E-book - which is better?

Nowadays, there is a trend when electronic versions of books are increasingly crowding out paper editions, although many still prefer to turn over paper pages. These gadgets are an excellent option for those who are going on vacation or on a long business trip. You can take with you just a couple of paper works that take up a lot of space in a suitcase, and if you have an electronic version of the book, the entire library of the world is with you, and weighs about 200 grams. In this article we will consider what is an e-book, which is better, and make a rating of e-books.

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E-book - what is it?

Electronic versions of books are the most advanced version of the classic paper media. The development of software and modern technologies contributes to the active introduction of digital media in every industry. School books, bulky dictionaries, huge reference books, sensational novels, journalistic works, children's tales - all this literature is quietly loaded into the memory of an electronic device. The miniature size of this gadget has tremendous opportunities.

Important! A high-quality model of the electronic version of the book does not tire the eyes and is able to work without a power source for a long time.

pros

Consider the positive aspects of electronic book options:

• Compact dimensions of the electronic device. It is very convenient to have a small gadget with you in your bag, than constantly pay attention to the dimensions of the bulky book, which occupies the entire free zone of the bag.
• The memory of electronic media allows you to store a large amount of information, so you always have at hand all the necessary information.
• The electronic version of the book is lightweight. On average, such a gadget weighs about 200 grams, which is a mere trifle in comparison with huge paper volumes.
• A modern gadget is a very practical option. You can configure different font sizes and screen lighting levels.

Minuses

The disadvantages of electronic devices include:

• Dependence of electronic media on the charger and power source. Thus, this device may require recharging at the most inopportune moment.
• This gadget has a very fragile screen, so you need to carefully handle the electronic version of the information and protect it from unwanted drops, contact with water.

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How to choose an e-book?

How to choose the best e-book? In this process, you need to pay attention to many factors. You also need to determine in advance the functional capabilities of this device, since this affects some parameters. Consider the main characteristics.

Screen type

Before you purchase an electronic version of a book, first of all, you need to determine the type of screen. From this indicator will depend:

• high-quality image of the picture;
• work hours of the book;
• comfortable reading conditions.

There are two types of displays, which have their own varieties, advantages and disadvantages.

E-ink (electronic paper / ink)

This type of technology resembles the usual version of printing on paper. The basis is microcapsules, which are filled with small granules of white and black. The electric field contributes to the manifestation of a certain color gamut.The power supply is discharged only when turning pages, when the image on the screen changes.

Depending on the contrast ratio, there are several options for E-ink technology:

• E-Ink SiPix - Contrasts 6: 1 contrast ratio. A screen with such an indicator can only be found in older versions of “readers”, since it has been discontinued.
• E-Ink VizPlex - This technology provides a 7: 1 contrast ratio.
• E-Ink Pearl is one of the new screen options with a 10: 1 contrast ratio.
• E-ink Pearl HD is an advanced version of the technology that provides improved contrast (12: 1) and increased resolution up to 758x1024.
• E-ink Flex - the display is much stronger in comparison with other screens. It is equipped with a plastic backing instead of a glass plate. Thanks to this, the screen is protected from deformation and insensitive to mechanical damage. Such screens have a resolution of 758x1024, and the applied contrast is 10: 1. This technology is also called Mobius.
• E-ink triton is one of the newly created screen options, which involves the use of electronic ink in various colors. Currently, the use of such technology is most successfully implemented in only one corporation - Ectaco jetBook color and Pocketbook Color Lux. Manufacturers are in no hurry to fill the market with color electronic versions of books, because users do not like the dullness of the image, and they prefer ordinary tablets.
• E-ink Carta - refers to a very high-quality variation of the display with a black-and-white image, which has a contrast of at least 15: 1 (if you compare the visual point of view, the image quality is two times higher than E-Ink Pearl, so such e-books are better) .

The main advantages of this type of screen:

• Even bright sunlight does not cause glare or flicker on the screen;
• A long period (about two weeks) of battery life;
• compact battery - contributes to the ease of construction;
• It can be read at any angle, as the viewing angle is 180 degrees;
• Uses the minimum amount of energy, since it is consumed only to change the page;
• Characterized by the use of menus and Wi-Fi;
• There is no distance between the pixels, and therefore our eyes are comfortable viewing the image;
• It has an affordable price factor.

E-Ink screens also have several disadvantages:

• The response time is relatively high (up to 500 ms);
• Not equipped with the ability to display animations and videos;
• There is screen aging, which is a 10 millionth update, which is 5 years of a regular reading process;
• Has a low image contrast;
• Black and white version or the presence of a small number of shades;

Important! You can read such gadgets only with the use of external lighting.

LCD display (LCD).

