Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

To Kindle or Not To Kindle? PLEASE READ

It is that time of year when my husband is trying to figure out what I would like for Christmas.  The idea of a Kindle came up.  So, I am asking other book reviewers - do you have an E-reader and do you get books for review on them?  Also - if you do have an E-reader - which one do you prefer?  For publishers - do you have many review books available for Kindle?  (or Nook, etc)?

THANK YOU!

11 comments:

Mary Grace said...

Yes it's that time of year again. :) An eReader is a very powerful gadget for me since I am an international blogger. Most of the request I get are for eBooks. If you want to have a wider range, tight budget then get an eReader. It is also handy when you travel instead of carrying and buying a ton of books.

For the choice of eReader, it's based on preference and research. For me, I opted for a nook because of the wider formats it can read. :) but I do know that the kindle has programs (mobipocket, etc) that can convert documents to be compatible so again, it will all be based on your preference.

Kindle is $10 cheaper though. *wink*

bermudaonion said...

I have a Kindle, a Sony Pocket e-Reader and an iPad and I rarely read eBooks, but I think that's a matter of preference. As far as a straight e-Reader, the Kindle is superior to the Sony. I've never tried the Nook, so I can't compare it. You can download lots of review copies from net galley, but they do expire.

Eleni said...

I just got my Kindle a few months ago and I LOVE it! I definitely recommend you get an e-reader. I'm sure you have moments where you want to read a book but could live without the actual hard copy. It definitely saves you room in your house.

As for review e-books, just like bermudaonion said, netgalley.com offers a great amount of them. Yes, they do expire, but you don't have to download them to your Kindle right away. Just put them on when you want to read it, that way they don't expire before you get to them.

There are also publishers who have e-books as well, we just don't know about it, until we ask. For instance, a publicist contacted me to review an author's book recently. Now, I didn't really want the hard copy so I asked if she had one in Kindle form, and she did! So, I guess you could always ask. :)

I don't really know how the Nook works but I did a lot of research on Youtube with the differences between the Kindle and Nook. I just liked the design and feel of the Kindle. I wasn't crazy about the touch screen mode that the Nook has, I hate fingerprints! Also, I'm a bigger fan of Amazon than B&N's.

Okay then, good luck and I hope you get one!

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I have a Kindle (a Kindle 2) and love it. I've read several ARCs via NetGalley. Most of the NetGalley books have a Kindle button to click for download. Very easy.

I know some readers prefer other eReaders because you can access library books (if your library system allows). It hasn't been an issue for me because I have so many eBooks that I don't need to borrow from a library for a few years, lol. Not to mention the dozens of paper books on my TBR shelves!

Good luck with your decision :-)

BookHounds said...

Kristi
I just got my early Christmas present and it was a Nook. It was the cheapest at $99. I picked this one over Kindle since my primary use will be for e-galleys and most of them are in Adobe format. It takes about 5 seconds to drag and drop to the Nook. I have heard that it is several steps to do that with a Kindle. The screen is very easy to read and the software keeps improving. I have had 3 sony laptop screens go bad within the last three months, so I don't think I am going to ever buy sony again.

The Nook also does a fine job with graphic novels although if you change the font to a larger size, it will mess up the layout. Not a big deal for me since I just read those on my laptop.

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Okay, this is my VERY biased opinion. I am not a Kindle fan for one reason: they use a proprietary format. With the Sony or (the one I think I'd buy) the Nook, you can download books that are different formats (.epub, for instance), but with the Kindle, you have to convert everything to their own specific .mobi files. That can limit your titles; not all books are available at Amazon (shocking to hear, but it's true. Took me a good year to get Demo Tapes 2 formatted and for sale over there.)

As an author and as a reader, I'd suggest getting the device with the widest format capabilities. It gives YOU more buying power.

I tell people all the time now to head over to Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books. They have done THE BEST reviews of ALL the e-readers they've been able to get their hands on. It's a goldmine of information.

Good luck! And know that whatever you get, I'll be glad to provide you with coupons for my three books. A freebie for my friend...

Renee (BlacknGoldGirlsBookSpot) said...

LOL I posted on my blog yesterday asking pretty much the same thing! After narrowing it down to two ereaders I'm having a really hard time choosing between the Nook and Kindle. I hope if you decide to get one you love it! :-)

XOXO~ Renee

Eva said...

I asked for a Nook for Christmas because I want to be able to download out-of-print classics for free off the web. With a Nook, I can do that, and read ebooks checked out from my local library. A Kindle wouldn't let me do either of those...I'd have to buy books from the Amazon store only (although I think they have some classics available for free). So for me, I want to freedom to use lots of sources!

rbooth43 said...

I have a Kindle, but also want a Nook because of downloading PDF files is easier according to Nook users.

Stephanie @ Once Upon A Chapter said...

I recently had a really bad struggle with which EReader to get. To be honest no one can tell you which one is best for you because it is such a personal choice.

First of all think of where you're book purchasing loyalties lie. If you purchase from Amazon go with the Kindle.

I have no loyalties! :D So I ended up going with the Nook because it reads more file types. The Kindle is VERY specific. It will read exactly 2 file types. The Nook reads seveal.

Also something to consider, if your battery goes bad with a Kindle you must ship it in for repair. With a Nook you just go to your local B&N and buy the replacement battery pop off the back and replace it yourself. Easy peasy. If you have a B&N close by go check out the Nook. If you have a Staples close by go check out the Kindle. It makes a big difference when you can play with it. :) Best of luck it's a big decision!

Shai Williams said...

Personally I love my Sony eReader. I choose it because it can handle the most format. Also I wouldn't own a Kindle because I don't like the fact that Amazon can pull books off it as easily if you can add them.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...