Tech Wham | Ereader Tablet and Ebook Reader Reviews, Videos, and Comparisons

There are so many new ebook readers available on the market today, it can get confusing to say the least. Let’s take a look at 4 of the top companies, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and Kobo (no longer with Borders) and see what each of their products has to offer. Which is the best ebook reader for 2011 and 2012? Comparing different models of Kindle, Nook, Reader and Kobo will help us find out.

Amazon’s Kindle Ebook Readers

Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch and Kindle Ebook Readers

The best selling brand of ebook reader on the market is from Amazon, the Kindle. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about the Kindle E-Ink devices or the new Kindle Fire Tablet Reader, they are all dominant sellers on the market.

The Kindle E Ink Readers- Kindle, Kindle With Keyboard and Kindle Touch

The newest base model Kindle is the lowest priced and comes with the least amount of features. It’s an EInk reader that allows for 1,000 books of storage, battery life of one month, is the lightest and smallest eInk reader, and, again, is the cheapest.

There are differing views of the lack of keyboard on this device. In order to navigate the content, one simply uses the 5-way button on the bottom center of the device. To turn pages, one uses the side buttons.

The Kindle Touch is the newest top of the line E Ink reader from Amazon, taking the place of the Kindle With Keyboard. Instead of having a keyboard and page turn buttons, the Kindle Touch is fully touch screen operational.

The memory capacity is 3,000 books compared to 3,500 for the previous Kindle 3 version. Battery life is the same at 2 months for the Kindle Touch and Kindle With Keyboard.

Some Things E-Ink Kindles Offer That Other E-Ink Ebook Readers Don’t

A few big reasons people choose the Kindle models over others are as follows.

1. International Usage- The Kindle can be used in over 100 countries world wide. This is great for travelers or simply for people who live outside the United States.
2. Text To Speech Feature- This is a mode that one chooses and the book is read by a computer voice to the user. This is available only on books that are licensed to use this feature by the publisher.
3. 3G Option- Many other devices like the newest Nook versions don’t offer a 3G option, whereas the Kindle Touch does.
4. Amazon Prime Membership Benefits- Those customers that sign up for Amazon Prime for a year get benefits like being able to borrow new titles without due dates from Amazon.com.

The Kindle Fire is the latest, hottest product to come from Amazon.com. This is a device that acts like a full-blown Tablet PC. It allows the user to watch movies, surf the web, check email, listen to music, read books and magazines, play games and more, much like an IPad or other tablet PC. The difference is this device is much cheaper than other tablet pcs.

The Kindle Fire will need to be plugged in after 8 hours of use, instead of the 2 months that E Ink models boast. The on board memory is 8 GB of storage, but can be expanded by utilizing the Amazon Cloud Drive, which is free for Kindle users with content that was purchased from Amazon.

Barnes and Noble’s Nook Ebook Readers

Nook Tablet, Nook Color and Nook Simple Touch Ebook Readers

Barnes and Noble’s popular E Ink device, the Nook, is now offered with a full touch screen design. Dubbed the Nook Simple Touch, this device allows for 1,000 book storage, 2 months of battery life on one charge, and is comparably priced to the Kindle Touch.

Comparing the Kindle Touch vs Nook Simple Touch, one can see the devices are very close in quality, there are just a few differences. The Nook, for instance, has page turn buttons on the side, or one can tap the screen on the side to change pages. The Kindle did away with their page turn buttons for the Kindle Touch.

The Nook allows for EPUB file use, which will give the user a larger selection of books when checking out books online at a local library website. The Kindle also allows for library book checkout, but they are much less numerous.

Other notable differences of the Nook Simple Touch is the black rubberized matte finish of the device, giving it a nice warm and tacky feel. The page turn buttons are programmable as well (top button can be changed to page up or down, etc).

The Nook Color and Nook Tablet Color Ebook eReader Tablets

Barnes and Noble has released it’s new Nook Tablet to compete with the Kindle Fire, and has had it’s Nook Color out for over a year now. The Nook Tablet proves to be a more capable device than the Nook Color, with 1 GB of RAM instead of 512 MB on the Nook Color. Also the Nook Tablet has an improved battery life of 11.5 hours whereas the Nook Color has a life of 8 hours, much like the Kindle Fire.

Comparing the Kindle Fire vs Nook Tablet, one sees a few notable differences. The Nook Tablet has more RAM, and a longer battery life. The internet browsers are different as well, with the new “Silk” browser from Amazon promising to be ultra fast taking advantage of Cloud technology, and the Customized Android browser for the Nook Tablet.

The difference is going to be in the company behind the color tablet device and the pricing. Amazon offers a noticeably larger selection of media, including movies, tv shows, apps, games, and more. It’s just a larger company with more choices, and there will be more choice for the Kindle Fire user. However, the Nook Tablet has a slightly more robust physical design with more RAM and more battery life. We’ll see which device wins out in the long run.

