A Full Color Nook eReader from Barnes and Noble

eReader Review HQ brings you another does of eReader goodness!

Barnes & Noble are offering the latest Nook eReader this Christmas season at a pricey $249. Why the cost jump? Well, it has a full color touch screen! The company anticipates it could become a favored stocking stuffer for Christmas since it is believed to have more game titles, electronic books, magazines, etc. Based on this, a electronic Newsstand is on its way for magazine and newspaper subscribers.  This particular move is probably responding to the iPad stepping into the eReader niche. The colored eReader is also believed to have got its own app store, internet browsing as well as music streaming. This bold move by Barnes and Noble has undoubtedly upped the ante for eReader capabilities.   

The device was unveiled mid-November just in time for purchasing before Christmas. In our judgment it's definitely a good alternative to the iPad as an eReader. B&N have improved and added functions but its major thrust remains the reading experience and it did not get lost along the way trying to become an iPad aspirant. When taking a chance on a new device it is usually a balancing act in relation to cost and capabilities. Here Barnes and Noble will not have wanted its prospective purchasers to consider just adding a few more dollars for an iPad. Rather they still wanted them to purchase an eReader with Nook extras.   

The new Nook Color has a 7 inch backlit touch screen capable of producing 16 million colors. IPS or In-plane switching permits approximately 178 degrees viewing angle. Therefore even though it’s tipped a bit the display screen won't immediately fade away on you. Additionaly this new Nook Color has an extraordinary 8 GB built-in memory so that you actually may not use the microSD slot for its expandable memory. Wi-Fi functionality has stopped being a luxury feature in the eReader industry and users expect to have it as standard - the Nook Color doesn’t fail there.

Although it doesn't come with 3G functionality, it has a web browser and the trademark Lendme book function that allows the book buyer to loan a book to one friend for a limited length of time. It can also be used in either portrait or landscape setting. We are expecting that the battery life tests will not be comparable to the days or even weeks of battery life in E-ink eReaders until different technology is introduced. 

Insiders say that the company is reaching out to different application makers for the device’s "Nookextras" and that Pandora is currently part of the team. What other surprises await? Stay tuned….

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Sony's Fresh eReader Choices

A review from eReaderReviewHQ.

The eReader marketplace is growing and growing and becoming more aggressive. The previous ten months we've noticed this market moving at a frenetic pace with new products, capabilities, and price reductions. Every few weeks a new kid arrives on the block. Although Sony eReaders have always been in the top three shopper and tech review options, along with the Nook and Kindle, now is not the moment for Sony to relax, what with the iPad trying to switch into the eReader marketplace.

It's purely aesthetic, but the initial point that struck us with the Sony Reader Daily Edition, Reader Touch Edition and Pocket Edition is the basic fact that they look incredibly stylish. EReaders are renowned to be very drab when it comes to its plastic-type cases. Black or white are commonly your only options with a little grey mixed in between. The new Sony eReaders now come in silver, pink, black not and firey red! Owing to the fact that they have got touch screen technology and also have minimized the buttons it now appears much more streamlined. The Sony eReaders currently include a 2GB device storage that can hold up to 1200 books even without external SD memory cards.

One more fantastic feature is that a stylus allows users to create notes freehand or alternatively using the PC style keyboard on-screen. The touch screen interfaces tend to be also far more sensitive because Sony managed to remove a particular type of glass overlay that dulled the display and made it less sensitive. Also the current models locate the placement of your finger on the screen utilizing infrared technology. They also have improved readability due to the application of E-ink pearl displays which boasts a 50 percent enhanced contrast ratio. We also observed that these devices are generally fantastically light and pretty comfortable to operate.

The price ranges are as follows: The Pocket Edition is at $179, this has a display of 5 inches. The drawback for that model is no expandable memory, but in reality we think 1200 books is adequate for a lot of people. The Touch Edition is at $229 and has a 6 in. display which is standard in comparison with alternative eReaders. It's a bit more costly but it also has additional features like having the capacity to play AAC and MP3 audio files and add expandable storage via SD media slots. Last and yet surely not least is the $299 Daily Edition that not only has a 7 inch display but also has WI-FI and basic web browsing capability. The only negative aspect seems to be that it only comes in one color, silver.

The two less costly models do not have WI-FI capability even though eReaders from some other vendors do have it for a less expensive price tag. One of the capabilities of Sony eReaders that has often swung the decision in their favor is that it can read several different formats. After all it may not be just books users will be reading on it. Reports and other documents can be loaded as well thanks to the various formats it can service. To summarize they are all very good gadgets but in the recent price reducing conditions we are currently in, we're really not sure how competitive they really are compared to the Nook and the Kindle 3

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Do you need to have another eReader if you have an Apple iPad?

A look at the iPad as a serious eReader from eReader Review HQ

As substantially as the Apple iPad has fueled our gadget-loving spirit, we need to establish if the iPad is really a worthy eReader. After all, given its well-known versatility would it be advisable to buy an another eReader if you already happen to have an iPad? Above all is it practical? We can, as you know, judge practicality in far more ways than just its value. eReader users are folks who are either book lovers or need to study a lot of material just to keep them up-to-date for some reason.

An eReader is like a printed book, in that it is taken all over the place. They're our companions in dental offices, airplanes, to bed and while on vacation. So from the perspective of an avid book lover is it practical to carry an iPad with you everywhere you go? The tiniest Kindle is now 7.5 by 4.8 by 0.3  inches and weighs an amazing 8.5 ounces. The Apple iPad on the other hand is 9.56 by 7.47 by 0.5 inches and weighs 1.5 to 1.6 pounds. In our opinion, using the iPad as an eReader would ultimately depend on your reading habits: if you simply read a handful of pages before you go to sleep an iPad will do the trick but if you're a voracious reader then utilizing a device that you can operate single handedly for an lengthy period of time would be most suitable.

