Excellent review of eReaders (Kindle, Nook, etc.)

If you're in the market for an electronic book reader this season, there are a myriad of different options: Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iPad, Fire, etc. It is hard for a new consumer to know what to do. So, it is nice when someone sits down and really does the leg-work with a number of different readers, so consumers can see their real choices. In this case, the author focussed on the new eInk readers on the market.

The low-end, non-touch Kindle 4 is actually my favorite e-reader today. It lacks the easier text selection and periodical navigation of the touch readers, and it’s effectively impossible to type on, but neither of those interfere with the most common actions when reading. It’s faster, thinner, and lighter than all of the touch readers, the interface makes the most sense and is the most responsive, and it works best with Instapaper.

My own advice goes two ways:

1. If you are the kind of reader who needs to be able to sit down and read a book from cover to virtual cover in one sitting, or who reads dozens of books in the course of a month, buy a Kindle model. Amazon has the best selection, the best deals, and eInk is very easy on the eyes.

2. But if you're an average reader who reads a book for an hour or less a day, and tends to finish one book or less per month, consider an Apple iPad (or Kindle Fire, if you're cash-strapped). The iPad offers apps to read books from ALL the major bookstores, and offers you more options for non-book-related activities.

(3. The Kindle Fire is a cheaper choice if you want a color tablet that allows excellent web browsing. But since it locks you into the Amazon store, is much slower than the iPad, and lacks an eInk screen for long-term reading, it is not the better choice. Although if you want a 7" LCD tablet, it is your best choice.)