Sony Reader WiFi PRS T1 Ebook Reader

The Sony Reader PRS T1 Ebook Reader

While the Kindle vs Nook battle rages on, Sony quietly has a fan base of customers that use it’s Reader WiFi PRS T1 e ink reader. This reader is a touch screen e ink reader, much like the Kindle Touch and Nook Simple Touch.

The memory capacity of the device is at 1,200 books or publications. Battery life is just over a month on one charge. As the name implies, the device allows you to download content wirelessly.

Some Unique Features of the Sony Reader WiFi PRS T1

The Reader WiFi has a couple features that other e ink readers don’t have. Firstly, it is the lightest 6″ screen E Ink reader on the market. Secondly the Reader allows for wireless download of EPUB files from a local library that has Overdrive. For the Kindle, one can wirelessly download books that are available for the Kindle. The Nook needs to be physically plugged into the computer via USB and have books transferred that way.

To get the lowest price on the Reader WiFi PRS T1, it is recommended to purchase through Amazon, as it’s a lower price than available from Sony itself.

Kobo Ebook Readers

Kobo VOX, Kobo Touch and Kobo WiFi Ebook Readers

This year Kobo separated itself from the company, Borders, who have been closing down retail stores nation wide. That’s a whole other story. Meanwhile, Kobo still offers a great new line of ebook readers for e ink lovers and color tablet ereader lovers as well.

Kobo Touch and Kobo WiFi E Ink Readers

The Kobo WiFi ebook reader is the same price as the Kobo Touch, and they have similar features, but also some big differences.

The Kobo Touch also has WiFi abilities, just to be clear. The Kobo Touch allows for 1,000 book storage on it’s memory whereas the WiFi allows for 1,200. The WiFi version navigates through content with the use of a push button controller in the lower right hand side of the device. The “Touch” Kobo is touch screen operated. Both are the same price, so it comes down to navigation of content preference.

Kobo VOX- Kobo’s Tablet Reader

The Kobo VOX is Kobo’s fighter in the ring with Nook Tablet, Nook Color, and Kindle Fire. It has many similar features as it’s competitors. It has a 7″ screen with the same resolution as the Fire, Color and Tablet, however the battery life is slightly less at 7 hours. The operating system is Android 2.3 and offers thousands of apps from the Android store. It’s comparable to the Fire for app usage, and offers a lot more apps than the Nook Tablets.

It has 512 MB RAM with a 800 MHz processor, slightly less powerful than the Nook and Kindle at 1 GHz.

All Kobo devices support ePub format files and can one can check out books from local libraries that use Overdrive.

Kobo Goes International- What Others Don’t Have

Kobo is the first to offer a store and device that is truly international, with content offered in different languages on the device and the Kobo store. This is slightly different than Amazon’s international usage, which is in English.

Conclusion- Which Ebook Reader Is Best?

There’s a quick comparison of the top ebook readers for 2011 and 2012. Each device has it’s own nice features and benefits. There’s a loyal fan base for each and every device, and the improvements made in 2011 for the Kindle, Nook, Reader and Kobo models have a lot of shoppers excited this holiday season. The choice is difficult! It’s going to come down to if you would rather have an E Ink or LCD Back Lit Screen ebook reader, and personal preference.

The Nook vs. Kindle battle is a hot topic this 2010 holiday season. Everyone is wondering which ebook reader is best for them, or for their loved ones as a gift. The choice gets a little tougher with the updated software to Version 1.5 for the Nook. How does it change the device and how does it compare to the new Kindle 3 released this fall?

New Nook Software Update Version 1.5 Released

Barnes and Noble released it’s software update Version 1.5 for the Nook this holiday season. It’s available for wireless download on the B and N website for Nook. Existing Nook users and new users will either have it automatically installed on new ordered devices, or have to visit the site to update it quickly.

What’s New?

1. Stay in Sync Accross Multiple Devices- You can read the Nook at home, get on your phone for the commute to work and read on your phone from the spot you left off, then change to another device and start from the synced page.

2. New “My Shelves”- This is basically a new way to organize your books on the Nook.

3. Password Protected- Now the Nook can be password protected with the new software update.

How Does the Kindle 3 Compare To The New Nook Version 1.5?

Whispersync- Amazon has offered the same syncing across multiple devices with what they call “Whispersync”. You can start on your Kindle, move to your smartphone, continue on your PC, and go back to the Kindle and the pages will be synced.

Collections- The Kindle 3 offers a variety of ways to organize your books on the device as well.

Password Protection- The Kindle can be password protected as well.

Nook Vs. Kindle- Which Is the Better Ebook Reader?

