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The digitization of content has also arrived strongly in the publishing market and digital books are now a consolidated reality. While not everyone likes the idea of ​​having an illuminated piece of plastic in their hands rather than a paper book, ebook readerstablets and smartphones are used by more and more people to read books, school texts, magazines and newspapers.

THE ebook readers they have a number of advantages and disadvantages to consider. There are many reasons in favor of paper books, but as always in the digital age, comfort and ease of use win over everything. It is impossible to deny how some features of the best ereaders are very convincing, especially for those who travel often or want to have an entire library of thousands of books in a small slim device to read even in the dark and in the water.

Index

What is an ebook reader?

A ebook reader it is a large device and thick like a small notebook. Basically it is a black and white electronic ink monitor with a few keys, an operating system and a memory. The vision with various contrasts and resolutions is opaque, eliminates the problems of reflections typical of tablets and reduces eye fatigue. This technology improves battery life and is therefore also preferable over LCD screens.

THE ebook readers they have very small dimensions and weight, a fundamental aspect for portable devices to be held in the hands. 9-inch screens read well but are a little large, while smaller dimensions affect the ease of reading a little. Ereaders have touch interfaces or buttons to scroll through the pages. The physical keys are more precise but bulky and are less and less used on new models for sale in stores.

L’autonomy of the ereaders it is very high even if the models with web browsing and wifi consume more. Almost all ebook readers have enough memory to store thousands of books. The price is an important aspect and does not end with the purchase of the reader, but can extend to the availability of digital books in supported formats to be purchased or found for free on the net.

Benefits of ebook readers

Reading quality, autonomy and lightness are the characteristics on which the producers of the best ebook readers aim to convince reading enthusiasts. The advantages over paper are evident in terms of comfort as regards ergonomics, while the new interfaces with which to turn the page with buttons also replace the desire for physicality. I really like the ability to have thousands of titles available in much smaller sizes than a paper book.

Self extreme comfort and ease of use are among the main advantages of ebook readers even for those who travel often or read texts for work, another key feature is the illumination of the pages that allows you to read your favorite novels even in low light or in the dark. Those with poor eyesight and reading difficulties can have great benefits in reading e-books as there are options for changing text size and line spacing. The comprehension and reading speed of the text in those with dyslexia is also much greater.

THE benefits of ebook readers they are evident and above all they are the students more likely to abandon paper books. Those who have always read often continue to prefer paper, perhaps due to a nostalgia factor and preferences developed in a lifetime. Memories of visual learning coupled with the look, smell and feel of a classic hand-held book are very hard to let go. Then there are some drawbacks.

There light of ebook readers it may be annoying before sleep even though electronic ink doesn’t strain your eyes like tablets. Several studies point out that reading on paper improves the brain’s ability to memorize information. Following the text with your finger and turning the pages of paper helps the reader in understanding the text, providing a greater ability to process the narrative. To solve this problem many ebook readers have implemented physical keys to navigate the pages of the book.

Tablet vs ereader

Even tablets can be used to read books and some think that the iPad is the best electronic reading tool. Is it necessary to buy a specific ereader to read digital books and what are the substantial differences between ebook and tablet readers? It depends on the main use you want to make of it and how much you want to spend. The two devices are similar but have quite different characteristics and are designed for different uses.

Tablets offer higher definition in color to watch videos, photos and browse the web and perform normal PC functions thanks to hundreds of apps to download for free or for a fee. THE digital ebook readers they are black and white but are much lighter, smaller and cheaper. They can also have mechanical keys for navigating between the pages of the book, they are less eye-straining and have a much greater autonomy given that a single charge lasts over a month against the few hours of tablets. Finally, the difference between tablet vs ereader is in the price which, at the same level, can be two or three times lower

Digital book formats

THE ebook readers they can read various formats that vary greatly from one model to another. When deciding to buy an ereader, in addition to price, features and screen size you need to pay attention to this aspect. The more formats a device can play, the better. By purchasing a model that is as open as possible, it will be less difficult to buy ebooks or to find them for free on the net. When downloading electronic books, attention must be paid to DRMs, that is, the protections existing on files to protect them from digital piracy.

