a stylis and make test notes when you are reading books. Is that correct? Is it also the only one that stores photos and pdfs? The the sony the only one you can share book for free with friends and if so how do you do that?

From my perspective the most important reason to e-read is for the kids. Huh, you say? Have you ever seen the amount of books kids (at least the ones in my town) are carrying in their backpacks today? From 6th grade through high school the backpack must weigh 15 to 30 lbs! All the companies making e-readers should make it a priority to add middle-school, high school and college textbooks to their e-books! I know the universities may reject this idea but so what! Isn't it still a free world - in the USA? Some us prefer the e-books to the load! I told you it is a Mom's point of view!

I got one for Christmas and was very disappointed. First, the black type on gray is tough to read unless you are in proper light. Second, since the screen is glassy, there are times when you find yourself staring at yourself in the glassy screen while trying to focus on the text. Third, the Sony website is far inferior to the Barnes and Noble website and doesn't offer as many titles. Fourth, (not a real important point, but...) you cannot justify the type on the Sony Reader; all pages are unjustified, and of course all books have justified margins.
For my tastes, Sony falls far short of being a comfortable and useful reader.

Your comments about Sony features are correct... However I am a tad frustrated with the limited number of business titles of my favorite books from the Sony e-reader site. I was only able to locate 6 of the top 17 business books I targeted for download on the Sony site and the Sony does not allow loading of books from barnes and noble (which has a better library of business books to my taste - they had 11 of the 17 )

i am a college professor, and some text books are available for ereaders.
To find out whether your text are available in epub (or other) format check the publisher's website. The etexts I use from Wadsworth are available for about half the price of books, and the whole book or individual chapters can be purchased. You can also try asking at the University book store which titles are available. The more people ask for ebook texts the more likely they will become available. I am trying to figure out which ereader to buy for myself.

I recently purchased a Sony, of course I had asked the salesman if I could download from BN and was told the only one I couldn't would be from Amazon as their format was different. He worked for Borders. Enough said. I purchased an eBook from BN and I can read it on my PC but it will not transfer to my Sony. I get a "not authorized to preview eBook message." A tech at Sony said there was a way to by-pass the normal route from PC to Sony that other buyers had discovered by trial and error. If anyone knows how to do this please pass info on. I just didn't want to wait unknown months for the Nook once I had decided an eReader would be convenient to have. BN has been my preference for books for years, I would hate for that relationship to end.

I've had a Sony eReader (the PRS-505 model ( for a year). I love it BUT as soon as Barnes & Nobles has worked out the first edition glitches if any, I'm ditching my Sony for the Nook. Why? Because Sony's customer service frankly sucks. Excuse my french but its just plane awful. Sony should be ashamed how bad it is.

Customer service might not matter much for most technologies but for an eREader the selling point is buying and downloading a book for immediate gratification. If there is a download glitch, the expectation is that immediate contact of customer service will resolve the problem within 24 hours, usually less. (Sony needs customer service lessons from Apple's iTunes or Amazon)

I bought a digital book 8 days ago and am still waiting for sony to get me the book download or refund my credit card. Sony claims they offer customer service via live chat, email, or an 800 phone number but that's misleading. For help with book downloads only the customer service phone line can help and that is if you can get through the 90 minute phone queues and reach a knowledgable person to help. I was told they'd get back to me in a couple of days. I've called them, emailed them and still no results.

Sony isn't interested in selling books rather just gadgets so for my money, I recommend going with a company that knows how to make readers happy.... that would be either Barnes & Nobles or Amazon.

Because the Barnes & Noble Nook also offers the ability to read digital books from libraries as well as share books with other Nook readers.... I vote for the Nook over the Kindle. It's less proprietary in many ways.

Technologically all 3 companies have a quality product, but I've never had a customer service issue dealing with either Amazon or B&N.... I've had several with Sony.

Make your life easier.... go with the Nook. I plan to convert as soon as possible. By the way, with Nook you can download for library sites too. And all 3 allow one to listen to audio books...most of sony's features are available on the Nook. And the light thing is a non issue as all 3 offer a case with a built in light.

By the way, both Amazon and Barnes & Nobles have applications for the Apple iPhone & iPod Touch or a PC ....so you can testdrive digital books software before making the larger investment in an ereader device.

