This a compilation of questions that I’ve received;
eReader and eBook, are they the same?
No. The eReader (and “eBook Reader”) refers to the device; the actual piece of equipment that you hold in your hand (or hands if you have the larger screen). The eBook is the text that you see and read (fiction, non-fiction, reference, newspaper, magazine and more).
What is e-ink?
It is a display that “appears” like a page from a newspaper or book; it does not emit light.
This is unlike current screens of almost every type; TV screens old & new, cell phone screens, computer monitor screens and others. Those screens are all BRIGHT because light is projected from behind an active screen and out into the world. Whenever you look at those screens, light is projected into your eye, which is a strong concern for causing eye strain.
Link to eink.com http://www.eink.com/
How big is an eReader screen?
Do you have a normal size paperback handy? Open it up to any page that is filled with text and just look at the text, that’s about the size of the screen on a 6 inch eReader, the 5 inch standard is slightly smaller (screens are measured diagonally). The eReaders do not display the blank edges that the paperback has, so the ”space” that the text fills, is about the same. The blank edges of the paperback (top, bottom, outer-edges), become the hard edges of the eReader where the controls are embedded (page turn, book mark, etc.). You do not lose any text as the format of the ebook will flow the text from page to page, and will adjust that flow when you adjust the font size. So, your 215 page book in the regular font, becomes a 315 page book in the slightly larger font, and a 415 page book in the largest font but the word count is exactly the same.
Which eReader should I get?
Generally, there are two types; wireless and non-wireless.
The wireless units are easier to use for someone who doesn’t want to fiddle (Kindle and Nook, are the most common). You need to use a computer once to set up account information and payment information, after that you’re free to browse in a coffee shop for a book, or the grocery store, or even in line at the Post Office. Currently, the wireless units restrain your eBook shopping to their stores, but with a little fiddling (they put the instructions in their manual) you can purchase from alternate sites.
The non-wireless units (Sony is the more common of the vast selection), need to be connected to computers for purchasing new books, but once purchased, the eReader can be used anywhere. The non-wireless eReaders provide the most choice in eBooks and allow the greatest flexibility in ebook shopping across the web (you are not restricted to a country, or language, or publisher). These units do require more computer knowledge then the wireless versions, but not much more; if you are comfortable downloading photo’s from your camera to your computer, then into scrapbooks or photobooks, you can probably manage the non-wireless eReaders.
Are the Kindle, Nook and Sony the only eReaders?
No, there is a broad range of choice with more being added as this market grows. It is worth the effort to review the choices, as people have differing needs and no one eReader is the “best” for all uses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_e-book_readers
Will my eBook from Kindle show up on my Nook?
Probably not, and your Nook eBook won’t show up on your Kindle either. It isn’t snobbery on the part of the ePublishers, it is a Copyright issue and all Digital Rights Media (DRM) file formats respect Copyright. Until DRM is fully sorted out, file formats will continue to restrict how you can use your purchased eBook. The Nook will be interesting to see how it developes as it is the first DRM file format to allow “lending” of eBooks between non account linked units.
I said Probably not, because it does depend on the eBook file format you purchased; it is possible that you bought an unrestricted file format (but you would know if you did because you would have to fiddle around with your wireless eReader settings).
For more information consult your eReader manual, it will give instructions on how to purchase from other sites and which file formats will display on your eReader.
Also, here is a more complete discussion of Digital Rights Media, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management
I want an eBook but it is the wrong file format for my eReader.
Try the eReader’s support line first, they can often help with conversion from one format to another.
After that, you can try a third-party software conversion program. I like Calibre, http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/ You will need to know the file format of the eBook and which file formats your eReader supports (see the manual) so you can select the correct conversion.
Also, once your eBook is in the file format that your eReader accepts, load only that accepted file format onto your eReader, it will save space having only one version of the eBook in memory. I would also caution you to not discard the original purchased eBook, in case you need a different file format in the future – it’s best to work from the original.
I want to send an eReader as a gift to another country, will that be a problem?
It depends on the eReader – call the eReader’s support line.
Wireless is Country Specific and Copyright is Country Specific. You will be moving the eReader across Country Boarders, bringing the other Country’s Laws and Regulations into effect.
If it is a wireless eReader it has to satisfy both Copyright Regulations and Communication Regulations. Other Countries broadcast their wireless signals differently, so a US based wireless eReader won’t have the correct wireless receiver, and it will never “hear” a signal. It will not be able to download another eBook, and also why you should turn off the wireless feature of an eReader when travelling (the constant searching for a signal drains the battery quickly). To be clear, you can read the eBooks already loaded on the eReader.
If you are sending a non-wireless eReader the issue is only Copyright and that is not likely to be a problem as the recipient will probably download eBooks from their home computer giving them a valid Copyright for each eBook.
What is the issue with PDF?
A PDF is a “picture”. You can make it really big, or shrink it really small, but you can’t break it into pieces. So, when the ePublisher comes across a picture, it has to force the whole image onto your screen, shrinking it to fit and that is the issue – often the image is shrunk so small it becomes a blob. Most “pictures” of pictures can take some shrinking and still be easily seen, but diagrams, graphs, charts and maps become very difficult to see when miniaturized to fit onto the 6 inch and 5 inch screens. Some of the eReaders have a work-around, but it’s like seeing individual pieces of a puzzle and never the whole assembled image. This is where the larger screens have the advantage (iRex, and Kindle DX) they display a PDF large enough for you to read it.
Do I have to buy eBooks?
Generally, yes.
However, most manuals have instructions for downloading eBooks from sites other than the host site. You will need those instructions to download Free eBooks from the internet.
Free eBooks are not current books, they are books that have expired Copyrights, or are in the Public Domain. Happily, this means that the books are generally classics (Little Women, Captains Courageous), or ones that have stood the test of time for popularity (Brewster’s Millions), or others that are noteworthy for other merits (Speeches, News articles, unique subjects, etc.).
There are promotional offers of Free eBooks, which can be more current titles, but they are often tied to purchases (for example; buy 3 get one free). If you have found a current eBook for free and it is not part of a promotion, be aware that it may not be a legal copy.
If you are looking for a traditional Library Lend-Borrow option, you will need to be patient as DRM (Digital Rights Management) developes a process for Lending that protects Copyright. Currently, only the Barnes and Noble Nook has that option and it is restricted by Nook to Nook lending only.
