What's the better e-ink reader?

[Lynn]

I'm looking for an upgrade since my poor old Nook e-ink is no longer supported.

Any recommendations for the best e-ink devices?

I prefer reading EPUBs and have most of my Calibre library in that format.

[Jill Nojack]

I'm looking for an upgrade since my poor old Nook e-ink is no longer supported.

Any recommendations for the best e-ink devices?

I prefer reading EPUBs and have most of my Calibre library in that format.

I really like my Kobo Aura H20 because it lets me read in the bathtub and has a good screen (although the refresh rate can feel a little slow at times). It's an epub reader and syncs up nicely with Calibre. I may upgrade to the Kobo Auro One, which is a bigger and even more waterproof model (internally waterproofed instead of having a cover over the ports like the Aura H20 does.) They also have the non-waterproof versions if you aren't a water baby. I've had mine for a while now and it has been dependable.

Since the only e-ink device I've had to date is the Kobo, I can't give you a comparison with the Amazon readers. But I just would never go there because I've got an epub collection stretching back to the early days of ebooks and am not into proprietary formats.

[Lynn]

I'm looking for an upgrade since my poor old Nook e-ink is no longer supported.

Any recommendations for the best e-ink devices?

I prefer reading EPUBs and have most of my Calibre library in that format.

I really like my Kobo Aura H20 because it lets me read in the bathtub and has a good screen (although the refresh rate can feel a little slow at times). It's an epub reader and syncs up nicely with Calibre. I may upgrade to the Kobo Auro One, which is a bigger and even more waterproof model (internally waterproofed instead of having a cover over the ports like the Aura H20 does.) They also have the non-waterproof versions if you aren't a water baby. I've had mine for a while now and it has been dependable.

Since the only e-ink device I've had to date is the Kobo, I can't give you a comparison with the Amazon readers. But I just would never go there because I've got an epub collection stretching back to the early days of ebooks and am not into proprietary formats.

Same for me. EPUB is the format for almost all my books and what didn't come in EPUB (my Amazon purchases) are in EPUB now despite Amazon's efforts to keep me in their little walled garden. (I have a lot of Kindle tablets, but no e-ink version of their reader.)

I like the sound of the waterproof Aura One. I've been thinking about the Kobo readers, to be honest.

I'm just a little hesitant to get locked in anywhere. But are there even e-ink readers that aren't attached to a particular store? I guess I should research that.
 

[Jill Nojack]

I'm looking for an upgrade since my poor old Nook e-ink is no longer supported.

Any recommendations for the best e-ink devices?

I prefer reading EPUBs and have most of my Calibre library in that format.

I really like my Kobo Aura H20 because it lets me read in the bathtub and has a good screen (although the refresh rate can feel a little slow at times). It's an epub reader and syncs up nicely with Calibre. I may upgrade to the Kobo Auro One, which is a bigger and even more waterproof model (internally waterproofed instead of having a cover over the ports like the Aura H20 does.) They also have the non-waterproof versions if you aren't a water baby. I've had mine for a while now and it has been dependable.

Since the only e-ink device I've had to date is the Kobo, I can't give you a comparison with the Amazon readers. But I just would never go there because I've got an epub collection stretching back to the early days of ebooks and am not into proprietary formats.

I'm just a little hesitant to get locked in anywhere. But are there even e-ink readers that aren't attached to a particular store? I guess I should research that.

There absolutely are! The Boox readers have gotten my attention lately, although the one I am interested in is really more an e-ink Android tablet than just an ereader. Very expensive, but with a 10.3 inch e-ink screen and full tablet capability, it's pretty nice. A girl can dream, at least. You can read a review on it (and lots of other ereaders here:

https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/onyx-boox-note-plus-10-3-inch-e-reader-review

I love the goodereader site because the reviews are really helpful. You probably want to spend some time there because the research will be worth it.

[Lynn]

Oooh! Thank you for the suggestion. I'll do that.

[Captain Cranky]

So with the kobo and amazon e-readers, can you not download other reading apps on them? I buy from both stores, and currently use my samsung tablet with their apps, but the battery drain and shiny screen is driving me crazy when reading. I've been wanting to buy an e-reader for ages, but not if I'm locked in to only the company's format...

[elleoco]

So with the kobo and amazon e-readers, can you not download other reading apps on them?

Well, Amazon's Kindles (the actual devices with e-ink screens) only handle the latest mobi versions - other than pdf, which IMO is an inflexible waste of time. I don't know about Kobo, always assumed it was E-pub only. My sympathy about the shiny screens, I can't see a thing on my phone out of doors, and I had to shop carefully for my last laptop to make sure I got a matte screen because even indoors if there was a light anywhere near, all I saw was reflection.

[Captain Cranky]

Hi Elleoco 

I love my laptop but didn't think about the glare issue when I bought it, when it's time to buy a new one I'll definitely be following your lead and getting something I can use outside.

Does anyone here buy books from Amazon and convert them to epubs for the kobo?

[Jill Nojack]

So with the kobo and amazon e-readers, can you not download other reading apps on them? I buy from both stores, and currently use my samsung tablet with their apps, but the battery drain and shiny screen is driving me crazy when reading. I've been wanting to buy an e-reader for ages, but not if I'm locked in to only the company's format...

