Let's not forget there is a new option from Barnes & Noble, the new Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/features/index.asp

It looks like a very nice reading instrument and you don't get locked into Amazon's proprietary format. Nor do you support Amazon, which, in my view as a small publisher, is the best aspect of getting a Nook.

Steve Z.

JohnK wrote:

Susanne wrote:
>May I ask why you don't use the Kindle application on the Galaxy
Tab?

Simple answer -- the screen. Reading for any length of time on an LCD screen
makes my head hurt, no matter how good the screen, and the Galaxy Tab's screen is
excellent. Browsing or reading emails is fine, but reading a novel for a lengthy
period is different.

An LCD tablet is okay for 20 minutes' reading on your commute,
but for lengthy reads it's unsuitable, in my opinion.

Before you consider buying a
tablet as an e-reader, borrow one from somewhere and read a novel for an hour or two.
You'll see what I mean. Your eyes will tire quickly. The Kindle, on the other hand,
really is just like reading on paper. It's a great product.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

Let's not forget there is a new option from Barnes & Noble, the new
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/features/index.asp
It looks
like a very nice reading instrument and you don't get locked into Amazon's
proprietary format. Nor do you support Amazon, which, in my view as a small publisher,
is the best aspect of getting a Nook.

Clarification: although I use a Kindle extensively, I don't tend to buy Kindle books, for the reason Steve mentioned. I don't like buying DRM-locked products of any description. There's plenty of DRM-free material in MOBI format, which the Kindle can read.

But I bought the Kindle mainly to read web content. When I come across interesting long articles on the web I email them to my Kindle. I use Instapaper (http://www.instapaper.com to make this a one-click process. The Kindle's built-in web browser, though crude, is also useful occasionally, particularly combined with the free worldwide 3G access (although I can't believe Amazon will allow this to be available without charge indefinitely).

Clarification: my post above begins at the word Clarification!

Just to make my own clarification, I am not implying that anyone buying a Kindle is subverting the world of publishing. I just want to make sure the fine alternative to the Kindle does not get short shrift.

Steve Z.

JohnK wrote:
>Before you
consider buying a
>tablet as an e-reader, borrow one from somewhere and read a novel
for an hour or two.

Thank you John - I will do that - actually the main reason I have not yet bought a Tablet or iPad is that I hate touching the screen - I suppose my fingers are hypersensitive, but after a few minutes of swiping my iPhone, the fingertipps get tingly and numb - same on an iPad. It would be great to have some kind of glove, on the iPhone I use a special stick ....

- and Stephen, I totally agree about Amazon, ,.but, living in Europe, Nook is not an option - you can't download books for it. Oh well, guess I will just keep the iPhone a while longer and wait for something finger-friendly to come along ;-)


Stephen Zeoli wrote:

Let's not forget there is a new option from Barnes & Noble, the new
Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/features/index.asp

It looks
like a very nice reading instrument and you don't get locked into Amazon's
proprietary format. Nor do you support Amazon, which, in my view as a small publisher,
is the best aspect of getting a Nook.

Steve Z.

>
>
>Susanne
wrote:
>>May I ask why you don't use the Kindle application on the Galaxy

>Tab?
>
>Simple answer -- the screen. Reading for any length of time on an LCD screen

>makes my head hurt, no matter how good the screen, and the Galaxy Tab's screen is

>excellent. Browsing or reading emails is fine, but reading a novel for a lengthy

>period is different.
>
>An LCD tablet is okay for 20 minutes' reading on your
commute,
>but for lengthy reads it's unsuitable, in my opinion.
>
>Before you
consider buying a
>tablet as an e-reader, borrow one from somewhere and read a novel
for an hour or two.
>You'll see what I mean. Your eyes will tire quickly. The Kindle, on
the other hand,
>really is just like reading on paper. It's a great product.