What's a good ebook reading device?

[Kamisama]

I'm looking through portable hardware devices that allow someone to read ebooks on the go. Unfortunately, many of these work off OCR technology. Simply put, if the document is in text--not image format--then the document can be covereted to be read on a portable device. I need image format reading devices.

I'm trying to look for a device that allows someone to view .PDF files but at the same time doesn't work off OCR. It will show the image files that composed the .pdf file.

I found some interesting gadgets on the internet including this Everybook reader thing, but it was made in 1998 and didn't seem to become too popular. I couldn't get enough information about it to give a proper thought to its capabilities. It probably was discontinued. Maybe it still exists, lurking so people don't use it to their advantage.

OCR usually sucks when rendering images.

Anyone with information on portable devices except a laptop?

[festergrump]

You might look into a fairly new do-all cellphone made by Palm called a Treo... Very nifty little devices with many other capabilities. They're about $300 if you buy it with service (otherwise upwards of $500+ no service lock-in deal).

Not completely sure about PDF capabilities coming with the phone but downloads are available, surely. Someone asks you what you're reading you could even 'Blue-tooth' the file to them (though I'd avise against that, of course, for obvious reasons). Just thinking aloud... Palm is probably the best company out there IMO who design such useful products.

[nbk2000]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/sony-reader-details-and-pics/

Uses e-ink, instead of an LCD screen, so the reader doesn't use any juice to display a page, only when changing pages. Plus, resolution is much higher, so less eyestrain. :)

'Course, it's over $300 for something that only displays book pages. But, as long as it can display all forms of PDF files (a big if), then with all the books that are already on the FTP and floating around on the internet, you should have no problems having more to read than you'll ever be able to read. :)

[Kamisama]

:rolleyes: Seems like the critics, on that page, think a laptop is a better choice NBK. Looks like the laptop beats all. Getting a light-weight laptop of an affordable price is key.

[nbk2000]

Seems a lot of people were saying that, for the same price, you could get a laptop that could many things OK, rather than the Sony reader which does only one thing, but exceedingly well, that being displaying text in a non-eyestrain inducing manner :)

Yes, the cost needs to come down for the masses, and color would be nice, but it can display text like a book, and the battery doesn't die in 4 hours! :p

And it's only going to get better. In a couple of years it'll be just like a book, only with text-search, highlighting, and all that other good stuff.

[Silentnite]

If that e-reader is the one I've been seeing adverts for, the battery lasts for almost forever compared to a laptop. Due in part to the fact that it only uses electricity to change the page. Otherwise the pixels stay shaded. A laptop can be had for as little as 550 nowadays, mayhap less should you find a used one. Keep in mind the 550 laptop will have about as many features as the e-reader.

[nbk2000]

The laptop are multi-function machines. The e-reader is purpose built.

The one thing that the e-reader has is superior text display, with no screen flicker and far superior resolution, thus no eyestrain. :)