In this blog we talk about the best eBook readers.
With the rise of the digital era, the format, design, and structure of age-old books have begun to undergo a significant change. Their previously dominant paperback and hardcover versions have started to be replaced by the highly customizable, convenient, accessible and shareable eBooks.
Being virtual in nature, extent and origin, eBooks are primarily designed to be read on a variety of electronic devices like desktops, laptops, iPads and even mobile phones. However, the best way to derive a great eBook experience is by reading these books on exclusively designed eBook readers.
What are eBook Readers?
eBook readers are essentially handheld gadgets that facilitate books to be viewed and read in a digital form. These ebook readers are known far and wide for their extremely travel-friendly, lightweight, portable and smart design.
Although eBook readers are available in a plethora of sophisticated models and designs, they can be largely distinguished from one another in terms of their screen size, connectivity, usability, resolution, pixel density, battery life, sharing support & adjustable brightness.
As an avid reader, if you are looking for an eBook reader that can help you continue with your reading without a glitch.
Here is a comprehensive list of 10 contemporary ebook readers that you can consider purchasing -
1. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Source – Amazon.com
Kindle Paperwhite by Amazon is currently the most popular e-book reader available in the market. As compared to its ‘Basic’ version, this ultra-thin book reader offers an astounding level of a quality upgrade.
The main features which make Kindle Paperwhite stand out of the crowd are:
- A battery that can last up to 6 weeks
- A 6-inch glare-free screen with five in-built LEDs
- 3G connectivity along with regular Wi-Fi
- A resolution of 300 pixels per inch
- Waterproof, lightweight & flat fronted
- Bluetooth to play audiobooks
2. NOOK Glowlight Plus
Source – Amazon.com
Available at almost the same price range as Kindle Paperwhite, NOOK Glowlight Plus is one of the best reading devices that have emerged from the kitty of Barnes & Noble. This high-end eBook reader supports both PDF & EPUB formats while running on primary Android versions.
Its features largely include:
- A 7.8-inch screen size with blue light reduction
- A resolution of 300 pixels per inch
- An illuminating, glow-light, adjustable with the reader’s surroundings
- IP-67 rating, allowing water immersion up to 3.28 feet
- Installation support to third-party apps
- Dust-proof, lightweight and soft to touch
3. Kobo Libra H2O
Source – Ars Technica
Containing almost all the features of Kobo’s e-reading devices, the Kobo Libra H2O is a reader that is specifically built for students. Its unique interface helps students read documents from a variety of formats, thus allowing them to review and study books effectively.
The other major features of Kobo are:
- Supports EPUB, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, HTML, CBR, RTF & PNG files
- A 7-inch backlit screen
- Waterproof and lightweight
- Frontal lights that change colors
- Offers regular Wi-Fi at 2.4 GHz speed
- Enough space for around 6000 books
4. Onyx BOOX Max 3
Source – Amazon.com
The Onyx BOOX Max 3 is a stunning eBook reader that can easily be placed a cut above the rest. This reader permits you to take notes, leave bookmarks and add remarks on the device itself. As a result, it becomes ideal for those who want to read scientific/technical papers.
The Max 3 hosts other features like:
- A large screen measuring 13.3 inches
- Runs on Android and supports third-party apps
- Free, non-chargeable stylus
- Clear, crisp and glare-free readability
- Back-lit screen, lightweight and dust-proof
- Supports all file formats
5. Apple iPad Mini 5
Source – Wired.com
The Apple iPad Mini 5, is essentially a device that provides the best quality of reading experience, as compared to its other counterparts. This eBooks reader is slightly higher priced, but the escalation of cost is completely worth the improvement in design.
The iPad offers a plethora of intriguing features like:
- A 64-256 GB storage space
- A 7.9-inch screen size with a 2 GB RAM
- Can play audiobooks with Bluetooth
- Finger-friendly, smart hand grip
- A lithium-ion, long-lasting battery
- Auto-rotating screen
6. SuperNote A5 Digital
Source – Goodereader.com
The greatest competition to Kindle Paperwhite comes from the house of SuperNote. SuperNote’s A5 Digital is equivalent to Paperwhite in terms of its features, design, style and price. With its digital inch touch screen, you can read & make notes at a time and place of your convenience!
