Can someone give me the scoop on Mustachian Kindle/e-reading devices?

[Archipelago]

Hey all, instead of going down a rabbit hole researching best Mustachian practices for e-books, I figured someone here would already have it figured out. I read around 25 books per year and buy books used or checked out from the library. Very few books I buy I end up keeping. I usually just resell them or donate them afterward.

1. Is a Kindle worthwhile? Are there other e-readers on the market worth looking into?

2. Would it make sense to get a Kindle for 30%+ off MSRP by getting one with cosmetic defects? Amazon Warehouse sells them discounted which seems to be a more sustainable and cheaper way to buy things.

3. To make e-reading cost effective, does one simply check out e-books from the library? Is there any catch to this? Are there subscription fees? It seems almost too good to be true.

4. Assuming an e-book is not available at the local library, are there any e-book subscriptions that are worth it? Or is it better to just buy one-off e-books?

Please give me the run-down! Thank you!

Edit: As a follow up to a few of the replies, if I'm being honest with myself, downloading e-books on my smartphone won't work for me, even if it's the optimal Mustachian solution. I already spend too much time on my phone as-is. Reading books on it would give me more reasons to get distracted and spend time not reading.

[Trying2bFrugal]

!

I am just restarting my reading habits after 15 years. I just bought a kindle oasis  9th gen on fb marketplace for $30.

On research, it did show the latest kindle kids seemed to be better value with a trade in 20% (almost any old electronics ) discount instead of buying warehouse. Kids version seemed to have better perks.

[birdie55]

Instead of buying a new device, why not install the kindle app on your smart phone or another device.  I use the kindle app on my iPhone and iPad mini. 

[ToTheMoon]

If your local library system uses Overdrive, then Kobo e-readers are awesome. Direct link to your library system to download and return books. My kids have had Kobo's for at least seven years, and even with heavy use we have never bought a book or had library late fees.

Seems like a no-brainer compared to my friends who have to buy books on their Kindle. That said, we are in Canada, and Overdrive is Kobo only. I *think* Overdrive may be available to Kindles in the USA, so my blathering may be a moot point!

[seattlecyclone]

I have an e-ink Kindle, one of the earlier models. It still works great. The Kindle app on a smartphone works fine for some people, but the phone's backlit screen and constant notifications make me prefer the dedicated device when I want to sit down and read for a while. Especially second-hand, the devices are cheap enough that it's barely worth asking if it's "worthwhile."

I highly recommend using the public library. The only catch there is the book will have an expiration date. Unlike with a physical book where you can just hold onto it and maybe pay a small fine if you don't quite finish it in time, you get cut off on the due date and have to wait in line again. That is, you get cut off if you don't strip the DRM out of the file before transferring it to your device, which is definitely illegal and nobody ever does it because the instructions are not easily found on the internet with a simple web search.

Look into whether any other library systems have reciprocal borrowing privileges with the library serving your home area. I got library cards from a few other nearby libraries for free, and while I usually find what I'm looking for in the Seattle library it's useful to be able to check the others when Seattle doesn't have what I want or the hold queue is too long.

I have no experience with subscription services, sorry.

[Freedomin5]

I read ebooks from the library with an app on my phone. My library used to use Overdrive but have now switched to Libby. To make it easier on my eyes, I read in “dark mode”, where the text is white and the background is black. I like using my phone so I don’t have to carry two devices. I also don’t get notifications (except phone calls) when I have the reading app open. I think there’s a setting that allows you to control whether you get notifications.

I have a few library cards from different cities, all attached to Libby and can search multiple libraries at once for books. Then I just borrow from whichever library has the book.

It’s very handy and very Mustachian since I don’t need to buy another device or any ebooks. I’ve been reading using the Kobo, Kindle, Books, and Libby apps on my phone for over 5 years, with no issues. And I’m an avid reader - at least 2 or 3 books a week.