Tablets, telephones, televisions, laptops also have a flat screen, which consists of liquid crystals. The display glows from the inside due to the appearance of matrix gaps. In addition, there is a constant process of updating the screen, which leads to a regular flickering effect.

There are two main options for an LCD display:

• TFT - a device with this type of screen is suitable for use in rooms with insufficient lighting, but in bright sunlight it is difficult to read. The viewing angle is only 160 degrees. If you look at such a gadget from the side, the image is not visible. But with the option of a book with a TFT-display, color images, videos are perfectly viewed, music is listened to and there is the possibility of communication in social networks.
• IPS is one of the advanced types of TFT technology. This option is still not well read in the sun and requires recharging every day. But the viewing angle has increased to 180 degrees and the quality of the transmitted colors has improved.

To understand which e-book is better, you need to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. The advantages of this type of screen include:

• the presence of a quick response (less than 8 ms);
• long term of operation;
• the ability to view videos;
• the presence of convenient internet surfing;
• there is the possibility of highlighting (some E-ink models also have such a function);
• the presence of bright colors;
• the presence of a high refresh rate facilitates the possible viewing of illustrations;
• the presence of a possible adjustment of screen brightness.

Among the disadvantages of LCD displays are:

• bright lighting makes it impossible to read;
• viewing angle is 180 degrees (many models have 160);
• low screen resolution leads to not very comfortable reading;
• if you need to read a lot, you will have to constantly recharge the electronic device, since the battery is quickly discharged;
• if the brightness of the screen is not adjusted, then the eye gets tired quickly.

Important! The electronic version of the book with an LCD display is a regular tablet. This type of view contributes to the ability to listen to music, check mail and watch movies in between reading process.

“Readers” with a screen that consists of electronic ink are ideal for acquiring a gadget for reading only. E-ink is characterized by the effect of real paper and allows you to save on the purchase of paper books.

Screen diagonal

A fundamental factor in acquiring an electronic version of a book is screen size. Image quality and the convenient location of the text on the display depend on the resolution, not the size. So, an electronic medium that has a small diagonal and good resolution can display on one page such a volume of text as is displayed on a large screen with a low resolution.

Important! For human eyes, the best e-book should have the following parameters:

• diagonal of 5-6 inches;
• display resolution 320 x 460 pixels.

The large screen is justified for those users who use the gadget to view pages of magazines. In this case, an electronic device is selected that makes it possible to read normally even at a changed scale of a given text, and it is ideal to have a high resolution. In addition, the screen of the electronic medium must have anti-reflective coating, a wide viewing angle, and be able to change brightness and contrast.

Important! In bright light, the anti-reflective coating ensures normal reading, and the viewing angle affects the comfort of using the electronic version of the book. The larger the screen size, the larger the magnitude of this angle. If the reading angle is small, and the screen is large, then when reading you have to constantly change position, which is not very convenient.

If the monitors have a backlight, then for such screens it will be very important to be able to change the brightness and contrast. The color background is set based on personal preferences, moreover, a white background is preferable, since the image is perceived much better on it.

The diagonal of the screen affects the degree of compactness of the book:

• up to 5 inches - it is a pocket option that is convenient to take with you on vacation and business trips;
• 6-7 inches - suitable for people who like to read a lot;
• more than 8 inches - you can comfortably view large pages, and this is a convenient option for those who constantly work with pdf-files.

Backlight

All books with a built-in TFT screen, as well as some models with electronic ink, are backlit.

Important! The latter option is very convenient, since the backlight is projected onto the screen and eye fatigue does not occur. Such models are much more expensive.

Among the models there is a wide variety of options with backlight. But nevertheless, it is better to choose an e-book option that does not have a backlight. There are a lot of such models.

Device management

The electronic device can be controlled using a sensor or buttons. With electronic book options, qwerty keyboards are increasingly disappearing, and there are fewer keys. Since the purpose of the electronic version of the book is reading, the control process is carried out using a few buttons, and it is very simple and convenient.

The development of progress contributes to the spread of sensory versions of books, but frequent touching the screen leads to the fact that the display quickly gets dirty. In this matter, it is difficult to say which e-book is better, since here everything depends only on personal preferences.

Color screen

The color screen is present in electronic versions of books with a TFT screen, as well as in some models of E-Ink. But in the latter, all colors are rather dull, since such devices require improvement.

Important! The black and white version of a book with electronic ink copes with its functions perfectly, so it is not necessary to overpay for a color version.

Supported Formats

One of the important parameters is the ability of the electronic version of books to recognize as many formats as possible:

An average electronic device can read about ten formats.

More expensive versions work with almost all that exist. Among them, the main ones can be distinguished: fb2, mobi, pdf, doc, djvu, etc.

