top 5 eBooks of 2015
We independently verify the products and technologies we recommend.
First, it is advisable to compare the parameters of the described devices in the table. It shows many differences between the models. If you want to compare these five models with other products, then visit full catalog of e-books.
Relatively low cost, supports almost many formats of e-books and documents, reliable operation and good service support from the manufacturer, two colours (white, grey).
There is no backlight on the screen, some owners complain about inconvenient buttons, there is no Wi-Fi.
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If you want to buy an inexpensive reader, then the choice will be small — low-cost models from market leaders or their analogues from less well-known manufacturers. Many prefer models of the first type, because devices from noname manufacturers often upset buyers with minor flaws. For example, errors in the software part that lead to "freezing" of devices, etc. Our rating includes two PocketBook models — the low-cost 614 Basic and Ultra 650 — the flagship among the 6-inch models. The name of the models shows that the first one has basic capabilities, and in the second one the manufacturer has collected almost maximum capabilities (with the exception of the colour screen, which is equipped only with a unique Colour Lux 801). The advantages of 614 Basic are stable operation, convenient and simple interface, support for the vast majority of book formats, including FB2. The text customization options are basic (font selection, line spacing, etc.), but for many users they are enough for comfortable reading. If we add to this a low price, a microSD memory card slot and greater battery life, then we have a potential bestseller in front of us. The disadvantages of the model include not a touch screen, like many new readers, and the lack of its backlight. If the touchscreen is replaced by hardware buttons for flipping pages, then the backlight has already become an important attribute for readers and many consider its absence a "minus" (the following models in our TOP 5 are backlit). Although, you can read in the dark and without it. Also, the lack of Wi-Fi is noticeable against the background of competitors, but if you are looking for a read-only device (and you have a tablet for surfing), then this is not a critical drawback. 614 Basic is a good choice for those who buy their first reader and for those who do not consider it necessary to pay more for additional functions (like Network access), but just want to read books comfortably. The model does not impress with its wide functionality and the best screen, but it has an excellent price-quality ratio. |
Relatively low cost, touch screen and buttons for flipping pages, unusual design.
There is no screen backlight, limited support for file formats.
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Do you want to buy an inexpensive e-book, but you are not satisfied with the limited functionality of PocketBook 614 Basic? Then pay attention to the model of the French company Bookeen. At a comparable cost, it offers more features than 614 Basic. Firstly, the "Muse" has a touch screen. You will be able to flip through pages and select menu items by touching the screen with your fingers, as on a tablet . In addition, there are traditional e—book buttons for turning pages — to the right and left of the screen. There is also a button to open the main menu, but without the ability to navigate through it, as in 614 Basic. Secondly, the screen resolution of Muse Essential is higher than that of 614 Basic (1024x758, not 800x600 pixels) with a similar paper-like screen manufacturing technology. Therefore, the characters on the screen will look more like printed letters. Thirdly, the French "reader" has Wi-Fi and a browser. Although users are not happy with his work, but he will come in handy to open, for example, an article about the writer in Wikipedia. The Muse Essential, like the previous model, has no built-in backlight. One of the owners solves this issue using a compact and inexpensive flashlight attached to the device body. And you can buy an Odyssey Frontlight model with a backlight, but a slightly worse screen, or try to find an analogue of Muse Essential with a backlight on the market — Muse FrontLight. At the same time, Bookeen has drawbacks that the low-cost PocketBook lacks. Judging by the reviews, Muse Essential does not work so stably and has several non-obvious drawbacks. The gadget may occasionally hang, and the reset buttons (like many "readers") Bookeen has no. Therefore, if this happens, you need to wait until the battery runs out. If the PocketBook models are equipped with an English-Russian dictionary, then Bookeen — with sensible French, German and Italian. And the list of supported files (EPUB, PDF, HTML, TXT, FB2, DJVU) is devoid of DOC and DOCX office formats. In addition, when using the book, little things pop up, about which the manufacturer is silent in the description on its website. For example, you can create notes and bookmarks in the text only in EPUB files. We recommend this model to those who are looking for a simple and inexpensive reader with a touchscreen for reading fiction (there are many editions in TXT and FB2). And for whom additional functions like translating words, listening to audiobooks, etc. do not matter. |
A high-quality backlit screen, 8 GB of internal memory, buttons for flipping complement the touch screen, the cover is included, works on Android 4.2 and allows you to install applications, you can listen to audiobooks.
It weighs more than other readers, you need to manually turn off the book so that the battery does not run out quickly.
