E-Books, Part 4: Electronic Reading Devices
June 29, 2007 by Lillie
Table of contents for E-Books
Most people want to get comfortable when reading for pleasure (or even for professional development and education). Sitting at a computer to read a book doesn’t appeal to us.
That’s why I prefer to read on an e-book reading device. There are a number of different devices on the market that are suitable for reading e-books. I use the eBookWise reader.
I can download books directly from their site, and I can import personal documents in html, Word, rtf, or txt formats. So if I buy an e-book at a publisher’s Web site, I order it in one of those formats and import it to my e-book librarian. From there I can add it to my reading device any time. The eBookWise holds 10 to 15 books and additional memory can increase that significantly.
I also use the device to read the final draft of books I edit – I can make notes and highlight text to mark the errors and correct them in the computer. It’s not good for major editing, though, because it’s double work. But I like doing the final read-through (when there should be few mistakes left) in the reading device because it’s more like the experience as a reader and gives me a little different perspective.
The eBookWise does NOT read PDF files, so if I get a book in PDF, I have to convert it to Word, then import it to the librarian. And if the PDF is encrypted – I don’t read it. That’s my biggest complaint about the reader - and I would like the largest font to be a little larger.
The first e-book reader on the market (at least as far as I know) was the Rocket eBook, and it was the best. Unfortunately, the original developer sold out to one of the big electronic companies, and they took an excellent product and made it a good product. I dropped my Rocket on a tile floor and shattered it (after I’d had it for several years and read hundreds of books on it), so now I’m using the eBookWise, which is a later version of the Rocket eBook replacement.
There are a lot of things happening in the world of e-books, and Teleread reports on the latest gadgets on their blog. Those of us who love e-books have been hoping for years that someone would come out with the ideal reader. There are some good ones on the market - but not the perfect one yet.
You can read e-books on your Palm, other PDAs, and handheld computers. E-book reading software is included with many devices; with others you can add programs (almost always free) such as Adobe eBook Reader, Mobipocket, or Microsoft Reader.
You can find information and comparisons of various software and devices at the following sites:
- eBook Mall: devices and software
- Fictionwise devices and software
- Twilight Times Books: dedicated devices, PDAs, Pocket PCs, and software
I hope this overview of e-books has been helpful. Please let me know in comments if you have specific questions or if you would like to read more about e-books and electronic publishing.
Updated 8/5/07: I’ve discovered a great new resource on e-book technology: Tech From an E-booker’s Viewpoint, the blog of Dr. Ellen Hage, who owns more e-book devices than most people own books.
Updated 4/23/09: A reader commented asking if the Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)
Dream or Destiny and the Kindle
What Will the Kindle Do for the E-Publishing Industry?
Call me out of the loop..but, I hadn’t ever heard of an e-reader.
Thanks for the explanation. I still just love reading words on…paper.
Sylvia C.
Hi Sylvia,
Glad I could introduce you to something new.
I understand liking to read on paper, but for those with a physical problem that interferes with reading print, an e-book reader is a wonderful blessing. Even if I didn’t actually prefer the experience of reading on an e-book, I’d be thankful that such a thing exists or I wouldn’t be able to read much.
Amm… Yah it does looks useful… Buy I still have to agree with Sylvia, paper is better.
Hi Ouch,
I used to think I preferred paper, too, until I tried e-books.
This series was so interesting. You’ll never believe it but I had no idea that there are so many reading devices for ebooks. I used to think a PC monitor is enough. Besides, I don’t really like reading books on my PC. I prefer my sofa, a coffee, and the touch and smell of a real book.
Hi Mig,
I don’t like reading on my PC monitor, either. But I can’t read print books unless they have large print, and I’ve never had any particular attachment to the feel of a book … in fact I don’t like hardcover books at all because they are difficult to hold. And I must confess I don’t identify books with smell.
But I agree with the sofa and the coffee. 
Hmm sounds interesting…definitely a solution to lugging around and destroying heavy hardcover/ paperbacks…good post!
Hi Layouts,
Thanks. E-book readers, especially handheld computers that do other things as well, would be great to keep kids from damaging their backs with heavy backpacks filled with schoolbooks.
Lillie:
I guess I’m a little behind the times, because I’d never even heard of an a-book reader before reading your post! Thanks for the info! They do sound quite a bit more convenient than either printing out the e-books or reading them on the computer. It’s really an interesting concept–for all the reasons you mention!
Thanks for an enlightening post!
Jeanne
Jeanne,
I’m glad I could introduce you to something new. I’ve had an e-book reader for six or seven years, so I didn’t realize that not everyone is familiar with them.
For the last two years, I have coordinated a middle and high school writing contest for EPIC. We ask the kids to include with their entry a bio and a paragraph about their experience with e-books. I have been amazed at the number of middle and high school kids who have never heard of e-books!
I am really enjoying your series on e-books! Excellently done with so much helpful information.
Thanks, Thomma Lyn. This post is the end of the series, but I’ll be writing more about e-books later.
Does it feel much different reading it on a reader rather than on the screen? I sometimes end up (sorry environment) printing out ebooks because reading them on my monitor makes my eyes feel like they’re going to drop out!
