By almost any imaginable definition, last week was the newsiest ever in the still-new world of e-book readers. We witnessed the unveiling of Barnes & Noble’s ambitious Nook. We got more details about Plastic Logic’s long-awaited device. We learned of an underdog known as the Spring Design Alex. We were informed that Amazon was killing the original Kindle 2 and lowering the price of the model with international roaming, and saw a demo of an upcoming Amazon Kindle reader application for Windows (a Mac version is also in the works). In short, the era in which it was logical to use “Kindle” as shorthand for “book-reading gizmo” is over.
It seems like a good time, then, to put some basic facts and figures about a bunch of major and/or new e-reader competitors in one place. After the jump, a quick Technologizer Cheat Sheet.
Amazon Kindle With U.S. and International Wireless
In three words: Pioneering…getting stale?
Price: $259
Availability: Now
Books, etc: 360,000 books; newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
Screen(s): 6″ E-Ink; 16 shades of gray; 600 by 800 pixels
Dimensions and weight: 8″ by 5.3″ by .36″; 10.2 oz.
Battery life: Up to four days with wireless turned on; up to two weeks with it turned off
Input: Physical keyboard, buttons
Connectivity: AT&T 3G (international roaming available), USB
Battery life: Four days with wireless on; up to two weeks with wireless off
Memory: 2GB (1.4GB available)
Expansion: None
ePub e-book standard supported: No
PDF and DOC supported: Yes, through conversion
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Yes
Random other features: Reads books out loud unless disabled by publisher; rudimentary audio player and Web browser; Wikipedia
Readers for other devices: iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows and Mac in works
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Amazon Kindle DX
In three words: Kindle, only bigger.
Price: $489
Availability: Now
Books, etc: 360,000 books; newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
Screen(s): 9.7″ E-Ink; 16 shades of gray; 1200 by 824 pixels
Dimensions and weight: 10.4″ by 7.2″ by .38″; 18.9 oz.
Battery life: Up to four days with wireless turned on; up to two weeks with it turned off
Input: Physical keyboard, buttons
Connectivity: Sprint 3G, USB
Memory: 4GB (3.3GB available)
Expansion: None
ePub e-book standard supported: No
PDF and DOC supported: Yes
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Yes
Random other features: Reads books out loud unless disabled by publisher; rudimentary audio player and Web browser; Wikipedia
Readers for other devices: iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows and Mac in works
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Barnes & Noble Nook
In three words: Looks quite promising.
Price: $259
Availability: Late November
Books, etc: A million books, including 500,000 free titles; newspapers and magazines
Screen(s): 6″ E-Ink with 16 shades of gray and 3.5″ color touchscreen
Dimensions and weight: 7.7″ by 4.9″ by .5; 11.2 oz.
Battery life: Up to ten days with wireless turned off
Input: Touchscreen, physical buttons, onscreen keyboard
Connectivity: AT&T 3G (no word yet on international roaming as far as I know), Wi-Fi, USB
Memory: 2GB
Expansion: microSD slot
ePub e-book standard supported: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes for PDF; no for DOC
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Yes
Random other features: Books can be loaned to other users of Nook and B&N’s reader software for PCs, Macs, iPhones, and BlackBerries; plays MP3s
Readers for other devices: Windows, Mac, iPhone, BlackBerry
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
iRex DR800SG
In three words: An interesting underdog.
Price: Both $399 and $449 have been reported
Availability: Late October (although while I was writing this, Best Buy removed it from its site)
Books, etc.: Via Barnes & Noble, a million books, including 500,000 free titles; newspapers and magazines; also has content from Newspapers Direct and LibreDigital
Screen(s): 8.1″ E-Ink
Dimensions and weight: 7.6″ by 5.9″ by .4; 14.9 oz.
