This logo isn't an ad or affiliate link. It's an organization that shares in our mission, and empowered the authors to share their insights in Byte form.
Rumie vets Bytes for compliance with our
Standards.
The organization is responsible for the completeness and reliability of the content.
Learn more
about how Rumie works with partners.
Reading on a tablet for 5 hours hurts your eyes.
And cramming 10 books into your suitcase for a holiday means no room for a beach towel.
Maybe it's time for an ereader.
Before you rush to the store, create a wishlist of ereader features that are important to you.
Did you know?
Price
Expect to pay between $100 and $150 for a good ereader.
Paying less may mean a lower quality screen with fewer features. Paying more may get you additional features, like a cellular-data connection to download books when you don't have access to wi-fi.
Ebook Selection
Free ebooks from the library!
Many libraries will let you "check out" ebooks to your ereader, free! Research which ereaders provide easy access to library books if this is important to you.
Check with your library to find out which ereaders it recommends.
Online ebook stores
Different brands of ereaders have access to different online stores with unique selections of books.
Browse the online stores for any ereaders you're considering to make sure they offer the kinds of books you want to buy.
Quiz
Lena is considering bringing her ereader on a three-week visit to Manhattan. She wants to buy new ebooks during that time. What should she worry about?
None of these are concerns because a city like Manhattan will have many places where Lena can charge her ereader and connect to wi-fi. The ereader will work just fine on her travels.
Did you know?
Supported Formats
Different ereaders support different file formats, including EPUB, PDF, TXT, HTML, and more.
Are any formats "must-haves" for you?
EPUB is a common format for public-domain and other freely available ebooks. If you want to read EPUB files, will your ereader support them?
Maybe you want to read PDFs on your ereader. How easy will this be?
Finally, if you already own an ereader, will you be able to transfer the ebooks from its library to your new device to read them? Does it matter?
Quiz
Nila owns an ereader with a library of 200 well-loved ebooks. She's buying a new ereader. What's the most important thing for her to consider if she wants to read her old ebooks on the new ereader?
She must consider the formats supported by the new ereader. In other words, will her new ereader be able to display the files from her old ereader? Because 200 books are well below the capacity of most readers, storage capacity is a less important concern. Battery life and screen resolution aren't relevant.
Personal Comfort
Try a few different ereaders before buying one. How comfortable is each one to use?
Interface and controls: Do you like using buttons, a touchscreen, or a combination?
Size and weight: What size is small enough for you to hold comfortably but large enough to read without eye strain? Manyereader screens are 6 inches, which makes them easy to hold and easy to carry.
Additional features: Do you want a waterproof device for reading on the beach or in the bath? How about the ability to listen to audiobooks with Bluetooth?
Take Action
This Byte has been authored by
Carolyn Black
Freelance writer and editor for education