You’re in the market for a new e-book reader. The good news is that this technology keeps growing in popularity. Which means that there are plenty of choices for how you can spend your e-reader dollars. However, that selection of choices is also the bad news. Having a lot of options makes it tough to decide which device is right for you. Fortunately, the e-readers on the market today are all high-quality items. The differences between the products are fairly small. So no matter which e-reader you choose, chances are you’ll be pleased with your purchase. But here is a look at three of the top e-readers to assist you to make your choice.
Nook Color: Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color e-reader is both affordable and well designed. Today, you can purchase the Nook Color for about $150. That’s not a bad bargain. And possibly because of its association with the country’s largest bookseller, the Nook Color provides a exceptional reading experience. The Nook Color is adept at both prose and graphic display. This will make reading children’s books and graphic novels a pleasure. Additionally, there are several user features that are a joy to use. For instance, if you don’t know the definition of a word in that Mark Twain novel you’re reading, just press it. A definition will pop-up.
The Nook Color also comes with several built-in applications, including Pandora, an e-mail reader, a web browser, and an habit forming crossword puzzle game. You can boost the power of your Nook Color by downloading apps from the app store. Here you will find Netflix, the Smithsonian Channel, and several other top apps. So what is the only disadvantage to the Nook color? Its app store, while boasting lots of choices, it sometimes lacks some of the more cutting-edge apps available. Here’s hoping that the Nook Color will introduce apps at a quicker pace.
Kindle Fire: The Kindle Fire is the main competitor to the Nook Color. That said, it’s remarkably similar to the e-reader offered by Barnes & Noble. Both e-readers offer a fantastic reading experience. Words and images are crisp and clean on the Kindle Fire. And this reader comes with its own email client, web browser, and app store. The Kindle is affordable, too, with a price tag under $200 today.
The one negative that people have to say about the Kindle Fire is that the controls are less than intuitive. As an example, there is no volume control on the device itself. You have to tap the screen to bring up the volume control.
Kobo e-Reader: The Kobo e-Reader Touch doesn’t have the name recognition of either the Nook Color or the Kindle Fire. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a worthy competitor. Actually, you wouldn’t go wrong by spending your e-reader dollars on this neat device if reading is your absolute goal. Users rave about the reading experience on the Kobo. Images and words are sharp and simple to read. In fact, the Kobo offers seven unique font styles and 17 different font sizes for readers to pick from. Others rave about the device’s soft, quilted back. Don’t laugh; this back helps make holding a Kobo feel much more like holding an actual book. That’s a feature that the Nook Color or Amazon Kindle can’t boast.
At the Kobo store, you can download e-books in an array of formats. The Kobo is particularly good with comic books and other graphics-heavy books. And then there’s this: When the Kobo’s Wi-Fi feature is shut off, the device’s life of the battery can last for as long as one full month. That’s pretty extraordinary. The Kobo doesn’t boast all the features of a Nook Color or an Amazon Fire. But for those who want to focus on reading, this e-reader does the job.