Having a good ebook reader means that you can have thousands of your favourite books with you wherever you go, in a package that’s lighter than a single novel

For an avid reader, a bookshelf may not be sufficient to hold hundreds of books let alone lug them around on a long commute or holiday. But with a good ebook reader, you’ll be able to carry your entire library around in the form of ebooks, on a compact, easy to use gadget. Ebooks are electronic books, where the text, and sometimes pictures, of a printed book have been digitised into an electronic format. Though they can be read on computers, laptops and many mobile phones, ebook readers are dedicated devices that have specifications tailored for reading them.

Phones and netbooks tend to have glossy LCD screens but dedicated ebook readers use an ‘electronic ink’ display – a matte grey-on-grey display that’s easy on the eye. They are easier to read in sunlight and from different angles than regular LCD screens. They’re also easy enough to hold and use with one hand, making them a hit with those who have to travel long distances to work.

Devices like Amazon’s Kindle readers featured in this article can connect wirelessly to let you buy and download the latest books whenever you want – you can even download a selection of the latest newspapers. And there are other online features too – you can access Wikipedia or read magazines like Elle, GQ online.