What is the best e-book on the market?

The battle for the digital book is still raging in Spain. On the one hand, the romantics of paper books, of turning pages and the smell of printing. On the other side, those who believe that the little space they have at home is not for books. That their library can be just as valuable in their ebook as on their bookshelf. 

The pandemic also altered the figures for ebook sales. Confinement made it impossible to go to bookshops, although there was always the option of buying the physical format online. The sale of books in digital format increased by 37% worldwide and by 43% in Spain during 2020 according to Libranda's Annual Digital Book Report. Bestsellers range between 15% and 25%, although some titles reach 40% in digital format. 

Spaniards buy digital books from Amazon, Apple and Google with a market share of 78%. Their devices are the most affordable for taking the step into the digital world. A step that does not have to be definitive, as some books, manuals and essays are always useful in physical format. 

Amazon occupies the largest share of the digital book sales market with its Kindle model. It started selling the e-ink book in 2007 and has now sold 10 generations, with the PaperWhite and the Oasis as the best-selling models along the way. 

The Kindle PaperWhite is sold on Amazon for 129.99 euros with advertising and 139.99 euros without advertising. The cheaper one offers advertisements for other books when you open it, but not while reading. This advertising disappears if the user pays 10 euros. It has electronic ink at a resolution of 300 dpi, it is waterproof and the screen has an integrated dimmable light. It is one of the best models on the market because of its size and the possibility of acquiring books in a few seconds. On the negative side, it does not offer the possibility of reading web articles because its browser is experimental and slow. It can receive documents via an e-mail address, but they do not adapt very well and reading is not comfortable. 

Amazon's cheapest model is the Kindle, which sells for 89.99 euros. This eighth generation already has an integrated light and its resolution drops to 167dpi. It is a very basic model but very useful for reading anywhere. The battery of these two models lasts for weeks. 

The third Amazon model that has been around since 2016 is the Kindle Oasis. The high-end model of 249 euros and 7-inch screen. It also has a 300dpi resolution and is waterproof. This model has the option to change the screen's light tone and has two buttons for turning pages. Like the other models, it charges via USB 2.0. The second generation has remained unchanged since 2019 and looks set to undergo major changes.

After reviewing these three models, the market offers very few possibilities for e-ink readers. The dark mode on tablets has allowed them to become another important reading medium. Experts are not clear on the visual wear and tear between this reading mode and that of electronic ink, although it should be remembered that Kindle also has a dark mode for its models. 

Apple allows reading on its iPads. It has its own Books app where you can find all the latest releases on the market, classics, novels, essays, poetry... the application is very convenient and allows you to buy the book on the spot as well as share reading on other devices. Amazon has also entered into iPads and other tablets with its Kindle app, which allows you to read on this support, but it has the big problem that it does not allow you to buy the book to avoid Apple's commissions.  

The most convenient thing about reading on tablets from Apple, Samsung or any other brand is the possibility of underlining text and having a larger screen. Kindle models also allow underlining, but underlining with a finger is not as convenient and the processor does not help with accuracy. 

Reading on an iPad mini is the closest experience to reading on a Kindle. It has one advantage that can become a disadvantage: access to the internet and other apps that can increase the reader's ability to distract. 

However, the Safari browser is one of the few on the market that offers the ability to read web articles in text-only format, which allows reading without advertising distractions. In addition, it has a dark mode that allows reading in low light conditions. 

It is up to the user to decide whether he or she prefers e-ink or dark mode LED tablet screens for digital reading enjoyment.