Both Kobo and Amazon are just ereaders, so you can't download other apps. That's why I'm looking at something like the Boox Note. It's e-ink, but it is also a full android tablet, l so I could use my Scribd account on it, too. Boox makes several variations on their ereaders with different sizes and capabilities from ereader-only to e-ink tablet. But once you're looking at something that has app capability it gets a lot more expensive - still, to be able to have full use of the device is a real bonus for me. It lets you get your books from anywhere. But you're looking at a much higher price since it has beefier hardware.

Also, many of the Boox devices don't have a front light for reading in the dark. That's not a consideration for me, because I could still use my clip on book light when reading in bed, but it's something to be aware of when you are looking at ereaders.

[Kate Elizabeth]

I love my Kindle Paperwhite, but I got a Kobo Aura 2 a few months ago, and really enjoy it for when the library only buys the epub version of library books.  The only thing that I wish the Aura 2 did better, was allow me to get to my TOC better when I'm in the middle of reading a book.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it's a hassle.  I am technologically challenged, to be honest.

[Ros]

I'm fond of Kobos. My Aura handles PDFs as well as epubs, but most pdfs don't reflow properly so it means zooming in. It's had a few software upgrades since I got it, and this week I uploaded Overdrive integration. (My library doesn't use Overdrive though, so I can't say if it works well).

[MPMcDonald]

I have a Kindle Voyage and like it. My only gripe is finding a cover that gives me that book feel but where the cover doesn't flop around when it's opened.

[LDB]

I've been a Kindle reader since the first couple of generations and currently have the Oasis 2. I just got a Kobo Aura One the beginning of this week. Here's something I wrote to a friend.

I splurged and bought a Kobo Aura One, hereafter A. I say splurged because this is the larger model they sell and thus also more expensive. I’ve had it for two days so I’m just getting used to it, comparing it to my Kindle Oasis 2, hereafter O.

The A has a more neutral white light to the screen, at least to my eye, while the O is very slightly toward the red side of the spectrum, very slightly.

The O is more even corner to corner but that is only because there is a very small margin around the border of the A that has slight shadowing. It doesn’t affect the text, it’s just there if you look very closely specifically for it.

The A shows more text per screen, maybe 10% more. I can’t get an exact comparison because they handle margins etc. slightly differently. The A also has a more book like rectangular, tall page as opposed to the almost perfectly square O page. That’s a point to the A for me. The actual display area of the A is about 0.4 inch wider and 0.7 inch taller than the O, based on best eyeball guess.

The A seems to be a little more sensitive to touch for page turns than the O. I sometimes, more than I’d like, have to touch the O twice to get the page to turn and once in a while it will only turn by pressing the button.

They are similar in weight, the A being slightly heavier but probably measured only in grams difference and worth it for the added screen space.

Calibre is a whole new universe to me and I know nothing about it yet. I’m getting by with links from Bookbub etc. emails to populate the A. I’m sure in time I’ll get used to it and they tell me I’ll be able to convert and load my O books into the A.

I really like it so far. I don’t think it will completely kick the O to the curb but it’s going to definitely steal a good bit of face time.

[Jill Nojack]

I love my Kindle Paperwhite, but I got a Kobo Aura 2 a few months ago, and really enjoy it for when the library only buys the epub version of library books.  The only thing that I wish the Aura 2 did better, was allow me to get to my TOC better when I'm in the middle of reading a book.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it's a hassle.  I am technologically challenged, to be honest.

I had to go look at that, because I think I struggled with the same thing in the past. Are you touching the center of the screen to bring up the bottom bar, then using the icon to the left of the aA icon? Because that part seems easy enough now that I'm actually thinking about it. It's a pain if you want to go back to where you were and forget to use the "Previous location" arrow at the bottom left of the lower bar. I always forget about the "Previous location" option.

[Kate Elizabeth]

Jill, if I ever did that, it was probably an accident.  Now I need to practice using those suggestions.  Thank you!

[idontknowyet]

I've been a Kindle reader since the first couple of generations and currently have the Oasis 2.

Do you like the Oasis? it just looks so awkward to hold to me. I can break myself of the old kindles. I wont even try the paperwhite ones. I just keep buying the old ones when my kindle keyboard broke it was a very sad day in my house.

[Kate Elizabeth]

The main thing that I required in both the Paperwhite and Aura 2 was that I could read in direct sunlight, since I'm on my back steps a lot.  I'm almost positive the Oasis has that, too.

[Lynn]

Does anyone here buy books from Amazon and convert them to epubs for the kobo?

I buy plenty of ebooks from Amazon and convert to epub. Not for a Kobo e-ink reader because I don't have one but they go onto my Nook e-ink just fine so I suspect they'll work just fine for a Kobo too.

I use Calibre with all the necessary plug-ins. Amazon really doesn't want you to make backups of your book in other formats, but I mostly don't care. :D I'm not spreading these things around to other people and don't ever plan to but I do want to be able to read on my tablet when I want, or my e-ink Nook when I need to. I doubt seriously anyone is going to begrudge me that. If someone ever invents an uncrackable drm and authors go for it, there are going to be a lot of books I won't be buying. The number one reason I like (LOVE) ebooks is because of the convenience of them. I sometimes pay more for them than I would for a paperback just because it's that important to me.

And wow, that got long and possibly a little ranty. ;D I think I need more coffee. :D

[Captain Cranky]

Not ranty at all, that was great thanks 


I might start looking at readers and buy myself an early birthday present!