Battery life: Not sure
Input: Stylus, physical buttons
Connectivity: Verizon 3G, USB
Memory: 2GB (via included microSD card)
Expansion: microSD slot
ePub e-book standard supported: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes for PDF; DOC not mentioned
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Via future firmware update
Random other features: None that I know of
Readers for other devices: None that I know of
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Plastic Logic Que
In three words: Ship it already!
Price: TBA
Availability: Next year
Books, etc: Via Barnes & Noble, a million books, including 500,000 free titles; newspapers and magazines.
Screen(s): 10.7″ E-Ink
Dimensions and weight: .3″ thick; weighs “less than many periodicals”
Battery life: “days”
Input: Touchscreen
Connectivity: AT&T 3G, Wi-Fi, USB
Memory: Unspecified
Expansion: Unspecified
ePub e-book standard supported: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes
Dictionary: Unknown
Annotation: Yes
Random other features: Shatterproof plastic screen
Readers for other devices: Unknown
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Sony Reader Daily Edition
In three words: Looks okay; pricey.
Price: Announced in August at $399 (but with the Kindle having undergone two price cuts since then and the Nook coming in at $259, you gotta wonder whether Sony will cut the price)
Availability: December
Books, etc.: “Thousands” of titles from Sony E-Book Store; a million free books from Google
Screen: 7″ E-Ink; 800 by 600; 16 shades of gray
Dimensions and weight: Unspecified as far as I know
Battery life: Up to two weeks with wireless shut off
Input: Physical buttons
Connectivity: AT&T 3G, USB
Memory: 2GB
Expansion: Memory Stick Pro and SD slots
ePub e-book format supported: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes (conversion of DOC requires Word installed on PC)
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Yes
Random other features: MP3 and AAC music playback
Reader software for other devices: Windows, Mac
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Sony Reader Pocket Edition
In three words: Smaller and cheaper.
Price: $199.99
Availability: Now
Books, etc.: “Thousands” of titles from Sony E-Book Store; a million free books from Google
Screen: 5″ E-Ink; 800 by 600; 8 shades of gray
Dimensions and weight: 6.25″ by 4.25″ by .4″; 7.76 oz.
Battery life: 2 weeks
Input: Physical buttons
Connectivity: USB
Memory: 512MB; 440MB available
Expansion: None
ePub e-book format supported: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes (conversion of DOC requires Word installed on PC)
Dictionary: No
Annotation: No
Random other features: None that I know of
Reader software for other devices: Windows, Mac
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Sony Reader Touch Edition
In three words: Really needs wireless.
Price: $299.99
Availability: Now
Books, etc.: “Thousands” of titles from Sony E-Book Store; a million free books from Google
Screen: 6″ E-Ink; 800 by 600; 8 shades of gray
Dimensions and weight: 6.9″ by 4.8″ by .4″; 10.1 oz.
Battery life: 2 weeks
Input: Touch
Connectivity: USB
Memory: 512MB; 380MB available
Expansion: Memory Stick Pro and SD slots
ePub e-book format supported: Yes
Dictionary: Yes
Annotation: Yes
PDF and DOC supported: Yes (conversion of DOC requires Word installed on PC)
Reader software for other devices: Windows, Mac
Random other features: MP3 and AAC audio playback
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
Spring Design Alex
In three words: More info, please!
Price: TBA
Availability: Unclear
Books, etc: Still signing up content providers, apparently
Screen(s): 6″ E-Ink and 3.5″ color touchscreen
Battery life: Unspecified
Connectivity: Unclear, but mention of 3G, EVDO, and Wi-Fi
Memory: Unspecified
Expansion: SD slot
ePub e-book format supported: Unspecified
Dictionary: Unspecified
Annotation: Yes, apparently
PDF and DOC supported: Unspecified
Reader software for other devices: Unknown
Random other features: Multimedia capabilities of some sort
Previous Technologizer coverage: Here
I could go on–the TIME slideshow has some more contenders, all of which are obscure, unreleased, and/or unavailable in the U.S.–but that’s all for now. Any of these particularly tickle your fancy? Looks like the Nook will definitely shake things up, and the Que is potentially significant…
October 26th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Thank you for the great comparison of ebook readers. Hopefully, you will provide future reviews for each ebook reader based on performance. This would help before purchasing.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Nook: According to CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10374792-1.html), the main screen resolution is 600×800, the same as other 6 inch e-ink displays. The color touch display is reported to be 480×144. In BN’s nook faq, it says with wireless on and/or music usage, battery need changing after two days.