Important! If you look, then you don’t really need a lot of variety, since the presence of converter programs helps to get the right format.

Memory size

Certainly an important indicator is the amount of memory, but not so critical. There are electronic media, the built-in memory of which is 1 GB and 8 GB, and there is the possibility of expansion using a special memory card.

Important! You need to understand that such a huge number of gigabytes is unlikely to be useful somewhere, since the weight of one book is only 1 MB. Therefore, it is not necessary to purchase a gadget with a high value of the memory indicator.

Battery capacity

An e-book battery is a very important indicator. It is he who affects the autonomous operation of an electronic device for days and weeks.

Devices with electronic ink can work for a long time without recharging, they last for about 5,000-15,000 page turning. Moreover, this will not be one, but several books read. That is why many people believe that this e-book is better. This option is quite suitable for holidays, where you do not need to look for where and how to charge the electronic device.

Important! Books with a TFT screen require recharging after 11-12 hours of continuous reading, so you need to always have a charger with you and connect the book to the mains on time.

Device weight

When purchasing an electronic version of the book, you need to consider both weight and size. To do this, you need to decide where the book will be read:

• For a home environment, a large model is quite suitable.
• But if you read in public transport when you go to work or in parks when you take walks, you need to consider how comfortable it is to hold in your hand for a long time, whether it can fit in a bag.

Assessing these criteria, you can easily determine the weight and size of the electronic device.

Internet access

All modern versions of electronic books can stroll through the network and go to the electronic library. Sellers do not warn the buyer about the convenience of surfing the Internet.

Important! In most cases, sites are not adapted for use on these devices. Android-based electronic media (such as Onyx Boox) have the ability to download applications from the Play Store.

The use of another useful function using the Internet is synchronized work with your Dropbox account and a direct opportunity to download books from there.

Important! It is also very good if there is a built-in Wi-Fi module where you can go online and download books directly from there. This option is not the most important.

additional characteristics

The presence of built-in speakers, music player, built-in voice recorder, the presence of a radio determines the additional characteristics of electronic versions of books. Each for himself personally considers what additional functions are needed, therefore, in this matter it is necessary to focus on personal needs and preferences.

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Top Ebook Rankings

Today, a huge variety of e-books is offered, so it is very difficult to immediately navigate and understand which model is needed. In order to simplify the process of finding the most suitable device, consider the rating of the best e-books.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

This book is a leader in today's e-book market. Such a device is very easy to hold in one hand and turn pages. In addition, there is the ability to support the Japanese, Chinese alphabet.

The main characteristics of this model:

• diagonal is 6 inches;
• screen resolution 1024 * 758 pixels, E-Ink Carta display with backlight;
• 16 shades of gray;
• controlled by a capacitive sensor;
• 4 GB of memory;
• supports basic text formats;
• there is the possibility of a built-in browser and Wi-Fi, so you can easily access the Internet;
• 1420 mAh battery;
• can work without recharging up to 8 weeks;
• reading this book does not tire your eyes.

Sony Reader PRS-T3

Such an e-book has a perfect E-Ink Pearl screen, which gives the impression of reading plain paper. Without recharging, you can read an average of about 2 months. There is an opportunity to use popular Internet resources: Google and Wikipedia.

Important! A distinctive feature of this model is the presence of a built-in cover, which, if closed, the book turns off, and when opened, reading resumes.

The book allows you to use a translator and find obscure words in the explanatory dictionary. This model can be safely entered into the category of the best e-book.

Main technical specifications:

• diagonal of 6 inches;
• screen resolution is 1024 * 758 pixels, E-Ink Pearl display, no backlight;
• 16 gradations of gray;
• control using an infrared sensor;
• the memory has a capacity of 2 GB, there is the possibility of expanding to 32 GB;
• the presence of a Wi-Fi module;
• supports major formats;
• 1000 mAh battery.

PocketBook Color Lux

This book is color. Although it is not completely improved, but for lovers of color images of pictures and magazines - ideal. This model has large dimensions, so you need to hold it with two hands. Without recharging, it can last up to 4 weeks.

Main technical specifications:

• diagonal of 8 inches;
• screen resolution is 800 * 600 pixels, E-Ink display with backlight;
• 16 gradations of gray and additionally the presence of a color screen for 4096 colors;
• touch control;
• 4 GB of internal memory, expandable memory cards up to 32 GB;
• the ability to maintain basic formats;
• Wi-Fi module and built-in browser;
• the presence of an audio player, calculator and calendar;
• 3000 mAh battery.

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Stock footage

In this article, we conducted a detailed analysis of important technical characteristics and types of e-books, making at the end a rating of the best models according to reviews of specialists and users. We hope that on the basis of the information received, you can now quickly determine which e-book is best for you.