Shopping advice needed: ebook readers

[gerisullivan]

Ebooks haven't been on my shopping radar until 10 minutes ago. I'm going to be buying one for upcoming client work in the next week or so. AKICIF: please advise.

To begin, I'll using the reader primarily to proof the appearance of magazines converted to the .epub format, and then to better design documents that will work well in ebook format. Most of these won't be actual books -- they'll be magazine and newsletter-style articles with images.

We're going to avoid DRM-locked formats, at least to whatever degree any of them limit us from offering the magazine in a format that can be read on other readers.

I'm also aiming for affordable rather than top of the line. Most importantly, I need a reader that will come closest to duplicating the screen size and sorts of interfaces the majority of techie and scientific ebook users are likely to have.

As for what else I need to consider, please, you tell me. I am but an egg.

Thanks!

Comments

[casacorona.livejournal.com]

I'm buying the NOOKcolor. It will display all formats except Kindle's proprietary AMZ, and I suspect that there's a way to do those, too. The device is actually an Android tablet, and I think you'll be able to install Kindle for Android on it.

Unfortunately, it may not work for your time-line -- they won't ship till Nov. 19th.

You should be aware, though, that all the ebook vendors have implementations for PCs. And for both iPhone and Android phones. These are free. There is no reason why you couldn't download them, and use them to proof your documents.

I have Sony, Kindle, and Nook readers on my notebook.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you!

I downloaded the Kindle for Mac. Alas, while Kindle has bunches and bunches of magazines available in regular Kindle format, so far I've only found three magazines available for the Kindle for Mac version -- MacWorld news, something called "Code" that does an excellent job of displaying likely problems we'll encounter in the free sample they offer, and knitting patterns.

Still, it's a quick start and I greatly appreciate that. I'll still get a reader, but having the desktop option should greatly expand my ability to see what publications do in different formats!

I'm betting ebook readers will be popular Black Friday sale items, another argument for waiting an extra week or so. Thanks to you telling me about the computer readers may well buy me the time I need to be able to wait. You rock.

[casacorona.livejournal.com]

Happy to be of service!