Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com

by Midknyt November 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 am:

As for conversion on the Sony for you to get deals elsewhere (I like Books on Board), download ConvertLIT GUI and Calibre. Buy your books in Microsoft Reader format (.lit), which is a really common format to find books in. Open it in ConvertLIT GUI and hit downconvert. Then open the new downconverted in Calibre and hit convert, then put the new book on your reader. Viola, books that you can read with about 15 seconds of effort.

Thank you for the conversion tips! I have been considering an eReader for months, and my desire to get one increases each time Jane blogs about the subject. I went back and forth on Sony and the Kindle, and I finally ordered a Sony 505 (as DH’s Xmas gift to me) last week. I can’t wait to receive it!

Question about using conversion software such as ConvertLIT and calibre to convert files so the 505 can read them: I just looked at the ConvertLIT home page and it sounds as if the conversion works by stripping the DRM protection from the .lit files. Is that correct? If so, is this legal? (Same question for those who convert file formats for other readers.) [Off topic here: I ask because DH and I have been discussing whether we could/should try some of the software available on the Internet to convert some movies we own on DVD onto a format his iTouch will read. The DVDs in question has the built-in codes that prohibit copying. I read various forums and I'm still confused about the legality of removing the encryption codes -- not sure if I'm using the terminology correctly. DH is convinced such conversions are illegal so he refuses to do it.]

I chose the Sony 505, partly because of the lower price, and partly because I couldn’t get a straight answer on whether the Kindle would read pdf (which all of my exsisting books are). And I love it. I’ve found multiple benefits, and only one irritation.

Pros-

No more back pain from sitting at my desk too long
No need for more bookcases (seriously, I could not fit one more in my house)
It fits into my catchall much better than a hardcover, and I don’t worry about easily damaging it like a paperback
No more leaving my racy-covered erotica at home for fear of being accosted by the hysterical moms of the world, all of whom seem to inhabit my doctor’s waiting room (seriously, it’s a book cover. and really, your kids are going to learn more about sex from their friends at school than the cover of a book)
Hey! 150 books in your hand instead of just one

Con-

The refresh rate is fairly slow. I’m trying to train myself to hit the next page button before I actually finish the page I’m reading. I figure I’ll eventually get a system worked out.

But all in all, I love my 505. You’ll be prying it from my cold, dead, rigor-mortis-settled hands.

Personally, I enjoy the fact that the 505 doesn’t have touch-screen, as in my past experience it always burns out or messes up quickly and finger slipping accidents happen from time to time. Also, that it has no built in light was another bonus for me because that just adds another level of worry for me – if the built in light fails, will the entire reader fail? Mix in a healthy dose of my kiss-of-death-to-technology run of luck and the fact that I’d stay up reading all night. Well…

I’ll admit to initially being worried about using a e-reader since there’s just something about having a book in your hands, being able to turn the pages, etc. but I was quickly and pleasantly surprised that many times I’ve gone to physically turn the page only to realize that I need to push a button so none of the ‘real book’ sensation was lost.

I’d love to get my hands on a Kindle, out of curiosity, but I doubt I could give up my 505 any time in the near future.

http://store.palm.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2113009&cp=3238805

If you don’t mind carrying the device in your purse, I would probably go with the Cybook Bookeen or the BeBook because of the bigger screen and the longer battery life.

The Blackberry Storm is a good choice for a mobipocket multifunction device because of the large screen and its cell capabilities.

so I’m wanting to find something that will use the mobipocket extension PLUS fit in my pocket. none of the electronic readers are small enough (maybe the sony 505? but it doesn’t handle prc /mobipocket files) and/or handle prc extension.

I admit, that I’m extremely interested in the iTouch, but I don’t want to have to convert files (ack!)
when you do the review on the iTouch, is it possible that you could also do a review on the blackberry? (hehehe, my phone contract is up, and I’m thinking of the new Blackberry Storm)

also, to consider, with my memory stick, i could have hundreds of books on it, and it was very easy to delete and add books, with the iTouch, there’s no place for an sdcard/memory stick. :( another con.

