Kindle or Kobo

scottishperson2

VoucherMan wrote: »

The Kindle can be used to view PDF's but using calibre you convert most formats anyway so not really important.

Altrhough conversions of PDF tend to be naff whatever programme you use to do it.

macman

The Kobo uses the open ebook standard, which is e-pub.
Kindle cannot read DRM protected e-pub format, and locks you into it's own proprietary file format.
So decide which route you want ot go down.
In every other sense, the Kindle is superior.

Linton

TeresaF wrote: »

I'm looking to get an e-reader and my first thought was to get a Kindle. Then I saw the Kobo in WHSmith. Is one better than the other or are they both as good as each other? As well as downloading and reading a variety of books I would like to be able to put my Open Uni course materials on it to read - they are PDFs.
Thanks in advance for any advice

I have a Kobo Touch and think its brilliant. Battery life is excellent, and finger marks on the screen arent a problem - I use a lens cleaning spray.

But e-readers are not very good at displaying PDFs. The Kobo will do as a good a job as any, but it's not really practical for real use. The problem is that PDF is a very poor format if you want to display on page sizes other than the one it was created for. In practice Calibre doesnt help much, particularly if you need things like formulae, or tables.

So if PDF is an absolute requirement I am afraid you will need to consider large screen Tablets - higher price, larger screen, smaller battery life.

TeresaF

I tried converting one of the course PDFs to both MOBI and EPUB using Calibre and then opening on the Kindle app I have on my Mac but it didn't turn out very readable - images and bits of text in the wrong place etc. Back to the drawing board for reading course books on the move (without physically carrying all 11 textbooks around with me!)

As for buying an ereader for regular books I am slightly leaning towards the Kindle purely because I have just received some Amazon gift certificates.

Thanks for everyone's advice and input.

tocsin

+1 for Kindle, and calibre can convert several types of ebook format - so no "lock-in"

Lakeuk

I was hoping the DX would of been upgraded and had a price reduction. I fancy a 9.7" reader for technical guides that application companies supply in pdf format.

The Onyx Boox M92 is getting good feedback on pdf use but availability is limited and I'm torn on the price, I keep thinking I could spend a tad more and get a iPad, but the reason I want an eink based device is for the readability of eink and the battery benefits using eink brings. I would love a 9.7" below the £200 price point

macman

tocsin wrote: »

+1 for Kindle, and calibre can convert several types of ebook format - so no "lock-in"

Calibre can convert e-pub format to MOBI, certainly. But not if the e-pub files have DRM, as all commercially available e-pub products will do.
So you really do need to decide from the outset which file format you are going to go with. Going the Kindle route restricts your future purchases to Amazon only of course-unless you are only going to use out of copyright and free e-books.

scotsmart

i currently own both a kindle and an ipad and i have to say the lack of touchscreen and backlighting on my kindle are making me think again the Kindle app on my Ipad is excellent giving me colour and backlighting as i spend a lot of time through the night or in hospital reading a + £400 Ipad is a bit pricey to leave lying about where as the kindle is easily secreted in a pocket etc when required it is what it is but mine is very likely to be shortly up for sale in the very near future in favour of the next best thing?

Btw what is the next best affordable touchscreen backlit version? that my current book list from Kindle amazon can be used as a lot ive still to read..... suggestions welcomed if i could get an affordable 1/3 size touchscreen backlit Ipad i may just purchase that.. the Ipad is also to big cumbersome and heavy to read for any length of time with ... both are great bits of kit but both have a growing range of limitations

Dreamnine

Dedicated ereaders - like mp3 players - are a dying breed.

I use Stanza on my iPod, Kobo on my tablet.

bcl999

scotsmart wrote: »

i currently own both a kindle and an ipad and i have to say the lack of touchscreen and backlighting on my kindle are making me think again the Kindle app on my Ipad is excellent giving me colour and backlighting as i spend a lot of time through the night or in hospital reading a + £400 Ipad is a bit pricey to leave lying about where as the kindle is easily secreted in a pocket etc when required it is what it is but mine is very likely to be shortly up for sale in the very near future in favour of the next best thing?

I have an Ipad too and just bought a Kobo Touch yesterday. When I tried out the new Kindle, I kept wanting to use the screen as a touchscreen due to being used to the ipad. Thought it would confuse me too much with the Kindle.