Which eBook Reader is Right for You?
| # | Brand Name | Current Readers | Price | Size | Storage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony | Reader (Pocket Edition, Daily Edition, and Touch Edition) | Pocket Edition is $199.99, Touch Edition is $299.99, and Daily Edition is $399.99 | Touch Edition has a 6” display and is 10.1 ounces. Daily Edition has a 7” display and is 12.75 ounces. Pocket Edition has a 5” display and is 7.76 ounces. | Touch Edition has 512 MB and can hold 350 books. Daily Edition has 1.6 GB and can hold hundreds of books. Pocket Edition has 512 MB and can hold 350 books. | ||
| Barnes & Noble | Nook | $259 | It has a 6” display and is 11.2 ounces. | It has 2 GB and holds up to 1,500 books | ||
| Pocketbook | 301+, 302, and 360 | 301+ is $275, 360 is $239.302 isn’t being sold in the U.S. market yet. | 360 has a 5” display and is 5.3 ounces. 301+ has a 6” display and is 6.1 ounces. 302 has a 6” display and is 9.8 ounces. | All 3 types have 512 MB and can hold 350 books each. | ||
| Bookeen | Cybook Opus, Cybook Gen3, and Cybook Deluxe | Cybook Opus is $250, Cybook Gen3 is $350, and Cybook Deluxe is $450 | Opus has a 5” display and is 5.3 ounces. Gen3 has a 6” display and is 6.13 ounces. Deluxe has a 6” display and is 6.13 ounces. | Opus has 1 GB. Gen3 has 64 MB. Deluxe has 64 MB but comes with a 2 GB memory card. | ||
| Endless Ideas | BeBook Mini eReader and BeBook One eReader | Mini eReader is $199 and One eReader is $249 | One eReader has a 6” display and is 7.76 ounces. Mini eReader has a 5” display and is 5.64 ounces. | Both eReaders have 512 MB and can hold 350 books each. | ||
| Amazon | Kindle and Kindle DX | Kindle is $259 and Kindle DX is $489 | Kindle DX has a 9.7” display and is 18.9 ounces. Kindle has a 6” display and is 10.2 ounces. | Kindle DX has 4 GB and can hold 3,500 books. Kindle has 2 GB and can hold 1,500 books. | ||
| Foxit | eSlick Reader | $259.99 | It is 6.5 ounces. | It has 512 MB but comes with a 2 GB memory card. | ||
| iRex | Digital Reader 1000s and Iliad 2nd edition | Iliad 2nd edition is $699 and Digital Reader 1000s is $859 | Iliad 2 has a 8.1 inch display and is 15.3 ounces. Digital Reader has a 10.2 inch display. | |||
| Jinke | Hanlin eReader v2, v3, and v5 | Hanlin eReader v5 is $249, v3 is $299, and v2 is $349 | V2 has a 6” display and is 10.58 ounces. V3 has a 6” display and is 7.76 ounces. V5 has a 8” display and is 5.64 ounces . | V2 has 64 MB. V3 has 32 MB. |
The Bottom Line
All of these companies have made a great ereader product. So which is right for you? That depends what you're looking for. Which of characteristics appeal to you?
- A Big Screen: Most eBook Readers have a 5-6 inch display. If you're looking for a bigger screen, eBook Readers such as the Sony Daily Edition, the Amazon Kindle DX, the iRex Iliad 2, the iRex Digital Reader, and the Jinke v5. Of those listed, the Jinke v5 is the cheapest, at $249, but doesn't come with any storage. The iRex Digital Reader has the largest screen (10.2 inches), but is the most expensive option at $859.
- How Heavy it is: eBook Readers tend to be about 6-10 ounces, but some stand out as being the lightest. If weight matters to you, try the Endless Ideas Mini eReader or the Jinke v5 (both 5.64 ounces). iRex Iliad 2, Amazon Kindle DX, and Sony Daily Edition are the heaviest eBook Readers, but they also all have to compensate for providing such an easy-to-read, big screen.
- How Much Memory it Comes With: If you don't mind spending a little extra money on memory cards, most eBook readers have the potential for plenty of storage. However, if you're the type who wants all of your storage provided with the reader, try these types: Sony Daily Edition, Barnes & Noble Nook, Bookeen Deluxe, Amazon Kindle DX, and Amazon Kindle. All of those readers provide 1.6-2 GB, except the Amazon Kindle DX. The Kindle DX provides 4 GB, and can hold 3,500 books, more than enough to never worry about filling up your reader.
- The price: Ah, the price. This is what customers often look at first (exactly why I decided to leave it for last). When shopping for eBook Readers, gauge the price against its features. Characteristics that may appeal to you (such as a big screen or a light weight) can more than make up for an extra chunk of change. The cheapest eBook Readers are the mini versions (surprise, surprise). The Sony Pocket Edition and the Endless Ideas Mini eReader are both $199.99 (Funny how leaving that last cent off still tricks us into believing it's not actually $200!). Both eReaders come with the same amount of memory, but Endless Ideas Mini eReader is slightly lighter.