So which is the better device when comparing the Kindle Vs Nook? Take an honest look, and you’ll notice the new updated software Version 1.5 for the Nook really just keeps the device up to speed with the Kindle 3rd generation.

One thing the Nook can do that the Kindle 3 can’t is lend books. This will, according to Amazon, be a feature that will be released “later this year”. Does that mean early next year? We’ll see.

The Nook and Kindle are similar in design, however the Nook has a color navigation screen, whereas the Kindle 3rd generation one-ups the Nook in all other categories. The Kindle 3 is lighter, smaller, sleeker, has triple the battery life, more standard memory, works internationally, and is cheaper than the Nook.

The hands-down winner is the Kindle 3 when looking at the Nook vs. Kindle. Of course, Barnes and Noble has thrown a completely different device into the fight with the Nook Color. If you are thinking you need some color in your device, then you’ll want to check out more on the Nook Color vs. Kindle 3.

Click for more information, customer reviews, pricing, and shipping information at Amazon.

Recently my father asked me, knowing full well that I ran this website about the Nook Vs. Kindle, which is best between the Nook vs. Kindle vs. Kobo vs. Sony Reader?  That’s a fair question. All 4 of these ebook readers are similarly priced and have similar features. So I set off to find the answer for him. It’s not good enough for my dad to present my mom with an ebook reader, he needs to give the reasons why he chose it, right? Here’s what I found, and which ebook reader I think is best and why.

How the Nook Differs From the Kindle, Kobo and Sony Touch

The Nook is a quality ebook reader with some unique features that make it appealing.

• Color touch navigation screen- Obviously a little color is interesting.
• Lending Feature- You can lend books to others for up to 2 weeks with the Nook. (note- lender cannot use the book at that time also)
• Free Games- It comes with Sudoku and Chess for free.
• In Store Reading- You can visit a local Barnes and Noble store with your Nook and browse any title in the store for up to one hour for free.
• Expandable Memory- Add an SD card in the slot for more memory. (Expandable memory on the Kobo also)

Nook Downers…

The color touch screen is great, in the way that it is color and touch, but quite frankly it is more awkward to use than the Kindle 3′s simple touch keyboard or the all touch navigation of the Sony Touch Pocket Edition. It’s a hybrid between the touch that is a little confusing and slow to use. Just give it a spin at a local Barnes and Noble store and you’ll understand immediately. It’s not a deal breaker by any means…I mean you could get used to the navigation pretty easily, but in my opinion the Kindle 3 navigation is better.

Another downer is the battery life is only 10 days with the wireless off. That’s actually an impressive number of days considering you could never do that with a phone! But compared to other ereaders, it’s a low battery life time.

How the Kindle Differs From the Nook, Kobo, and Sony Touch

The Kindle has a few features that are completely unique compared to the other ebook readers in question.

• More standard memory- The Nook and Kobo are expandable memories, but the Kindle 3 comes with the ability to add 3,500 books standard, which is more than double than any of the other devices.
• E-Ink contrast- The reading screen is hands-down the best quality for an E-Ink reading screen available. The contrast between the light background and darker text is noticeably sharper on the Kindle 3 compared to other devices.
• Battery Life Galore- With the wireless turned off, the Kindle 3 lasts for up to 30 days. This is double the Kobo and Sony Touch, and triple the Nook battery life.
• Text-To-Speech- This is a feature that converts a book or PDF into speech and reads it to you. You can choose between a male and female voice and it sounds surprisingly human…as human as an electronic voice coming out of an ebook reader can be.
• International Use- The 3G coverage is available all over the globe in over 100 different countries. This is unique to the Kindle only.

Kindle Downers…

Lending books isn’t available yet on the Kindle. However, according to Amazon…”Later this year, we will be introducing lending for Kindle, a new feature that lets you loan your Kindle books to other Kindle or Kindle app users. Each book can be lent once, for a period of 14 days. Not all books will be available to lend – the publisher or rights holder determines which titles are enabled for lending.” I assume they mean later in 2011.

How the Kobo Differs From the Kindle, Nook, and Sony Touch Pocket Edition

The Kobo is Borders device competing for a smaller portion of the market, for no reason other than it was late to the party and a little lacking in some respects. Nevertheless, there are some unique aspects of the device.

• 4-way directional button for navigation. Instead of page turn buttons on each side of the device, the Kobo has a 4-directional button on the lower right hand front of the device.
• Comes with a “quilted” backing. The device is available in 3 different color schemes, white with silver back, white with lavender back, and black with black back.

Kobo Downers…

And it’s a big one…There is no AC adapter included with the device. So you can count on your computer being your charger, as it comes with USB connection cable.

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Sony Reader Pocket Edition Unique Features

The Sony Reader Pocket Edition is comparable in price to the rest of these devices, but otherwise it is completely different in many ways.

