about ebook readers

Ebook readers are the new way to read books and  documents that up to now you could only read on paper.

An ebook reader is just like an ipod for books. You can carry around and read hundreds of books on a machine smaller than a standard paperback book.

Ebook readers use e-ink, a new kind of display that works without a backlight and can be read easily in bright sunshine. Because there’s no backlight, e-ink displays are easier on the eyes and don’t cause eyestrain like TFTs and other backlit displays that you find on PCS, laptops and netbook computers.

Some people do read on iPhones, iPods and the like, but it’s not easy and they can’t read comfortably for hours at a time. With an ebook reader, you can read as comfortably and for as long as if you’re reading a normal paper book.

You can get two sizes of e-ink screen : the 6 inch screen which is used in the Sony PRS505 and Cybook Gen3, and the larger 8.1 inch screen which is used in the Irex Iliad.

Both the Sony and the Cybook use exactly the same screen, so the choice between these models is usually down to price or which one you prefer the look of. They are both ideal for the leisure reader and the student.

The Cybook is very slim, black and minimalist in design with a single control on the front. The Sony is a similar size but in silver or red, with an array of buttons on the front.

The Cybook and Sony ebook readers handle text-based documents superbly, and can read PDF documents and pictures too. The Sony shows pictures more clearly than the Cybook due to showing more scales of grey.

The Irex Iliad has a slightly bigger screen and the facility to “write” notes and drawings on the documents using a special stylus. This means it is ideal for academics and professionals who use mainly PDF format and need to annotate the documents they read. Its larger screen and touch-sensitivity for taking notes and drawing make it more expensive than the other models.