I’d never really seen these things about before, although I heard they are quite popular in Japan. They even have audio readers for kids books!
Interestingly enough I saw an ebook reader in the store this weekend and thought that it was such a cool idea. Then I hit this article, thanks for giving me some insight into this.
[...] Acrobat PDF is the most popular format (though not my favorite because it can’t be read on my e-book reader). Acrobat Reader is on just about every computer there is. If you don’t have the program to [...]
It is more beneficial if the manufacturer of E-book readers make it read all kinds of files like PDF, etc
Regu,
I don’t understand why manufacturers insist on using proprietary formats rather than making their devices useful to everyone.
[...] E-Books, Part 4: Electronic Reading Devices [...]
The ebookreader is great!! I dread reading whole books on the computers and sometimes I really don’t feel like going to barnes and nobles or borders and try to find a seat to read. Isn’t the kindle an ebook reader as well?
chris,
Yes, the Kindle is an e-book reading device, and I have written about it on this blog a couple of times. However, this post was written in January 2007 and the Kindle wasn’t introduced until November 2007, so it’s not included here.
Now that you have pointed this out, I’m going to edit this post to point to the later posts on the Kindle.
I thought about picking one of these up for myself recently. The cost is very affordable now.
okinawa (if you wrote YourName@Keywords, I could address you as a real person, and you would still get your keyword link),
Some devices are becoming more affordable, but some are still quite expensive. I think it’s worth the expense because I read a lot and find it much easier to read on one of these devices.
I just barely got my palm pre, and i’m looking forward to reading some e-books on that pretty soon. i got the palm pre mainly for that reason because it has really nice gestures programmed into the touchscreen that make the e book reading experience minimally straining.
cameron´s last blog post..Palm Pre – First Impressions (Grievances First)
Cameron,
I’ve never used the Palm Pre, but I have used a Palm (the original version a zillion years ago) to read e-books. I got it because my publisher says it was the best device in the world. It worked well, but the small screen was not good for me because of my poor vision. I’ll be interested to hear the Pre works.
Lillie, thanks a bunch for sharing this with us. Just now I commented on your environmental safety blog post about reading ebook on monitors and its disadvantages. Honestly I never knew such a gadget exists. Seems to be reduce the stress from starring the monitor to something similar to a cellphone. I haven’t dug further about the prices yet. But I think its an essential gadget because I have some really great ebooks which are not available in the print versions.
.-= Girish@Car Rental Auckland´s last blog ..Rugby World Cup Car Rentals =-.
Girish,
Reading on an e-book device is very different from reading on the computer screen. That’s about the only way I read books.
I operate SearchMasters, getting websites higher on the search engines. I am trying to find out the truth about Google. As a Christian, I am also trying to find out the truth about the end times.
I have just purchased an ebook on the End Times/tribulation/ http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/. I spend all my days at the computer desk, so when I “read” the ebook, I like to take the computer to bed.
However, I have a crook neck etc from trying to read while lying down… I love reading a book far more. Yes, I have ordered the paperback version, but getting an ebook reader like you have mentioned might just be a good idea!
.-= Michael@Search Engine Optimisation´s last blog ..Public Relations Agency, Alexander Communications, SEO Case Study =-.
Michael,
It’s much easier to read on an e-book reader than a laptop. My favorite reader isn’t even listed here because it is newer. I use the Kindle now and have written about it in later posts: http://lillieammann.com/2008/10/25/kindle and http://lillieammann.com/2007/11/23/what-will-the-kindle-do-for-the-e-publishing-industry
Thanks for sharing these new gadgets.I too prefer reading of e-books on my mobile.With these gadgets its very easy to use them any where and any place.
manu,
I enjoy hearing about people who read e-books.
Lillie, IMHO the kindle’s are overpriced unreasonably. I checked out Amazon’s latest offer and still I couldnt afford that much for a gadget like kindle. I will wait till the price comes down or if you know much cheaper one please let me know. Thanks!
Alan,
There are several new devices out recently or coming out soon that are more affordable though they don’t necessarily have all the features of the Kindle.
Alan and Lillie, have you come across the manufacturer named Marvell anywhere? They have introduced a new line of readers which have a new chip at very cheap prices. Marvell is not a famous name but their products are really good. Check out please let me know the reviews if you liked their product.
Michael,
I don’t recall hearing of Marvell. I’ll have to be on the lookout for it.
[...] no secret that I’m a big fan of reading on an e-reader. I’ve had several through the years, and now read on the original Kindle. I’m looking [...]
Yes, reading on a reader is much different from reading on a computer screen. It’s more likely reading a print book … only better for people like me who need larger print. Of course, if you read for hours and hours, like I do, your eyes can get tired, whether you’re reading print, computer screen, or e-book reader. But of the three, the e-book reader is my favorite.
You’re welcome, Okinawa.
I’ve just been away for four days, and I enjoyed carring several books with me and being able to read conveniently on my ebook reader everywhere I went.
Another neat feature I may not have mentioned: the reader opens to the page you were on when you turned it off. No more little bookmarks to fall out of the book and lose my place. I can even have several books active at once and all open to the correct page. I just click back and forth between books.