First off I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to Jordan Castillo Price for the interview from the last two days. Thanks also to all of you who have commented on the posts. I'm going to wait until this evening (GMT time) before getting hub to pick two winners out of a hat so there's still a few hours left if you want to leave a comment.
I'd also like to say a belated THANK YOU to all my invisible internet buddies who sent cards, ecards, presents and general good wishes for my birthday last week. I have now learned that it is impossible to keep things quiet around here so next year I may as well go the Kris route and shout it from the roof tops weeks in advance ;).
Following on from that is the NO THANK YOU part of this post.
For my birthday this year I asked hub and the rellies to give me money because I'm trying to save up for a new ereader. My Cybook keeps freezing on me and every time it does I have to remove the battery, put it back in and switch on. This wouldn't be too much of a problem, except that the battery compartment is screwed in with a tiny screw. Luckily for me I got one of those little packs of screwdrivers in a Christmas cracker a couple of years ago (have no idea why these sort of things are included in Christmas crackers but they're damn useful) which is perfect for dealing with tiny screws. My problem comes when I'm out and about and want to read my book reader. If the thing freezes on me then I have no means to remedy the situation and I'm left (oh the horror!) without anything to read.
Anyway, after that long arsed reason, I'm wanting a new ereader. When I bought the Cybook two years ago the choice in the UK was between it and the Iliad (v expensive). Now though, I have more choice. The Sony reader is available here now, as is the cool-er reader and just recently Amazon have announced that you can now download books on the Kindle in Britain. The Kindle isn't available to buy here, but you have the option of buying from the US and having it shipped over here.
I decided to do a bit of a price comparison.
The Sony costs £260 and I can get it from Argos by walking 15 mins from my house to the nearest shop so there's no postage costs.
I went via Amazon UK to the US Kindle site and saw that a Kindle costs $260. Which is about £160, give or take. I thought that sounded just great so I went through the whole checkout thing to see how much shipping would be. Imagine my surprise when I got to the 'basket' page to discover that Amazon 'helpfully' converted my $s to £s and they actually wanted to charge me £395 for the Kindle.
Shall I tell you how they got to this number? I think I shall.
As a UK citizen buying from a US site, the Kindle doesn't cost $260, it actually costs me £325. That's actually about $534, nearly twice as much as it costs in the US. On top of that was a £16 shipping fee - fair enough, it's coming a long way. However the icing on the cake was a £50 customs fee that Amazon wanted to charge me for shipping out of the country.
Now the Kindle might be able to do all the fancy arse stuff like download direct from the internet, but I can't see me using the Amazon site as much as I do ARe or direct from the publishers so I'm not too fussed about that. Couple that with the way that Amazon are obviously trying to rip off their overseas customers and it's a big...
....NO THANKS...
.... to the Kindle from me.
Having now decided that I'm not getting a Kindle, I'm after some advice. Could you kind folks tell me which type of Sony reader you own and whether it's any good? Plus does anyone own a cool-er reader? What are they like?
Definitely go over to MobileRead and TeleRead for info and reviews on the various readers! I have a Hanlin v3 (aka a BeBook or Astak EZReader) that I like a lot. In fact, TeleRead just had a post about the latest Astak reader.
ReplyDeleteYikes, 260 pounds seems rather steep! (Isn't that about $425?)
ReplyDeleteWhy not have one of your American friends buy an e-reader for you and ship it to you? The buggers are small and light -- aren't they? -- so shipping costs wouldn't be too outrageous. (The customs form at the post office can be fudged too, you know. That's what Castanet tells me, anyway.)
'Fraid I can't help out with any suggestions other than that. I don't own an e-reader and don't foresee being able to afford one anytime soon.
But really, consider getting an overseas "helper." I'm sure people do that sort of thing all the time.
