The first e-books appeared in 1998. Much time has passed since then. The monochrome LCD screen was replaced with a color one, and in many models a display based on electronic paper did appear. Also reduced the size of such a device - especially the thickness. Began to be endowed with book readers and additional functionality that allows you to use the device not only for reading. But at the same time the choice of an e-book became more complicated - now it is easy to get a copy that does not meet modern requirements.
This material will allow you to understand exactly what characteristics of existing book readers should pay attention to. As a result, you can get yourself a decent copy, pleasing with a clear picture and a long battery life. All this will bring you only joy.
Main rules of choice
It is necessary to understand for whom the device is purchased.
The book reader is by no means a smartphone or tablet computer. This is not a purely individual gadget. The whole family can use the e-book with great success. For example, after working with his husband, her husband reads Tolkien. The rest of the time, the wife is taken for the works of Darya Dontsova. Well, on weekends, a book reader will help a daughter or son read what was asked at school. But it should be noted that for family use you should buy a good e-book, which will not break down after only six months. If the device is purchased personally for yourself, then you should not make serious demands on it.
Look for a device with a long time
Most of all, e-books differ from tablets due to longer battery life. If the “pill” in most cases needs to be charged every night, then many book readers are able to work from one charge a week or even longer. But this does not apply to all instances. Do not lose, be sure to pay attention to this item in the technical specifications! It would not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with reviews that are easily found on the world wide web.
Forget about big buckriders
E-book should not be big. The diagonal of its screen can vary from 6.5 to 8 inches. Smaller copies are not suitable for reading magazines saved in PDF format. Big hard to take on the road. But much more than you should worry about the thickness and mass. The first parameter affects whether the device is comfortable to hold. Well, the second will bother you in those moments when you began to spend a long time reading.
Display
The screen should be assessed by you as meticulously as possible. You will look at it most of the time. If the picture clarity is high, then you can easily read magazines and even view the photos they contain. On the other hand, the minimum resolution will allow the device to work from a single charge as long as possible, since the processor is almost not loaded. You should also be aware that the screen can be made using one or another technology that directly affects all other characteristics.
E-ink
The display created using the first technology is also called electronic paper. Most often it has a monochrome type, which somewhat complicates the viewing of magazines and illustrations. Also, such a screen suffers from a long update time - in cheap book readers it takes a few seconds to change the page, and after that residual traces can be observed. But the display E-Ink consumes a minimum amount of electricity."Readers" based on it are able to work for a month! If you are going to use the book reader only for reading, then this is the best choice!
Pros: long battery life, low cost.
Minuses: problems with contrast in cheap models, long update times, high cost of color book readers, lack of backlighting in most instances.
LCD
There are also devices with a traditional LCD screen. Their display can be created using TFT or IPS technology - this is no longer important. It is necessary to understand only that such devices from a single charge work a little longer than tablets. The creators are trying to equip their creations with weak components that consume energy to a minimum, but this does not really help. It is only necessary to buy such a book reader if you are going to read color magazines very often. But at the same time, get ready for a serious slowdown - such devices are rarely sharpened for heavy PDF-format. And it is in the case of the purchase of such a "reader" that the resolution plays a big role.
Pros: color screen, good brightness.
Minuses: high cost, minimum battery life, straining braking, a lot of weight.
Control
More and more modern devices are switching to touch control. However, not every person would like to tap a finger across the screen, regularly leaving their prints. Sometimes it is more convenient to move from one page to another by pressing the corresponding button located at the bottom of the front panel. Therefore, when choosing an e-book, be sure to decide which type of control is most comfortable for you.
operating system
Almost all the "readers" with LCD display work using the Android operating system. This allows you to install additional applications using the Google Play online store. The exceptions are some models with modified firmware, which are allowed to enter only in their own store. As a rule, it contains a smaller, but quite sufficient number of applications. In fact, all this turns the book reader into a simplified tablet.
Some e-books with the E-Ink screen can also be running Android. But more often they are equipped with their own firmware, which no longer allows you to install additional applications. Due to this, the buyer is insured against errors, accidental slowdowns and other problems. But the functionality of such firmware can be seriously curtailed - sometimes the book reader does not even have a browser. Practice shows that the less functionality - the longer the device works from a single charge.
Data transfer
As stated above, many e-books offer Internet access. But for this you need to connect to the global web. This process is carried out in different ways. Almost all such book readers support data transfer via Wi-Fi. If you are going to regularly use the device somewhere on the street or in public transport, then you should choose a model with 3G support. In this case, it will only get a SIM-card.
Almost any device is connected to the computer via a USB cable. This is the way of downloading books, magazines, music and other media files. Some models have a microSD memory card slot. They will be useful to those who are going to load various materials on the device in large quantities.
Most popular e-book makers
Pocketbook
The company PocketBook International entered the e-book market one of the first. Devices are manufactured in factories owned by Foxconn Electronics and Netronix Inc. Engineers of the manufacturer regularly improve the E-Ink technology, due to which products are also improved. In the assortment of the company one can find book readers from completely different price segments.
Gmini
Gmini Co. was born in 2008.The management immediately set the goal to produce high-quality products. The first bet was made on e-books. Now these devices have good functionality and decent assembly. Most products belong to the budget segment.
Wexler
Wexler was created in 2008, when e-books began to become very popular. Wexler products meet all international standards and have a stable demand in Russia. Bukridery enjoy certain popularity in some other countries. During its existence, the company has opened offices in Moscow, Chicago, Singapore and Hong Kong. Does this mean the quality of the products?
Digma
Under the brand Digma produced various electronic products. Tablets, smartphones, MP3-players, media centers and other similar devices can be found in every Russian store selling electronics. Digma book readers are in demand. They can be equipped with both LCD and E-Ink screens. Almost all of them belong to the budget segment.
teXet
Products under the brand teXet has a very modest price tag. Due to this, it enjoys stable demand almost throughout Russia. E-books teXet also belong to the budget segment. Because of this, you should not expect extended functionality from them. But they cope with their main task without any difficulties.
Ritmix
Electronic devices under the Ritmix brand appeared on the shelves of Russian stores in the second half of the 2000s. Customers liked MP3 players and dictaphones, as a result of which it was decided to expand production. So the book readers began to appear, equipped with an E-Ink display. All of them have mechanical buttons, which greatly simplifies the management of the most important functions. Also, such devices are renowned for their reliability and long battery life.
Amazon Kindle
Devices from the Amazon Kindle series are insanely popular in North America and some European countries. Their production is occupied by the American giant Amazon, which began its history with paper book trade. In Russia, these book readers are not in great demand, as they have difficulties with downloading works.
Common customer mistakes
Buyers when choosing a "reader" make a variety of mistakes. The most common is an attempt to purchase a device with a very broad functionality. They forget that the e-book is primarily intended for reading! It should not be able to do everything and be discharged in part-time. If you need a feature-packed device, then look for Tablet PC, the choice of which we have written a separate article.
Also, some people think that sensory control is a symbol of progress. However, in fact it is far from always properly implemented in book readers. Many "readers" do not react to your touches the first time, or occasional touches happen that were not in reality. In a word, sometimes it is better to consider the option with physical buttons - it can be more convenient.
If the buyer did not pay attention to the weight of the device, then in the future he may have other problems. If you take a heavy book reader, then reading any “Hunger Games” will cease to give pleasure after half an hour - your hands are corny. But if you use all our advice - this is definitely not going to happen to you!
