The Sony E-Reader - Project Gutenberg

[ap1]

As Xmas approaches I find myself looking for a little treat. The latest gadget on the market is the Sony E-Reader, which retails via Waterstones for £199

http://www.waterstones.com/waterston...do?sku=6337796

Basically its a thin PC tablet, the size of a paperback, that takes the place of book. The hard drive will hold over 150 e books, and a single charge of the device will allow over 7500 page turns. Apparently it very lightweight and the text is very easy on the eyes in all light conditions. Reading all the customer reviews on the Waterstones site everybody is saying what a great bit of kit it is, the main moan is the pricing of the e books, and the **** website. Which brings me to the next point.

PROJECT GUTENBERG http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

This is a website that specialises in publishing downloadable books that are now out of copyright. They have over 100,000 titles online and 25,000 are available for free!!! As an example in a recent post Forum Member Sharon(she who MUST be obeyed) posted a brilliant poem from a Robert Graves book "Faeries and Fusiliers", that book is available on the site for free.

The file sizes appear to be quite small, and careful searching will reveal some hidden gems. I found a book about the 23rd(Sportsmen's)Battalion RWF 1914-1919. Again for free.

Of course it won't replace the book, however if you live out of a suitcase/bergan or generally travel quite a bit, & books are your lifeline this might be the ideal pressie for you. Im going to start leaving post-its around the house No doubt I will still be wearing new slippers on the 25th Dec !!

I would be interested to hear from anyone who has already got one, or who has made use of Project Gutenberg

[john1]

The wife bought one a couple of months ago and loves it, when we go away she can take as many books with her as she wants and doesnt have me moaing about having to lug all these books half way round the world. The eReader hardly weighs anything and fits in her bag.

It will accept ANY pdf format (Sony issued a patch just before we got it to take any pdf file), so dont go to Waterstones its a rip-off! We get ours from a website in the states about £3 to £4 a title depending on what your into.

I will post some e-Book broker links when I can get into her machine.

The only thing I would change is it is not 'back-lit' you have to buy a clip on light, but apparently that was to make the battery life longer. If your into reading you will love it, its as easy as a paperback, you can zoom in on the text, saves carrying and storing books.

[Aled Roberts]

careful searching will reveal some hidden gems. I found a book about the 23rd(Sportsmen's)Battalion RWF 1914-1919. Again for free.

Al

Should that Read RF (Royal Fusiliers) ?

Richard

[5haron]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I love a real book, Lyine in bed with a new book, the turning of the page and smell of a new book. I like holding a book, even if it is sometimes cumersome.
Isn't this de-personalising the whole reading experience?

[ap1]

Doh!!!! Its me peepers guvnor....

Seriously though, Im going to get a copy of regi records on disk from one of those dodgy ebayers and load it on..If of course Santa brings me one!!

[john1]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I love a real book, Lyine in bed with a new book, the turning of the page and smell of a new book. I like holding a book, even if it is sometimes cumersome.
Isn't this de-personalising the whole reading experience?

That was my Wife's concern, not that it stopped her buying one However, the size of the eReader, the colour of the screen and the fonts used it is as close to a real book as you will get. Instead of turnign a page you press a button and its not instantanious so you are not bombarded with too much info too quickly. She still buys normal books too, just not by the crate load anymore!

Good tip on the Gutenberg site Al. There is orchestral sheet music there too, so if any of the band guys are doing some transcription there is a free source of legal music.

[ap1]

Cheers John, Look forward to seeing those links for cheap books.

I agree Sharon, and it won't replace it.....yet!!but for travelling this is ideal. Looking through Gutenberg many of the books are no longer in print, and would cost a bomb to buy.

If you find the "Bookshelf" on the left of the homepage, it breaks books into categories for easier searching:

The link below displays all the books relating to the Great War:

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/World_...28Bookshelf%29

[richie264]

A few years ago I had to repair a telephone line to a customer out in the sticks near Ruthin, this guy showed be this bit of kit, he'd been involved in it's development from the beginning I was well impressed then & thought it would be a hit, should have asked about shares.

[john1]

As promised. So far everything we have downlaoded in pdf format has worked on the eReader.

Adobe have produced their own download software (I think it comes with the eReader) which is significantly more 'flexible' than the Sony software.

Enjoy:

http://www.ebookmall.com/adobe-pdf/
http://www.planetpdf.com/free_pdf_ebooks.asp
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.html
http://www.ebookstore.co.uk/

Techie Stuff

http://www.downloadfreepdf.com/
http://www.chmpdf.com/archives/ebooks/

Haven’t used this one

http://freepdfebooks.com/