I had 2 of them, but at the end I sold readers insted of books, now reading again 'old fashioned' way. So I can't give you recommandation for e-reader, but I can give you recommandation to think again do you really want to sell your books? I like smell of books, even dirt that you can find on them :)

I'm using the basic Kindle because it's also the lightest (170g) and easy to hold with one hand. No complaints - can read for extended periods of time and eyes don't get tired. You can download virtually any book off torents.

Make sure to get one with a back light and a dictionary. Be mindful of battery life. The e-reader is great for travel, bus or plane, but for instructional books, ie. for cooking or exercising, I prefer paper for flipping back and forth. I've only ever used a Kobo so I can't compare. I've heard that some Kindles are super cheap but that you also get advertisements on them. I have some issues with my electronic device but I'm not sure if it's because of the Kobo or because of the way the book was formated by the publisher. 

Beware! ...that you can order a book as soon as you hear about it, gets very addictive! You can also download many free classics, Crime and Punishment, Anna Karenina, where the copyright has expired, at the Gutenberg Project.

Love my Kindle (basic model) Careful with Kindle Fire - great unit but unable to read outside (as my wife has just found out whilst on holiday....)

After years of buying books and eventually storing them in my parent's garage (much to their delight), I invested in an e-reader and would never go back! 

I use a Kindle Fire and absolutely love it.  Jeffery is absolutely right that it is not ideal for outside use, but I find I can use it for reading outside in anything except direct sunshine.  For me, that's worth it, because I use it as a tablet computer occasionally - it connects to wifi so I can email or watch videos as well as download new books in about 20 seconds!

My boyfriend has the paperwhite edition, which works in any kind of light, and the battery lasts for weeks on a single charge, so great for vacations.

By any chance, is there anyone out there who is qualified to advise on the pros and cons  of such a purchase for a person with visual impairment?

Many thanks in advance, Ritchie

The Kindle Paperwhite is fantastic. The backlighting is very smooth and makes reading in dark places really convenient. It also has a touch screen, which makes it easier to use than previous Kindles I've had. 

I have had the opportunity a few months ago to compare the Kindle with the Nook, but Barnes&Noble has not been able to copy the lighting of the paperwhite (because it's patented), and therefore the evenness of the light is much worse. 

Having said that, I've come to the conclusion that for certain books a Kindle is best, while for others I prefer a paper version. For books I intend to read only once a Kindle is perfect, but if I intend to refer back to the book regularly (e.g. a non-fiction, business, cooking) I still prefer a paper version. 

Ritchie - on the Kindle you can easily adjust the font size, and the screen quality with backlighting (the strength of which can be regulated) reads better than a regular book because the light source is much more even. 

If you like I don't mind lending my Kindle to you for a few days (or the person with the visual handicap if it's not you). Just send me a personal message and tell me when you can pick it up in Chambesy. 

Thanks a lot.  I'll send you a p.m. in a day or two.

R.

Thank you all for your replies ! I think I'll take a paperwhite (I've already got my iPhone and computer for anything else than books.) Amazon is best known for its e-readers, so I think I'll stick to that for the moment.

Thank you Edward, but if I like your Kindle too much, I might disappear with it lol

I'll advise for an Android tablet and then download one of the many free e-reader apps from the Google Play Store, as well as an app for the Gutenberg project. Most books are also possibly available by googling "title author epub". Get one with an IPS display, like Archos 80. Same good screen as the iPad Mini - or step/pony up and get the bigger and heavier iPad with the Retina display.

Evenness of backlighting seems perfect on mine.

Also, a tablet is much more versatile than a dedicated reader, if that counts.

Amazon bad. Tried hard to patent the online shopping cart for itself..

Reading on a tablet is fine if you read occasionally, but if you're an avid reader you really want an e-reader. The screen is much more comfortable (with the new backlighting technology also in low-light conditions), the battery life is much longer (easily 4-5 days of full-time reading).

You're right that a tablet is more versatile, but if you're really into reading that doesn't add much value. It may even be distracting. 

News: I bought a paperwhite Kindle. Yes, I'm an avid reader and even more avid book buyer... So it started taking so much space that our 3 bibliotheques aren't enough anymore... And the pile is growing, growing, growing... http://theculturevulture.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/the-book-pile.jpg (if exagerated).

I also like the feeling of paper in my hands, but I found out that I also like to read things like fanfictions on my computer directly.

My eyes get easily tired reading on tablets. I don't really care about what Amazon did with patents, because Apple is far worse in patenting and causing suicide in China, denying exploding phones, being aggresive towards the customer and such... And I still have one in my pocket because my father gave it to me as a gift and it was "so cool" in university

There's nothing wrong with patents; they ensure that innovative companies don't have their ideas copied so they can get enough revenue from their innovation to make them worth the investment. 

The problem arises when the patent isn't for a genuine innovation, but for a minor component or a bit of computer code; this actually hinders innovation, and this is the type that Apple and Samsung are typically engaged in. 

Paperwhite technology is a true innovation, in my opinion. You'll see it when you start using your Kindle: the combination of the screen and the adjustable backlighting is the best-ever reading experience. 

I agree with you that the hardware component Paperwhite is a true innovation.

Software, however, should only be protected by copyright, but that's really for another, long thread.