Hi, Jenre, and belated Happy Birthday wishes! I've got a Sony PRS-700 and I like it. It has search capability and you can highlight text and make notes. Its backlighting of the screen is not that great, though. Kind of dim in that the screen is lit from the sides. Lately I've been doing a lot of ebook reading on an iPod which doesn't have search or note taking capability but has a spectacularly well-lit screen. Plus, you can get Kindle books for it so you don't have to spring for the actual Kindle! I'm very pleased with it. I guess I'd probably recommend an iPod overall because you can download non-Kindle ebooks to your computer and then transfer them over to your iPod via the handy little cable (I haven't tried this yet), but it's my understanding that the iPod reads everything and not just Kindle books. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteCan you say rip off? I use a netbook because I can use it to surf the net while reading, well, not simultaneously but sort of. Good luck with the decision, every product has its good and bad.
ReplyDeleteAnd you'll never guess what has been sitting on my dining room table for ... ever. A tiny package of screwdrivers I got out of a Christmas cracker. LOL They must mass produce those things in China and ship them worldwide. LOL They are handy though.
Hi Chris
ReplyDeleteI'll go over and check out those sites. Thanks.
KZ: It is very expensive but I use my current reader an awful lot. In fact I would say that it's the most used present I've ever had (unless you count the wedding presents that we got).
Hub and I talked about finding an overseas friend to ship one to me but we were worried about any come-back should something go wrong with it.
Hi Val: Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm considering the Sony 707 or the model below: 606 so your views have been helpful on that. I have to admit that the ipod doesn't appeal because of the tiny screen. I like to have something book sized to hold.
Tam: Hub has a netbook (or something similar) which he uses for work but they are huge! You can't fit one of those in your handbag!
You've probably got the exact same set of screwdrivers I have!
No, my netbook is tiny, it fits in my purse. It's smaller than an A4 piece of paper I'd day. (Thicker obvioulsy) Of course you have to have it open like a laptop which if you use it on a bus isn't great, but while travelling it's okay. Or maybe I just have a big purse. LOL
ReplyDeleteDoes your screw driver set come with a little ring so you can use it as a keychain? If so, yep, same one. LOL
Welcome to the wonderful world of being outside the US. The iPhone can be bought from Apple for $100 US, which is about $115 Aus, yet the same phone here sells for $680 Aus. And you can't buy it from the US.
ReplyDeleteTam: My handbag is huge and needs a clean out. I can't find anything in the damn thing. LOL
ReplyDeleteI also want a reader with e-ink technology cos reading from a screen makes my eyes go funny after a while.
No my screwdriver comes in a little black packet so they are not the same.
Plus I want to know how you guys get such fantastic things in your Christmas crackers! The best thing I've ever gotten is a pencil sharpener!
ReplyDeleteSean: Yeah well, if you will live in the back of beyond what do you expect? :p.
ReplyDeleteAn iphone costs about £150 here which is still twice as much as in the states but not as bad as where you are.
Sean: we get crap stuff in crackers as well. Obviously I buy my crackers from superior establishments so the presents are slightly more upmarket :).
ReplyDeleteI think I might have to invest in more upscale crackers this year. I wonder if there are Scooby Doo ones?
ReplyDeleteSean:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thingimijigs.co.uk/products/christmas-fun/scooby-doo-6-large-christmas-crackers-product.html
:)
Sean: This person ships worldwide!
ReplyDeletehttp://cgi.ebay.com.au/CHRISTMAS-SCOOBY-DOO-CRACKERS-6-PACK_W0QQitemZ320435667712QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Celebrations_Occasions_ET?hash=item4a9b744300#ht_500wt_956
Sean: The iphone here is anywhere from $580 - $780 (depending on memory I guess) CDN. However if you sign a three year service plan then you pay anywhere from $99 to $299 but are locked into the plan until it expires. Then the price of your plan varies by how many bells and whistles you sign on for. Not worth it for me.
ReplyDeleteI buy my Christmas crackers at the supermarket. *shrug* Sometimes the prizes are crap, sometimes useful, more often crap. LOL
Uh...what are Christmas crackers? (The phrase makes me think of some drunken redneck from the Kentucky outback who's strung himself with lights!)
ReplyDeleteYou don't have Christmas crackers in the US?