I have had a very good experience with Sony. I am not computer savvy at all, but I foud their customer service very helpful and polite. I did have to wait a little on the line, but I guess that was due to all the holiday high volume of calls, nothing unexpected.... I guess you just have to know how to ask for help these days....

I found the comments for this article more helpful than the article itself. It seems to me that the title is very misleading as this was not about actually comparing the 3 devices to each other, but rather, about comparing which one would be delivered the quickest in time for Christmas. Really?

I would like to learn more about the actual devices, different experiences, both good and bad, that people have had with each device, and why I should buy one device over another. I first became aware of the ereader devices because of the advertisement for the Kindle on Amazon, but then learned that many people were unhappy with it. So, after doing a little more research, I discovered the Sony and now the Nook. I almost purchased a Sony when I found out about the Nook because it seemed to me that the Sony offered more than the Kindle, but now that I've learned about the Nook, I am just as confused as I was before. In the end, all I really want is for some help in figuring out which one is the best, offers the most flexibility, technology, and such, so that I can give them my hard earned money.

Oh, and on that note, it is very obvious when someone from Kindle is pushing the product in the comment section such as one anonymous comment above. So, if your trying to sell me, don't. I want real people in the real world expressing themself to me so that I may be educated on my purchase.

Thank you.

You can always import your ebook files to the sony library by importing it the same as you would import music to your itunes or whatever. If the file is on your computer find its location in your folders (downloads, temporary, BN reader library, ect.) then go to File>Import Files (or the whole folder), same as with itunes. It can take some hunting if you don't remember which folder it was downloaded to. It's worked for me on every single file type that the sony ereader supports. I've yet to find anything that can stop me from reading any ebook.

I have the Kindle 2 and I have compared it against the Sony E-Reader as well as the new Nook. The Kindle 2 is simply phenomenal. The Kindle 2 has built in Wireless in which you can download any book in less than 60 (on average 30 seconds) and read immediately. The other 2 do not have that feature. Many times when I am simply showing off my book to someone, I tend to come across a free book to download again unto my system (so it's that easy)! In addition, another key feature that puts the Kindle above the other 2 is the built in dictionary. This feature is so important because anytime I am reading and I do not know a word, I simply move the mouse to the word and you get the definition, right there. I do not have to leave the page of what I am reading (which I believe that if you have to leave your reading page, many individuals would be discouraged from looking up the word in the first place). This simple feature right here, has allowed me to dramatically increase my vocabulary. Also, this book has text to speech. Yes, it is very boring speech, but however, I cam across folks who stated that when stuck in traffic, they simply can turn on the speech and have it read to them. (May be very important for individuals who are still in school and have to read very dry text anyway). In addition, you can download MP3's and photos into your Kindle 2. I know they said you can do that with the Sony (at least music), and the Nook I am unsure, but many people sadly believe that you cannot do the same with Kindle. Also, another simple but I find to be very important feature about the Kindle is that it has a page turn on both sides of the book. This is important because naturally many times when we read, we are not always reading sitting fully erect. We read while slouching and lounging. As a right handed person, I did not really notice that I use my left hand as many times as I did to turn a page. SO when one of my hands are simply unavailable because I am using it to support my head, it's in between my legs to keep warm, whatever the case, I simply use the other available hand. This helps me to not break my flow while reading. Another important feature is the text on board. Though the Sony e-reader has a touch-screen which only some is convenient, the Kindle has a full number and letter keyboard for those who the actual typing may be more convenient. This is important because I can take notes whenever and highlight and bookmark any portion of the book that I want. I remember when I tested the Nook at a Barnes and Nobles store, there system of doing this could not even compare. You would have to leave the reading page and go into a long menu, before you could simply type in the information. Why I say that the Kindle is better for this feature than Sony is because of the wireless again. Due to the wireless, anything you types, markup in your book, notes that you make, etc., automatically gets saved to the Amazon wireless server. This is so important because as I realized, if you happen to lose or your Kindle get broken, when you get a new one, it will literally have all of your information saved up and when you open up the new one, it will literally even open to the last page of what you were reading before you lost or broke your previous one with all of your notes and marks in all of your books still intact. Don't let the advertisements fool you, they are truthfully not important. For example, I see that some of you say the Sony allows you to download books from the library, well trust me, almost any book you can get from the library, you can get from Amazon. Some of you complain about a backlight, led light. The reason the Kindle doesn't have an led light is because truthfully it is no good for our eyes. If they were to have a backlight, that would encourage so many people to read in conditions that would be harmful to us, and in addition sue them later for it. Now Sony I find to be just greedy in this case, buy simply doing what the customers want, but not really doing what is in their best interest. In addition, Kindle 2 did not have a native PDF viewer, but they just allowed Kindle 2 users to automatically download it unto their reader so they now have that as well. Take note on the fact that I am not really discussing the Nook. That is because if any of you take the time to go to Barnes and Nobles for yourself and test it first hand, you will see that it is not even competition with the other 2. The representative kept talking about it like it was the best thing since sliced bread, but because I know what my Kindle 2 can do I knew what questions to ask. Too often, their features were just inferior and the design simply did not make sense. Considering it is the newest product on the market, I find that to be inexcusable. Kindle 2 wins hands down, because to me, your reading experience is magnified. I always liked to read however I did not read as much as I do now because it truly makes reading such a joy. Another pro about any book reader over the Netbooks, is that it is small enough like a real book (even smaller), so that you can carry anywhere, and read anytime (in the grocery store line, while waiting to pick up prescription medicine, while being pulled over by the traffic police- just joking), but anywhere, whereas though a netbook is small, it is simply not small enough to carry in most purses. I am also quite sure, that if I think long enough there are other pros about the Kindle 2, but I just want to you guys to really analyze each product on your own. Do not just read the professional reviews which often seem very biased. Go to customers who own or at least have viewed and used the products. Before I got my Kindle in thoroughly compare it with the Sony e-reader and then went to the Sony store to check it out first hand. Even though I got the Kindle 2 when it first came out, I went solidly from Kindle 1 reviews and read and compared the Kindle 2 new features to Sony. The key features that won me over was the Built in Internet (not wi-fi) that you do not even have to pay for, as well as the keyboard (which now I see the keyboard is not really that defining). Now that I have it, I see truly how much better is is than the e-reader. When I cam across the Nook, I didn't even know that it existed. When I saw it, I was so excited thinking how have they advanced the e-reader experience and was disappointed because it did not.