One more feature we must consider is its readability. Does staring at the screen for hours hurt your eyes and is it "readable" in different lighting circumstances. The Kindle 3 may not have a colored screen capability, however it appears to strain the eyes of the reader much less than the Apple iPad, thus allowing the individual to use the Kindle for a longer time. When tested for readability under several lighting situations, the e-Ink technology has revealed itself to be of greater quality for almost all reading activities in natural light. The iPad on the other hand performs better when artificial light is employed in the evenings.

The real kicker though might be the price.  The iPad starts at about $500 while the new Kindle 3 is a measly $140.  We can hear you say that an iPad is able to do a lot more, play videos, surf etc. and you would be correct and for the leisure reader an apple iPad can meet all your needs as long as you don't read in direct sunlight. However, from the point of view of an devoted reader we'd recommend a proper eReader with eInk technology.

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Why should you buy a Kindle 3?

A review of the Kindle 3 from eReader Review HQ.

Those initial days of the eReader era have passed and Kindle is no longer the sole eReader device available place. Competition of course, as some say helps to keep everyone on their toes and drives people to successfully innovate. Therefore, because of the other available choices open to you, just what grounds would you have for sticking with things as they are? Amazon Kindle dominated this market at the beginning of this particular competition. In recent times however increasingly more competitors have joined the eReader battle. When Kindle was released a couple of years back the high price of roughly $400 did not really discourage users from selecting the gadget. These days there are readers that cost less that can also perform the job.

In the 5 top eReaders for PCworld magazine lies Kindle 3, Sony Reader Pocket Edition, and Barnes and Noble's Nook. As we pointed out earlier competition produces better service and Amazon Kindle really did step up to the plate. To start with and for some the most important, Amazon cut the Kindle's selling price. Today the purchase price has fallen from  $400 to the now reasonably priced $139 for the Kindle 3 Wi-Fi. Another enchancment which buyers might appreciate will be the scaled-down over-all size. It's actually 21% more compact, from 8 by 5.3 by 0.36 inches of the previous version to the 7.5 by 4.8 by 0.34 inches of Kindle 3. The brand new functionality that Kindle 3 has now, that Barnes and Noble's Nook previously had in its 2nd generation gadgets is Wireless Technology. Once again competition pushed Amazon Kindle to develop instead of resting on its laurels. Now the Amazon Kindles have got wireless capability, this allows owners not simply search for ebooks but furthermore download content wherever they are. The readability was also developed by improving the contrast on the screen. This helps the user read in different kinds of light. We also enjoy the Text-to-speech functionality and the Kindle's built-in audio. These are fantastic if you wish to be lulled to sleep.

The Kindle 3 is not without its challenges, even though Amazon does have more than 350,000 titles that you can easily download, Barnes and Noble wins that round with almost half a million electronic books, newspapers and magazines available for their owners. Last but not the least is the battery. According to Kindle if you use wifi a full charge can keep going for fourteen days while not making use of that functionality stretches it to four weeks.

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Alex Dual Screen eReader review

eReader Review HQ brings you a review of the Alex Dual Screen eReader by Spring Design

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The Alex might not be amongst the big three (Nook, Kindle and Sony) if you're considering the eReader market but it's certainly noteworthy because of its design and functionality. From your initial glance the first thing that enters your mind is that it undeniably has a few tricks up its sleeve. Then your thoughts go to a more familiar eReader which appears to be alike in many ways. Afterwards you have a light bulb moment and think "oh" it's also for navigating the eReader just like in the Nook". Spend more time with the Alex and you may recognize that you are in for a big surprise.

At the time they designed the Alex, Spring Design quite possible visualized a hip student and her/his requirements on a daily basis. We're speculating that the designers probably interviewed this demographic much more than any other. While looking at the Alex one cannot deny that it's eye candy. It looks elegant with its dual screens, lends an air of "coolness" for the all-black models and "crispness" for its all-white one. This eReader has two displays: an EPD and a 3.5-in LCD. The perfect sized LCD display is the main reason the eReader is longer than its other competitors. With the dimensions at 4.5 x 8.9 x .6 inches it might not fit a compact handbag but it will lie comfortably in a high school or college student's backpack. Weighing 16 oz. it may look heavy for an eReader but I'm sure the additional functions will make the additional weight worthwhile. The primary screen is much like any normal eReader at 6 inches long; E Ink technology ensures great readability in artificial as well as natural light. The secondary LCD screen is an Android powered 16-bit color touch screen. Not everybody is crazy about the device's ergonomics because it only has a sole forward page turn button and one backward button , one on either side of the reader. This makes working with it challenging when reading single handedly.

The functions that the Android supported LCD screen has are multimedia and browsing capabilities. You can view news clips, movies, Flash videos or MP4s. Listen to music, news broadcasts and lectures whilst you read using the built-in MP3 media player and speakers, or connect earphones to listen in private. The fact that you can browse the internet while simultaneously using the eReader screen is awesome. Another feature is its energy saving settings. Unlike other readers that have a colored screen and whose battery life is only a couple of hours long, the Alex means that you can read offline for as much as 2 weeks. The sole down side we see would be the price, a whopping $399! This high price would hinder a prospective buyer mainly because if he or she adds another hundred dollars they would have an iPad. In our opinion, for the Alex to be high on a Christmas list would not be difficult;but for the parents to shell out the money to buy them one is another story!

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