does it make sense to buy any ereader besides a Kindle?

[get these nets]

I own a great older Sony ereader that I currently use to play audiobook from cds that I've purchased.
I think the Sony ones are better products and more versatile for what I use it for.

*They discontinued the entire line a few years back.

However as a gift to purchase for late teen relative, it makes no sense to get anything other than a kindle, right?
Amazon has the world in a headlock now and any ebook or e textbook she'd look to buy in the future would be more accessible through amazon than from another reader (or online ebook store), correct?

 

[newarkhiphop]

Get her a kindle Fire tablet I have two and like them

 

[Kamikaze Revy]

If you want the best reading experience with no other frills get the kindle paper white.
If you do, grab the one with advertisements on it to save a few bucks, then contact amazon customer support and complain about the ads and they’ll take them off for free.

The screen on the paper white is incredible. It looks like actual paper.

 

[get these nets]

Get her a kindle Fire tablet I have two and like them

thanks...I believe she has a tablet already wanted to get her a dedicated reader

If you want the best reading experience with no other frills get the kindle paper white.
If you do, grab the one with advertisements on it to save a few bucks, then contact amazon customer support and complain about the ads and they’ll take them off for free.

The screen on the paper white is incredible. It looks like actual paper.

thanks....how much difference is there between the generations of the paperwhite.? ..there are brand new ones from each generation for sale everywhere

also, thanks for the heads up...about customer service deleting special offers

trying to get a wi fi + 3g one....either a new Paperwhite or a refurbished Voyage

 

[Red]

Is a 4g Kindle really necessary for the price difference? How often are you (well, the teen relative) looking to sync books when away from wifi, and how much browsing are you really trying to do on a kindle that you're not doing on a phone far easier? If a data connection is a must then you could create a hotspot from your phone and connect the kindle via wifi to that.

4th Gen paperwhite released a few weeks ago is waterproof and has an extra LED light over the 3rd Gen.

Download Calibre and eat for free

 

[Macallik86]

Based on my understanding, the Kindle is really really great when it comes to Amazon products but offer a limited app store.

On the other hand, non-Amazon tablets almost always have the Google Play store which has more apps.

If your relative is an avid reader. the Kindle might be the better bet, but if there is a chance that she will use it for things outside of reading, a safe bet would be an Android App because it has close to 9x more apps

 

[Deltron]

^^ @Get These Nets could always side load Google play. I did that for one of them amazon tablets a year or so ago

 

[kevm3]

Mainly if you want a large screensize to read textbook pdfs

 

[Mowgli]

Why would I be a Kindle when I have a tablet

 

[Regular_P]

thanks...I believe she has a tablet already wanted to get her a dedicated reader

thanks....how much difference is there between the generations of the paperwhite.? ..there are brand new ones from each generation for sale everywhere

also, thanks for the heads up...about customer service deleting special offers

trying to get a wi fi + 3g one....either a new Paperwhite or a refurbished Voyage

Don't bother with a 3G one. Books take seconds to download over wifi and if you're really looking for a dedicated reader the 3G will be pointless.

The ads aren't obtrusive on the Kindle Paperwhite either. If you want to contact customer support and pretend to be bothered, that's on you, but there are zero ads when you're actually reading a book.

I have a Paperwhite 3 (2015) and it still runs good as new; battery still lasts forever. You should have no issues getting one of those if you want to save a little extra.

Based on my understanding, the Kindle is really really great when it comes to Amazon products but offer a limited app store.

On the other hand, non-Amazon tablets almost always have the Google Play store which has more apps.

If your relative is an avid reader. the Kindle might be the better bet, but if there is a chance that she will use it for things outside of reading, a safe bet would be an Android App because it has close to 9x more apps

A Kindle is meant for reading only. Why would you want apps on it to distract you from the one thing it's made for?

 

[Macallik86]

Don't bother with a 3G one. Books take seconds to download over wifi and if you're really looking for a dedicated reader the 3G will be pointless.

The ads aren't obtrusive on the Kindle Paperwhite either. If you want to contact customer support and pretend to be bothered, that's on you, but there are zero ads when you're actually reading a book.

I have a Paperwhite 3 (2015) and it still runs good as new; battery still lasts forever. You should have no issues getting one of those if you want to save a little extra.



A Kindle is meant for reading only. Why would you want apps on it to distract you from the one thing it's made for?

Already addressed that in my post

 

[nyknick]

I have the og keyboard version and it's still great. Battery used to last 2 weeks now it's down to 1 week.

Just go for a Kindle Paperwhite, no need to complicate things.

 

[Why-Fi]

I had to start using my ipad because a lot of textbooks I needed aren't compatible with the e-ink joints

 

[get these nets]

Is a 4g Kindle really necessary for the price difference? How often are you (well, the teen relative) looking to sync books when away from wifi, and how much browsing are you really trying to do on a kindle that you're not doing on a phone far easier? If a data connection is a must then you could create a hotspot from your phone and connect the kindle via wifi to that.

4th Gen paperwhite released a few weeks ago is waterproof and has an extra LED light over the 3rd Gen.

Download Calibre and eat for free

Don't bother with a 3G one. Books take seconds to download over wifi and if you're really looking for a dedicated reader the 3G will be pointless.

The ads aren't obtrusive on the Kindle Paperwhite either. If you want to contact customer support and pretend to be bothered, that's on you, but there are zero ads when you're actually reading a book.

I have a Paperwhite 3 (2015) and it still runs good as new; battery still lasts forever. You should have no issues getting one of those if you want to save a little extra.



A Kindle is meant for reading only. Why would you want apps on it to distract you from the one thing it's made for?

thanks to you both

I haven't been in a classroom in decades, and I'm way out of the cutting edge tech loop.
I imagine that college kids get ebooks via access code now, but are they reading them on 6 inch ereaders? on their laptops and tablets?



update:
I took the advice that several of you gave and went ahead and got her a Paperwhite.
Copped a DX for myself.
Sony readers>kindles ..but Amazon is the army, better yet the navy....and 99.9% of the time will have whatever ebook we're looking for.

 

[NotAnFBIagent]

Why buy an e reader when tablets exist and can be had for relatively cheap