From all the portable ebook readers that are  on the market at the moment, which is the best?

For international fans of the Amazon Kindle DX, 19th January 2010 marks the date that the 3G Wireless coverage went global. Over 100 countries are currently covered through GSM technology so that you can download books wirelessly in less than 6 seconds.

So is this large Kindle DX worth the almost double price of the Kindle 2? At $489 the Kindle DX global wireless reading device is expensive but you are getting a big 9.7 inch display which is almost as big as an average hardback novel. Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons with the Kindle DX.

Kindle DX Pros

• For those that need to use the larger font for reading a 6 inch reader then you will appreciate the larger screen of the Kindle DX. You will get more text per page making your reading experience more natural.
• Compared to the Kindle 2’s display, the DX has an even better screen with darker text and a really crisp and sharp display with good contrast – pictures also look great.
• The Kindle Store presently has more than 400,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs and they are adding more every day.
• With its reduced keyboard size, more of the Kindle DX is devoted to the screen area with less white plastic border.
• The increased storage size can now hold 3500 books or 3.5 GB of space.
• The four way navigation stick is rotation sensitive so that it works either in landscape or portrait mode.
• The PDF reader works well and the documents look just as they do on a computer screen. You can also drag and drop PDF’s into your DX through the USB. Technical books are also better displayed on the DX compared to the Kindle 2.

Kindle DX Cons

• It is very expensive compared to the Kindle 2 but I am sure that the price will drop soon.
• The navigation buttons are now all down the right hand side which I can imagine won’t suit lefties that much. Also if you like to switch hands because of the weight, you will find it hard to click the next page button if you are holding it in your left hand. You could turn the device upside down so that the buttons are on the left but the next page button will be at the top making it hard to reach.
• At 18.9 ounces, the DX is heavy and some people have found it tiring holding it in one hand for any length of time. It is also a bit awkward to hold it in one hand and type with the other. You can buy a cover that not only protects the DX, it also flips over and acts like a stand so that the Kindle can stand on its own. However, it is not heavier than a hardback novel so the weight issue will only be noticed by current ebook reader users.
• The keyboard has lost a row of keys compared to the Kindle 2. There are now only 4 rows of keys – no number keys. You have to press the Alt key in combination with the top row of letters which is a bit of a hindrance. The keys are also a bit small and hard to distinguish the letters on them.
• There are no folders for managing your documents, books, music, etc. This is now a bigger problem because of the large amount of diverse documents and books you can store.
• No EPUB format support so you can’t download free e-books from public libraries.
• Definitely not as portable as any 6 inch reader but for people that really want a larger display I don’t imagine that will bother them.

Technical Details for The Kindle DX

- Display: 9.7″ diagonal E Ink® electronic paper display, 1200 x 824 pixel resolution at 150 ppi, 16-level gray scale.

- Size: 10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″.

- Weight: 18.9 ounces.

- Storage: 4GB internal (approximately 3.3GB available for user content).

- Battery Life: Read on a single charge for up to 1 week with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks.

- Charge Time: Fully charges in approximately 4 hours. Also supports charging from your computer via the included USB 2.0 cable.

- Connectivity: Amazon Whispernet provides wireless coverage via AT&T’s 3G high-speed data network in the U.S. and partner networks outside of the U.S.

- USB Port: USB 2.0 (micro-USB connector) for connection to the Kindle DX power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer.

- Audio: 3.5mm stereo audio jack, built-in stereo speakers.

- Content Formats Supported: Kindle (AZW), PDF, TXT, Audible (formats 4, Audible Enhanced (AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion.

Summary

Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G, 9.7" Display, White, 3G Works Globally – 2nd Generation

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $359.00

Amazon Price: $359.00

Although you are officially tied to Amazon’s Kindle Store for buying your books and for storing copies of the books you have bought, there are workarounds. Your books can be backed up using Calibre software and you can also convert free e-books to MOBI and upload them to your Kindle.

