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When comparing eBook Readers there are a number of factors that one needs to take into consideration. The choices of devices are growing daily and the options on the devices are growing as well. For some people, the number of books the Reader will store is the most important while for others it’s the ease of transport. Therefore, it is imperative that individuals take into consideration as many factors as possible when comparing one model to another.

This article will compare 4 different models and discuss the features of each so that any reader can decide which might be best suited for his or her individual needs. Comparisons include screen size, weight, wireless capabilities, memory, battery time, and navigation ease. The four models are as follows:

Amazon Kindle 2 eBook Reader – This reader is often referred to as the “next generation reader and features improved ergonomics and navigation. It has a better display than the original version, and more storage capacity. The battery life just keeps getting better while maintaining a subscription-free wireless access to Sprint’s 3G data network.

With Amazon being the primary Kindle Store service, users have the largest choice of eBooks and can, of course, download them for free, and with the high speed network utilized by Kindle, books can be downloaded most anytime and anywhere. The service is turned on automatically and requires no monthly service plans, bills or commitments from its customers. Over 200,000 books are available for downloading which included those on the New York Times bestsellers. Magazines and newspapers may also be auto-delivered wirelessly.

The Kindle 2 weighs a mere 10.2 ounces and offers a 6 inch screen which means portability is simple and easy. Approximately 1500 books can be downloaded to the Kindle 2. Battery time is around 2 weeks.

Amazon Kindle DX – This is a large screen device that is actually 1.5 times larger than the regular Kindle display. This technology also offers native PDF support and it is probably safe to say that the DX is more suitable for reading electronic versions of newspapers, magazines, and formatted books.

This eBook Reader also has an iPhone-like accelerometer that changes the orientation of the screen when you rotate the Reader. It offers a 9.7 inch screen and weighs 18.9 ounces making it almost double the weight of the Kindle 2. The download capabilities of the DX far surpass the Kindle 2 in allowing for up to 3500 books. Battery time is about 2 weeks.

Sony PRS 700 – This device is somewhat comparable to the iPhone in its touch screen capabilities and turn pages back and forth swiping motion. It has improved navigation and a faster processor. A stylus is provided to highlight or search words and make notes. Much like the Kindle 2 it offers a 6 inch screen and a 10 ounce weight. The memory of the Sony PRS 700 is 512 Mb and the battery time is about 7500 pages.

Sony PRS 505 – This reader allows you to download books from the Sony bookstore as well as from other eBook online stores. The Sony bookstore also offers you credit for 100 free eBook downloads from their Classic collection. Similar to other eBook Readers, the Sony PRS 505 offers approximately 7500 pages of battery life and like the Sony PRS 700, a 6 inch screen. It weighs a mere 9 ounces and has 192 Mb of memory.

Fujitsu Flepia

This is the Cadillac of eReaders. It is the first color eBook reader in the world, but you pay for it with a whopping $1,000 price tag. It also offers an 8″ touchscreen, Wi-Fi and wireless Bluetooth. You can store books on a 4GB SD card, and you will get 40 hours continuous use from each charge. If money was no object, this would do what any other eReader does, and then some. According to Digital Book Readers, these new devices are currently being tested as a point of sale (POS) terminal in the Termina Kinshicho Fujiya restaurant in Tokyo as an interactive menu. In addition to allowing diners to select their menu choices by tapping its sexy touchscreen, the device also gives patrons access to train schedules, local weather, and other shopping sites.

BeBook: Endless Ideas

Endless ideas is a Dutch company, and their BeBook is nothing much to look at with around average functionality. However, it is light at 7.8 ounces, so very easy to carry. It also offers you a choice of fonts that can be changed as you are reading. Its triple zoom is also a useful feature for an ebook reader in its price range ($300-$350). It is compatible with a massive range of file formats, and would be useful for open source texts that can come in many disguises.

General

Prices on most devices range from $200 to $500. The best Reader is really a decision based upon your personal needs and preferences. If you are considering purchasing a Reader, you should spend some time reading customer reviews and testimonials to determine what other users have found to be the most satisfactory or unsatisfactory features about each of the various models.