[jfer_rose]

I have an e-ink Kindle that is many years old. I have never purchased a book for it and exclusively read books on it via library loans obtained through Overdrive/Libby. I am an avid reader, reading 50+ books per year.

When this device dies, I plan to replace it with a Kobo e-ink reader because it supports pdfs, which Kindle does not. I prefer to support a company that isn’t using proprietary formats.

I much prefer the e-ink to phone or tablet screen for reading books. It is easy on the eyes and doesn’t have any distractions. For books that are predominantly photos, I make an exception and read those on my tablet. But my tablet is much heavier than my Kindle, so not as nice to hold.

[jrhampt]

I have had a kindle for several years now.  My library has a great downloadable catalog, so I very very rarely buy any books, and I also have amazon prime, so I get access to a pre-release book every month with that as well.  As someone said above, your access to the books does expire within a certain time period, but there is an easy way to get around this if you haven't finished your book in time.  Just keep your kindle on airplane mode until you're done and only sync with the wifi when you are getting new content.  This keeps the kindle's charge much longer, too, so you will use less electricity.  I only have to charge mine maybe once a month or so, and that's with heavy use.

[Freedomin5]

OP, if you have a smart phone, maybe try reading on your phone first and play with the settings to see if you can find a setting that works for you. If reading on the phone doesn’t work for you, and you still feel eye strain, then splurge on an e-reader.

[Kris]

Instead of buying a new device, why not install the kindle app on your smart phone or another device.  I use the kindle app on my iPhone and iPad mini.

This. It’s the most mustachian response: install the Kindle and Libby (or whatever your library uses) apps on a device you already have, and check out books from your library. This is what I do as well (iPad).

ETA: I am probably an outlier here, but I don’t like reading on a Kindle at all. I find it awkward to hold, and the screen is too small. I read pretty quickly, and on a Kindle it feels like I’m flipping pages every couple of seconds.

[Tasse]

- Yes, checking out library e-books is so convenient it feels like cheating. The library checkout process is not as smooth as purchasing, but we're still talking 30 seconds of effort for your library book to show up immediately on your device.

- Seconding the advice to leave the device in airplane mode so that your books don't disappear on their due date. Read at your leisure until you're ready for more.

- I personally think a dedicated reading device is incredibly worth it compared to a smartphone app. It's not just the eye strain, it's also putting down and getting away from devices with internet browsing. (I realize some kindles have this, but I have a Paperwhite I won in a raffle years ago.)

[BiggerFishToFI]

To echo the other replies here

- get a used kindle (<$50) and link it to your library’s free digital app (mine uses “Libby”)

The kindle is worth it for reading compared to your smartphone IMO with less strain on the eyes

[Metalcat]

Up here in Canadaland, Kindle is useless for library books, also, they're limited in the files they can open.

I have a Kobo because I can load PDFs, and I use mine to read pirated textbooks and articles.

I radically prefer reading with e-ink over reading on my phone or tablet, so it's worth the premium to me to own the device. Also the battery life is amazing, so it's ideal for travel because I basically don't have to worry about charging it.

It is a luxury, unnecessary device, so you should absolutely question the added value it would bring to your life and how often that value would really play out.

I actually have 2 Kobos, a small one that I read to fall asleep and a large one that I use to read textbooks and academic papers. Each has definitely provided more value than they cost. However, now that I've switched to listening to textbooks, the large Kobo isn't very useful for me. That said, DH has started reading a ton of long academic articles for work, so he's going to try the large Kobo this week. If it doesn't add substantial value for him, then I'll sell it.

[uniwelder]

Based on the responses here and what I've seen in limited experience, Kindles are highly favored in the US and Kobo is used everywhere else, though I haven't seen any advantages discussed about the Kindle.  There was a previous thread about e-readers--- https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/e-reader-vs-tablet/msg3079547/#msg3079547 definitely worth reading.

I ended up buying a Kobo myself ($10 off someone used), thinking it would encourage me to read more.  Unfortunately, it didn't motivate me enough, but my wife now uses it constantly.  I'm amazed how long the battery lasts.

