debcook

Personal preferences will determine which digital e-reader will be best for you. Do you like to read books? Do you like to read magazines? Or are newspapers your forte? Will you want to add your own PDF files to the e-reader? Will you want to download your favorite reading material on the go?

These are just a handful of the options that the typical digital reading enthusiast is asking about. The Amazon Kindle and the Sony e-reader are not the only two on the market but they are probably the most talked about in forums and on blogs.

The issue that seems to be rising to the top most often is whether there will be a new version of the Amazon Kindle – often dubbed the Kindle 2. We all know that if history is reliable at all there will be. So do you spring for the Kindle (1) or do you wait? Sony has already introduced their PRS-700, which is an upgrade from the PRS-505.

There are similarities and there are differences that appeal to both sides. One of the most obvious is the way you get the books and other reading materials into the device. The Kindle downloads books, magazines, newspapers, etc. all over the EVDO high-speed data network. The Sony does not utilize a data network – not even Wi-Fi. Instead you download content to your computer and transfer the content through a USB connection from your computer.

Other features that are important to users are the accepted file formats, the displays that are backlit, front-lit or no lit, Touchscreens or not, the library availability, the size and the buttons (or not) that turn the pages.

If you are in the market for a new e-reader you have plenty of research to do. If you are planning to buy an e-reader for someone else – good luck.