eReaders | BMH Online

Brian's eReaders

(This isn't Brian. This and the 'eReader' logo, are from Sony's website c.2014 c/o the Wayback Machine)

Introduction

It was in 2017 that I finally jumped on the band wagon and purchased my first ebook reader - a Sony PRS-300 [right] - (albeit second-hand). I then created a page to keep track of which ebooks I downloaded, read, and sometimes where I found them. You can check that out [here].

I have since replaced my PRS-300 with a PRS-600, and I also have an Amazon Kindle Fire (5th Gen) and Kindle 4. (you can read more about these below).

I prefer to use my ebook readers for free books I have sourced online, keeping to proper books if I'm parting with money or using my local library when it can find what I want. I might also use an ebook version to trial a book, before purchasing a hard-copy. I also prefer to carry an eReader around with me than stuff a physical book in my bag, as they tend to get bent up.

Sony eReader PRS-300

The PRS-300 is from 2009 and I purchased mine second-hand in 2017.

In 2020 I elected to replace the battery as I would often find the battery flat when I came to use it, you can read about this and my other experiences [here].

I eventually sold the PRS-300 after acquiring a PRS-600 (see below).

Kindle Fire 5th Gen.

I acquired a Kindle Fire in 2020. It was faulty and wouldn't switch on, but I was able to get it working; you can read about that [here]. I've since found the Kindle Fire useful for .mobi files and also better at handling and displaying .pdf files, although for some reason it doesn't remember my progress, therefore I still prefer .epub files on my Sony eReader. I also dabbled with 'Alexa', getting her to read books to me, although this seemed to only work for those free books I obtained directly from Amazon. The main downsides to the glossy full colour display is the lack of readability outside (it's essentially a tablet and useless for this) and the lack of paperiness. I find the Kindle Fire to be great for reading in bed (or a tent) at night because there is no need for a torch/lamp and the screen's brightness can be turned down low, which greatly conserves battery life.

Sony eReader PRS-600

In 2021 replaced my Sony PRS-300 with a PRS-600. It is a more capable reader and with a touch-screen I can conveniently highlight text and it can be charged via USB. There are some downside to the touchscreen though. One is that the clarity of the text is just not quite as sharp and bold, I assume because of the touch layer. Another is that when a note is added to the page (I use my fingernail for this as the original stylus is missing) it takes the device longer to turn the page as it needs to first store the data.

I'm still using my Kindle Fire for PDFs, creating note files in the Writer+ app, and I have also used the Memrise app for language learning, although I can't switch back to the book and conveniently continue reading as the app crashes and I have to reopen the book and scroll back through to where I was at.

Kindle 4.1.X

In 2024 (iirc), I acquired one of these. Unlike the tabletty Kindle Fire this has the proper eInk display and is thus more comparable to the Sony eReaders I have been using. I intend only to use and keep this for as long as it takes me to read through the books on it that I am interested in.