There compatibility with various formats however it is an important factor and the most popular ones are Pdf, Epub, Txt and Awz types. Pdf is a format used in all ereaders but also in the workplace with a PC or smartphone to save documents. It can contain images and variations in the style of the characters and in the pagination while preserving the original layout of the book and its size. A novel with text only in a4 format pdf can also be read on small 5 or 6 inch screens with some limitations.

ePub was created specifically for e-books from the IDPF (International Digital Publishing Forum) and is supported by all ereader producers. The text can be formatted and divided into chapters. The advantage over the pdf is that the characters change according to the screen used, allowing optimal reading on all devices of any size, whether they are ereaders, tablets, PCs or smartphones.

Txt is a text format which is saved with a windows pc using the notepad. The .txt extension is therefore not a specific format for ereader also because it contains only characters, numbers and punctuation of equal size. Furthermore, the text is not divided into paragraphs and chapters. However, this format is read by all readers on the market. AZW is Amazon’s format that sells e-books online for reading with the best-selling Kindle reader.

Brands of ebook readers

Amazon was the first to focus on ebooks and its readers are undoubtedly considered among the best around. Kindles are simple and innovative devices with a low cost with an ink screen that gives the same resolution effect as printed paper. At the same time it has developed asymmetrical design that favors the user who can operate and support the ebook reader with one hand. The weight is discharged on the wrist and can be used for hours, without feeling the slightest fatigue.

Autonomy is another not indifferent advantage of the Kindles, with the integrated system a charge can last months. Among the accessories there are colored removable leather cases that are perfectly welded to the reader thanks to a series of invisible magnets. Inside there is also a second battery to recharge the ebook reader when it is stored and even a small photovoltaic panel ready to make the most of the solar energy that is stored and used when needed.

There are various Kindle models that focus on ease of reading and forgetting other options that prove useless, if not harmful. But of course there are not only Amazon ebook readers, but many other alternative brands with level features. Pocketbook is a Swiss manufacturer that focuses on lightness of design, autonomy and quality of reading. Bookeen are the thinnest in the world for simple and intuitive use with a system to optimize contrast quality without causing eye strain.

Kobo are the high-contrast ereaders sold by Mondadori, with excellent battery life and low price. Tolino are German built digital book readers that include a number of interesting features. In addition to being water resistant, they offer clear text reading and optimized fonts thanks to the e-Inkl screen and an innovative system for turning pages and enlarging text and images.

Electronic ink tablet

In the challenge between ebook readers and tablets, a e-ink Tablet in giant 13.3-inch format presented by Sony. Called Digital Paper it is an A4 sheet of electronic paper that is not only used for reading texts or books, as if it were an ebook reader, but especially for writing and taking notes. In short, an always connected device that in the idea of ​​its manufacturers should be able to save the planet by replacing the sheets of paper with a tablet with a thickness of 30 sheets of paper (5.9 mm) and a weight of only 349 grams.

In addition to large screen format 13.3-inch with a high-contrast resolution of 1,650 x 2,200 pixels, this new electronic ink tablet has 16 Gig of memory to store up to 10 thousand files of books and notes. It is equipped with a special pen for writing, with a screen with a special “non-slip” texture that imitates the surface of a sheet of paper making writing easier and more natural. The rechargeable battery allows 3 weeks of use on a full charge. For use in different study or work situations, there are 7 preset modes.

Comparison ebook reader

If in spite of everything you too are determined to give up paper novels definitively to choose an electronic reader, all that remains is to choose the best ereader on sale. For this we have collected a number of interesting resources that put all the best ebook readers in comparison. It is possible to evaluate the most important prices and features such as size, resolution, brightness, battery life and technology used. Find the best offers to buy e-book readers online and to discover their technical characteristics.

Comparatore EReader A site in Italian that compares dimensions, resolution and battery life of the best models of ebook readers

EbookreaderItalia News and reviews of the latest eReader models released on the Italian market: a good way to be informed about the latest industry news

Find prices If you have chosen the model but want to know the selling price, here you can find the best brands of readers for sale online and compare the features

Pc Mag EReader Reviews, Pricing, and Comparison Tech Specs to Help You Choose the Best Ebook Reader for Your Needs

CNET e-readers The cnet section dedicated to e-book readers with lots of information on prices and features with comparisons with tablets