For all you E-Readers out there!

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
#1

<p>Skiff</a> Reader | Skiff Reading | Skiff</p>

<p>Apparently this relatively unknown company is coming out with a new e-reader this year. It's huge (bigger than the Kindle DX) and thinner than all its competitors. This enables it to show periodicals really nicely without losing the format.</p>

<p>I'm getting a Kindle 2 for my birthday and I almost hesitated when I saw this. It's touch-screen (yet it doesn't lose its clarity unlike the Sony-700), has 3G like the Kindle, and it bends. A deal-breaker right there ;)</p>

<p>But ultimately I think I'll stick with my Kindle 2. It's still the most convenient e-reader for reading books. What do you guys think (any e-reader suggestions/testimonials before I finalize my decision)? Will you be getting this when it comes out?</p>

<p>The only issue I have is that they are not telling us whether or not it'll be open source (like the Nook). Kindle isn't open source, but that was no problem since Amazon has an extensive library. But Skiff....? And since this e-reader is huge, thin, 3G, and *bendable<a href="still%20can't%20get%20over%20that">/I</a>, I'm guessing it'll be pricey as well.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, this is an exciting development in the e-reader market :) It looks like it has great potential.</p>

#2

<p>What does it cost? Is it actually available yet? It looks amazing.</p>

#3

<p>It's not available to the public yet, but the product has already been showcased. I thought that this was a pretty good article on it: <a href="http://blog.laptopmag.com/skiffs-ereader-and-service-demoed-device-and-service-could-reinvent-print-media%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://blog.laptopmag.com/skiffs-ereader-and-service-demoed-device-and-service-could-reinvent-print-media&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I think it'll definitely come out in 2010, but they still have to expand their library (they're not exactly Amazon/B&N-esque). I will be extremely tempted to buy it if it can support pdfs natively and textbooks.</p>

<p>Looks expensive though :/</p>

#4

<p>It does look really cool, especially the flexibility. I love my Kindle which my H gave me for xmas. We will probably buy at least one more ereader within the next 6 months so we have two when we travel. My kids love to read and we usually end up lugging a carton of books with us to keep them entertained. H loves the idea of not having to lug all those books around. </p>

<p>Two things I really like about the Kindle are: its size (fits in my pocketbook) and the ability to download books quickly. </p>

<p>If the Apple IPad wasn't so expensive we might consider that for the second ereader, the kids would love it, they both already have ITouches, and IPods so it is not like it would add much more to our ereading capability to our corral of existing electronics.</p>

#5

<p>I have a hunch we will all have more than one kind of e-reader. This looks amazing for reading at home or in one place, but it lacks the portability of Kindle et al. </p>

<p>DH is getting an ipad, he has his reasons, all of which are highly suspect, so I will report in at some point and give you my opinion. </p>

<p>I love my kindle because I can just plop it in my purse and take it with me when I am going to appointments, or traveling, etc. I have had it since xmas and still am amazed every time I decide I want a book and it is instantly available.</p>

#6

<p>They just added the Kindle for Mac application, also. Previously they had the Kindle for PC app for home computers. If you have one, you can now get all your books on your Mac or PC in addition to your Kindle readers. </p>

<p>I have had one for a couple of months now. I like it. Easy to carry around and always have a book to read. Can't wait to travel with it!</p>

#7

<p>I just read that Google is coming out with an e-reader soon. Given Google's access to books, it might be worth waiting to see what Google comes up with. Apple's ipad is sort of limited in its use, if Google can add a few more options for the same price, that might be the way to go.</p>

#8

<p>
[quote]
he has his reasons, all of which are highly suspect

[/quote]

LOL. Thanks for my chuckle of the day.</p>

<p>(guessing he just wants one?)</p>

#9

<p>^^That's great news. I've been waiting for the moment when Google enters the e-reader market. </p>

<p>I've been reading up on the Skiff e-reader, and apparently the finished product isn't as flexible as they advertise it to be :/ Nevertheless, the large touch screen surface looks very cool.</p>

<p>Yea, the main reason why I'm thinking about getting a Kindle is because it's so portable :] And everyone has been raving about the fast downloads. Although I think it should be open source; it sounds like a pain to convert Google Books/pdfs/etc into Kindle's specified format.</p>

<p>haha. I also had the option of getting an iPad, but I opted for a Kindle as I'm not very Apple savvy. I already have an iTouch and I'm not too fond of using it as an e-reader (LCD). But the iPad looks beautiful as does all Apple products.</p>