On the whole, this is a great ebook reader even if it is not as portable as the Kindle 2 – but you either buy an e-book reader for the portability or the readability. If you like the idea of a device that can hold a few thousand books that you can slip in your pocket, then buy a 5 or 6 inch reader. But, if you want a reader that you can read without glasses (for those of us that have tired eyes) and that can be used to easily read PDF and technical documents, then buy the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device.

While compiling this Barnes and Noble Nook review, I was at times impressed and other times frustrated with this new ebook reader. True, it has many neat features and much to like, like the massive book selection, personalization, the color screen, and the aesthetics of the reader. But there are also a lot of issues with the usability and software bugs that have left a lot of buyers quite annoyed.

There have already been several firmware updates which have fixed some issues but it amazes me that Barnes and Noble could come out with a slightly flawed ebook reader, especially this late in the game.

Understandably, Barnes and Noble have a huge offline presence and so they probably didn’t feel the need to introduce a portable ebook reader, until now. So, it wasn’t like they had to rush into the market as they are already several years behind Amazon, Sony, and the rest.

Features of the Barnes and Noble Nook

Barnes & Noble NOOK ebook reader (WiFi + 3G)

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: Varies based on product options

Amazon Price: $188.00

Unlike all the others though, the Nook has an additional 3.5 inch color touchscreen LCD display below the E-Ink display. The display is dual purpose; use your finger to swipe through titles and tap to open your next book (your library is displayed via full-color book covers.) You can also use the Nook’s virtual keyboard to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Try before you buy. You can download a free sample of any ebook that Barnes and Noble sell to discover new authors or check out the latest novels for free. When you find something you like, it’s easy to buy and download the titles you want in seconds with the Wi-Fi and free wireless from Barnes & Noble via the AT&T 3G network.

Huge choice of ebooks. The Nook has a choice of over 1 million titles to buy plus 500,000 free titles, not only the classics but also some contemporary titles as well. Most of the ebooks are almost $10 but you can find many that are under $5 too. For some reason, not all the free ebooks are listed under the correct tab; you have to search around to find them all.

Share eBooks with friends or family. Many eBooks can be lent for up to 14 days at a time. You just choose the eBook that you want to share and send it to your friend’s Nook or to any PC, Mac, iPhone, or iPod touch that has a free Barnes and Noble eReader software downloaded on it. The BlackBerry and other smartphones will be available for ebook sharing in early 2010. Unfortunately, many publishing houses are against this idea and will not support it, so you may be limited.

Personalize your Nook. You can personalize and protect your Nook with over 30 different protective covers in various colors and materials. You can also customize the look of your Nook with colorful device backs and frames.

Some of the Problems That Have Been Reported

Slow page turns – The page turns were a lot slower than any other ebook reader available but with the firmware updates this issue has improved. Some people have reported that the longer that you are reading on the device, the page turns begin to slow down again. I am sure that future firmware updates will resolve this issue once and for all; it is just a pity that Barnes and Noble are using their customers as beta testers instead of waiting to introduce a fully functional and bug free device.

Short battery life – The battery drains after just 3 or 4 days compared to 12 to14 days for a Kindle and even longer for the Sony. This is true even if you turn the Wireless off and you dim the LCD display. I suppose that is the price of having a dual display. According to Barnes and Noble the battery life is up to ten days with the wireless off.

The color LCD screen – The touch screen is relatively easy to use most of the time but some have reported a lag in the response of the command that makes people want to keep touching the display believing that the input was not accepted. The keyboard buttons are a bit small and sometimes hard to hit, but it is generally responsive.

Frequent crashes – Some, but not all users have reported that the device frequently freezes and needs to be rebooted. Every so often the Nook has trouble loading and formatting an ebook but if you wait a while it will fix itself.

Bookmarks – The Nook can not jump to a specific page number which is something that needs addressing. You can jump to specific chapters and sometimes sections of a chapter. An original issue was also that the ability to save where you left off in a book was flawed and only worked occasionally. Again, with the updated firmware this has been fixed.