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MagicBook A6LHD is the most equipped and expensive model produced under the Gmini brand. At a lower cost than the more famous PocketBook and Amazon Kindle, this reader has comparable parameters and screen quality. According to reviews, Gmini books are reliable, the manufacturer gives them a one-year warranty, and if something happens to the device, then a network of service centers across the country is at the buyer's service. The Gmini is equipped with an E lnk Carta touchscreen, as are the ONYX and PocketBook models in our TOP 5. By the way, the first batches of this model were equipped with a screen of the previous generation E-Ink Pearl. Even if this model is inferior in technical parameters to the most advanced readers, it will be comfortable to read even big novels on it. The touch layer reacts sensitively to finger touches, and the backlight allows you to read in the evenings without turning on the lamp. And for those who are used to old readers, there are buttons for flipping pages to the right and left of the screen. In addition, there are two additional buttons: to turn on the backlight and a kind of Escape, to navigate through the menu. The device runs on Android and allows you to install additional programs. Experienced users recommend AlReader because this programme has advanced settings for displaying text. The "chip" of Gmini MagicBook A6LHD is a built—in audio player that supports MP3, OGG and WAV files, and a standard (3.5 mm) headphone output. You can listen to music while reading or listen to audiobooks. Only a small part of current models have such a simple but useful function (for example, the expensive PocketBook Ultra 650). MagicBook A6LHD supports three, rather than one file format, like Ultra 650, however, it lacks an interesting Text-to-Speech text-to-Speech function. The model has two disadvantages — a noticeable weight (248 g) and not very long operation without recharging (despite the fact that it has a very capacious battery). If you study the opinions of users, then it is better not to use memory cards to save battery (not to mention Wi-Fi) and turn off the book, rather than put it into sleep mode (the battery is discharged in it). In this case, you can count on viewing about 2000 pages with backlight without recharging and 4000 pages without it. |
A high-quality backlit screen, you can scroll through pages both with buttons and by touching the screen, a large amount of memory (8 GB), the cover is included in the package, works on Android 4.2 and allows you to install applications.
Battery life is not as long as the manufacturer claims, the device does not always "fall asleep" when the cover is closed.
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The Russian company ONYX International produces e-books under the ONYX brand. It has a large assortment — in terms of quantity and variety, it is comparable to a PocketBook. We chose a book from the so-called "60s Model Series" dedicated to travelers (Darwin also belongs to them). According to reviews, this is a popular model and, in our opinion, this is not accidental — it has balanced characteristics and price. The C67ML DARWIN touch screen based on E lnk Carta technology is almost as good as solutions from more well-known brands either in terms of text output quality or ease of use. Let the resolution of 758× 1024 pixels is not the largest for such devices, but it has little effect on the comfort of reading text. But this model has a well—implemented backlight — in reviews and reviews it is considered a strong side of the model. If you like to read in the evenings, then this model will not let you down. DARWIN is based on Android, but you should not expect tablet functionality from it. In this regard, it differs from other "readers" in that it allows you to install some applications from Google Play. For example, an alternative programme for reading AlReader. In terms of the number of supported file formats and text input settings, this device is at the level of PocketBook models and ahead of Amazon products. The Wi-Fi module can be used to access the Network (the browser is installed by default) or synchronize the mobile library with a PC. Complete with ONYX, buyers will receive a cover made of artificial, but high-quality leather . In it, the gadget will be well protected from bumps when carrying, for example, in a bag. It has an interesting feature — when you close the cover, the device automatically goes into sleep mode, and when you open it, it "wakes up". This is convenient, but there is one caveat. As buyers note in the reviews, "the cover doesn't always work." However, an e-book does not consume energy as much as a tablet, and therefore it can be left on for a long time. The battery will be discharged slightly at the same time. By the way, about battery life. The manufacturer claims that the battery (1700 mAh) provides up to a month of work without recharging, but users and observers have a different opinion. As practice shows, DARWIN's battery life is worse than that of other books. Android makes its "contribution" to this. However, you can still read much longer on it than on the most expensive tablets. |
Excellent backlit screen, slim and lightweight body, supports many formats, advanced functionality, three colour options.
High cost, unsuccessful implementation of the camera.
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Ultra 650 is the flagship reader of PocketBook. If you are looking for the "best of the best" — he is in front of you. First of all, it is worth noting that he has a screen of the latest generation — E ink Carta, touch, with backlight. Like the Amazon Kindle readers of 2015, although with a lower resolution (1024x758 pixels). The quality of the text display is excellent. At the moment, there are less perfect solutions for serial products. In customer reviews, there are complaints only about the quality of the backlight, but there are negative comments on this score to the top Kindle Voyage. If the Ultra 650 is slightly inferior to the Kindle in terms of screen quality, then it wins against them by other criteria. Firstly, the owners of PocketBook devices (and are also produced under this brand href="/ek-list.php?brands_=1315&presets_=3869&colors_=&subkatalogs_=&katalog_=30&series_=&years_=&pf_=1&minPrice_=0&maxPrice_=0&order_=pop">Android tablets) can count on warranty service in official service centers for a year. In addition, the manufacturer regularly releases new firmware for its books with fixes of identified "bugs" and interface improvements. Secondly, PocketBook readers have always been distinguished by good functionality and the Ultra 650 can do what Kindle and other less advanced models cannot. The reader understands almost any book formats (FB2, DOC, DOCX, RTF, DJVU, PDF, etc.) and not only dictionaries (ABBYY Lingvo), but also a number of applications and games are pre-installed on it out of the box. In particular, there is a browser for viewing websites — when connected to the Network via Wi-Fi. PocketBook will also please with a built-in player with which you can listen to music and audiobooks. Is the built-in memory of 4 GB not enough for a large collection of albums? The solution to the problem is a microSD card slot with a capacity of up to 32 GB. The gadget has one drawback that does not affect the comfort of reading in any way — an unsuccessful built-in camera. Its manufacturer conceived it as a "scanner" of documents — you take pictures, recognize the text (there is a special programme) and save it as a document for further reading. This is the first reader with such a "chip", however, instead of approval, it caused users only criticism for the inconvenience of use. In general, the idea is interesting, but its implementation is mediocre. Finally, the gadget is available in three colours (white, green and brown), and its body is light (175 g) and thin (7.9 mm). This is the best combination of dimensions in our TOP 5. In addition, the case has built-in magnets for fixing the branded cover. It's just a pity that it's not included, but it costs quite a bit, as for an accessory. |
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