DR800SG: the screen resolution is 768×1024, the same as the irex’s previous iliad product and what e-ink specs for their 8.1 inch screens. Specs galore here: http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Irex-DR800SG/?kc=rss
Sony Read Daily Edition: it would be strange for the taller screen to still have a resolution of 600×800. I would guess it’s going to be 600×1024.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Not quite completely fair — for “support doc files?” you sometimes put “yes with conversion” and sometimes put “no”. Compare the Sony and B&N Nook for example. Does either support doc files natively? No. Can both display doc files that have been converted for the device? Sure. There’s tools to convert word to PDF, HTML, EPUB, so there’s ways to get the stuff in there.
That’s one problem with this comparison that I was able to quickly catch on my own, but it leaves me wondering what I might be missing.
October 26th, 2009 at 9:50 am
@doug: I cheerfully admit that this Cheat Sheet isn’t definitive or completely consistent. I don’t feel guilty about drawing a distinction between e-readers that provide some sort of means for converting DOC files (as the 6″ Kindle does) and those that don’t–and when I said Barnes & Noble’s Nook didn’t support DOC, I based it on Barnes & Noble’s own comparison chart between the Nook and the Kindle, which puts a red x next to “Word document support” for the Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/
–Harry
October 26th, 2009 at 11:35 am
The problem with e-ink is that it sucks. I just got a Kindle – I live in France – and am returning it. The contrast is so bad that it’s pretty much unreadable without bright light on the screen. In the sun it’s great, but at home it truly sucks. I’m astounded why people are buying this thing and keeping it. Am I missing something?
October 26th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Your book availability figures are misleading because you’re swallowing B&N’s b.s. that they have millions of books. What matters is in-copyright books, and from what I can tell you’re more likely to get current fiction and nonfiction books on the Kindle than any other device.
It’s a cinch to read public domain Project Gutenberg and Google Books on the Kindle (and any computer, and most phones, etc etc) but Amazon doesn’t include those titles as part of its “library.” Rightly so, they’re already part of everyone’s library. If we care about the future of digital books we should teach people about things like PG so they do not have to be spoonfed pre-exisiting content and don’t get tricked into buying out-of-copyright texts with no value added.
October 26th, 2009 at 11:57 am
My favourite e-book reader: iPhone. I mostly use the Kindle app on it (but got the B&N app too, in case it offers an advantage). I have it with me all the time, and I find it remarkably comfortable to read (unexpected, because of the screen size). Quasi-all my fiction reading now happens on that device.
October 26th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
@jhn I don’t think I swallowed anyone’s BS–the numbers quoted in the story are those claimed by the manufacturer, and you’re absolutely right that the sheer quantity of books is far less important than whether a reader has the book you want.
I look forward to reviewing the Nook, and when I do I’ll judge it on how the selection compares to Amazon in terms of in-copyright books of interest to real people.
–Harry
October 26th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Thanks for the brief rundown — only a handful of these have really gotten any press or many dollars so I think it’s far to early to tell. As a whole, I think tech writers and the public at large wants ONE product to win (the one they buy) — why can’t their be lots of e-Readers and lots of winners?
Of course, in a write up such as this, how could you not give Apple even a mention (they have e-Reader software for their iPod Touch andn iPhone — also considering the amount of press the rumored tablet has received, you would think, Harry, you could join the fray.
