Ebook readers
In time, ebook readers could mean the end of the traditional printed book. These electronic devices can hold the text of hundreds or thousands of books, putting them at your fingertips wherever you are. Forget about having to lug heavy books when you travel. An ebook reader is all you need.
Ebook readers comparison chart for 2012
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||
Kindle |
iriver Story HD |
Bebook Neo |
Elonex eBook Reader 621EB |
Aluratek Libre Touch |
Bookeen Cybook Odyssey |
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Percentage of people who bought this item |
68.0% | 23.0% | 7.0% | 2.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||||||||||
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Overall
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Design
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Ease of use
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Content
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Connectivity
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Battery & storage
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Features
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Specification |
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Size (diagonal inches)
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6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||
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Touchscreen
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Screen type
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E-link | E-link | E-link | E-link | LCD | E-link | E-link | E-link | LCD | TFT LCD | ||||||||||
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Resolution (megapixels)
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600 x 800 | 600 x 800 | 600 x 800 | 600 x 800 | 480x640 | 800 x 600 | 600 x 800 | 600 x 800 | 800x600 | 640 x 480 | ||||||||||
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Overall size (inches)
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7.7 x 4.9 x 0.5 | 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.335 | 7.2 x 4.7 x 0.4 | 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.4 | 6 x 4.2 x 0.4 | 8 x 5 x 0.4 | 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.4 | 8.9 x 4.7 x 0.4 | 5 x 7.4 x 0.4 | 6x4.3x5 | ||||||||||
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Weight (ounces)
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12.1 | 8.7 | 8 | 10.1 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 11 | 7 | 7.4 | ||||||||||
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Internal memory
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2 GB | 4 GB | 1 GB | 512 MB | 117 MB | 2 GB | 512 MB | 256 MB | 512 MB | 112 MB | ||||||||||
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Removable memory
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4 GB | 32 GB | 2 GB | 32 GB | 16 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | 16 GB |
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Connectivity |
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Wi-fi
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3G
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Features |
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Text to speech
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Supported audio |
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MP3
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AUDIBLE
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AAC
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OGG
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AAX
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AA
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Supported documents |
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PDF
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TXT
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MOBI
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DOC
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HTML
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KINDLE
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PRC
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Battery |
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Battery life (page turns)
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Up to 5500 | Up to 8000 | Up to 8000 | 5000-8000 | up to 9000 | Up to 700 | Up to 7500 | 8000 | Up to 3000 | |||||||||||
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Recharge time
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3.5 hours | 4.5 hours | 3 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours | 5 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours |
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Help & support |
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Telephone support
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Email support
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Live chat
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User manual
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Ebook readers explained
Ebook readers are small devices, typically around the same size as a large softcover book, but thinner. Most have a large screen on which the text of a book can be displayed. They can connect to the internet via a Wi-Fi network or 3G connection, enabling you to purchase and download books.
You may also be able to plug the ebook reader in to your computer in order to upload your own documents. Some can display PDF and HTML files, as well as plain text documents. These might include out-of-copyright books, which you can download online for free.
A key feature of an ebook reader is the screen. Many readers have a special ‘e-ink’ screen which closely mimics the properties of paper. Unlike normal computer screens, e-ink screens don’t give off light. This means they don’t strain your eyes so much and use less power (so your ebook reader’s battery lasts longer).
However, e-ink screens are impossible to read in the dark, and only display grayscale, not color. This may be a problem if you intend to use other features of your ebook reader, like viewing web pages and other documents.
Ebook reader comfort
Most people hold ebook readers like a normal book when they read them. The size, shape and weight of an ebook reader is therefore very important. You should be able to hold it easily without getting uncomfortable.
The battery life of ebook readers can vary hugely, but it’s generally best to opt for a longer battery life over lots of extra features. If you’re going to use your ebook reader for much more than reading books, you’ll be better off with a tablet computer or laptop anyway.
Similarly, ebook readers have limited storage. Books don’t take up much room compared with music or videos so even the smallest capacity ebook readers are adequate to begin with. But if you’re worried about running out of space, get an ebook reader with removable memory, so you can add extra capacity if you need it.
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