Interesting story--- When I bought the Kobo, it was from someone that buys off pawn shop auctions.  She bought it for $5, so she put it up for sale for $10.  When I showed up, neither of us knew how to operate it, so we fumbled for quite some time.  After getting home and trying to set up an account, I saw there was already an account created and knowing it came from a pawn shop, I sent an email to the person.  I told them how I came across their device and asked if it was stolen.  They live in Canada replied back that they forgot it in a hotel during a stay in my area a year ago.  They weren't concerned about losing it, told me to keep it with no payment, and admitted they lose them on a regular basis.

[Samuel]

Love my kindle. Reading on a phone works in a pinch but is noticeably inferior.

95% of my use is library books from Libby, but I'll sometimes buy an ebook if it's something I expect to heavily highlight and refer back to periodically. The deadline juggling can be annoying if you like to have multiple library items at once (I tend to have at least one non-fiction and one fiction book going on at any given time) but it's manageable if you just keep nudging your holds becoming available out by a few days at a time until you're ready to sync and swap things out.

E-readers probably are redundant if you have a tablet and don't mind the extra weight and glare. I don't have a tablet so the kindle is perfect for my needs. It's lighter and smaller so I can tuck it in a jacket pocket (or even just the back pocket of jeans #maleprivilege) with no trouble, or read in bed without a heavy Ipad crashing into my face when I fall asleep. I also like having fewer opportunities for distractions and rarely needing to charge it.

And Kindles do support PDF's, just not nearly as well as tablets. For more technical stuff with data tables or detailed illustrations I get why a tablet would be the way to go.

[Archipelago]

As a follow up to a few of the replies, if I'm being honest with myself, downloading e-books on my smartphone won't work for me, even if it's the optimal Mustachian solution. I already spend too much time on my phone as-is. Reading books on it would give me more reasons to get distracted and spend time not reading.

[Archipelago]

I have had a kindle for several years now.  My library has a great downloadable catalog, so I very very rarely buy any books, and I also have amazon prime, so I get access to a pre-release book every month with that as well.  As someone said above, your access to the books does expire within a certain time period, but there is an easy way to get around this if you haven't finished your book in time.  Just keep your kindle on airplane mode until you're done and only sync with the wifi when you are getting new content.  This keeps the kindle's charge much longer, too, so you will use less electricity.  I only have to charge mine maybe once a month or so, and that's with heavy use.

This seems like a good workaround, have you run this by your library and gotten the OK to do this? Assuming there isn't a waiting list to get the book, most libraries are cool if you simply renew the check out. But if I were to use a workaround while there's a waitlist of people for the book, it doesn't seem right. How do you navigate this kind of thing?

[bacchi]

I have had a kindle for several years now.  My library has a great downloadable catalog, so I very very rarely buy any books, and I also have amazon prime, so I get access to a pre-release book every month with that as well.  As someone said above, your access to the books does expire within a certain time period, but there is an easy way to get around this if you haven't finished your book in time.  Just keep your kindle on airplane mode until you're done and only sync with the wifi when you are getting new content.  This keeps the kindle's charge much longer, too, so you will use less electricity.  I only have to charge mine maybe once a month or so, and that's with heavy use.

This seems like a good workaround, have you run this by your library and gotten the OK to do this? Assuming there isn't a waiting list to get the book, most libraries are cool if you simply renew the check out. But if I were to use a workaround while there's a waitlist of people for the book, it doesn't seem right. How do you navigate this kind of thing?

The ebook goes back into the library pool on its due date, even if your kindle is off and it's not "returned." My library doesn't allow ebook renews so the "keep wifi turned off" works (worked -- my kindle was crushed so I replaced it with a kobo) great when all of my holds come up around the same time.
 

[Tasse]

Yep, from the library's end it makes no difference whether the book disappears from your kindle on time or not.

