Which e-book reader should you buy?

Apple iPad gets iOS 5: At $499, the iPad is two to six times more expensive than the e-reader products listed above--nevertheless as a full-fledged multimedia tablet that competes with some laptops, it's in effect a different class of product. All in all, an upcoming software update will bring furthermore reading options, most notable of which is the new Newsstand app--deep down an app store for magazines and newspapers. Verdict: An excellent tablet is only getting better, yet the iPad's comparatively large price--and size--will give bargain hunters pause as cheaper competition looms.

E-book reader?

Shopping for an e-book reader? The good news is that you have more choices--at better prices--than ever earlier. The bad news? There are more choices than ever earlier. In the realm of dedicated e-book readers, the market has consolidated around a handful of major players: mainly Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with Kobo and Sony bringing up the rear. Nevertheless every major tablet--including the Apple iPad 2 and near everyAndroid tablet--as well doubles as a reader.

If you want to stick with "just reading"--books, and like as not some newspapers and magazines--an e-book reader is probably your best bet. Every additional feature you add will put you on the road to a more full-featured tablet. A tablet is much more versatile and can replace a laptop for many tasks--nevertheless it will cost you upward of $300 to start.

The difference is the Nook Color

Splitting the difference is the Nook Color. It's primarily a Barnes & Noble reader, however it's got a color touch screen and such tablet-esque features as e-mail, calendar, to-do lists, Web browsing, and even Flash video. The curated app store has dozens of apps--not the tens of thousands you'll find on iPad and true Android tablets--yet it includes such keystone programs as Pandora, Angry Birds, and the like. Finally, it will be "good enough" for many users, and its $249 price tag is half that of entry-level iPad models and most Android tablets.

The Nook Color boasts a larger 7-inch screen, however it weighs nearly a full pound. There are as well a smattering of 7-inch Android tablets available.

In fact large screen

If you want a in fact large screen, you'll want to buy the Kindle DX, Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Sony Tablet S, or similar Android models. Nevertheless, those big beautiful screens come at a price: they're comparatively heavy.

Touch screen: All however Kindle All tablets have touch screens, as do all current models of major brand e-ink readers--except the Kindle. That will truly change when a newer Kindle is in the end released. Yet for now, if you buy the Kindle, you'll have to forgo touch-screen control.

Whether you're checking your preference for e-ink versus LCD or touch screen versus keyboard controls, we'd strongly recommend that you try a few devices previously you buy one. You'll find most major e-book readers in accordance with one roof at your local Best Buy.

When buying many tablets and some e-book readers, you'll need to make a choice between two versions: the Wi-Fi model or the 3G version. That is: do you want the more affordable Wi-Fi model, or do you prefer to pay a premium--via a higher up-front price and/or a monthly bill--to add 3G access on a cellular wireless network?

If you're primarily interested in reading books, you're probably going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You only need Wi-Fi access when you're buying new books. So, if you're a voracious reader, you can buy a bunch of books, toggle off your Wi-Fi, and work your way through them at your leisure. Actually, many users keep the wireless on their readers switched off most of the time since it significantly boosts battery life.

Tablets, clearly, offer a much wider array of media options--and, as a result, 3G data access is much more tempting. Many Android tablets, just as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab, are available in carrier-specific versions with terms similar to that of smartphones: you get a discount on the hardware, nevertheless you'll need to sign up for a two-year contract with beefy monthly bills.

Is 3G wireless a must-have? That's a question you'll need to answer. Just remember that--with more phones offering Wi-Fi hot-spot functionality and establishments just as Starbucks offering free Wi-Fi--there are plenty of ways to get seamless online coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support built-in.

Bit confusing

This is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the e-book stores can be available on different devices, including those of rival e-book publishers--the e-book equivalent of buying a can of Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.

This multidevice support is accomplished through apps. On tablets, smartphones, and PCs, users can download free apps that let them read e-books from a variety of vendors. So, you can read a Kindle book on your iPad, a Nook book on your Android phone, or a Kobo book on your BlackBerry--and that's just for starters.

Kindle: Furthermore Kindle hardware readers, Kindle books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones, Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, Macs, Windows Phone 7 phones, and via HTML 5-compatible browsers. Full details here.

Nook: Moreover Nook hardware readers, Nook books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones, Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details here.

Kobo: Moreover Kobo hardware readers, Kobo books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones, Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, the Palm Pre, the BlackBerry PlayBook, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details: smartphones, tablets, PCs/Macs.

Sony Reader: Otherwise Sony Reader hardware, Sony books can be accessed on Android phones, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details: Android phones, PCs/Macs

Book across devices

Nearly all of these apps allow you to sync your position in a book across devices, so if you read up to, say, Page 229 on your phone, you can pick up on that same page on your tablet or reader, and vice versa.

Most versatile hardware readers: Apple iPad 2, Apple iPhone, Apple iPod Touch, Android phones with full Android Market support, Android tablets with full Android Market support

For tablets, smartphones, and computers--OverDrive Media Console: If you're reading on a tablet, a smartphone, or a computer, reading e-books from the library is far simpler. Just install the free OverDrive Media Console app. OverDrive will allow you to download and read library e-books--and MP3 audiobooks--within the app itself, without the need to sync up with a computer.

Best sub-$250 color e-reader: Barnes & Noble Nook Color. Even though it's not as versatile as the iPad or most Android tablets, its latest software update adds a bevy of great apps, and the price is exactly according to instructions half that of those more expensive tablets.

Best full-featured reading tablet: Apple iPad 2. If you want a more full-featured tablet that can double as an e-book reader, the Apple iPad 2 is currently the best choice. It offers free Kindle, Nook, and Kobo reading apps, with full access to the content in those e-book stores. Android tablets as well double as good e-book readers, with those same three major e-book apps available. The Sony Tablet S and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are currently our top-rated Android tablets.