Sony Reader Pocket Touch Edition

• Pocket Size- There’s a reason it’s called the Pocket Edition! This is a smaller device than the other ereaders mentioned here. The reading screen is 5″ diagonally vs 6″ with the Nook, Kindle and Kobo.
• Touch E-Ink Screen- The Pocket Edition has a touch activated E-Ink screen. You can change pages by swiping the finger or touching on the side. Navigation is by touching the screen as well as a few strategically placed push buttons.
• Comes in two colors, pink and silver.
• 1 GB of memory allows up to 1,200 titles of storage.
• Battery life is 2 weeks

Sony Reader Pocket Edition Downers…

A big first downer for me on this device is the no WiFi. What? Okay, how about add on the no AC Adaptor! Now add on the fact that it is more expensive than the Kindle, Nook, or Kobo, and the reading screen is perhaps too small, and I cannot see how Sony expects this device to compete in the ereader market. I guess if you like a small screen that is touch, then this is the product for you. As you can guess, I didn’t recommend this to my dad.

Which eReader Did I Recommend?

It comes down to the Nook vs. Kindle 3 in my opinion. And furthermore, I think that the new Kindle 3 is a better deal, despite the recent release of the Nook 1.5 software, which doesn’t really do much except allow for a different way to categorize the books on the Nook device.

The newest Kindle 3rd edition (or Kindle 3) has a smaller and lighter body than the Nook, yet the same reading screen size. It has a much longer battery life than any other device on the market, allows for international usage, has the best E-Ink display available, most standard memory, and to top it off the price is the cheapest on the market.

Accessories Advantage- A thing I like about the Kindle 3 also is the fact that it is sold on Amazon, which makes for a much larger variety of accessories. Think about it, if you buy any of these other devices, there is going to be a small variety of accessories that you can buy, because Sony and Barnes and Noble and Borders aren’t going to spend more money than necessary providing accessories that may or may not sell!

Amazon, however, is an environment where the best product wins. So you have a lot of competition for really cool looking accessories for the Kindle.

The Kindle 3 is tough to beat. Period. And that’s why the Kindle is the most popular ebook reader on the market.

Barnes and Noble has released it’s new Nook Color, and Amazon rocked the ebook reader market with the new Kindle 3. Now the choice is a tough one for the consumer. Which is the best ebook reader on the market? Let’s take a detailed look at the two device.

The New Nook Color Features-

The Nook Color is equipped with a color touch screen much like the iPad’s. It uses the same IPS color touch technology. That means you can see the screen from a 178 degree angle range. It is super low glare, and very sharp.

The color screen is perfect for those publications that are full of color, such as new digital periodicals and magazines. Readers of this type of material are Barnes and Noble’s target market. Because if you are a reader of novels, and only novels, then this device is not for you. It’s back lit and bright, which causes eye-strain after numerous hours of reading, and since it’s back lit the battery won’t last very long, only up to 8 hours on one charge.

Kid’s books come to life with this device, magazines are presented in their full color, newspapers have a little more pop, and you can watch movies, listen to music, surf the web, check your email, and the list goes on…

Visit Barnes and Noble to see the Nook Color

The New Kindle 3 Features

Amazon just released it’s 3rd generation of Kindle (the Kindle 3) and it’s the new definition of an ebook reader. The device has an E-Ink screen to reduce eye strain, ultra quiet page turn buttons, 3,500 books of memory, 30 days of battery life on one charge, wireless and 3G technology that works in over 100 countries, is lighter, sleeker, and a little over $100 cheaper than the Nook Color.

So it comes down to what you want in your ebook reader when looking at the new Kindle vs Nook. Do you want the color and pizazz of the Nook Color? Or do you want the author to give you all the color and pizazz that you’ll need and stick with the Kindle 3?

Visit Amazon for more info on the Kindle 3

Nook Color Vs Kindle 3

If you are a person who likes to read books for the sake of reading books, then the Kindle 3 will most definitely be the choice for you. The device tries to be nothing but the absolute best ebook reader on the market. Reading text only on the Kindle 3 is more enjoyable and less strenuous on the eyes than with the back-lit Nook Color.

If you want to have the all-in-one type of device, where you can read a magazine, a newspaper, a book, check your email, surf the web, then maybe watch a movie, then the Nook Color is for you. However this comes at a price with a very short battery life, no 3G access and a price tag around $250. But it’s still a very good device and will prove to compete well with the iPad which starts at $499 for the smallest memory version.

So the choice is up to you which device is the best ebook reader between the Nook Color vs Kindle 3. It will be a tough decision for many this holiday season and beyond, so you aren’t alone! I personally am a traditional reader, who likes to read books, so the cheaper Kindle 3 is my choice. My laptop will allow me to do everything else if I want.