[geekette]

If you have Amazon Prime, you get a free book from a very limited selection each month.  Sometimes they're even well written. 

[Archipelago]

I have had a kindle for several years now.  My library has a great downloadable catalog, so I very very rarely buy any books, and I also have amazon prime, so I get access to a pre-release book every month with that as well.  As someone said above, your access to the books does expire within a certain time period, but there is an easy way to get around this if you haven't finished your book in time.  Just keep your kindle on airplane mode until you're done and only sync with the wifi when you are getting new content.  This keeps the kindle's charge much longer, too, so you will use less electricity.  I only have to charge mine maybe once a month or so, and that's with heavy use.

This seems like a good workaround, have you run this by your library and gotten the OK to do this? Assuming there isn't a waiting list to get the book, most libraries are cool if you simply renew the check out. But if I were to use a workaround while there's a waitlist of people for the book, it doesn't seem right. How do you navigate this kind of thing?

The ebook goes back into the library pool on its due date, even if your kindle is off and it's not "returned." My library doesn't allow ebook renews so the "keep wifi turned off" works (worked -- my kindle was crushed so I replaced it with a kobo) great when all of my holds come up around the same time.

Cool! Thanks for that clarification!

[Archipelago]

According to my local library, they use Hoopla and Libby. It would be good to get a device compatible with both of these. I don't mind if it's not a direct connection and some manual work is needed to get a book over from Hoopla/Libby to my e-reader.

[uniwelder]

According to my local library, they use Hoopla and Libby. It would be good to get a device compatible with both of these. I don't mind if it's not a direct connection and some manual work is needed to get a book over from Hoopla/Libby to my e-reader.

My wife says Libby is compatible with Kobo's Overdrive system, but not Hoopla.  Curious how other people download.

[solon]

I have an e-ink Kindle, one of the earlier models. It still works great. The Kindle app on a smartphone works fine for some people, but the phone's backlit screen and constant notifications make me prefer the dedicated device when I want to sit down and read for a while. Especially second-hand, the devices are cheap enough that it's barely worth asking if it's "worthwhile."

I highly recommend using the public library. The only catch there is the book will have an expiration date. Unlike with a physical book where you can just hold onto it and maybe pay a small fine if you don't quite finish it in time, you get cut off on the due date and have to wait in line again. That is, you get cut off if you don't strip the DRM out of the file before transferring it to your device, which is definitely illegal and nobody ever does it because the instructions are not easily found on the internet with a simple web search.

Look into whether any other library systems have reciprocal borrowing privileges with the library serving your home area. I got library cards from a few other nearby libraries for free, and while I usually find what I'm looking for in the Seattle library it's useful to be able to check the others when Seattle doesn't have what I want or the hold queue is too long.

I have no experience with subscription services, sorry.

I would never do something like this, and I do not recommend anyone do a simple web search to find the instructions.

[Morning Glory]

As a follow up to a few of the replies, if I'm being honest with myself, downloading e-books on my smartphone won't work for me, even if it's the optimal Mustachian solution. I already spend too much time on my phone as-is. Reading books on it would give me more reasons to get distracted and spend time not reading.

I feel quite the opposite.  I'm more likely to read instead of browsing the internet when I have to wait a few minutes somewhere if there's an ebook on my phone. My preference is physical books but I'll download digital if I'm traveling or if the library doesn't have a physical copy.  I also listen to audio books on libby or hoopla on my phone if I'm driving or doing chores.  I had a Nook at some point in the past but didn't replace it when the charging port went bad. 

[Sandi_k]

That said, we are in Canada, and Overdrive is Kobo only. I *think* Overdrive may be available to Kindles in the USA, so my blathering may be a moot point!

Yes, Kindles use Overdrive here in the states. My favorite Kindle/Library tool is the Library Extension for your browser. You input your library credentials, and any time you go to Amazon and look at the Kindle book, the plugin will tell you if your Library has the e-book.

