Those of us for whom a positive response tothe question "to read or not to read?" is obvious ", today one has to answer another question:" how to read? ". And the thing is that modern digital technologies have reached this seemingly conservative sphere of life, and traditional books are slowly but surely replaced by electronic books. Of course, for true bibliophiles, the value of an old good book will never be lost. Nevertheless, readers (book-readers) are more and more confident in their place in the sun, and the answer to the question "how to choose an e-book" becomes not only topical, but even burning. Thanks to His Majesty the "Internet" we have the opportunity to use electronic libraries and access to a huge number of necessary and interesting books and magazines. But since reading from the screen of the monitor is not very convenient (and habits are affected), people have come up with such a special device as a reader, with the help of which the electronic text is read and convenient and pleasant. But regrettably, there is nothing perfect in the world, and readers (like the rest of digital technology) are no exception. Any electronic device has its advantages and disadvantages, and you want to buy a quality thing. So let's find out what the book readers are and how to choose an e-book, given its basic functions and characteristics.
What is a book reader?
The book reader is a digital device for readingelectronic texts. It is exactly such a device that we call the already familiar term "electronic book". And the name itself is a literal translation of the English term "Electronic Book" or abbreviated "eBook". Any digital device performs certain functions. The main tasks of the book-reader are the storage and reproduction of text and illustrations. Therefore, in the first case, the book-reader performs the function of a digital storage of information, and in the second - a conventional paper sheet that displays this information (in our case, text and pictures). In addition, a spoiled modern consumer wants this device to have additional functions that make reading comfortable, affordable and guaranteed quality. According to the basic tasks of the book-reader, the criteria by which this device is selected are determined:
- appearance, overall size and weight;
- size and illumination of the screen;
- text display formats;
- memory card capacity;
- the ability to download information;
- duration of work from the accumulator;
- the ability to mark and bookmark;
- Russification;
- possibility of access to the network;
- price.
These are basic, but far from all the selection criteriae-book. And, of course, that you will not have to choose everything at once, but what is most important for you as a reader. And since the reader's screen is intended to replace the book page, then it is from it that we will begin.
Screen size
How to choose an e-book with a convenient screen? Choosing a reader, you have to decide how large a screen you need. First, the screen size determines the size of the page that it can display. By the way, unlike the pages of a traditional book, the size of an electronic page is measured in words, but not in centimeters. Therefore, it is preferable to start the selection with the book readers, the screen of which contains at least one paragraph of the text. This requirement is explained very simply. We read, unlike the first-graders, not by letters or even by words. An adult at a time reads several words at once, or even entire lines of text. That's why it's easy to read multiline text for reading. Equally important is the geometry of the screen, that is, its size in centimeters. These settings determine the screen resolution. The most popular screen size of readers is six to eight inches with a resolution of 600x800 pixels. As a rule, this is quite enough. But if you need to read magazines with illustrations or texts in PDF-format, it is more reasonable to purchase a reader with a large screen. It is important that when scaling the font is not distorted, and the text remains well visible and readable. 
Display Settings
In addition to the display size of the reader to the important criteriaThe choice can also include a large angle of view, anti-reflective coating, adjustment of contrast and brightness and background color. These criteria will have to be guided by choosing the type of screen: e-Ink or LCD (liquid crystal). E-Ink technology allows you to maximize (visually) the reader's display to the page of a regular book. Such screens are even called electronic paper. Its advantages over the liquid crystal display:
One important nuance - such a screen you needprotect from direct sunlight. Otherwise, the image may disappear altogether. The main advantage of a liquid crystal display can be called a backlight, which makes it possible to read from the screen in the dark, as well as a relatively low cost. But eyes from such screens get tired faster, and they consume much more energy. However, for a screen without backlight there are special lamps for reading electronic books. In general, screens without illumination should have a good anti-reflective coating, in any case, more significant than backlit screens. Because the anti-reflective coating is necessary to ensure that the reflected light from the screen lamp or the sun does not blind the eyes. The background color of the screen is also not an unimportant parameter when choosing an e-book. Here the choice is determined solely by the reader's personal preferences. A pure white background certainly increases the contrast, but at the same time can irritate and even blind the eyes. Therefore, it is preferable to choose a reader not with a white background of the screen, but with beige, gray, greenish, blue, in a word, comfortable just for you. The viewing angle should be such that you do not have to change the position of the screen while reading. The larger the screen, the larger the viewing angle it should have.
