Best budget e reader?


FaeMinx

FaeMinx

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Ok, so I think it's about time I got my first ereader...

I've been away from home for about a week, and I really have this yen to get stuck into a book like the good old days... I have a ton of ebooks in various formats on my computer, but I'm not going to stare at a laptop screen to get my fix... Also, no I do not want to read on my phone, and currently I have no tablet device.

I want a light small e ink tablet with great battery life that's not going to break the bank.

After looking online it seems the Kindle Paperwhite is what most recommended, and yet I could happily go with the entry level Kindle e reader that requires an external light source - it's almost half the price!
And personally I have no problem with reading under a light, just like I would with a real book.

Why don't I bite the bullet?
It's locked into Amazon.

Those in the know, could you explain what that means? I assume it means I can only read what I purchase through the Amazon store...?
I want to be able to load up all the ebooks I already have, or that I acquire from my own sources...

Also, I would like compatibility with a wide range of formats including .pdf

So what would you recommend?

Of course I will pay more to get the features I want... if I have to.


Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 
The Kindle makes it needlessly difficult, but not impossible, to read non-Amazon e-books.
PDF files can be "converted" by sending them to the e-mail address of your Kindle. Epub can be converted with Calibre into a format that the Kindle will accept.

However, there are ways to "jailbreak" them to be able to install new applications, such as an alternate reader software that can support all formats. The Jailbreak process is a bit complex, and can only be done on some firmware. It's supposed to be able to survive updates, but you can never be sure that an update won't break it.

I liked the Nook. It's a bit old now, but it ran a modified Android and you could unlock it to get access to the full Android system and run Android app. However the charging circuit broke on mine, I don't know if it's a common problem or not.
 
We’ll, you aren’t stuck with Amazon EBooks on a kindle:
I have a Kindle Oasis 2 (2017) since Friday, and it’s also takes EBooks from other Sources as long there are no copy protection on it,
So I made a E-Book File out of a PDF via Libretto and uploaded it to my Kindle Library
This Reader is pretty cool, I can put it in my Pocket, as long there Wide enough, read in dark or in sunlight

But if you find a Reader from a diverent Brand, there are lots more alternative on the market

And this E-Ink Screens are maybe the best to read expect of normal paper..
 
FaeMinx said:
Why don't I bite the bullet?
It's locked into Amazon.

Those in the know, could you explain what that means? I assume it means I can only read what I purchase through the Amazon store...?
I want to be able to load up all the ebooks I already have, or that I acquire from my own sources...
Click to expand...
As the others said, reading files from other sources on the Kindle is just a matter of file format conversion (edit: unless they have non-Amazon DRM).

The locking is about going the other way - most ebooks you buy on Amazon can only be read on Amazon devices or software unless you break the DRM.
 
A bit of this is dependent on how you define budget and where you live.

I saw a mention in an e-reader forum that Kobo recently rolled out the Overdrive application to all of it's current e-readers. You will want to verify that this is present on the size/type you're looking at. But - Overdrive is supported by most public libraries in the US. What that means is that from the e-reader, connected to any WiFi, I am able to reserve, check out and download any e-book in the library's collection. I.e. free books.

Check with your local public library and see if they use Overdrive for e-book checkout. If they do, that could make the Kobo e-readers a huge hidden bargain for you in the long run.

I have a Kobo Aura One SE and have been very happy with it. The OS is a twisted Linux - the file system is viewable when connected to a computer too. There are hacks and tricks posted online. Out of the box it is very solid too. That said, this is on the high end of their ereader line and might be a bigger screen than you're after. They have others - this is just the one that I have experience with.
 
I've only owned Nook e-readers, and since it accepts .epub I have only ever bought maybe 20 books from Barnes & Noble, every other book I have I either made myself from Project Gutenberg or bought from other places. I do notice that B&N has every book that I found on Amazon so as far as 'main steam' books I don't think B&N is lacking.

The first one I had was their original, it had a handy touch LCD at the bottom but I upgraded to the first one that had glow light. I have a LED light for my first nook but having the LEDs in the reader itself is so nice. I have the brightness turned down all the way and it is still plenty to read in complete darkness. The light I have now is kinda bluish green, which some people say is a weird color of light, but the new one changed to a warmer white, I'm sure as good LEDs got better. I like the color on my Nook though, it doesn't bother me.

Basically there is Kindle and 'everything else'. Every other ereader uses epub and everyone but Amazon sells epub. So if you get a Kindle you need to buy from Amazon although Project Gutenberg can make documents for Kindle also. So you basically have a few thousand years of books to catch up on that are free.