Slow power up and formatting – The Nook does take a while to power up probably due to the color LCD screen. Formatting books also takes a while but only when switching to a new book.

Advantages of the Nook

The Nook is a good looking device and aesthetically pleasing. The lower color LCD screen is an issue of personal taste; some love it and others think it is useless eye candy that is a considerable power drain.

The user-replaceable battery is an important feature that the Amazon Kindle lacks. But considering the battery drain and the need to re-charge more frequently, you will probably need this feature. At least you can have a spare battery to hand and not have to send it off to be changed for you like the Kindle.

The Nook supports SD memory cards for extra storage and the ability to organize your files. This is a major feature that the Kindle doesn’t have

Other advantages are the ability to lend a book which unfortunately is more limited than Barnes and Noble are willing to admit. This is because many publishers are fighting to have this feature disabled and so might not be available on many books. Also, you can lend a book to only one person for 14 days at a time. The many personalization options are important to some people; choice of covers, device backs, frames, and personalized sceensavers with photos.

Specifications

Dimensions and Weight

• Height: 7.7 inches, Width: 4.9 inches, Depth: 0.5 inches
• Weight: 12.1 ounces (343 grams)

Wireless

• Free wireless from Barnes & Noble via AT&T, the nation’s fastest 3G network

• Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g)

• Free Wi-Fi in all Barnes & Noble stores

Expandable Storage

• 2GB (approximately 1500 eBooks)

• Expandable microSD slot

Audio

• MP3 player

• Built-in mono speaker

• Universal 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

Connectors

• Micro USB connector

• Expandable microSD spot

Battery

• Installed Rechargable battery

• Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter

• Charging time: 3.5 hours from wall outlet

Supported File Types

• EPUB (Non or Adobe DRM)

• PDB (Non DRM)

• PDF

• Graphics: JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP

• Audio: MP3

Summary of the Nook

Although the Nook was released with several problems and bugs it is obvious that Barnes and Noble are taking these concerns seriously by releasing several firmware updates. I really don’t understand why they didn’t wait a month or two more to release a fully functional and bug free device, but the future for the Nook will be bright I am sure.

There is a lot to like with the Nook and there are some features that people like and others don’t. For example, the color LCD screen is just an annoying distraction and battery drain for some. The personalization options will appeal to many and the rubber backing is a lot more comfortable to hold than the metal backing of the Kindle.

The Barnes and Noble NOOK ebook reader is a welcome addition to the current options of portable ebook readers and will take some market share away from the Kindle and the Sony readers. Competition is good for the consumer as competitors will develop unique features and cut prices to stay in the game.

First of all, these sites that require you to pay for a certain amount will give you a really convenient time when it comes to finding the written media that you like. If you take into consideration what you will get for the onetime investment, you will realise that this is really not much compared to the benefits you will get. Being a member will make downloading files to your iPad very convenient, because you know that in the event that you suddenly feel like reading a brand new reading material, you can just go to one particular site in the internet.

If safety is your primary concern like making sure that you will not download some malicious programs, the best thing for you to do is to sign up for a particular website’s membership and stay away from free iPad download sites. If you want to make sure that the files downloaded are not infected by malware, your only choice is joining an iPad membership site. All files offered for download are pre-scanned and the website is monitored by professional programmers.

The best thing that you can get from these paid websites is that even though you need to pay a particular amount, you will be assured that you will be given the license to download all the media files that you want to download. Download speed offered by these sites is extremely fast and there will also be no bandwidth restrictions.iPad membership sites are also great for newbies, because you will always be able to get help by contacting customer service.

Truly, the amount you will pay for these websites will be worth it once you realize that you will be able to download iPad eBooks freely and without worry.

Learn About The Best Places Online To Download iPad Ebooks. Visit iPad Ebooks At http://www.i-padebooks.com

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PhillyD.tv – To check out the full LTA video on the iPAD click here www.youtube.com or Check out my latest Vlog: youtube.com

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