ReplyDeleteTry this:
http://s745.photobucket.com/albums/xx99/jenre30/?action=view¤t=crackers.jpg
Jen, you are evil! But I love you!
ReplyDeleteTam, yeah, that's how I got my iPhone. By going on contract. And my life is ever so much better for its presence in my life. *coos over iPhone*
And... I just bought a pack. It appears that even at the age of 34 I am still six years old at heart.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a huge mark-up for the Kindle! I was curious and checked to see if you could have someone in the US buy it and ship it to you. Looks like you could, but if you do it that way, they charge you $1.99 per purchase to send a book to your Kindle via whispernet when using it outside the US. That wouldn't necessarily be a big deal, though, because you'd probably buy a lot of books from places other than amazon, and even if you did buy from amazon, you could transfer books by hooking directly to your computer. I have a Kindle and LOVE it. That said, I wouldn't pay $534 for it when I could get a Sony for half that.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, we have Christmas crackers in the US.
Oh wow good luck Jen. I use the Sony Reader 505 and love it. I demo'd the 700 and 505 side by side at my local bookstore and found the 700 too blurry for my tastes. The 505 is slower in turning pages but I prefer the more crisp display.
ReplyDeleteOverall I love my 505 and have very few, if any, problems with it. I also use the free Calibre software on my mac to upload books. I'm not sure I'd change ereaders.
Good luck!
Nothing useful to share - I had wished you a happy anniversary for your blog but totally fuzzed the B-day. Accept my belated good wishes.
ReplyDeleteMainly just goggling at the markup on the Kindle. That's amazingly sucky. I'll wish you luck on the search and wait (breathlessly) for your review. I've not yet given in as I'm worried about the lighting and ability to increase font size (and am lazy).
Christmas Crackers? I know of them from reading and overseas friends but have to say not in my neck of the woods.
I am looking at a sony e-reader. They are 199 eur (178 GBP) for the 5" screen and 299 eur ( 267GBP) for the 6" touch screen version.
ReplyDeleteMaybe when I get my 13th month salary next month :)
I have the Sony PRS-300 Pocket, which sells for $199US. I like it just fine, but I wish I'd paid the extra $40 for the PRS-505. It has a larger reading screen and a more user-friendly design.
ReplyDeleteIf you do end up with a Sony reader, I recommend downloading Calibre to use as your library software rather than the obnoxious Sony Library software that's included.
Don't use the CoolerReader!!!! Email me off line about this - but we're still in serious trouble with them and waiting our money back ... Sony however is wonderful!!!
ReplyDelete==:O
Axxx
Sean: Well I'm sure your nieces and nephews will ejoy them as much as you do :).
ReplyDeleteRichelle: I know that many people have raved on about the Kindle which is why I was pleased when they announced that you could use it in this country but this whole business has left a rather sour taste in my mouth so I think I'll stick to the Sony.
Kassa: I'm trying to decide on the 505 vs the 700 as I want the larger screen. I don't need a backlight because I already have a book light to use at night. Does the 505 have a touch screen?
ReplyDeleteChrissy: When I get the new one I'll be sure to review it once I've been playing with it for a while.
Ingrid: There's not much in it then between the UK and NL. I did find some cheaper on ebay and other internet sites.
I have a Sony PRS-505 and I am very happy with it. It has a really crisp screen. I was debating whether to get the 700 or the 505 and I got the 505. The 700 has a touch screen (which I don't need and also it degrades the crispness of the screen) and it has a search function (which I would love but can still do without for a crisper screen).
ReplyDeleteSony is much better than Kindle. The only thing Kindle has going for it is that you can automatically buy from the internet. One thing I love about Sony is that you can organize your books by series. I love this feature!
I don't know enough about the cool-er to comment on it, but I imagine it's better than any product Amazon will put out. Even if the Kindle itself was better as a product, you're better off with a non-Amazon product. Amazon has so many horrible restrictions in place that it's not even worth it.
