Do I need an eBook reader?

Ebooks are the future of reading. You can have all your favourite books in a tidy and a beautiful bookshelf in your pocket. Here you are some tips and devices you should know before you buy an eBook reader. From Amazon’s Kindle to Apple’s iPad, there is a big variety of devices. Which one fits you better? There’s no accounting for tastes.

With some of them, eInk technology ones, you can read for hours without eyestrain, even in direct sunlight. The screen has no backlight or flicker like a standard notebook. However, other tablets like the iPad, you can also read, watch movies and use a multitude of applications

It’s important for you to know that devices with Wi-Fi and web browsing, tend to have shorter battery life. Basic eReaders without fancy bells have longer battery life that’s measured in page turns, and in some cases are up to 8.000 page turns.

What to buy in this crazy market?

Kobo Touch eReader

About this device, the famous Wired magazine says “The most natural e-ink reader we’ve ever used”. Kobo Touch eReader has a contemporary, lightweight, and travel friendly design, provided with a quilted soft-touch back. You can browse and buy on the go with WiFi. It has a super-fast page turns, enhanced power management and expandable storage for up to 30,000 books (with a 32 GB SD memory card). And the best of all, it has a perfect size. Fits in your pocket easily, so you can take it with you everywhere.

The Kobo Touch has just one single home button, making navigation easy. Provided with a USB connection an optional SD Memory it’s cots around $139.99 / 105 € +info

Kindle fire, by Amazon

Over 18 Million Movies, TV Shows, Songs, Apps, Games, Books, and Magazines. Amazon designed the Kindle Fire user interface from the ground up to make it easier than ever to purchase, manage, and enjoy your digital content. Just like with Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire comes automatically preregistered to your Amazon.com account so you can immediately start enjoying your digital content purchased from Amazon or shop for new contents.

Kindle Fire uses Amazon’s popular Whispersync technology to automatically synchronize your Kindle library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across the widest range of devices and platforms.

Kindle Fire features a state-of-the-art dual-core processor for fast, powerful performance. Stream music while browsing the web or read books while downloading videos.

The cost, only $199 / 150€. +info

New iPad, for Apple lovers

Pick up the new iPad and suddenly, it’s clear. You’re actually touching your photos, reading a book, playing the piano. The third-generation iPad is capable of so much  than you ever imagined. With the retina display, see everything like never before. Four times more pixels than iPad 2. Razor-sharp text. Richer colours.

The Retina display on the new iPad features a 2048×1536 resolution, 44 per cent greater colour saturation and an astounding 3.1 million pixels — in the same 9.7-inch space. That’s four times the number of pixels in iPad 2 and a million more than an HDTV.

iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books. iBooks includes the iBookstore, where you can download the latest bestselling books or your favorite classics – day or night. Browse your library on a beautiful bookshelf, tap a book to open it, flip through pages with a swipe or a tap, and bookmark or add notes to your favorite passages.

The new iPad still gets an amazing 10 hours of battery life, and it’s cots $499 – $699 / 489 € – 694€  +info

Sony Reader, one of the most lightweight

· Weight: 168 g.
· Size: 11 cm. x 17,3 cm.
· Display: 6″ Pearl E Ink screen (800×600 px.)
· Battery life: over 100 hours.
· Storage: 1,3 Gb. ( 1200 books approximately) / MicroSD Card up to 32 Gb. optional

Find an access point and you’re ready to go with Wi-Fi built in. Get immediate access to websites such as Wikipedia and Google search to find additional information on what you are reading. You have a wide choice of supported formats such as EPUB, PDF, Text so you can read practically anything.

Audio Playback lets you plug in your headphones and listen to music as you read. You can also look for non-understand words in the dictionaries included.

Ultra slim and lightweight reader with superior paper-like touch screen and Wi-Fi for immediate access to websites. Small, thin and light at just 168 grams and with a spectacular clear dual touch screen for easy reading. It’s provided with 12 built-in dictionaries inside. It’s cost around $100 – $130 / 139€ +info

Amazon Gold Kindle Wifi +3G, the most expensive

Amosu Couture releases the first of its kind, plated in 24ct. hardened gold, Amosu Couture brings to the world of luxury the 24ct Gold Amazon Kindle, with optional Swarovski crystals. Perhaps it’s worth it, but it’s up to you.

Kindle offers free storage for all your Amazon digital content in the Amazon Cloud. Amazon digital content is automatically backed up for free in the Amazon Cloud’s Worry-Free Archive where it’s available for re-downloading anytime.

It’s cost around $1,950 / 1,475€  +info

NOOK Tablet by Barnes & Noble

· Display: 7″ 16 million+ colours high resolution 1024 X 600, 169 pixels per inch (PPI).
· Battery life: Up to 11.5 hours of reading or 9 hours of video without recharging
· Storage: 8 and 16 Gb. Available
· Cost: $199 – $249 / 150€ – 190€

Videos stream smoothly. Web browsing is lightning-fast. Get books instantly- usually in under 10 seconds. Built for speed- switch between books, movies and games effortlessly. All it takes is a touch.

Stunning 7-inch multi-touch screen displays 16 million colours ultra-bright. Exclusive design for remarkable clarity and minimal reflection & glare. It’s the ultimate for reading and enjoying the best in entertainment.

Over 2.5 million titles – new releases, bestsellers – sample for FREE. Most $9.99 or less. Can’t decide?. It has extra-long battery life—longer than Kindle Fire. Read for 11.5 hours or watch 9 hours of video or  5 entire movies. All on a single charge. +info

Another useful links:

· eBook Reader Configurator helps you to choose the best device
· The new iPad vs Nook Color vs Kindle Fire: Who has the best family tablet?