'An LCD allows for full-color animation, video viewing and a backlit display for reading in the dark,' says Mark Mettler, a senior vice president of consumer technology at Staples. Then again, some e-readers, like the Nook Color and the SuperNova MediaReader come with full-color LCD screens, which allow users to enjoy magazines just the way they look coming off the rack, as well as other multimedia features. 'For all adult fiction, color is totally unneeded and you don't need to pay for it,' says California-based Andromeda Edison, who helps independent authors get published online and has reviewed various e-readers. you plan on exclusively reading books - then there is really no need to look beyond an e-reader that utilizes black-and-white e-paper and e-ink. When it comes to selecting just the right e-reader, what sort of reading you plan to do really matters: Will you be flipping through the pages of the entire Charles Dickens oeuvre or are you planning on reading (and enjoying the photos of) Glamour and Sports Illustrated? As a rule of thumb, if your reading tastes are classic - i.e. For those who like to read outdoors such as poolside or at the beach, this is a great feature.' Paulson also notes that e-readers can vary in size from around 6 ounces to more than 16 ounces, which is an important factor to consider since frequent travelers will likely want a smaller reader to tote around.

'Another advantage of e-paper is that the reader won't notice any glare whatsoever. 'The ink appears just like it would on the page of a physical book,' he says. In general, Sy Paulson, who is a so-called 'Blue Shirt' at Best Buy, says that any e-reader that utilizes 'e-paper' won't cause eyestrain. 'Your eyes will tell you what they prefer: e-ink, color, black-and-white, backlighting or no backlighting. 'The screen is the single most important feature of any e-reader you buy, because you'll be looking at it for hours and hours as you make your way through 'Pride and Prejudice' for the 15th time,' says Eldridge, who urges shoppers to spend a good amount of time actually looking at various screens. An e-reader is one of those products that absolutely requires a little face time. First, a tip on how not to select an e-reader: Don't jump on your computer, read a few reviews of various products available and then order one that sounds right online.

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