Many people have discovered the convenience and pleasure of digital readers. (You may also hear them called an e-reader or e-book reader.) A digital reader is a convenient hand-held tablet-like device for reading digital books, magazines, newspapers, and more. It can make an excellent addition to your home library and also expand your literary horizons without taking up the space of so many books.
E-books are a great way to feed your need to read. They’re excellent for embracing a new way to access books. Today we’ll look at a few digital reader options for 2022, but first, let’s go over the basics of digital readers.
What Is a Digital Reader?
Digital readers are a wonderful way to step away from computer monitors and rest your eyes. Most e-readers have an E Ink display. This allows you to read for extended periods without the eye strain common when viewing LCD or OLED screens. This is because digital readers are lit differently from smartphones, and better mimic an actual book.
How Digital Readers Work
It’s the E Ink that provides the magic when it comes to digital readers. The effect of E Ink looks a lot like print on paper. As a result, digital readers are easy on your eyes compared to computer screens.
Entry-level digital readers may not have a backlit feature. As a result, you’ll need an external light source to see the text, just like with a regular book.
However, most digital readers have edge lighting. Fortunately for any night owls, this lighting enables you to read in the dark.
Usually, you can also vary the intensity of the brightness. You can adjust your digital reader light anywhere from barely on to flashlight-bright.
Digital Reader Ecosystems
There are some things you may want to consider when choosing a digital reader. For example, it’s important to understand your digital reader determines your e-book ecosystem.
Brands like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo secure their books using digital copyright protection. In other words, you can’t read their books on another brand’s digital reader.
If you use an Amazon e-reader, you must order an e-book from the Amazon website and push it to your digital reader. Meanwhile, Kobo e-book readers enable you to install the Overdrive library app as its native store.
Alternatively, Onyx digital readers work on all competitors’ Android apps. This brand allows you to read content from every platform.
Let’s have a look at a few digital reader options for 2022.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Is a Best Seller for a Reason
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a best seller partly because it’s thin and easy to hold.
The Kindle Paperwhite has several features, including:
- A 6.8-inch screen
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- 3G networks connectivity
Also, the Paperwhite’s battery can last for up to ten weeks, and the device is waterproof, so it’s safe to take to the beach or pool.
Two drawbacks to the Paperwhite:
- You can only use e-books from Amazon’s digital library
- It doesn’t have a built-in blue light filter
Amazon Kindle Oasis Is Lightweight But Comes at a Price
The Amazon Kindle Oasis has a stylish aluminum case. Yet, it’s a tenth of a pound lighter the Paperwhite and some other plastic digital readers.
Also, the Oasis has a different profile compared to the Paperwhite, designed for a more ergonomic digital reader. This physical feature makes for a more natural feel in hand for some readers.
Another difference between the Oasis and the Paperwhite is that the Oasis uses a screen swipe feature for page turning, while the Paperwhite has dedicated buttons for this function.
Oasis owners say that they love the fact that instead of a blue light filter, you can adjust the backlight from bright white to a warm yellow color temperature to reduce eye strain.
Additionally, the device features include:
- A 7-inch screen
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- 4G network connectivity
- A battery that lasts up to six weeks
- Waterproof in around six and a half feet of fresh water for up to one hour
Something worth noting is that the Amazon Kindle Oasis is expensive, with a list price of $249.99.
Kobo Clara Rewards You for Every Book You Read
The Kobo Clara HD digital reader from Rakuten features a screen with amber LEDs and an automatic time setter for the blue light filter function.
Other features people love about the Kobo Clara:
- The rapid page turn engine allows you to move through an e-book quickly by holding down the bottom-left screen corner
- It can automatically adjust color temperature based on time of day (and filters blue light at night) using Kobo’s Comfortlight PRO technology
- 6-inch screen
- Works with Wi-Fi and 4G networks
- Battery lasts up to four weeks
- You earn points for each book purchase, which you can then redeem to buy more books
Unfortunately, the Kobo Clara his not waterproof.
Kobo Libra 2 Works with Popular App Pocket
In another digital reader offering from Kobo, the Kobo Libra 2 integrates with Pocket, a popular app for bookmarking online content. As a result, you can use Libra 2 to read saved Pocket articles in addition to your favorite e-books.
Other pros of the Libra are:
- A 7-inch screen
- Compatible with Wi-Fi and 4G networks
- Its battery can last for up to six weeks
- A streamlined interface
- It works with Bluetooth, so you can use it to listen to audiobooks
- Includes Kobo’s Comfort Light PRO feature to reduce blue light and adjust the screen based on the time of day
- Waterproof
What Libra 2 owners cite as the main drawback to this digital reader has to do with charging the battery. You can nearly charge the device fully in about 50 minutes. However, the trickle charge protection feature may cause it to take another hour to recharge the remaining few percent.
ONYX BOOX Nova Air Gives You the Best of a Digital Reader & Tablet
The ONYX BOOX Nova Air offers the benefits of a digital reader and some features of a tablet. It’s super-thin and lighter than a smartphone.
Instead of a blue light filter, the ONYX BOOX Nova Air uses a front light versus a traditional backlit display. This way, light doesn’t emit directly into readers’ eyes. The result is reduction of the blue light effect that can upset your circadian rhythm at night. The front light also delivers crisper text compared to backlit devices.
Some other pros of the ONYX BOOX Nova Air include:
- A generous 7.8-inch screen
- Compatibility with Wi-Fi and 4G networks
- A battery lasts for up to four weeks
- Splash and moisture resistant (but isn’t waterproof)
Something to consider is that the ONYX BOOX Nova Air’s E Ink is dimmer compared to other digital readers, but the front light may offset this minor shortcoming.
Grow Your Library Fast With a Digital Reader
There are good reasons to consider a digital reader. They’re smaller and lighter than tablets and better for your eyes. They’ll also save you a lot of space as you add to your collection. As a result, a digital reader may make the perfect companion when you want to relax and curl up with a good book.
