6 Features to Pay Attention to Before Buying an E-book Reader

Regardless of if you're a student, journalist, comic book fan, or bookworm, an e-book reader is an invaluable gadget to have at your disposal, but before you buy the e-book reader of your dreams, be sure to follow this feature checklist.

Display Technology

One of the most important features to take note of when selecting an e-book reader is its display technology. In general, e-book readers only come in two display variants; LCD and E-ink. LCD e-book readers usually have bright and colorful capacitive touchscreens that respond to finger presses and are more responsive that E-ink eReaders. E-book readers that rely on E-ink technology have black and white displays that emulate a regular book reading experience and are better for reading under direct sunlight.

Interactivity

While e-book readers generally only have LCD or E-ink displays, they have several methods for interactivity - and you'll want to be sure to select the method that best suits your uses. Some e-book readers rely on finger presses, some rely on pen styluses, and some even have tactile keyboards that rely on button presses to navigate with.

Screen Size

Screen size is a very important feature to take note of when selecting an e-book reader. E-book reader screen sizes can vary from small 3" screens to large 12" displays and it's best to decide if you want a more portable eReader or if you're looking for a larger display for easier reading.

E-book Formats

Not all e-book readers except all e-book document formats and before you decide on an eReader, its best to be sure of the formats that are excepted. Popular e-book formats include PDF, EPUB, Doc, and CHM, but other formats like TXT, html, and AZW are important formats to have as well.

Extras

Over the years e-book readers have evolved and most modern-day e-book readers do a lot more than display digital books. Cool features to check out in a new e-book reader include, online digital book stores, audio playback, web browsing, and even digital apps. If you're buying a tablet that has an e-book reading capabilities, it'll likely have all of the latest features, but if you're buying an E-ink eReader, you'll want to make sure that you're getting the best bang for your buck.

Accessories

An eReader isn't complete without accessories, and before you bulk out of the store after buying your shiny new eReading gadget, you'd want to buy essential e-book reading accessories like a covering case, a wall battery recharger, protective screens or a cleaning kit, and a carrying case if necessary.