It's saved me *thousands* of dollars since Covid.

https://www.libraryextension.com/

[Sandi_k]

I highly recommend using the public library. The only catch there is the book will have an expiration date. Unlike with a physical book where you can just hold onto it and maybe pay a small fine if you don't quite finish it in time, you get cut off on the due date and have to wait in line again.

The workaround to this is to simply keep your Kindle offline until you finish the book.

It cannot be "taken back" upon the due date until you connect to WiFi and it's then returned.

[solon]

That said, we are in Canada, and Overdrive is Kobo only. I *think* Overdrive may be available to Kindles in the USA, so my blathering may be a moot point!

Yes, Kindles use Overdrive here in the states. My favorite Kindle/Library tool is the Library Extension for your browser. You input your library credentials, and any time you go to Amazon and look at the Kindle book, the plugin will tell you if your Library has the e-book.

It's saved me *thousands* of dollars since Covid.

https://www.libraryextension.com/

I'll second the Library Extension. I have 6 library memberships, all of them in the Library Extension. I now use Amazon as an index to my libraries.

For example, if I want a book, I'll look it up on Amazon and the Library Extension will tell me which of my libraries have that book, and link me directly to it so I can check it out.

[cangelosibrown]

I did a decent amount of research on the kobo vs kindle decision not too long ago, and my takeaway is that kobo might be slightly better, but not in any way I care about, but that Kindles are cheaper, especially if you can get it on sale. Not sure about the used market, that may be different.

My other advice, having owned several Kindles over the years, is that the current basic kindle is the best thing by far, solely by virtue of being the smallest. It is just small enough for me to put in my pocket comfortably, which has been a sea change difference for me.

[Archipelago]

That said, we are in Canada, and Overdrive is Kobo only. I *think* Overdrive may be available to Kindles in the USA, so my blathering may be a moot point!

Yes, Kindles use Overdrive here in the states. My favorite Kindle/Library tool is the Library Extension for your browser. You input your library credentials, and any time you go to Amazon and look at the Kindle book, the plugin will tell you if your Library has the e-book.

It's saved me *thousands* of dollars since Covid.

https://www.libraryextension.com/

I'll second the Library Extension. I have 6 library memberships, all of them in the Library Extension. I now use Amazon as an index to my libraries.

For example, if I want a book, I'll look it up on Amazon and the Library Extension will tell me which of my libraries have that book, and link me directly to it so I can check it out.

This is a great idea. I just found out a family member has an older Kindle they dont' use anymore, and I'm going to grab it! I'll have to find a few libraries that use Overdrive. Should be a worthwhile endeavor. Thank you!

[314159]

Great, if you have access to a free ereader, be it Kindle or Kobo, use it and see how you like it!

I am in the US and I have a Kobo which I love. I got it new a few years ago, after my first generation Barnes&Noble Nook finally died. I got it because I didn't want to be locked in to Amazon's proprietary format, and that was worth the small premium over a Kindle. I also appreciate not having to give Amazon more money than I already have.

It integrates well with Overdrive and I also use it to read pirated books. The latter requires me to physically plug the ereader into my laptop, but the former can be done by WiFi. The local library is just a block away from me so I do still reserve physical books when I want to read a physical book, but the ereader is really killer for travel. I make sure to charge it before I leave and the battery lasts the whole trip. So much lighter and more compact than paper books!

Aside from the proprietary format, my friends who have Kindles all report being pleased with them. I don't think there's a very big difference.

[Zikoris]

I read 365+ books a year, primarily digitally, and strongly recommend the Kobo over the Kindle. I have both a Kobo Clara and some really ancient model of Kindle I bought secondhand for like $20, and my boyfriend has a Kindle Paperwhite. I don't know what the US situation is, but in Canada the Kobo connects directly to my local library, which is incredibly valuable. I find the Kobo interface much better designed and easier to use (like you can adjust the backlight in 1% intervals by dragging your finger alongside the screen versus the Kindle is I think 10% intervals and you have to pull up a menu to change it). For the specific questions:

1. Kindle is okay, but I think you should get a Kobo Clara. My boyfriend is happy with his Kindle Paperwhite.

2. I would definitely consider a refurbished model in your situation. I buy new because I am an extremely heavy user and run my eReaders into the ground.

