e-readers?

[RaeVynn]

I saw that the Kindle (plain old ordinary one) is now $69 at Staples.

Go for it.

[PrincessHeather]

I have the first Kindle Fire (not the recently revamped version), and I love it. I understand the concern over being backlit and hurting the eyes, but it has the capability of turning the pages and ink into a sepia tone and adjusting brightness, so I've never myself found myself to be strained except when I've been reading so long that my eyes would be hurting reading a paper book.

[JasontheKiwi]

I have a Kindle (the keyboard one) and I love it, I can't stand reading on a backlit screen. I flick between kindle books, actual paper books and audio books. One thing I love about the ebooks is the inbuilt dictionary as no book is too daunting when it's easy to look up the big words

[Oogiem]

If you hit the home button three times it changes from a light background with black lettering to a black/dark background with white lettering. Makes it much easier to read.

<said with a smile> you must be very young. Just wait till you are older, I absolutely hate white text on a dark background, guaranteed to give me a massive headache just trying to read a single web page. I think it's related to astigmatism plus needing bifocal contact plus reading glasses all at once to see anything up close. I am so glad we no longer have the black screens with orange or green type on them for computer screens or I'd have gone batty decades ago.

[Kyla]

I love my Kindle. It's 3rd Gen, I think - with e-ink and wi-fi but no backlight or anything.

I don't use it as often as I should, because there are tons of advantages.

I have some serious literary ADD - I'm constantly reading 3 or 4 books at once. With a Kindle, I can just pop back to my home screen and switch up.

Since I can do that (and am a fast reader) I also don't have to take a dozen books with me when I travel...which I do a lot. I can slide it into my purse or my carry-on laptop bag, and it'll hold me through indefinitely.

The advantage I like of having a Kindle over a Nook - my library's digital collection doesn't require any software downloads. To check out an e-book, you need to be on your home computer and download an Adobe conversion thingy. With my Kindle, I can be on my work compy or anywhere else and check out an e-book. It routes me to Amazon and asks me to confirm that I want to download it at no cost, and then wirelessly delivers it there.

[Eurydice]

The new Kindle Paperwhite is getting some rave reviews.

I got mine today. It is awesome. AWESOME.

[Avistew]

The advantage I like of having a Kindle over a Nook - my library's digital collection doesn't require any software downloads. To check out an e-book, you need to be on your home computer and download an Adobe conversion thingy. With my Kindle, I can be on my work compy or anywhere else and check out an e-book. It routes me to Amazon and asks me to confirm that I want to download it at no cost, and then wirelessly delivers it there.

Nook does the same thing through Barnes and Nobles. Never had to go through a computer to download an ebook (although you can still do it if you want to). My favourite part is the free samples, you can try out a book before you buy it, that's really neat.

EDIT: just realised you meant you do it from a work computer rather than from your Kindle. Not sure how that works with a Nook, but I prefer downloading directly from the Nook itself anyways, I don't always have access to a computer to serve as an in-between.

[Victoriaoke]

I have a Nook Tablet and I love it; Nook and Kindle aren't that different, though; it really just depends on what interface you personally find easier. I'd go somewhere that has a demo of both and play around with them for a while to decide.

[DaygloNirvana]

I share a Kindle Fire (not the HD one) with my partner, and think it's generally pretty good. I also have the problem with the screen being far too bright for my sensitive eyes. I'm considering buying the paperwhite or an earlier edition of the kindle just for my personal use, simply because all I really want to do is read on it, and not have all the apps and whatnot. We'll see what I end up going with.

[Lefeux]

<said with a smile> you must be very young. Just wait till you are older, I absolutely hate white text on a dark background, guaranteed to give me a massive headache just trying to read a single web page. I think it's related to astigmatism plus needing bifocal contact plus reading glasses all at once to see anything up close. I am so glad we no longer have the black screens with orange or green type on them for computer screens or I'd have gone batty decades ago.

Young is relative I supposed. Although my first few years with computers were Apple IIe's that had the green or orange type. I even remember the 5 1/4" (even the 8" ones) floppys that were precursor to the 3 1/2" ones.

The office I currently work in is a 10x10 box with 2 florescent overhead lights. I wear computer glasses and have a desk lamp with a soft 60 watt bulb. Between the two I am able to prevent the headaches I was getting from the overhead lights/staring at a computer screen for 8-12 hours a day.

I tend to have less problems (ok like none) when reading my iPad on black background/white text. It looks a little funky for everything else, but I don't get a headache.

As a side note, because i spend 8-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week staring at computer screens, my distance vision has become total junk. On my last leave, I noticed it improved a great deal when I stopped staring at a computer for 2 weeks. Here is to hoping it shifts back to normal when I get home in just over a month!

[Michael Ramm]

I have a Nook Tablet and I love it; Nook and Kindle aren't that different, though; it really just depends on what interface you personally find easier. I'd go somewhere that has a demo of both and play around with them for a while to decide.

