KOBO or Kindle

[Ken L]

After carrying around something like 2kg's of books at one point during my recent trip abroad, I'm looking seriously at the e-readers that are on the market which in terms of popularity makes it a two horse race between KOBO and Kindle.

There are free books for both.

Paid books are apparently a little cheaper on Kindle but as Kindle is only supported by Amazon, there's no prospect of competition to drive prices down.

KOBO is a bit smaller than Kindle - actually it's about the size of a paperback.

 

Any thoughts or comments from people who have tried both would be very welcome but I'm particularly interested in anyone with experience of using them with non linear reading materials such as travel guides, encyclopedias or reference books.

[Phone]

Ken,

 

PM me when you research and decide. I have to get my 14 yr old something for her text books next year (high school) as it is mandatory. It must be Kindle Fire or better??????

 

My deadline is August.

 

Phone

 

(She says the only thing that will work is an Apple IPad 4S - - - Yeah right! about $800 for 32 gig)

[Ken L]

Phone, you're starting point should be contacting the school to find out what formats ther textbooks are available in.

The basic Kindles are very restricted.

Kindle Fire is AFAIK a tablet like the i-pad rather than an e-reader. The e-readers are very different beasts with an non backlit e-ink screen and will go for a month on a single charge.

[Phone]

Ken,

 

I know NOTHING! Surely I'm not going to have to answer to a 14 yr old. I've pretty much quoted the school. For sure, I intend to find out more information. Kiri too suggested I didn't have enough facts. Like what "format" (for lack of a better word) the text books were printed in. Exactly how much space (how big) the text books are going to be as they include chemistry and physics. Will she be doing her "work" on the device then downloaded to the teacher's inbox. On and on, I really have no idea for "answers" at this point.

 

Also, she "hinted" I could rent/lease one (something) from the school. Equally, there has to be some provision for kids who are as "smart" as she is but poor as a church mouse (I'd think?).

 

I would like to be able to down load the books at the end of the year and keep them (although I don't know why). That is a consideration and option I'd like to have. I do know it's OK with the school as they "buy" the books rather than lease or rent from the publisher(s).

 

The IPad S has a camera. I'm almost positive my daughter is scamming me for that option.

 

Phone

Edit sp

Edited May 12, 2012 by Phone

[steve duffy]

Ken,if you get a kindle you will come across someone who has a memory stick containing 12,000 books.I know I did.

[Ken L]

Thanks Steve. I already know someone who has a couple of CD's of the same but I'm not sure what proportion of those would be out of copyright and available free anyway.

As said, I'm interested in finding more about how these things work with reference type books rather than novels. Travel guides like the Lonely Planet on an e-reader would be a major weight saving for me but are they usable ?

[Ken L]

I ended up with a KOBO Touch at a silly price.

£54 for the reader and a free Russell Hobbs toaster - I know, a bizarre combination.

All I need now is the software.

[Newt]

Why does a toaster need software?

[captain cojones]

:lol:

[Ken L]

Why does a toaster need software?

 

Actually, I was planning on using it to warm the batteries to squeeze a bit more life out of them.

 

Nah, it'll go of to my parents who might actually use it - I wont.

 

Have downloaded a couple of dozen classics including the complete works of bill Shakespeare, the bible, the quran, some philosophy (Kant, Russell, Nietzsche etc) and a few oddities for free from Project Gutenberg in anticipation of picking it up from the store on Tuesday.

 

I did do a bit of a search for naughty download sites but it looks as if a lot of the more disreputable ones have been blocked by my ISP.