I don’t really care about annotations, or copying something, I’m mainly looking for an electronic device that I can read from, carry in my slacks pocket, and that will handle my mobipocket books.
HELP?

(and you now have a confirm lurker hanging around here, waiting for your next review) :D

Of course, my computer is in the shop right now, and I will probably have to replace it, but… That’s business, right? Hmm. I bet I can count the e-reader as business too…

The one thing that majorly bugs me about the Kindle is the lack of a way to organize your library. You can’t create shelves or move books or change titles or anything. That is annoying.

Ditto over and over again. It’s a huge pain for me to try and keep submissions, manuscripts and pleasure reading seperate. So far, the only thing I’ve come up with is to rename them all before I send them to my Kindle, but that kind of defeats part of the purpose of being able to immediately forward them as they’re received.

I have an ebookwise, a Kindle, and an iPhone. The easiest and nicest device as far as reading goes is the Kindle. There is no eyestrain and it’s the perfect size. It’s easy to use. If I don’t buy books from the Amazon store, I just buy in .mobi format and email them to my kindle email address. Secure .mobi files are a pain in the butt however. It can be done, but it’s a pain.

The one thing that majorly bugs me about the Kindle is the lack of a way to organize your library. You can’t create shelves or move books or change titles or anything. That is annoying.

I loved the ebookwise but it is heavier than the Kindle and not easy to read in some lighting situations. Also buying books for that was somewhat annoying because if they weren’t in the native format, they had to be converted. Which is yet another step. And the only way to transfer is via the cord, which I tend to misplace.

I love my iPhone for reading when I’m out, say in a waiting room or parking lot, but as for sitting on the couch, reading a book, it’s very small and the screen makes my eyes hurt after too long. My favorite reading app on the iPhone is eReader followed by Stanza and then last, Bookshelf (buggy).

The main thing with all of these devices is what a royal pain it is to move books between them if they are “locked.” I HATE DRM. If I buy a book, I should be able to read it on whatever device I own. Period. I shouldn’t HAVE to install perl scripts and run them and download the files and blah blah blah. It’s incredibly annoying and I hate it, but I put up with it because I love reading electronically.

I really do wish I could spend some time with one of the ebook readers and one of the netbooks, just to see what would make the ebook reader worth the money when you can get a computer with all the same capabilities and more. All without being limited to one DRM format too.

I own an Asus 900 (which is a 2lb computer), a Kindle, a Sony 505, an Ebookwise and an iPhone. I’ve read a book on all of them and hands down, the Asus is the last thing I’d choose as my ereader. One, as far as portability, it’s wonderful when used as a computer, but as a reader, not so much because 1) it’s like reading on a computer (since you are) so taking it out in the doctor’s office, bus, train, plane or wherever else you’re sitting is like pulling a computer out, not a book 2) the battery life is not enough that you’d be able to read for longer than 1 1/2 to 2 hours 3) there’s no curling up with it in bed, any more than you can curl up with any other laptop in bed and 4) you’d need to be someone who carries a larger bag/purse to carry it with you, and even at 2lbs it still adds noticeable weight.

On the other hand, all of the others have battery life that will see you through even an across-the-world-plane ride with the exception of the iPhone (I’ve tested this), you can comfortably put them in most purses/bags without adding a lot of extra weight, because of the different displays, it’s not like reading on the computer, but because of the smaller sizes/shapes, it’s like reading a book so you can read in whatever position you’re most comfortable in.

I’m not saying you couldn’t use an Asus or any other mini-notebook as an ereader, and I’ve done it in a pinch, but I guess I am saying it wouldn’t be the optimal experience and it’s not comparable to having and using an actual ereader.

Funnily enough, I went looking for an ereader in Brisbane today. The very nice man in Tandy showed me his iPod touch – and had an instant convert. It was the *only* ereader I found in my admittedly brief look around. The lady in Borders was clearly frustrated by not having any to sell but thinks they will definitely be coming.

At A$329, the iPod touch is significantly cheaper than the Iliad – or any similar device I’ve been able to locate here.