3. There's no catch to checking out library eBooks. It's free and works just like checking out anything else. You can't incur late fees because when your time runs out it just goes poof.

4. For subscriptions, it depends where the authors you like hang out. My boyfriend uses Kindle Unlimited a lot because he follows a lot of authors who publish there exclusively. I think at 25 books a year most subscriptions would probably not make sense. Maybe double that if most of the authors you follow use a particular service. The book subscription services also almost always allow you to just get one month, so sometimes I buy one month of Kobo Plus if there are a few books I want to read, and I just read them all together.

[Dave1442397]

I just replaced a 10-year-old kindle with the newer kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. Whatever that is, it's a big improvement over the old one, which I replaced because the battery was dying every couple of days.

The new one also has 32 times more storage, which is nice. My old one maxed out at around 500 books, and I always seem to have at least 49n books on there, some of them dating back to 2014. It's hard to keep up!

We can get free ebooks from our local library, and, as others said, just keep your device's wifi turned off if you're not going to finish the book before its due date.

I use Calibre software to do any conversions I need, such as epub to mobi. It's also a handy place to store all my ebooks. I like to download them from Amazon to my PC, just in case.

[lefty]

Just in time. I can't take it reading from my old ipad anymore and I'm in the middle of purging my old books.
Thought about a kindle, but which one. I see used ones on FB marketplace for a little cheaper than refurbished ones on Amazon, so I might lean towards just getting it from Amazon. Less risky and hassle.
 
But which one?

Everyone seems to rave about the paperwhite? What so great about it?
Most of my ebooks are from PDF format downloaded from the free archive online. 

I saw a refurbished kindle 2022 edition for $90 on Amazon. Maybe I'll get that. Gotta figure out a way to get rid of those ads.

[Greystache]

I use a Kobo Clara. In the past, I have also used aps on my chromebook and my phone.  I prefer the kobo. It is the right size and it is easy on my eyes.  I use it to access books and magazines from my public library. I have never purchased an e-book, but the capability is there.

[Zikoris]

Just in time. I can't take it reading from my old ipad anymore and I'm in the middle of purging my old books.
Thought about a kindle, but which one. I see used ones on FB marketplace for a little cheaper than refurbished ones on Amazon, so I might lean towards just getting it from Amazon. Less risky and hassle.
 
But which one?

Everyone seems to rave about the paperwhite? What so great about it?
Most of my ebooks are from PDF format downloaded from the free archive online. 

I saw a refurbished kindle 2022 edition for $90 on Amazon. Maybe I'll get that. Gotta figure out a way to get rid of those ads.

Get a Kobo Clara.

[obstinate]

Just in time. I can't take it reading from my old ipad anymore and I'm in the middle of purging my old books.
Thought about a kindle, but which one. I see used ones on FB marketplace for a little cheaper than refurbished ones on Amazon, so I might lean towards just getting it from Amazon. Less risky and hassle.
 
But which one?

Everyone seems to rave about the paperwhite? What so great about it?
Most of my ebooks are from PDF format downloaded from the free archive online. 

I saw a refurbished kindle 2022 edition for $90 on Amazon. Maybe I'll get that. Gotta figure out a way to get rid of those ads.

Plenty of Kindles on my local FB marketplace asking 2/3 of new price. And then you offer ten dollars less.

All depends on how much you like haggling and how much you want to save forty bucks.

[Villanelle]

I find reading on a Kindle Paperwhite much easier on my eyes (and in sunlight) than on a phone or tablet.  For me, just downloading the app wouldn't work nearly as well. 

That said, you can get used Kindles, generally for quite cheap.  I haven't read all the responses, but when my Kindle dies, that's what I'll do. 