Don't really have experience of using e readers. However, bought daughter Sony PRS600R reader for xmas as she has moved to Australia. Within two weeks the screen has gone faulty....Sony don't have facility down under to repair. This was kept in padded 'book' cover too. Seems waste of money to me now. Wish I had picked up on her hints for Kindle.

If you can hold out, wait! Don't buy anything yet!

Word on the street is that Apple is coming out with their version sometime soon. http://venturebeat.com/2009/12/28/apple-tablet/

Also, a new brand called Alex is coming out sometime next month. http://gizmodo.com/5396857/alex-reader-hands+on-lusty-pictures

The thing about the Alex is that it has the same Android hardward that the nook has. Supposedly, this hardward has the capability to be updated. Which will mean everytime a new app is added you won't have to run out and buy a new reader. Just update your hardware. That alone is a huge plus for me.

Also, as far as I know, none of the e readers available have true internet access. Meaning, you cannot access your emails or any social sites like facebook. I am hoping one of the new readers will have this capability. I would love to have an all-in-one device.

Now repeat this chant after me, patience, patience, patience..........

I got a Sony reader for Christmas. I bought 2 books on December 27. When I tried to charge it on December 31, it wouldn't. I called Sony and spoke to a very polite man named Oscar who tried his hardest to troubleshoot. Finally he said they would replace it and I would need to send the original back. On January 7 I got the replacement...it was a refurbished model which Oscar never mentioned. I called and after much discussion,and transfers to several customer service reps, was told to send the refurbished one back (policy must be to replace after 30 days with a refurbished model) and they'd send a new one. I did. On January 15 I called to check on the status of the return and new one. They never heard of me. I was transferred several times. Denila told me I would recieve my new one in 5 business days. On January 22 I called again. Bernice argued with me that I sent the refurbished one back to the wrong address (never mind that I used the return label provided by them), that the policy was to send a refurbished one AND she wouldn't transfer me to another rep because she could take care of my issues. I have never been so angry at a customer service rep in my entire life. After much wait time, she told me she could immediately ship me a silver model. My husband bought me a red one and that is what I wanted it replaced with. Now my wait will be 10 more days since there were none in stock... I am considering returning this item to Best Buy and cutting my losses. I don't want to deal with Sony any more. Bernice turned me off of them and we have purchased many Sony items over the years. I do not want Sony to get another dime of mine, if any of it goes to the lousy customer service reps like Bernice!!