Cost wise most normal size e-readers are sub $150 USD new, I bet kindles are cheaper used as there are more of them. When you start getting into e-readers that are standard paper sized displays you're looking at around $700 USD but they usually have a stylus and can convert your handwriting to text. I'd like one that large just to read PDFs like Role Playing games and comics. But at but 700? for what I want one for I'd rather have a tablet with a OLED screen and a normal sized e-reader for books.
 
Oh - and about Project Gutenberg & .epub books... My Kobo Aura One has a 'beta browser' hidden away on a sub-menu that has proven very useful for that. Using the browser I can go to Project Gutenberg and download .epub books straight to the e-reader.

A person could quite literally spend the next several years just reading Project Gutenberg books and never run out of material.

Now if I only had more time to read.
 
Grench said:
Oh - and about Project Gutenberg & .epub books... My Kobo Aura One has a 'beta browser' hidden away on a sub-menu that has proven very useful for that. Using the browser I can go to Project Gutenberg and download .epub books straight to the e-reader.
Click to expand...
Kindle has had the same for years and it always worked well, I guess it won't work anymore by now with a German IP though...

I have a Kindle Paperwhite for years, but these days, I'd probably get a Kobo with background light, since it's great to be able to continue to read when it slowly gets dark outside or when you have someone sleeping besides you.
 
I don’t have the need for a project Gutenberg book at the moment,
Im currently on the 9. Game of Thrones Book , then Book 10,
And lot of other books..

But I have still lots of free space on this thing, so maybe I need some stuff from Project Gutenberg..

A from and too Gutenberg was our War Minister some years ago, he was pretty good, but then he felt over a copyred work for his doctor title..

Since then whe have the Miss Von der Leyen who looks a Bit like the „Frau Engel „ from the current Wolfenstein Games
 
That sounds like Germany has adopted some sort of Copynever as opposed to a Copyright...?
 
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Thanks for your input everyone.

I now have my heart set on a Kobo Glo HD.

It seems to tick all the boxes for me.
Now the only issue is availability in this country...

Edit:
So I have discovered that the Glo HD has been discontinued!!!
The only Kobo devices available in my country are the:

Kobo Aura H20
Kobo Aura One

The Kobo Aura Edition 2, which is supposedly what you are supposed to purchase now the Glo HD is discontinued, is out of stock everywhere... perhaps never to be in stock again... and besides, it's only 212ppi.

The Aura H20 is 265ppi, a bit better... but is 6.8" which is a bit larger than I wanted.
I really want something light and easy to hold in one hand, and I'm not convinced by the Aura H20... I also have no need for waterproofing... and lastly, the price at R2999 is about R400 over what I would consider the limit of 'budget'.

*sigh*
Back to the drawing board.
 
Last edited:
FaeMinx said:
Thanks for your input everyone.

I now have my heart set on a Kobo Glo HD.

It seems to tick all the boxes for me.
Now the only issue is availability in this country...

Edit:
So I have discovered that the Glo HD has been discontinued!!!
The only Kobo devices available in my country are the:

Kobo Aura H20
Kobo Aura One

The Kobo Aura Edition 2, which is supposedly what you are supposed to purchase now the Glo HD is discontinued, is out of stock everywhere... perhaps never to be in stock again... and besides, it's only 212ppi.

The Aura H20 is 265ppi, a bit better... but is 6.8" which is a bit larger than I wanted.
I really want something light and easy to hold in one hand, and I'm not convinced by the Aura H20... I also have no need for waterproofing... and lastly, the price at R2999 is about R400 over what I would consider the limit of 'budget'.

*sigh*
Back to the drawing board.
Click to expand...

I have the Aura One LE - the 7.8" screen is really really nice. That is a whole lot of text on one page. It is priced higher though.

Did you see the Clara HD? Kobo's website shows them at $129. 6" screen with 300ppi.
https://us.kobobooks.com/collections/ereaders
And it works with Overdrive if your local libraries use it:
https://www.kobo.com/help/en-US/art...-public-library-using-overdrive?culture=nl-nl
 
second exodous said:
Every book? Wow, you're copyright laws must be insane, I thought the US sucked. I'd get a VPN if I were you.
Click to expand...
Only a dozen books or so on there aren't allowed to be made available to German IPs, but Project Gutenberg just went the easy way and banned all Germans for everything.
 
Yes, tor connections ends up in outs all over the world, although from the UK I often seem to get dutch or german outs when I'm using it, so if you end up with the latter it won't help for that connection at least.
 
Cool then I should try a Tor for Project Gutenberg and when im there i could Shop for some Automatic Weapons ^^
The Uzi is pretty cool ..

(Just kidding, i didn’t want to buy weapons.. , thats against my „Knifes are Tools“ Agenda)
Also i am Pazifik
 
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