The main job of an Ebook reader is to perform a very simple task: display text. A simple task it may be, but that doesn’t mean that choosing the best Ebook reader for you is simple too.

Reader Basics

First, let’s deal with the basics. We all read off electronic screens, but we don’t generally read whole books from a screen because we know it will become more and more uncomfortable as our eyes become strained.

Ebook readers have solved this problem by using a special type of display called E-Ink. The displays are not like ordinary electronic displays and are more like electronic paper. They do not use a back-light, (which is what leads to eye-strain) and are no more uncomfortable to read for long periods than printed paper.
They are also more easily viewable than ordinary electronic displays and can be read clearly from most angles and in most lighting conditions, even direct sunlight.

The other essential of an Ebook reader is a long battery life. Fortunately, due to the E-Ink display’s low power consumption this is quite easy to achieve and you can expect the battery life of your Ebook reader to be far better than all your other electronic devices (such as MP3 players and mobile phones). You should expect something in the region of 7,000-8,000 page turns per charge, which is a lot of reading.

eBook File Formats

So, given that all Ebook readers can do these basics well, how do you actually decide between all the different makes and models. Part of your choice will certainly depend on your chosen source of ebooks. As with so many other media files (such as audio and video) there are different types of ebook files, such as ePub, BBeB and MOBI.

It is not possible to say which format is best, or which format will come out on top in the long run (it may never happen), so the rule is simply to make sure that you buy an Ebook reader that can display the type of files you want it to.

This will probably require you to find an online ebook site that you want to download your books from and check what file formats they supply their books in.

A popular text file format is the PDF. This is not an ebook file format, but rather a format to display files on-screen just as they would appear in print. It is not actually very appropriate for Ebook readers because Ebook readers don’t tend to be A4-size.

However, it is likely that you will have some text files that you may want to read on your Ebook reader stored in PDF format, so you should check for compatibility with this file format, or indeed other text formats, such as DOC, RTF, HTML and TXT files, as well as picture formats such as JPG or GIF; whatever you think you will require.

How many eBooks can a Reader store

Storing content is your next consideration. If you want to store a lot of books on your Ebook reader you will need sufficient memory to do so. Generally, Ebook files are quite small, with several hundred books fitting in a relatively measly 512MB (the exact number depends on the file type and book length). That’s a lot of books.

You can of course store and backup your library on your PC, so there is no real need to worry about capacity, unless you want to store more than just books.

You will find some Ebook readers come with memory card slots for additional capacity. This is useful if you want to use your Ebook reader for more than just reading text. In particular, if you like to listen to books as well as read them (perhaps when you are driving) then there are some readers that can be used to store audio-books on them.

These audio files obviously require a lot more memory than text files, so you will need a memory upgrade. As an alternative, there are a few Ebook readers available that will read an ebook out loud to you. While this removes the need to purchase and store the audio-book file, it does mean you will have to listen to your book being read in a robotic machine voice, as opposed to the professional book reader you would get on a audio-book.

Ebook Reader Functionality

Your final considerations will be to do with functionality and style. Some Ebook readers have touch-screens and stylus input, whereas others have QWERTY keyboards.

If you are reading for academic reasons you may want to look for a reader that allows you to make notes in the ‘margins’, or highlight important passages.

Another useful feature to look out for is an in-line dictionary that allows you to look up the meaning of any word instantly.

The size of the reader is also something you should consider. Do you want it to fit in your pocket, or would you benefit more from a larger screen?