[eyesonthehorizon]

E-ink has such low battery draw that the devices last forever unless physically damaged. If I have to replace mine I’ll pick up an old model used, but it’s already over ten & the battery still runs for a week (though I keep the backlight at minimum & font small for fewer page refreshes.)

I’m unconvinced of particular advantages other than compatibility with a given library system, & when buying used I don’t worry so much about the ethics of the maker company either. If anyone wants to clarify the interface improvements to one make over another, that could be helpful.

[Zikoris]

E-ink has such low battery draw that the devices last forever unless physically damaged. If I have to replace mine I’ll pick up an old model used, but it’s already over ten & the battery still runs for a week (though I keep the backlight at minimum & font small for fewer page refreshes.)

I’m unconvinced of particular advantages other than compatibility with a given library system, & when buying used I don’t worry so much about the ethics of the maker company either. If anyone wants to clarify the interface improvements to one make over another, that could be helpful.

Comparing my Kobo Clara to my boyfriend's Kindle Paperwhite as far as specifics goes, I'd say the key differences are:

1. The Kobo has a MUCH better backlight - adjustable in increments of 1% versus much larger chunks on the Kindle (about 10% I'd guess?), and you can turn it on even in the dark by running you finger along the left side of the screen. To turn the backlight on for Kindle you have to be able to actually see the screen, so you can't do it in the dark (this can be an issue if you're on a bus or something at night and don't want to piss off other people by turning on a light). I also think the backlight on the Kobo just looks a lot nicer, it's a softer light. It also automatically adjust on the hour as the evening progresses to be more "sleep friendly", and I'm not sure if the Kindle does that. Both have the option of no backlight.

2. Putting... let's say, books neither purchased nor from the library... onto a Kobo is incredibly easy, drag and drop and they never disappear like sometimes happens with a Kindle.

3. The new model of Clara (i.e. not mine) is built in a more eco-friendly way, and is also waterproof, and I believe you have to get a more expensive Kindle model if you want waterproof. Relevant if you read in wet places.

Otherwise it's hard to put a finger on what exactly makes one interface better than another, but as a general rule I've always had trouble figuring out how to do something/find something on every Kindle model, and never had a problem with either Kobo model.

[eyesonthehorizon]

... I also think the backlight on the Kobo just looks a lot nicer, it's a softer light. It also automatically adjust on the hour as the evening progresses to be more "sleep friendly", and I'm not sure if the Kindle does that. Both have the option of no backlight. ...

A less blue backlight alone is actually worth it when obtaining an e-reader. Activating it by touch is nice too.

The (older, at least, maybe second generation?) Kindle Paperwhites don’t or didn’t actually have a zero backlight setting while on, it’s just very subtle at the lowest level like worn-out glow-in-the-dark material. The light only totally shuts off when put in sleep mode. But it’s also blue-green (to create the impression of a bright white page in full lighting conditions) which is a horrible enemy of sleep & night vision. That’s honestly my biggest complaint. I read on a low light setting with large text if I have to read in the dark.

I’m tempted to take bets on if I can make it last another decade, though. I got it used to start with, who knows.

[mspym]

I would also mention that the experience purchasing books on the Kobo is easier than the Kindle. The storefront interaction is less cluttered and … janky.

I’m a longtime ebook user (started on a palm pilot! In 2003!) and have owned two Sony ereaders, some long-defunct brands, multiple Kobos and had the use of my partner’s various Kindles over the last decade. When my current 5-year old Clara eventually dies, I’ll replace it with another Kobo.

[Zikoris]

I would also mention that the experience purchasing books on the Kobo is easier than the Kindle. The storefront interaction is less cluttered and … janky.

I’m a longtime ebook user (started on a palm pilot! In 2003!) and have owned two Sony ereaders, some long-defunct brands, multiple Kobos and had the use of my partner’s various Kindles over the last decade. When my current 5-year old Clara eventually dies, I’ll replace it with another Kobo.

