3 Best Amazon Kindle Alternatives

Amazon Kindle Alternatives
The book publishing industry has met its new foe: the Amazon Kindle. The Amazon Kindle is the newest eReader, which is essentially a digital version of a book. It works very much like an iPod, except with books instead of music. So, now there is no need for a bookshelf, as all those books can now be stored in one single thing- which is about the size of one book (except at least 10 times thinner than one.) The verdict is still out about whether or not the Amazon Kindle is the death knell for the publishing industry, but they have been selling and becoming more and more common on buses, airplanes and college campuses around the country. But, the Amazon Kindle is not the only game in town, there are other options that can be less expensive and work just as well as the Amazon Kindle.

The Sony Reader Digital Book
Sony’s Reader Digital Book model is the Amazon Kindle’s greatest nemesis. It has a sleeker, less clunky design than the Amazon Kindle and is less expensive. A Sony Reader Digital Book costs about $250, which is much less expensive than the Amazon Kindle. The Sony Reader Digital Book features a 6-inch (diagonal) screen, which is smaller than the Amazon Kindle, but that also makes it more portable. One drawback though is that the Sony Reader Digital Book does not feature the same wireless capabilities that the Amazon Kindle has, but it is still a good option for someone with a restricted budget.

The e-book Reader
The good news about the e-book reader is that most people already have it. If you own an iPad or iPod- as many do- then you already have a built-in e-reader ready for immediate use. The e-reader comes automatically as an app for the iPhone or the iPad. The best thing is that the e-reader app is completely free and relatively easy to use. There are various e-reader libraries, which you can access on an iPad or iPhone, and download books to your hearts content. One of the most popular e-reader libraries is called Stanza, which features just about every book that is in existence. Better yet, some of the libraries (like the Random House e-reader library) offer books free to download. Like mp3’s, it costs money for each book you download. The e-reader also allows you to download a hard copy of the book onto your personal computer. Depending on the e-reader app you have, they can have tons of extra bonus features that make the experience even more enjoyable.

The Google Book Search (mobile edition)
Of course, Google had to get in on the digital book action. Unfortunately, they were a little late to the game and have had difficulties getting into the market. Google’s digital book app is available on iPhones and most Android phones, so it is pretty convenient. The book selection is well into the millions, so they have whatever you need. They also offer a PC friendly version, in which you can download the books in PDF for personal consumption.


Rob is currently enrolled in one of the online criminal justice programs and is encouraging his wife to go after her online paralegal degree. He writes and plays too many video games (or so she says).


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