What's the best e-book reader for under $100?

Looking for some guidance in choosing a stocking stuffer e-book reader. What's the best product and why?

We got my 9 year old the cheapo kindle. (~70 bucks) The screen savers are ads, but the price is nice. The kindles are pretty tough. My wifes lasted an amazing 11 months before she broke it. She is not good with electronics. Seriously.

Nook Simple Touch reader. Touch screen, $99 - Target had them for $70 the week before Thanksgiving. I bought my wife one at the end of June, and she's read over 180 books on it since then. I've only had to restart it twice in that time, and that's only because for some reason electronics hate her. Takes a microSD card to increase the storage. Good clear e-ink screen, touch screen makes it easier to use. Bought one for my 78 year old father in law for Christmas, loaded up with 380 books should keep him busy for a while... I "obtain" my books in epub format online and just drag and drop them from the computer to the Nook when I connect it to the computer, and the Calibre software works well to change formats if needed.

You can get a package of 3 reading glasses for about $19 at Sams.

I just bought this for my 8 yo. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hot-Holiday-Tablet-PCs-featuring-7-10-Color-Touchscreen-Google-Android-OS/19397282

Kindle, Kindle, Kindle.

Libraries support them now, and Amazon Prime members get to borrow a book a month, free, from Amazon's HUGE collection

I got a Kindle for $79 at Wally World. I freaking love this thing. Best thing to happen to literature since Gutenberg's printing press.

Oh, and battery life? Yeah, I read at least an hour a day. And I haven't charged it yet. And I've had it for a month.

Is this kindle backlit?

I like my Kindle, but I have to give props to B&N and the Nook for telling Microsoft to berkeley right off with their patent trolling. The Nook is also the most open, so if you want to do things with it should B&N go away, you'll have that ability.

TRoglodyte wrote: Is this kindle backlit?

That would defeat the entire point.

TRoglodyte wrote: Is this kindle backlit?

No, it is a standard Kindle with the "eInk" screen. It's like reading paper, so it doesn't hurt your eyes like a backlit computer screen would.

Easily the Kindle.

Sky_Render wrote:

TRoglodyte wrote: Is this kindle backlit?

No, it is a standard Kindle with the "eInk" screen. It's like reading paper, so it doesn't hurt your eyes like a backlit computer screen would.

Some of the covers have built-in reading lights that borrow juice from the Kindle's battery if you want to read in the dark. But agreed that the e-ink screen is one of the things that makes it so pleasant. I think the the kindle's awesome for reading, but it's an e-reader, not a tablet.

Another Nook Simple Touch recomendation. I had one of the original Nooks and we bought the simple touch for <$80 a little while back. The wife and I use them both daily. Love them.

My daughter's Nook (Simple one, about $130 IIRC when we bought it) is great. Small, simple, reliable, no issues.

FYI the Kindle is the same as reading paper and easier on your eyes than a computer screen is absolute B.S.

I played with several and read multiple books on different ones and finally settled on the iPad because I can do so much more with it than just read a book. You can customize fonts, font sizes, lighting, Black on White or White on Black, etc., etc. so much more than a Kindle.

I can read my iPad in bed at night without the lights so I don't disturb the wife.

Unfortunately it's not under $100, BUT since books are so readily available I usually read them instead of using a reader. A reader is so Poser.

But on an airplane I read the iPad. I can't tell you how many books I've left on a plane - and usually right at a good spot too.

In reply to carguy123:

What I always hear from my wife's friends who have them is that reading on the beach or anywhere else sunny is way better on an Kindle than an iPad.

carguy123 wrote: FYI the Kindle is the same as reading paper and easier on your eyes than a computer screen is absolute B.S. I played with several and read multiple books on different ones and finally settled on the iPad because I can do so much more with it than just read a book. You can customize fonts, font sizes, lighting, Black on White or White on Black, etc., etc. so much more than a Kindle. I can read my iPad in bed at night without the lights so I don't disturb the wife. Unfortunately it's not under $100, BUT since books are so readily available I usually read them instead of using a reader. A reader is so Poser. But on an airplane I read the iPad. I can't tell you how many books I've left on a plane - and usually right at a good spot too.

Congratulations, you don't have a problem reading backlit screens for long periods of time. A lot of people do.

Plus, I highly doubt your iPad can go a month between battery charges. Hell, I'd wager you can't even read a book for the entirety of a transatlantic flight.

And how is an eReader a "poser"? It's made to read books, that's it. I don't need something to browse the Internet or keep up with FaceTube; that's what I have a smartphone for.

carguy123 wrote: FYI the Kindle is the same as reading paper and easier on your eyes than a computer screen is absolute B.S.

Tell that to my eyestrain. Plain and simple fact for me, reading on an iPad hurts my eyes after < 20 minutes. Reading on my Kindle I can do all day.

Try reading your iPad in direct sunlight. It will wreck your eyes. Kindle is no different than a book.

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to carguy123: What I always hear from my wife's friends who have them is that reading on the beach or anywhere else sunny is way better on an Kindle than an iPad.

That's the difference between a glossy screen and a flat one. You can get plastic covers to make them flat or glossy.

I've had a Nook for 18 months now. Great reader.

If the kindle uses the same eInk, I'd go for it.

IMHO, they are much nicer to read than the back lit pads.

I'd get the one with the biggest screen:overall size ratio- be it Kindle or Nook.

carguy123 wrote: FYI the Kindle is the same as reading paper and easier on your eyes than a computer screen is absolute B.S.

Nah. You're wrong.

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Got a Kindle and its very nice. I'm a reader so I use it to death. Works great. If you prefer the nook or iPad then I say go for it. I think any of those products will scratch your itch for a reading device. The Kindle and the Nook will be cheaper so if you're dipping your toe in the ereader pool those might be the easiest to stomach.

I've read a complete book on one charge, as a matter of fact I've read 2 and also surfed the web. But it only takes me from an hour to 2 to read a book, well except for War & Peace.

Just like your TV you have to be careful of light sources. A glossy screen on your TV gives a sharper image, but most TV screens are flat so that they don't reflect the light and light placement isn't such an issue.

I find reading a real book in bright sun on the beach hurts my eyes too. I prefer my pages to be in the shade. So occassionally I glance up to see the pretty, scantily clad beauties walk buy, just to rest my eyes you know.

We have a Kindle that gets next to no usage because it's so one dimensional. We end up having to carry it along with the iPad or our laptops. And the ability to fine tune the fonts, colors, etc. to the degree I can on the iPad makes it much easier on the eyes.

My own personal experience, and several of my family members who ditched their Kindles for iPads, says there's absolutely no validity to the legibility claims made by the marketing department of Kindle.

But with all that said, there's something to be said for a real book. One I can dog ear the pages, not worry about losing, fold up, or use to shade my eyes.

carguy123 wrote:

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to carguy123: What I always hear from my wife's friends who have them is that reading on the beach or anywhere else sunny is way better on an Kindle than an iPad.

That's the difference between a glossy screen and a flat one. You can get plastic covers to make them flat or glossy.

You're still not getting it. E-ink is literally like printing a fresh page of text on a piece of paper every time you click on a new page. iPad screen is exactly the same as a computer screen which uses colored pixels to display text and images which can cause eye strain for a lot of people.