It doesn't take photos, place calls or play 3-D movies, but the e-reader is this year's hottest gadget. It's easy to understand why: There are thousands of free e-books available online, and best-sellers start at $10. But choosing the right e-reader isn't easy.
Manufacturers have stepped up competition, launching a bevy of models and dropping prices. It would be impossible to compare every e-reader available. So, we'll take a look at some of the best e-readers and what makes each unique.
TECH TIPS: Ask Kim
This is a rapidly changing market. To keep up-to-date, visit
http://www.epathchina.com/ for the latest prices along with a handy chart. This chart makes it easy to compare e-readers side-by-side, including models not mentioned here. I'll also tell you where to find free e-books and you can watch my video reviews of various e-readers.
Kindle DX
Amazon's Kindle DX ($379) is the gold standard in e-readers. The large, 9.7-inch electronic-ink screen is easy to read, even in harsh sunlight. Thanks to 3G connectivity, you can download books anytime for free. Wireless delivery takes about 60 seconds per book.
Annotate books with the built-in keyboard. Look up words with the built-in dictionary. Or listen to certain titles with the Read-to-Me feature. The screen automatically rotates as you turn the Kindle. That's perfect for viewing maps and charts. It holds about 3,500 books. With the Kindle app, you can read your e-books on your computer and mobile devices.
Kobo
Borders' Kobo eReader proves that less can be more. At $130, it is one of the least-expensive e-readers. It lacks Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and the sleek design does away with a keyboard. This can be less intimidating to some readers. The 6-inch e-ink display is easy on the eyes — even in bright light.
Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, titles can be transferred from some phones. The Kobo also comes with a USB cable to connect to your computer. Unlike the Kindle, the Kobo supports the ePub format, which is used by many free e-book sites. It comes with 100 free e-books preinstalled and holds up to 1,000 titles in its 1 gigabyte of memory. You can add an SD memory card for additional storage. Books can also be read on a computer and mobile devices.
Sony Reader Touch Edition
Like other e-readers, Sony's Reader Touch Edition ($230) features an e-ink display, but this 6-inch screen has a trick up its sleeve. It responds to touch. Swipe with your finger to turn the page. Draw on the screen and use the virtual keyboard. There's even a stylus for note-taking.
The Reader Touch Edition lacks wireless connectivity, but many will be fine without it. The reader works with a variety of popular formats, including ePub. The internal memory holds 1,200 books. This is expandable by adding a Memory Stick or SD card.
Nook
Barnes and Noble's Nook has a 6-inch e-ink display. But it has a something other e-readers don't have: a 3.5-inch color touch-screen. Use it to browse Barnes and Noble's e-bookstore. There's both a Wi-Fi model ($149) and a 3G + Wi-Fi model ($199).
The smaller color touch-screen below the main screen also doubles as a virtual keyboard, making it easy to search for titles. It supports popular formats like ePub and PDF. The internal storage holds about 1,500 titles. You can add a microSD card for more storage, although that requires opening the case. Books can also be read on mobile devices.
iPad
In all fairness, Apple's iPad is much more than an e-reader. It is actually a tablet computer that can be expanded with thousands of apps. In fact, you'll find apps that let you read titles from other e-bookstores. Of course, Apple has also launched its own e-bookstore.
The iPad's touch-screen LCD means a shorter battery life. Think hours instead of days. And it can be difficult to read in bright light. The iPad comes in several capacities: 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599) and 64GB ($699). All iPads include Wi-Fi. Add $130 for 3G. You pay for data usage on the 3G models, unlike with e-readers. Plans start at $15 monthly.
ePathChina
Mini Tablet PC
Tablet PC, the strong trend have landed ePathChina. Due to extremely lightweight and handy characteristics, this tablet PC on
ePathChina can be easily tucked under the arm and moved from place to place by anyone compared to laptops. Can you imagine how much does this tablet laptop weigh? It is only 350g. And it fit into tiny carrying cases which is so convenient to take. Now, let us try one kind of operation. Lightly click the display with stylus or your finger, you can run any application in this tablet laptop. With G-sensor function, no matter holding this tablet PCs transversely or vertically, the interface will change direction automatically. If you are dissatisfied with the storage of it, you can insert a SD card into this tablet laptop. It can not exceed the maximum capacity of 32GB. And the highlight of this device is the Google Android operation system 1.6. With this tablet laptop, you can work and contact with your relatives or friends anytime and anywhere. It will help you to express your feeling. Get a move on! The Cheapest only sell $92.86
Article source: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2010-09-09-ereaders_N.htm
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