I find that Amazon has more titles (that i want to read: fantasy and sci-fi).

I am invested heavily in Amazon. I have a kindle, use Prime and was using their music service, before i started using rdio for my music.

My son has an original nook (white with color touchscreen). Its battery is far inferior to my Kindle Keyboard's. In the 19 months i have had my kindle, i have only had to fully charge in 6 times. I have gone though spurts of using it, but that is damn impressive!

I have a 'new' iPad (3rd generation) and after reading on it for 45 mins, i feel like my wrist is going to fall off. It is so heavy compared to my Kindle!!

I am a firm believer in Kindles and plan on getting a Kindle Paperwhite next year.

[CalvinHobbes]

I think I'm going to hold out for a Kindle paperwhite. It seems so awesome. Amazon says it'll take 4-6 weeks to ship so I might wait and ask Santa Claus ;-)

[CalvinHobbes]

Had to tell everyone--I'm beyond obsessed with my paperwhite. It is the greatest thing in the universe. Besides puppies.

[msuroo]

Had to tell everyone--I'm beyond obsessed with my paperwhite. It is the greatest thing in the universe. Besides puppies.

I've heard this from everyone that has one. Mine isn't scheduled to be delivered until December .

[CalvinHobbes]

I've heard this from everyone that has one. Mine isn't scheduled to be delivered until December .

Mine wasn't either! But it came early

[msuroo]

Mine wasn't either! But it came early

[msuroo]

Mine wasn't either! But it came early

It came today...ermahgerd, it's amazing.

[CalvinHobbes]

It came today...ermahgerd, it's amazing.

Did you squeal with delight? Cause I did.

[chriskra]

So I have read this whole thread, and had one nagging question...

I am getting a new kindle, of that there is no question. But I am wondering if I should get the Fire HD or the Paperwhite? I understand Fire HD has apps and movies and stuff, but the main reason I am getting this is for reading. Main complaint seems to be that there is screen glare and it hurts the eyes. Would this still be the case if you get one of those screen protectors that kind of "dim" (not the best word, but I hope u guys know what I mean) the screen?

Thanks in advance for your help Rebels!

[msuroo]

If the main purpose is reading, get a paperwhite. If you want a tablet that does other stuff (that you may happen to read on from time to time), get an ipad.

[shiggles]

So I have read this whole thread, and had one nagging question...

I am getting a new kindle, of that there is no question. But I am wondering if I should get the Fire HD or the Paperwhite? I understand Fire HD has apps and movies and stuff, but the main reason I am getting this is for reading. Main complaint seems to be that there is screen glare and it hurts the eyes. Would this still be the case if you get one of those screen protectors that kind of "dim" (not the best word, but I hope u guys know what I mean) the screen?

Thanks in advance for your help Rebels!

If the main reason is for reading then I would avoid anything with the LCD screen such as the Fire. I don't think those screen protectors will have the correct effect you are after although you could experiment using one for you phone first.

I'm not even sure I like the idea of the paperwhite. While of course it is convenient, reading a lit screen in the dark is not good for your eyes (at least as far as my knowledge goes). Turning on a lamp with an unlit one is better.

[msuroo]

If the main reason is for reading then I would avoid anything with the LCD screen such as the Fire. I don't think those screen protectors will have the correct effect you are after although you could experiment using one for you phone first.

I'm not even sure I like the idea of the paperwhite. While of course it is convenient, reading a lit screen in the dark is not good for your eyes (at least as far as my knowledge goes). Turning on a lamp with an unlit one is better.

My accumulated nighttime reading with the paperwhite now totals 15 minutes, so I'm withholding judgement, but so far I'm impressed. The backlit e-ink feels different than a regular lcd screen. Also, you can adjust the contrast up and down pretty finely, to have enough light to read, but not a glowing torch (and the lower settings don't feel "dull" like they do with a contrasted down lcd screen).

Lastly, Mrs Roo just doesn't have patience for leaving the lamp on when she's trying to sleep, so I'm looking forward to having the ability to read in bed, whether it's bad for my eyes or not.

[shiggles]

Actually after doing a small amount of reading it appears devices such as the paperwhite are not nearly as bad for your eyes when reading in the dark and in general compared to a typical LCD screen as as on an ipad or other tablet.

The reason is they are not truly backlit. Instead the illumination comes from the side of the screen and is shining towards the screen rather than towards the reader.

[bigm141414]

Actually after doing a small amount of reading it appears devices such as the paperwhite are not nearly as bad for your eyes when reading in the dark and in general compared to a typical LCD screen as as on an ipad or other tablet.

The reason is they are not truly backlit. Instead the illumination comes from the side of the screen and is shining towards the screen rather than towards the reader.

It is more akin to having a flashlight on a book

[Oogiem]

My paperwhite is now on order, due to be delivered Dec 24th. I tested them in the Best Buy store side by side and think it's a good improvement on the original kindle I now own. I can't wait for it to get here! <G>