In a recent review on ConsumerSearch.com, experts placed Amazon’s Kindle 2 overwhelmingly the best eBook reader on the market, commenting “The Kindle 2’s only drawback of note is limited file format support and even this limitation is considered by some to be negligible.” The best budget eReader was the Sony PRS-505.

While Apple’s iPhone is not a dedicated eReader, it is extremely convenient, and can be paired with the Kindle for iPhone application that is available free. With that, users can get access to the Amazon range of titles, but without the range of features available on a dedicated reader.

As technology continues to advance, the eBook Reader is here to stay. And with the rapid pace of technological advances the options they offer will only get better and better. What that means, however, is that like computers, your reader will be liable to be approaching obsolescence shortly after purchase, although useable nevertheless. With that, however, prices will drop and become more affordable to schools and students.

Books have been around in their current form for a very long time and have, thus far, proved resistant to technological changes. The basic concept of a book today is very much the same as it was a hundred years ago. Now, however, it looks like technology may have eventually found a better format for enjoying the written word – or has it?

A simple idea in principle, electronic book readers, or eBook readers as they are commonly known, provide the facility to store entire book collections in a package smaller than a traditional paperback; and the facility to read and enjoy books wherever and whenever you like.

How do they work?
E-book readers store books in a digital format, much the same way as a computer stores written documents, and use a microprocessor to deliver the text to an LCD display screen. Users can scroll through the text, page by page, create digital bookmarks, adjust the size of the text, look up unfamiliar words with a built-in dictionary and even listen to music with integrated MP3 players.

Perhaps the reason why e-book readers have become a realistic proposition just now is the advent of the display technology? Anyone who has spent time in front of a computer monitor can attest that reading text can be a little wearing after a while. With the new bread of e book readers this is addressed by the use of electronic ink technologies which give the text on-screen an appearance which is very similar to traditional paper.

Another benefit is that many electronic book readers have back-lit screens which enable you to read comfortably when light levels are low – something which is obviously very difficult with the traditional book.

Book titles can be purchased on-line and downloaded via a PC instantly. The Kindle book reader, developed by Amazon, allows you to download e-books and electronic versions of newspapers wirelessly, wherever you are, in an instant. Which means an end to queuing in book stores, or waiting for books to be delivered by post.

So what’s not to like?
Obviously e-books are not for everyone and some people will still prefer the tactile feel of a traditional book with the ability to build up a traditional collection. Another benefit, of course, is that traditional books don’t need batteries and if you inadvertently leave your latest John Gresham novel on the train it’s not such a big deal as losing an expensive electronic device?

Also, as with most emerging technologies, there are currently several formats available and it’s not easy to predict which will dominate the market. Some e-book readers are fully compatible with PDF and Word documents, while others use their own unique formats. This could be important as anyone opting for the wrong device could find a severe shortage of book titles available in the future?

All in all though, it’s difficult not to appreciate the benefits offered by electronic book readers. More and more titles are being released every day, and the advent of electronic newspaper subscriptions may be a strong selling point alone; particularly as some publishers are rumoured to be considering giving away e-book readers to their subscribers in the future?

What to look for?
If you have decided that you want to buy an eBook reader then here are a few points to consider:

Screen size – typically screen sizes average 6″ which tends to be more than adequate. Some devices are offered in larger formats which may suit some but think twice about buying an e book reader with a smaller screen. They may be cheaper but could prove uncomfortable to read after a while? Look also at the number of grey scales which the display uses – the higher the number – the better the quality of print.

Battery Life – usually measured in page turns and tends to be quite good. Overall, book readers have low energy consumption unless the back-light is used continuously.

Storage Capacity – this can vary quite a lot and is worth comparing like-for-like. Some machines offer additional memory capacity by use of SD memory cards (as used in digital cameras) which may be worth considering?

Supported formats – another area where there can be discrepancies – ideally you’ll want a reader which supports common formats – if not directly, then via some form of conversion facility.

Whether eBooks become as commonplace as predicted remains to be seen, but anyone who enjoys reading will benefit from the freedom these devices offer. Electronic books could well be the future of reading the written word?

