In 2007 Amazon released their revolutionary e-book reader (at a cost of $399) called the Kindle! This event sparked an electronic gadget war among many major name companies like Amazon, Apple, Sony, and more. Now, 4 years later you can find Kindle, and many other e-book handheld reader devices for under $200!
With are so many e-book devices out on the market today, it’s hard to decide which is best for you. At a cost of less than 5 hardcover books, most entry level options are more affordable than ever. How could you go wrong?
Amazon Kindle offers an amazing special offer with it’s cheapest Kindle at around $114. This new toy offers the same features and options as it’s $25 most expensive Kindle option however that savings comes at a price.. you get advertisements shown as it’s screen saver and at the foot of the menus. A small price to pay for a $25 savings? Many consumers report that the ads aren’t intrusive and can be easily ignored (although some also say the ads are great and they’ve purchased through them numerous times). If you want the 3G version though, you’ll have to cough up another $50. For many on-the-go people, that’s a small price to pay to get new and cool books and magazines when your out-and-about.
With over 25,000 reviews, and 18,000 of them being 5 star reviews, how could you go wrong with a Kindle? Read the Kindle reviews
The Barnes & Nobel Nook, which costs slightly more than the Kindle, is around $140 and has had many upgrades and improvements. Their first attempt at e-book readers was a horrible disaster when compared to other devices on the market however after a little tweaking and fixing, they’ve now polished off a very competitive device many would love to get their hands on. With a new monochrome touch-sensitive screen, the menus are intuitive and easy to use. It’s also very small and light so taking it with you is a pleasure. Recent reviews have said it’s long battery life, legibility in bright light and light weight make this a fantastic gadget.
With considerably less reviews but still highly recommended by many, the Nook reviews
iPad? Zoom?
No, sorry, no under $175 options there. This begs the question, as a “e-book reader” do they match up or should they simply be classified as something else? Originally described as e-book readers, they offer far too many options to be labeled simply as one thing. Are they worth the price? You be the judge while I go downstairs and watch another NetFlix movie on my Apple iPad. /grin
