Odds are good that your holiday wish list includes one of the season's hottest electronic gadgets.
Not the Playstation Move. Not a 3-D TV. But an e-reader.
For the first time, devices on which to store and read books, newspapers and magazines made the Consumer Electronics Association's 2010 "Holiday CE Gift Wish List for Adults." This year, sales of e-readers to retailers are expected to top $1.03 billion, nearly double 2009 figures, CEA reports.
Affordability is a key reason for e-readers' popularity as a holiday gift, said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis with NPD Group, a retail market researcher in Port Washington, N.Y.
Prices have dropped roughly 33 percent. Average cost of an e-reader this year is $161, down from $245 last year, according to the CEA. One of the most popular devices is even less - the latest Amazon Kindle is $139.
Battery life continues to improve. Barnes & Noble says its Nook can go up to 10 days between charges, depending on usage.
Most e-readers are equipped with enough memory to store thousands of books. Other popular features, which differ by brand and model, include adjustable font sizes, built-in dictionaries and high-resolution screens.
The latest trend is toward color. First on the scene will be Barnes & Noble's Nook Color, expected to be available Friday. The device has a 7-inch color touch screen that, according to barnesandnoble.com, "makes reading more engaging than ever."
Kindle
Basics: Amazon's best-seller weighs 8.5 ounces, has a 6-inch diagonal display size (the unit is 7.5 by 4.8 by 0.335 inches), comes with Wi-Fi and stores 3,500 books. The battery lasts up to a month (with the wireless off).
Cost: $139. (Other versions offering more options are available).
Where available: Amazon.com, Target, Best Buy.
How to download e-books: Wireless delivery via Wi-Fi or cell network, depending on model. Books delivered in Amazon's proprietary AZW format. More than 700,000 titles, more than 550,000 of which are $9.99 or less, at Amazon.com.
What you should know: The Kindle has been updated with a high-contrast E-Ink screen (no glare, but light is needed in dim environment). Thanks to the Kindle app, you may access the store from smartphones and the iPad.
Nook
Basics: The entry-level Nook weighs 11.6 ounces, has a 6-inch diagonal display size (the unit is 7.7 by 4.9 by 0.5 inches), comes with Wi-Fi and stores up to 1,500 books. You can store additional books on memory cards. The device comes with six text sizes and three fonts.
Cost: $149 for entry level. The Nook Color, due out Friday, retails for $249 and includes color touch screen and Web-surfing capabilities.
Where available: Barnes & Noble stores, bn.com.
How to download e-books: Wireless delivery. Choose from more than 2 million titles, more than a million of which are $9.99 or less, at bn.com.
What you should know: Nook apps allow you to read books on an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Android smartphones and personal computers. A lending feature allows you to "loan" a book one time, as long as recipient has a Nook or Nook app.
iPad
Basics: Apple's computer tablet can double as an e-reader, thanks to iBooks as well as free apps from Kindle and Nook. It weighs 1.5 pounds, has a 9.7-inch diagonal display (the unit measures 9.56 by 7.47 by 0.5 inches). It has an LED backlit color screen. Choose from 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash-drive versions.
Cost: Starts at $499 for the Wi-Fi version. A Wi-Fi plus 3G model also is available.
Where available: Apple stores, apple.com, Target, Best Buy stores, bestbuy.com.
How to download books: Download any of the apps for access to a particular store. Apple's iBookstore offers tens of thousands of books.
What you should know: You can read PDFs and watch supplementary videos.
Sony Reader Daily Edition
Basics: The newest top-of-the-line Sony e-reader weighs 9.6 ounces, has a 7-inch screen and comes with Wi-Fi and 3G wireless. It includes 2GB of internal memory, allowing for storage of up to 1,200 books With memory cards, you can expand your library to up to 50,000 books. Battery life is exceptional.
Cost: $299.99.
Where available: The Sony Style store at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale and Camelback roads. 480-947-2312, sonystyle.com.
How to download books: Through the wireless connection to the online Reader store or download e-books from other sites to a computer and save them to your Reader.
What you should know: Works with PDFs. You can listen to music while reading. Other less expensive Readers are available.
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E-books at the library
As e-readers become more popular, libraries are offering more digital titles, including current and popular novels.
The Maricopa County Library District offers a variety of titles.
First, download the free Adobe Digital Editions software at adobe .com/products/digital editions; it enables you to download Adobe-formatted e-books to your computer, said Stacie Delcambre, adult-services librarian at the district's Northwest Regional Library in Surprise. Then transfer the book to your e-reader via a USB cable.
Currently, you can use this system to check out library e-books for Nook, Sony Reader, Libre and a few other e-readers, she said. As of yet, its library e-books can't be downloaded onto iPads or Kindles.
You can check out e-books at any county library with a library card; you must be a Maricopa County resident. You can choose your lending period, whether seven, 14 or 21 days.
E-books can't be renewed, Delcambre said. After the lending period has ended, you will no longer be able to access the e-book unless you check it out again.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2010/11/15/20101115ereader1115.html?asid=06b57d0d#ixzz15rWqkgoD
by Sue Doerfler The Arizona Republic Nov. 15, 2010 12:00 AM
Stocking-worthy e-readers
