What is an eBook Reader?
1. What is an eBook Reader?
2. Why would I want an electronic book reader?
3. Where do I get eBooks from?
4. Can I get the latest books as eBooks?
5. How much do eBooks cost?
6. How much does an eBook Reader cost?
7. I don’t want to have to buy my library of classics all over again
8. I love my books, will I enjoy using an electronic Reader?
9. Isn’t reading on Reader just like reading on a computer screen?
10. How do I put eBooks onto an eBook Reader?
11. How do I navigate through an eBook using a Reader?
12. What type of memory cards can I use in an eBook Reader? What sizes of memory cards are supported?
13. What are the different things I can do with an eBook Reader?
14. How do I navigate through my library of books on an eBook Reader?
15. Can I use a Reader with an Apple Mac?
16. What software and hardware do I need to use on an eBook Reader?
17. What are the system requirements for using an eBook Reader?
18. How long do the batteries last?
1. What is an eBook Reader?
The Sony Reader PRS-505 is an example of an electronic book reader. Read a review of the Sony Reader here. It’s a compact, lightweight device that lets you put a selection of books onto an electronic portable device. In the case of the Sony Reader, upto 160 books.
Rather than using a LCD screen, the Sony Reader uses innovative eInk® technology to create a high resolution screen that makes reading easy and comfortable on the eyes, even in bright sunshine.
2. Why would I want an electronic book reader?
Electronic book readers have been developed to add choice to how, when and where you enjoy books. As the books, or ebooks, are electronic there are no trees to destroy. Electronic Readers allow you to store dozens, if not hundreds, of books and so even the most avid reader is unlikely to run out of reading material.
3. Where do I get eBooks from?
Waterstones are looking to offer over 25,000 eBooks in the run up to Christmas so that’s a good place to start looking. eBooks of various kinds are also available to download on either a free of charge or paid for basis elsewhere on the Internet.
4. Can I get the latest books as eBooks?
Yes you can, Waterstone’s have a huge range of eBooks available online. Covering every genre there is something for everyone, including all the top titles, best sellers and new releases in business, fiction and non-fiction.
5. How much do eBooks cost?
Much the same price as normal paperbacks.
6. How much does an eBook Reader cost?
The Sony Reader PRS-505 costs £:199 with other models costing similiar amounts.
7. I don’t want to have to buy my library of classics all over again
You don’t have to. At launch, the Sony Reader PRS-505 comes with 100 classic eBooks (while stocks last). When you receive your Sony Reader you’ll also receive a CD-ROM featuring 100 classic titles, simply download these into your eBook Library and import them into your Reader.
8. I love my books, will I enjoy using an electronic Reader?
Sony Reader is not a replacement for paper books and we certainly aren’t suggesting you should throw them all away. It’s just another way to enjoy reading.
Reader is handy, portable and lets you take a huge stack of books with you, wherever you go (160; or even up to 13,000 more if you have a Memory Stick Duo™). Plus, the eInk® technology means that the text on the 6-inch screen actually has a print-like quality.
9. Isn’t reading on an eBook Reader just like reading on a computer screen?
Not at all. The big difference between reading on an eBook Reader screen and a computer screen is that a Reader doesn’t have a back light. This means that there is no onscreen glare or flicker and you won’t get the eye strain you sometimes get from looking at a computer screen for hours on end.
10. How do I put eBooks onto an eBook Reader?
Loading ebooks onto an eBook Reader is easy – it’s pretty much the same process as loading music on your mp3 player from your computer.
Once you’ve installed the eBook Software on your computer you can download eBooks from the internet, obtain them from friends or purchase them online at places like Waterstones. These go onto your computer, from where you simply transfer them backwards and forwards onto Reader.
11. How do I navigate through an eBook Reader?
It’s really very easy to navigate around an eBook. There are page forward and back buttons to take you forward and back a page at a time. Alternatively you can type out the page number you want to go to using the number buttons. Moving between eBooks is equally easy, with a couple of clicks you can view your collection by author, title and date.
12. What type of memory cards can I use in an eBook Reader?
These obviously vary from Reader to Reader but taking the Sony Reader as an example, it supports a Memory Stick Duo™ of up to 16 GB, which is around 13,000 books. It also supports SD memory cards.
13. What are the different things I can do with an eBook Reader?
1. Use it to read books.
2. Read your personal documents, like PDF, Word files, .rtf and .txt files.
3. Carry and view photos and diagrams (black and white only) in .jpg, .gif, .png, .pdf formats.
4. Listen to mp3 or AAC songs or podcasts with your headphones. You can even listen as you read.
14. How do I navigate through my library of eBooks
It’s really easy to navigate through your library. Electronic Readers have a navigation menu that lets you browse books by title, author or date.
15. Can I use Reader with an Apple Mac?
Again, eBook Readers vary so check our individual product reviews for the full spec. The Sony Reader PRS-505 is only supported on Microsoft® Windows® XP and Microsoft® Windows® Vista™ operating systems. The Sony Reader PRS-505 is not compatible with an Apple Mac at present.
16. What software and hardware do I need to use an eBook Reader?
Each eBook Reader is different, however, they should all come with the necessary software. We do recommend you check the system requirements before you buy.
17. What are the system requirements for using eBook Readers?
The recommended system requirements are unique to each Reader and again we recommend you check the individual product reviews’ technical specifications. The Sony Reader system requirements are as follows:
Operating System : Windows® XP (Home Edition/Professional, Media Center Edition, Media Center Edition 2004, Media Center Edition 2005)& Windows Vista® (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate).
Processor : 800MHz Intel® Celeron® class processor or better
RAM : 128 MB Minimum, or 512 MB minimum for Windows Vista.
Hard Drive : 20MB Minimum available Hard Drive space
Optical Drive : Optical Drive capable of reading CD-ROM
USB Port : USB 1.1 or faster USB Port (Optimal with USB 2.0)
Internet Connection : Broadband suggested.
18. How long do the batteries last?
One single charge of the battery should last over 5000 page turns.