You can't read books that were bought from places other than the Kindle store. Unless you get a crack, which used to be available on mobileread but Amazon issued a take-down. Surprisingly, you can't read books bought from mobipocket either (even though Amazon OWNS mobipocket).
A while ago, it went into people's Kindle devices and deleted a book because the book still had copyright and Amazon wasn't authorized to sell a Kindle version. They fixed that problem, but still, they make the worst decisions.
Then there was talk of their kindle covers actually cracking the screens, and they wouldn't exchange or reimburse (until the customer took the case to court).
There are more, but those are the ones off the top of my head. But bottom-line is, I think it would be best to go with a non-Amazon reader.
JenB: I've heard a few people discussing Calibre. I'll certainly bear it in mind.
ReplyDeleteAnne: I don't have your email! Email me at jenre30@gmail.com as I want to hear your story :).
I have sony 505 and I love it. I did at first consider getting a kindle but its Whispernet doesn't work in my area.
ReplyDeleteAs for christmas crackers, I have seen them in movies and read about them in books but I have never actually seen one in person.
Oh, yeah. I second what everyone has said about downloading Calibre. Best storage and conversion tool ever. It's very intuitive. You don't have read any instruction manuals or directions.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin: Oh dear. I thought I would be able to use all my mobi books on the Kindle. My Cybook reads Mobi files so I thought that would make things easier for me. Obviously not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warnings :).
Amanda: Thanks, it looks like I'm sold on the Sony and perhaps the 505 would be the better option.
ReplyDeleteI find it all really odd about Christmas Crackers! I'd just assumed they were an international thing. It never occurred to me that they aren't used in the States as they're such an important part of a UK Christmas dinner!
Caitlin: Calibre sounds good, especially if I don't have to read a manual ;).
I forgot to mention a negative about sony 505 if you're considering that one. I don't know about the other sony products, but the 505 only reads lrf (BeBook format), rtf (rich text), pdf, and txt. So I tend to buy books in html, lit, or prc formats, then batch convert them with Calibre.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if you have time for that extra step. You'd still have to use your computer to upload the books to the device, so usually this extra step doesn't bother me, but I know there are some people out there who are busy enough that this would be too much of a hassle.
I has two Sonys...the 505 and 700...and a Kindle that I've used precisely once.
ReplyDeleteThe one I use 99% of the time is the 505. The only difference between the two Sonys is that my 505 has a booklight attached to the cover, and the 700 has a backlight. I've never used either lights, since the text is clear enough that I can read just fine even in low lighted conditions.
Kindle...I don't like being tied to Amazon, and I don't like that Amazon can edit and delete my book list at will without notifying me first. I keep the internet function turned off and never use the thing. It's a paperweight/dust catcher.
My 8 yr old bratling likes to read on his Asus netbook, so that's another idea too. He can go online and play games/chat with friends/ listen to his iTunes playlist in between reading and doing homework, so he loves it muchly.
Caitlin: That wouldn't be a problem for me. At the moment I buy most of my books in pdf but the cybook doesn't format it very well so I convert them to mobi files and load them onto the reader. Using Calibre would be almost the same as what I'm currently doing :).
ReplyDeleteEmmy: I'm not bothered about a backlight either so the cheaper 505 seems the better option all round.
ReplyDeleteI can see the appeal of a netbook but I'd rather have a dedicated reader that I can carry round in my handbag. I have a laptop which I love a great deal for internet stuff. Also the netbook doesn't have e-ink which is on my 'must have' list for a book reader.
I am about to do that very thing, Jenre!!! Axxx
ReplyDeleteThe Mumma bought me a 505 whilst she was in the UK and I've never looked back! It's fabulous. Great storage space, great battery life and the text size is fabbo.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of a back light doesn't concern me at all because I always read with a light close by.
The only problem I've yet to find with it is with the conversion of some of the Dreamspinner books. Based on the recs here about Calibre I'll check that out and see if it helps.
Kris: After reading all the comments I think I'll go for the 505 and check out Calibre whilst I'm at it.