Features That The Kindle & The Kindle DX Share

(1) Download books anywhere in just 60 seconds with 3G wireless. No monthly fees. No hunting for wi-fi hot spots.

(2) “Paper like display” with no glare even in bright sunlight.

(3) Free book samples. It’s free to download & read the first chapters of a book so you can see whether it’s worth your money to buy the whole book.

(4) Wireless with long battery life so you can read your books anywhere without worrying too much about recharging.

(5) Both Kindles are as thin as most magazines and they are both lighter than the average paperback book.

(6) “Text to speech” software included with the Kindle will actually read your books to you. This feature works for every book, newspaper, and magazine unless the publisher has specifically disabled it.

(7) Read books, magazines, newspapers, and even blogs. There’s a selection of more than 350,000 books, magazines, newspapers, & blogs available at The Kindle Store. With subcriptions to magazines, newspapers, & blogs the new issues will be downloaded to your Kindle automatically.

Kindle DX Improvements

(1) The display is larger. 9.7 inches instead of 6″ inches.

(2) It can hold more books. It holds about 3500 books rather than 1500. Of course for most people, 1500 will be way more than enough already!

(3) Auto rotating screen. The Kindle DX will automatically rotate from a portrait display to a landscape display as the reading device is turned so maps, graphs, & tables can be viewed in their full width.

(4) Native PDF reader. Unlike the original Kindle, the Kindle DX comes with a PDF reader.

Price Difference

As of right now the new & improved DX is selling for $489 while the regular Kindle (second generation) is selling for $299.

What in the world is a hand-held eBook Reader? This comprised one of the most asked question about two years ago, when the Kindle was first presented to the world. This unique little device fills the gap between technology and literature. Imagine possessing access to three hundred thousand books without needing a library or personal computer. That is just one of the exciting features these devices offer. Before you buy any one of these devices…read on for more information that will assist you understand these ingenious groundbreaking pieces of technology.

In the first place, for all of the green thumbs thanks to these endearing devices the quantity of trees harvested will unquestionably be reduced. Amazon Kindle’s amazing hand-held eBook reader has a feature which gives you access to their online bookstore where there’s thousands of books to choose from. What is more exciting is that the price of these books are extremely lower then purchasing a traditional book since there is no paper involved. You can access this library anywhere the 3G network reaches, which is just about everywhere.

Another awesome feature is the unique sleek design which makes this device easily portable. These little devices weighs in at only 10.2 ounces and is less than 1/4 inch thick! The display is six inches in length. You will also receive A one year limited warranty, which is included if you buy it from Amazon, This hand-held eBook reader also has an optional two years Extended Warranty sold separately. When the battery is completely charged it has a life of four days. This allows you to take it anywhere without having to charge it.

There are a number of things you should consider when buying a portable e-book reader. There are many different models on the market so you must make sure that you read all of the product reviews and buying guides before you purchase your device to make sure that you get the right portable reader system for you.

Here are some tips on what you should look out for when researching your portable e-book reader.

You want to make sure that it has a good resource of where you can get your digital books etc from. Any database that supports an e-book reader should have thousands of current and past titles to choose from.

Be careful about the wireless charges that may apply as some companies will charge you for the actual wireless network charges on top of your download charge. Ideally you should look for one that has no monthly service plans or wireless charges.

It should be compact in size and light in weight so that it can easily be kept in your purse or bag. It should not weigh any more that an average paperback book.

Any good portable e-book reader will also allow access to popular U.S. and international newspapers and magazines

The display of your portable reader system should have a sharp, high-resolution screen that feels and looks like a real book. You want a wireless device that does not require you to plug into a computer system with complicated cables and synching. With wireless technology you can shop on your portable e-book reader from anywhere having your chosen book or publication delivered automatically to your device in under a minute.

Another good feature to look out for is free book samples. This feature allows you to read the first chapters of your chosen book for free before you decide to download it to your portable reader system and if the book is not to your taste, you should be able to download unlimited free ebooks before you buy.

While the features above are a necessity you should also look out for a portable e-book reader that allows you access to online blogs to allow you to keep a breast of the latest words in politics, business, technology, sports and entertainment Email should also be accessible with the ability to send (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) docs to your device.