In the market for an e-reader?

How many of you are in the market for an e-reader?

I didn't expect to buy one.  I love my paper books! 

But there I was, needing to go somewhere and trying to stuff 2 books in my purse.  I was nearly done with one and ready to start the next.  Who takes breaks between books? Not me!  But alas, there was not room in my purse.

That's when I decided to do some research for an e-reader and see if it would be an option.

I am sure there are more than these options, but I kept my research to the four main choices.

1.  Amazon Kindle
2.  Nook
3.  NookColor
4.  iPAD


Here's what I learned (If you want super techy details, you'll have to dig into the actual websites!)

The Kindle is a good choice for an e-reader for a number of reasons.  It's backed by Amazon and they are just a powerhouse.  It's got a 6" diagonal screen with e-ink that makes it easy on the eyes to read.  It's lightweight at only 8.5 ounces and the battery life is about a month long with the wireless off.  It's also reasonably priced at $139.  The negative for the Kindle is that it's just an e-reader and you currently can't download library books to it.  It's not a tablet so it can only be used for reading books.  Which, if that's what you want it for, and you don't need any versatility, then it's a very good deal.

The Barnes & Noble Nook is a good choice for an e-reader also.  It's screen is 6" diagonal and it's weight is 7.48 ounces.  It really fit nicely into the palm of my hand (which is small).  It has an e-ink screen so that it can be read during the day and doesn't cause eye strain.  The battery can last up to 2 months.  You can borrow books from the library.  It's also priced to compete with the Kindle at $139.  The negative for the Nook is that it's just an e-reader.  But that's only a negative if you want it to be more.

The Nook Color is Barnes & Nobles take on an e-reader tablet.  It's a cross between an iPad and an e-reader.  It has a 7" full color screen.  It is backlit so that you can read it during the day or at night but it is more like a computer and might make your eyes tired because of the back lighting.  The Nook Color weighs 1lb.  There are apps that are available just like an iPad, such as Angry Birds, email, and Pandora.  The app Seesmic also provides access to your twitter and facebook accounts.  It is priced at $250.

The iPad is a full fledged tablet which can also be an e-reader.  Note the difference.  If you need a lot of functionality and versatility you might want the iPad.  However, it's about $500 which is 2x what a Nook Color (or a KindleTablet-when it comes out) costs.  It's got a much larger screen at 9.7" and weighs 1.35lbs. which is quite a bit heavier than the Nook or Kindle, or even the Nook Color.  However, it's very much like a lightweight computer.  Library books can be downloaded to it as well.  This is a good choice if you have the money and you can fit it in your purse (one of my criteria!). 

The information that I shared can easily be found by cruising the internet and researching these options.  I didn't go into the amount of storage space (GB) each one has as well as other attributes because this post would be too long!

I chose the NookColor.  I wanted something that would fit inside my purse but would allow me to do more than read.  I love that I can read a book from the library, from Smashwords, from B&N, as well as check multiple email accounts, my facebook and my twitterfeed.  I can also listen to music while I read if I want because it's got a place for my headphones and it's got Pandora (which I love!).  It's been easy to manage, fun to use, and very convenient.

Do you have an e-reader or a tablet?  What do you have and what are the pros and cons?  Share your thoughts so that others can make informed choices!