ReplyDeleteCalibre is awesome. The only "down"side if there is one is that just about every time you open it, it prompts you to download the new version lol. On the + side the tech support for the FREE software is amazing. The guy does it all for free and helped me figure out a problem that was difficult to get to.
ReplyDeleteI tend to read everything in epub so I buy in PDF and batch convert in calibre to epub to read on the sony. As others have said there isn't a touch screen on the 505 but I personally don't mind it.
Good luck with your purchase!
I also have the Sony 505 and LOVE it. As for Calibre, it's a great program. Very easy to use.
ReplyDeleteYou know, we fight over those screwdriver sets every year, I'm thinking of getting my own box of crackers just to get an updated set. They're good for mending glasses, too, when the little screw falls out of the arm...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm appalled at this double pricing scenario for Kindle. I discovered it recently when I clicked on one of my Kindle books on Amazon.com, only to find the price almost double on the product page - presumably because it registered that I was a UK customer. (1) how dare it assume I'm buying as a UK person when I may be buying as a US one (2) how dare it 'hide' the double pricing so damned sneakily and (3) how the hell does it justify the pricing hike up? not like it has to cope with shipping on ebooks!!
Yep, still smarting :)
I have my Sony PRS505 and I'm happy with it, though it still freezes occasionally, just to keep me on my toes. I now travel with a long hat pin taped inside the back cover, just in case! LOL
Lily: Thanks for your comment. The 505 seems a very popular device.
ReplyDeleteClare: The whole Kindle thing has pissed me off no end. They're not going to sell many devices in Britain if they continue to overinflate the prices.
What do you have to do with the hat pin when your 505 freezes?
Well, the hatpin would be useful for stabbing Amazon sales representatives...
ReplyDeleteNo seriously, there's a tiny pinhole on the back of the 505 where you can 'reset' it if/when it freezes. It needs a pin or the end of a paperclip, and I never seem to have one of them with me.
I do now, ever since 'Striking Sparks' froze on me and I was looking at having to face the Sony Repair Dept with a page full of hot smex! :)
Clare: Don't you lose all the books you've downloaded if you reset it?
ReplyDeleteThat whole 'frozen on the sex scene' thing, still makes me giggle :)
No, everything stays in place. It just re-boots and takes you back to where you previously were. The same as turning it off does. I'm quite impressed really, that even when you shut it down normally and leave it for a few days, it will retain your place in whatever book(s) you were last reading.
ReplyDeleteIt loses where you are if the battery runs right down, but it doesn't lose anything in the library.
I also believe the battery gets used up on page turns, rather than just over time. Obviously if you leave it for ages, it'll probably run down, but I can leave it for several days and it doesn't lose much charge.
Mind you, like all battery-powered equipment, the maximum battery life has reduced since I first got it. But if I'm reading something just for an hour every day, it still lasts up to a week.
Jen,
ReplyDeleteSaw your interview at wave's site and decided to drop by. I bought a kindle last year... before they released the international version. Ebay UK ship here from the states, you still have to pay VAT but they are incredible (kindles... even gadget geek hubby loves them. He wants one but I put a bright pink cover on mine so it didn't get 'lost'). I paid £99 + VAT (import duty about £50) and no shipping. You might want to check it out.
tish
Hi Tish
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by! I've seen you over at Kris' blog a bit recently :).
I'm glad the Kindle works for you, but I'm rather disgruntled with Amazon about the whole thing so they've lost major brownie points with me!
The ebay route is a good idea. I think I'll have a look and see how much I can save if I get a Sony 505 that way.
Boy, Clare never lets me live it down that Striking Sparks froze her Sony...
ReplyDeleteI also read ebooks on the iPod Touch. I adore it. I love that it can play music and check my email and allow me to read ebooks (like a netbook) but doesn't turn into a raging hot piece of plastic (like a netbook.) And it fits in my pocket.
Jordan: Obviously the power of Crash's personality overwhelmed the poor Sony's circuitry ;).
ReplyDeleteI know that some people swear by their ipod/iphones for reading, but the small screen puts me off a little. Plus I really want e-ink. Thanks for adding your thoughts though :).