On Mon, 2011-09-05 at 12:36 +0200, Dirk wrote:
Hi,
Ok, Kindle is bad, Hook is evil. But what are the alternatives when one
searches for a usable e-reader device?
Regards,
~D
One solution that hasn't been offered yet is to just use a regular
computer.
I read ebooks on my laptop or netbook (which is a Lemote Yeeloong, and
thus really really free). I can read any format that free software can
read, including any proprietary format that there's a free software
library for. I use evince, calibre, and fbreader.
It is true that backlit screens aren't as easy on the eyes as eink, but
this can be fixed with free software (such as Redshift) or eyewear. I
use both Redshift and Gunnar Optiks glasses (http://www.gunnars.com/ ).
As one person on the gNewSense list said when I recommended Gunnar
Optiks, most people think about augmenting the thing that they're
reading, rather than augmenting the device that's doing the reading
(their eyes).
Battery life is a separate problem. The Yeeloong can get to about two
hours of battery life, which is much less than most dedicated ebook
readers, but I find that I'm rarely away from a power outlet for more
than two hours. There are also bigger batteries and external batteries.
Overall, the price of some Gunnar glasses and a larger battery will
probably turn any free laptop into a decent e-reader, and for much
cheaper than buying a new gadget that's going to be obsolete in a few
years (or months) anyway.