eBook Reader Source

Bookeen Cybook and Asus Eee in the sun Is an eBook Reader better than another device for what I want to do? This is perhaps one of the more important questions that one should ask when thinking about purchasing an eBook Reader. Listed below in bullet format are the most important arguments for and against adding an eBook Reader to your gadget collection…

Why eBook Readers are Better than Other Devices:

No Eyestrain- One of the biggest reasons why one should consider an eBook Reader over other devices is because of the eInk screens that are used. eInk screens are not constantly refreshing like the screens you find in cellphones, PDAs, and computers. eInk screens don’t refresh unless if the page is changed so that means that it is like reading a real paper book. This means that you won’t experience the same eyestrain that comes from using a computer or cellphone screen for extended periods of time. One other benefit of eInk is that the screen is easily viewable in direct sunlight unlike other types of screens.
Form Factor/ Screen Size- Have you ever tried reading a full page of text on your cellphone? It is not the easiest nor the most comfortable way to read a document for sure. With eBook readers, viewing is much more natural and comfortable as the size and form more closely mimics that of an actual book.
Good for Those with Bad Eyesight- Most eBook readers allow you to resize your text to larger sizes. This combined with a larger screen size compared to other devices make them ideally suited for people who normally have to rely on large text format books.
Free Internet Access (Kindle only)- A huge bonus for those that own a Kindle is the free access to a wireless network that comes with ownership. This both opens up a lot of options for eBook reading and allows you to surf the web for free from anywhere. To do this with other devices you would have to pay a monthly service fee. This also allows for seamless integration of book buying and reading within the device without any hassle.
Book Reading Specific Features- Other devices aren’t meant for reading books which means that buttons are not always in convenient places for reading. eReader controls are better suited for reading as buttons are positioned in a more natural way for reading a document. Also most eReaders allow things like bookmarking pages and easy page turning that one would expect when using a paper book.
Battery Life- One more benefit of eInk technology is that it is an almost powerless technology. Since eInk screens do not refresh the only time that power is used is when turning pages. This means that eBook readers’ battery life can be 10-30 times that of the LCD technology found in almost all cellphones and portable devices.

Why eBook Readers are Inferior to Other Devices:

Gadget Clutter- While everyone loves cool new gadgets, there is a limit to how many a person can carry around and use without them becoming an annoyance. If it will not replace some of the books, newspapers, or other devices you normally have with you then adding one more thing to the mix might not be a great idea.
Limits of Current eInk Technology- Currently all eInk displays are in grayscale. While this is just fine for reading text it does mean that color images wont be displayed as such. eInk also has problems with moving graphics as well which might hamper your internet browsing experience. Don’t expect to be able to watch videos on your eBook reader or anything like that. One other problem is that eInk displays take a little bit of time to change their picture which means that there is a slight delay between pages.
Limited Features Outside of Reading- Most eBook Readers don’t let you do much more than read. While almost all of them allow for audio playback, you are almost certainly better off using something else for audio. Internet use too is somewhat hampered by the display technology as you are unable to view rich multimedia websites. If you are looking for an all-in-one device then you will be disappointed with what eReaders offer.
Less Native File Format Support- While you can add almost all file formats to an eBook Reader, it isn’t always easy or quick if the file is not one of the supported formats. Normally you have to convert a file into one that the eBook Reader natively supports. Not all eBook Readers have this problem but the most popular, the Kindle, does so it is worth mentioning. Most other portable devices support most file formats natively or you can download software to view different types of files easily.
Not Much Benefit for Light Readers- If you normally don’t read books or newspapers very often or don’t have RSS feeds that you like to follow then its probably not worth it to buy an eBook reader. There are better devices out there for music, personal organization, and video so if you don’t often read there isn’t much point in buying a reading device.
No Backlight- eReaders are very much like real books. They look like real paper and are easily viewable in sunlight where LCD screens aren’t. This cuts both ways however as current eReaders don’t have any backlight so you need a reading light to read at night. LCDs of course have no such requirement so viewing in dark places is not a problem on other devices.

Summary

eBook readers are great devices that have quite a few positives over other portable devices. They however are not perfect for everyone, especially now as the technology is in its first generation. Depending on your reading habits, eBook readers could be a welcome addition to your cellphone and iPod but for those who don’t normally read, an eBook reader probably won’t change that. It just comes down to what you want out of your device. First and foremost eBook readers are just that, a device to read books so you should have that mindset when thinking about buying one.