Management type
The type of reader control can be touch (withtouchscreen) or mechanical. The touch screen makes the device more ergonomic, minimizing the number of buttons and keys. With this screen it is very convenient to make notes during the reading process, highlighting the necessary information directly on the screen. Therefore, readers with touch controls can be recommended to those who purchase it for reading special and educational literature. For ordinary readers choosing a reader for reading works of art, a device with a mechanical control (keys, buttons or joystick) is preferable. After all, they are unlikely to need to note out the selected fragments of the text, and in terms of reliability, such readers are considered more durable.
Format, conversion and Russification
The more formats the reader supports, theyou are better off. Sufficient for high-grade reading are the formats djvu, txt, rtf, fb2, html. Most readers accept a limited number of formats (text and graphics). This is done to make it difficult for users to share content and they would have to buy electronic literature. However, some of the latest models of electronic books allow you to easily read the texts of such simple formats as txt and html (but in the texts of this format there are no styles). The graphic formats presented in the book-readers are quite different from the standard formats, but almost all of them support the most common format of jpeg. There are e-books that open archived files (zip). There are readers who support audio formats, which is convenient for learning foreign languages and listening to audiobooks. To convert files from one format to another (converting) there are good converter programs in which you can make e-books (for example, Book Designer). In addition, there is always the possibility of transferring text from one format to another (supported by the reader) on an ordinary computer. The presence of russification in the reader is also one important parameter. The Russification function allows the electronic book to understand and reproduce the Cyrillic text, as well as to represent the Russian-language control menu. As for pdf files, they are difficult to read on the readers. And this is not because these devices are bad, but because of the peculiarity of the pdf-format, not intended for reading. Files in this format most often display pages A4, which is larger than the screen size of the e-book. So the reader is unlikely to be able to correctly display such files, and you will have to get used to reading ordinary text files. 
Capacity and duration of work
Modern electronic books are equipped with built-inA memory that can hold a small library. So, if one book "weighs" on average from one to five megabytes, then the reader with 512 MB memory is able to store from one hundred to five hundred books. Agree that this is not enough. And, in addition, most readers have the option of extending the built-in memory with additional cards. As for the duration of the work without recharging, then, choosing a reader, ask how many "page flipping" pages it is designed for. Or, if it concerns models with LCD screen, how many hours of operation the battery is designed for. Additional features and accessories By and large, all the additional features for an e-book are excesses, which only increase its cost. As practice has shown, the more additions (most often unnecessary), the lower the performance of the device. Nevertheless, you need to know about them (and suddenly come in handy!). So, many and many modern e-books allow:
- Rotate the text when turning the screen (G-sensor function);
- use built-in dictionaries;
- listen to FM radio;
- use a dictaphone;
- connect to the network via Wi-Fi and download information bypassing the computer;
- Search, create bookmarks and rename files using the QWERTY keyboard.
So decide for yourself how much these or otheryou need additional functions, and without which you can do without. When choosing an e-book with all its additional features, follow the complete accessories:
- headphones (if there is a player);
- Charger;
- port for connection to a computer (USB 2.0);
- a cord for connection to a computer;
- quick start guide;
- cover;
- stylus (for some sensory readers);
- memory card (if included);
- guarantee ticket.
Appearance and dimensions
For these criteria, e-books should not be chosencomplicated. If you buy a reader for reading electronic books in an exclusively homey and comfortable environment, then its dimensions and weight are of no significant importance. The main thing is that the screen should meet the requirements. However, for reading in more extreme conditions, for example, in transport, choose a thin and light reader that is convenient to hold in your hand and placed in a bag. As for the design and color of modern readers, it can be called perfect. Your choice will be presented and business models in black color in austere cases and elegant models of light colors and stylish and even extravagant design e-books. Knowing how to choose the right e-book, pay attention not only to the main technical parameters, but also to its external state. The main thing is that it was almost perfect. Because even small damage can be fatal for your purchase, and you need a reliable and high-quality reader that can replace a solid library on the bookshelf. We advise you to read:
