# As a Sci-Fi fan; what E-reader should I lean towards?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 15, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312 "2011-12-15T17:33:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/1 "2011-12-15T17:33:32Z")
Tittle says it all. I’m not sure if it even matters. Just thought I’d ask.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/2 "2011-12-15T17:38:49Z")
Doesn’t really matter. [Baen Books](http://www.webscription.net/) offers a lot of their stuff either free or cheap for all readers out there. B&N and Amazon offer the same stuff, so that’s a wash too.
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### Author:  [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/3 "2011-12-15T18:08:49Z")
There’s a lot of good SF by non-published writers that is seeing the light of day on Kindle that is not available via B&N, and most of it is 99 cents, so I would go with Kindle.
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### Author:  [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/4 "2011-12-15T18:34:17Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> Doesn’t really matter. [Baen Books](http://www.webscription.net/) offers a lot of their stuff either free or cheap for all readers out there. B&N and Amazon offer the same stuff, so that’s a wash too.
I wish Baen would put their stuff up on Kindle and iTunes though. Forcing me to use their Webscriptions portal is annoying, and gets in the way of instant gratification when I am boarding an airplane.
I am sure it is for monetary reasons, but in truth I would buy more Baen books if I could just click on them in iTunes or from the Kindle app.
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### Author:  [@akonobi2011](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akonobi2011)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/5 "2011-12-15T20:08:24Z")
> [@Shakes](#):
>
> Tittle says it all. I’m not sure if it even matters. Just thought I’d ask.
>
> Thanks.
You’re right. It probably doesn’t matter except that there are a lot of ways Kindle can be manipulated to be able to use outside content. a little investigation will reveal its versatility. In any case here’s a nice pro and con review of Kindle F.
[http://valu-trek.com/review-kindle-fire-whats-all-the-fuss](http://valu-trek.com/review-kindle-fire-whats-all-the-fuss)
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/6 "2011-12-16T00:49:49Z")
I thought this was going to lead to recommendations for the e-book reader that most resembled a tricorder, or something.
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### Author:  [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/7 "2011-12-17T19:37:34Z")
> [@Algher](#):
>
> I wish Baen would put their stuff up on Kindle and iTunes though. Forcing me to use their Webscriptions portal is annoying, and gets in the way of instant gratification when I am boarding an airplane.
>
> I am sure it is for monetary reasons, but in truth I would buy more Baen books if I could just click on them in iTunes or from the Kindle app.
I think it’s the lack of DRM that prevents them from being sold in the Amazon store.
You can still read Baen books on the Kindle. You just have to copy the file directly.
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/8 "2011-12-17T23:41:22Z")
The nooks can use outside content as well. Using Adobe Digital Editions makes it attractive and simple, too.
The big choice is whether to go B&W or color, at this point. I have a nook color and love it. The backlit screen worried me, but I’ve gotten VERY used to reading on it, and the additional web / tablet functions are nice to have.
If I were buying a new eReader today, I’d probably go with a Kindle Fire, simply because it’s great from a price / performance angle.
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### Author:  [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/9 "2011-12-18T11:57:04Z")
> [@RikWriter](#):
>
> There’s a lot of good SF by non-published writers that is seeing the light of day on Kindle that is not available via B&N, and most of it is 99 cents, so I would go with Kindle.
While we’re here, any recommendation of such would be greatly appreciated. I’ve tried one of two on my Kindle but they were unreadably bad. I’m sure there are some gems, but it’s hard to sort the wheat from the chaff.
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/10 "2011-12-18T12:47:54Z")
😃
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#):
>
> I thought this was going to lead to recommendations for the e-book reader that most resembled a tricorder, or something.
😃
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-sci-fi-fan-what-e-reader-should-i-lean-towards/606312/11 "2011-12-18T17:02:36Z")
One minor data point: a free “digest” version of the [Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction](http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Science-Fiction-Exclusive-Digest/dp/B004ZFZCKY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324227405&sr=1-1) is available, as far as I can tell, only for the Kindle. (You can also get the full version of the magazine for $0.99 an issue.)