I have a friend that is interested in buying the sony reader. I told her that the Nook is better. But, after reading all the comments, I am a bit curious what the Apple e-reader and the Alex e-reader has to offer. I am wondering if these would have better features, since the e-readers have been out for a while, so its posible that some of the features that the Sony, Nook, Kindle & Kindle 2 lack might be put on the Alex and Apple e-readers. Please give me some advise. I think my friend will be buying a e-reader for her mother in May.

Thanks

The Sony eReader supports PDFs, Word documents, plain Text files, JPEG pictures, ePub books (from local library or Google Books), Sony proprietary eBooks and MP3 audio files. It also has an SD slot so its memory can go up to 16 GB. However, only the most expensive Sony eReader has built-in wireless connectivity ($400 for the Daily Edition).

The Nook supports PDFs, JPEG pictures, ePub books, B&N proprietary eBooks and MP3 audio files. It also has an SD slot so its memory can go up to 16 GB. All Nooks have built-in wireless connectivity.

The Kindle 2 supports PDFs, Audible audio books,Amazon proprietary eBooks. Amazon provides a service to convert Word documents, HTML, GIF, PNG and BMP pictures (you are charged a download fee of $.15 per megabyte) . No Kindles have SD slots, so you are limited to the 2 GB of storage in the Kindle. However, all Kindles have built-in wireless connectivity.

I haven't used any of these. That information is what I could glean from the vendor's technical specs pages. Personally, I'm leaning towards the Sony because it supports Word, PDF documents via conversion and supports ePub library books, but its document conversion doesn't cost anything, and the device has an SD slot, unlike the Kindle.

I bought the Sony Touch but the battery would not hold a charge, bought a Nook to replace the Sony because it has a replaceable battery. I have had many problems with batteries lately and having the ability to replace a defective or worn out battery myself is a big plus.

I just received a Nook for my birthday. I was under the imprssion that the pages would light up while you read. Well the Nook allows the bottom screen to light up but not the area that reveals the pages of a book. Can anyone tell me does any of the electronic books provide this feature or am I ahead of myself?

Your comment about the Barnes & Noble nook not being able to download & immediately view eBooks is an outright LIE! I happen to do technical support for nook and in doing so use nooks in our office all of the time. I can assure you that nook is QUITE capable of allowing you to browse the BarnesandNoble.com store, purchase eBooks, download them and view them in seconds. Also, yes, nook is capable of downloading photos (see below).

In response to the comment "Comparison of the Nook and Sony":
The upper display, called the eInk Display, is not designed to light up. You can increase or decrease the contrast (16 shades of gray), but eInk Display is NOT designed to light up. It is designed to simulate an actual, printed sheet of paper and is actually easier on your eyes to read depending on how much ambient light is available. It's not a design flaw, per se, as much as a design decision based on stated user preference, likely obtained from market research.

In response to the comment titled "Any books purchased for your"
This is true, and nook does this as well. However, I have HEARD that Amazon retains the right to remove books from your library if they are discontinued by that book's publisher - even if you've PAID for that title! I have had more than one customer call in or write to us via e-mail with this concern. Thankfully, Barnes & Noble does not do this. Once you purchase a book, it is yours forever. Even if you delete the book from your nook and want to go and download it many years later after the publisher has already pulled that book from our shelves, you will STILL be able to re-download it because we will be obligated to keep a digital copy of that book in case you want to re-download it.

As far as what file formats nook supports:
EBOOKS - PDF, PDB, ePub
AUDIOBOOKS - MP3 only
IMAGES (wallpapers/screensavers) - JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP

Your dumb, I actually think most universities would agree, Just sayin', your dumb.