SuperNote’s features primarily include:
- Smart grip & dust-proof
- A 10.3-inch screen size
- Easy nighttime reading due to reduced light exposure
- A display resolution of 1872×1404
- A PPI of 226 coupled with 32 GB internal storage
- An extra WACOM active digitizer layer
7. Amazon Fire HD 8
Source – Bestbuy.com
Amazon Fire HD 8 is not just another eBooks reader. It is a device that combines the advantages of both book readers and tablets. Available at an extremely competitive price, Amazon Fire HD 8 comes with millions of economic eBooks and in-built audio capacities.
Its chief features are:
- Availability of audiobooks via Alexa
- Blue shaded, optimized back light
- Display size of 8 inches
- Expandable storage capacity up to 1.6 GB
- A 1.3 GHz quad-core processor
- Lightweight – around 363 grams
8. Sony DPT-RP1/B Digital Paper
Source – Zdnet.com
The DPT-RP1/B Digital Paper eBook reader is the only digital device from Sony that harbors the potential to compete with other tab-making giants like Amazon, Apple and Google. This reader is principally suited to read, review and study work-based documents.
The DPT-RP1 carries a variety of features like:
- A 13-inch touchscreen
- High contrast, glare-free & lightweight
- Easy to mark, write, annotate or highlight
- Ability to share books via Wi-Fi or USB
- A battery that can last up to 3 weeks
- Thin-sized & simple to carry
9. Midia Inkbook 8
Source – techhive.com
Released as recently as 2018, the Midia Inkbook 8 is a premium eBook reading device that borrows a lot of features from its competitor- Kobo Aura One. The Midia Inkbook is much lighter and smarter as compared to Aura. Moreover, it also provides some exclusive features which lend it a distinct edge. These are:
- Waterproof, lightweight and dust-proof
- A large touchscreen of about 8.9 inches
- Can read materials even from other content providers
- Powered by Android 4.2.2
- Storage space of 32 GB
- Ability to customize font sizes
10. Tolino Vision 5
Source – Goodereader.com
The Tolino Vision 5 is essentially an eBook reader that is increasingly finding favor with the young generation. This reader supports almost all file formats while running on basic & advanced android versions. More so, it is crafted with a highly ergonomic design which provides readers with a unique, intuitive experience.
Vision 5’s features largely include:
- A 7-inch screen with automatic display rotation
- Smart lights & color temperature adjustment
- Enhanced contrast and sharper text
- Optimal water protection
- A resolution of 300 pixels per inch
- Reading in both, portrait and landscape mode
The Way Forward
Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.
– Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
Reading, at its core, is an activity that stimulates the mind and replenishes the soul. Each printed word works wonders in helping readers enhance their worldly knowledge, improve their analytical skills and broaden their intellectual horizons.
This is precisely the reason why eBooks have so easily been able to carve a niche for themselves in the digital printing & publishing sector. So much so, that in the last few years, about 266 million eBooks have been printed in the US alone, generating a revenue of approximately $1.02 billion, within a single year!
If you are looking for a highly personalized reading experience, you can opt for KITABOO reader. The Kitaboo eBook reader is a highly interactive reader application that enables users to customize the interface for a better reading experience. It offers WCAG compliance and reflowable ePUB3 support.
Users can change the text background to sepia mode or night mode, change the font style and size, make notes, highlight text etc. Complete with multimedia support and interactive features, the KITABOO reader application provides a unique reading experience to the users.
As times change and readers become more accustomed to eBooks, the importance of possessing a good ebook reader will increase. In such a scenario, it would be wise for readers not to limit themselves by the price of their reading equipment.
Instead, they should choose devices which meet their specific needs and requirements, in the most effective and efficient way.
Related:
- How to Choose The Best eReader for Your Institution
- 8 Reasons to Create Interactive Textbooks for Engaging K-12 Students
- How Can eTextbooks Help K-12 Publishers, Institutes & Students
- PDF or ePUB- Which is the Better Format for ePublishing?
- All You Wanted to Know About Digital Textbooks
- The Best eBook Platforms for the Post-Readium Era
DISCOVER HOW AN INTERACTIVE EBOOK PUBLISHING PLATFORM CAN HELP YOU
Kitaboo is a cloud-based epublishing platform to create-publish-distribute interactive mobile-ready ebooks.
You May Also Like