Yes, I forgot about that because I haven't bought many books lately, but the buying process is MUCH better/easier/faster.

[eyesonthehorizon]

That’s also good, I sort of assumed anything owned by a book distributor/ marketplace would be about equally janky because no company can seem to resist shoving ads at you on premium/ paid experiences anymore, which is especially odd since I hear most ad revenue is way down. I rarely see the home page or stores because I do all my book selection from desktop or mobile, leaning heavily on the library, & if you’re on airplane mode long enough the ads eventually time out anyway.

Thank you both, that feels significantly more decisive.

[solon]

Looking at the Kobo Clara, it looks like a camera on the back.
The description doesn't mention a camera. Is this just a light sensor?

https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-2e

[geekette]

Looking at the Kobo Clara, it looks like a camera on the back.
The description doesn't mention a camera. Is this just a light sensor?

https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-2e

Zoom in, it's the power button.

[Psychstache]

Lot of debate here on the Clara versus the Paperwhite and you have another option which is what I decided to do: get one of each! Between resellers like backmarket and deals on woot, either one can be had for pretty cheap. I split the difference because through various rewards programs I get Google and Amazon credits which I used to buy books. The Clara let me read my Google books and the paper white lets me read my Amazon books. Plus then DW and I can both read on e-ink screens at the same time.

[BlueHouse]

I cannot read outside on my phone at all, so I use Libby/Overdrive from the libraries (I have reciprocal memberships with a few all for free), and I download to kindle with e-ink.  I sync it with my phone so that when I'm out and about and have to wait on line for something, I can read a few pages on my iphone. 

I don't know what I'll get next if this one ever dies or becomes unsupported, but the kindles don't seem to have the same issues as Apple when it comes to no longer supporting devices.  My Kindle is over 10 years old and still works like a charm.

[eyesonthehorizon]

I cannot read outside on my phone at all, so I use Libby/Overdrive from the libraries (I have reciprocal memberships with a few all for free), and I download to kindle with e-ink.  I sync it with my phone so that when I'm out and about and have to wait on line for something, I can read a few pages on my iphone. 

I don't know what I'll get next if this one ever dies or becomes unsupported, but the kindles don't seem to have the same issues as Apple when it comes to no longer supporting devices.  My Kindle is over 10 years old and still works like a charm.

This is largely a matter of really pamby processing power on the traditional e-ink kindle devices (which is appropriate! They don’t need bells & whistles!!) Hacking someone’s kindle doesn’t give you their bank info, so there’s probably no security updating happening at all (unlike a mobile, which is many people’s only computer.) It’s after the end of security updates that an Apple device is deemed deprecated, usually seven or so years.

Kindle Fire otoh is not an e-reader but a tablet, & I’d bet they don’t last nearly so long as the readers, but I don’t know how long their life cycle is.

[Metalcat]

I cannot read outside on my phone at all, so I use Libby/Overdrive from the libraries (I have reciprocal memberships with a few all for free), and I download to kindle with e-ink.  I sync it with my phone so that when I'm out and about and have to wait on line for something, I can read a few pages on my iphone. 

I don't know what I'll get next if this one ever dies or becomes unsupported, but the kindles don't seem to have the same issues as Apple when it comes to no longer supporting devices.  My Kindle is over 10 years old and still works like a charm.

This is largely a matter of really pamby processing power on the traditional e-ink kindle devices (which is appropriate! They don’t need bells & whistles!!) Hacking someone’s kindle doesn’t give you their bank info, so there’s probably no security updating happening at all (unlike a mobile, which is many people’s only computer.) It’s after the end of security updates that an Apple device is deemed deprecated, usually seven or so years.

Kindle Fire otoh is not an e-reader but a tablet, & I’d bet they don’t last nearly so long as the readers, but I don’t know how long their life cycle is.

Mine is about 7 years old and is starting to become unusable.