#10

<p>Instead of waiting for a Google device in the future, why not get a Sony e-reader? It can read every book posted on Google right now.</p>

#11

<p>^I've looked into the Sony e-readers extensively. I especially like how it can support so many difference sources :]</p>

<p>But ultimately I decided against it because of the slight glare :/ The touch screen surface is really cool, but I wish they would find some way to incorporate it without adding on an extra layer that hinders the reading process. It was a tough decision and I read way too many articles comparing the Kindle and the Sony e-readers, but I ultimately decided to go with Amazon's Kindle.</p>

#12

<p>Only one Sony model has the touch screen. The other two use regular buttons and have zero glare.</p>

#13

<p>I have the Sony PRS-600 (touch screen, no 3G) and have had no problem with glare, slight or otherwise. I have older eyes, and can read it with my progressives or with my monovision contacts. Fully as portable as the Kindle, and I don't need the over-the-air book downloading. It's not that big a deal to attach the Sony to my computer to get another book on it, and since I can store so many books on it, I won't be away from my computer long enough to run out of stuff to read!</p>

<p>I went with Sony rather than Kindle because I can get all the free books that are now on the internet. I have my collection of Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, Alexandre Dumas on my machine, and they didn't cost me a penny.</p>

#14

<p>I think they are going to make a smaller ipad, but I like the look of the Sony.
I also have a screen protector on both my Blackberry and my ipod touch, and it doesn't affect readability, but it does cut glare.</p>

<p>Apparently this relatively unknown company is coming out with a new e-reader this year</p>

<p>Hearst, will be using it to target subscribers of print media.</p>

<p>CES:</a> A peek at Hearst's Skiff reader | Seattle Times Newspaper</p>

#15

<p>This is edging much closer to what I am wishing for. A lightweight, very durable, sheet music reader. Must have a larger screen than current readers. Must have very good resolution, no glare, must be very easy to turn pages. Must read pdf's, must have a USB port.</p>

<p>Once this becomes practical and affordable, the market will be huge. Every musician in America will have to have one. Me first. lol</p>

#16

<p>Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Sony e-readers. Now I'm even more torn. haha. I really did like the Sony e-reader pocket edition (which isn't touch screen and has even greater clarity than the Kindle), but I'm the kind of reader who likes to tab pages, highlight, and write little notes in the margins. I'll consider getting one in the future since the concept of open source is really appealing. </p>

<p>Like emeraldkitty said, the Skiff Reader seems to be aimed at newspaper/magazine readers. I'm a little apprehensive at the practicality of using it to read normal books, but if it's priced at a reasonable amount, I suspect that they'll still have a large market.</p>

#17

<p>
[quote]
I have my collection of Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, Alexandre Dumas on my [Sony] machine, and they didn't cost me a penny.

[/quote]
Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, and Alexandre Dumas are available on Kindle as well, for free or very inexpensively ($0.99 - $3.99).</p>

#18

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-ebook/dp/B000JQU1VS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1271203904&sr=1-1%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-ebook/dp/B000JQU1VS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1271203904&sr=1-1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Here are 12 free Sherlock Holmes adventures for Kindle. I think I may have gotten some Jane Austen for free, too. I very rarely pay for anything.</p>

#19

<p>There's a huge source of free books that go straight to Kindle: you go on Kindle's web browser to access "The Magic Catalog of Project Gutenberg" and you can search for your book of choice. I'm not sure, but isn't Gutenberg the same as the Google digitizing project?</p>

<p>I think our Kindle II is terrific, though I was sort of wishing for the DX this week when H was trying to convert a bunch of websites to pdf form so that he could take the material with him on a trip. The pdf conversion and transfer to Kindle is easy, but the font size can't be enlarged, so that's a problem with the smaller Kindle screen. I think he's figured out a way to save the pdf's in larger font, so it seems to be working now.</p>

#20

<p>I downloaded a bunch of "Series of Unfortunate Events..." books and a couple other popular YA books offered free from Amazon this week. I used to download a lot of the free stuff Amazon offered for Kindle, now I screen and only download stuff I think i will like. I buy about 2 books a month for my Kindle with prices ranging from $4-10. </p>

<p>One thing I really wish I could do with my Kindle is put books in folders: one for my son, one for my daughter, one for me and last for books already read..</p>

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