Root tootin’ & Horn blastin’,
JGowan
“You’ve got your peanut butter in my opinion”
October 26th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Excellent summation! I particularly like the three word summaries– although I don’t consider my Kindle 2 stale. I’ll watch for your opinion of the Nook and the QUE once they’re out. Is B&N being coy? No one seems to have really tried one and they’re supposed to ship in less than 30 days.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Anybody remember the Franklin Rocket eBook? Whatever happened to that?
http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Electronics-EB-500-Rocket-eBook/dp/B00000JSFS
October 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Another one recently announced (at the Frankfurt Book Fair) is from txtr see http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/15/new-e-reader-txtr-germanys-answer-to-the-kindle/ and their own website http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/15/new-e-reader-txtr-germanys-answer-to-the-kindle/
October 26th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Please report DPI and contrast of the screens, otherwise it’s meaningless.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Don’t forget the Story.
One other category that would be useful, if difficult to track, is international availability. This is especially important with regards to content providers. For that reason the only choice for me is the International Kindle. The Nook looks sweet, but it’ll be years before it releases outside of the US.
October 26th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
So let me get this straight: Yet another e-book guru who has never used one? Or used one for a just week?
I’m not going to comment on any of your specific statements. I’ll just pass along some personal experience: Get 50,000 pages under your belt. Then you’ll know what you’re talking about. You’re perspective changes and your preconceptions evaporate.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Forgot the astak ezreader.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:15 am
@mike: Who’s this e-book guru (I’m not one) who has never used one (I’ve owned several, have reviewed them here and elsewhere, and have read thousands of pages on them)?
–Harry
October 27th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I may very well be in the minority on this, but until an eBook reader includes a backlight, I’m not interested. The primary reason (>95%) I want an eBook reader device is to read in bed at night with all other lighting off. Battery life is a non-issue since there’s a plug-in readily available where I will be using the device. They may be backlit, but for me, a laptop/netbook is over-sized for reading.
The whole reason for the eBook market segment to exist is to do away with the limitations of paper books. One of greatest of those limitations is the ability to read at night. Seems like a logical problem to try to solve.
Once a company builds a reader with this feature, they’ve earned my eBook purchasing dollars. And my wife’s gratitude.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:12 am
Do any of these *not* have the white-to-black-to-white flicker on changing pages? I suspect it’s an eInk problem but it makes ebook readers unusable for me as it just disrupts my reading; I’d love to find one that’s cured the problem.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
@i1Patrick: Considering that e-readers are the killer app for e-ink technology, there will never be an e-reader with a backlight. That’s because e-ink is designed to mimic the optical properties of printed paper — and so far, society has done just fine without backlit books.
Kidding aside, reading on a backlit screen for long periods causes eyestrain, which is why e-ink was invented. But if you really want to read on a backlit screen, then you can just get an e-reader application for your smartphone or PC.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:23 am
Patrick, I’m totally with you. I love a backlight. I still have an old ebook reader t hat has a backlight, and although i can longer add books, it was my favorite. I do use my iphone in bed for now. I do hope someone will add a backlight.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:24 am
There’s another really nice ebook reader comparison site for Kindle, Nook and Sony ereaders. It offers a crisp side-by-side chart so you can compare features.
The site is:
http://ebookreader.compare2save.net
November 20th, 2009 at 4:38 am
I love handling books owning writing in sharing and carrying books– until this yr. Some books are too heavy for my sprained thumbs. I was loaned a Kindle! I didn’t love it but I do love the idea of having acess to book anywhere anytime and not hurting my wrist and thumbs from the weight. Can I imagine buying the Nook?no it does not have text to speech. The Kindle has to many qwerks. The Sony expensive. I am waiting For a product with the following
size of paperback, .4weight or close
text to speech w/headphones and audio
back lit option
expandable port
easy access to material without a computer
color touch screen
shock resistent cover included
Price: under $300
and I will buy.