This might not sound so extraordinary, but I didn't just read a book in print, on an e-reader or even on a mobile phone. Instead, I read a book on dozens of devices . I was not trying to set a Guinness world record. I wanted to answer a question I often hear: which e-reader or tablet is the best for reading books? So I set out to try them all, reading a chapter on each: the Amazon Kindle, the first and second generation Apple iPads and mobile phones. To be fair, I also read a chapter in that old-fashioned form -- an old print paperback. The book I chose was The Alienist. For the first chapter, I turned to an Amazon Kindle. Shopping on Amazon for the Kindle is simple; you go to Amazon's Web site and buy the book, which is then sent to any devices with Kindle software installed . Reading on the Amazon Kindle is a joy in many aspects. The Kindle is light.Its six-inch screen is the perfect size for reading, and reading on its black and white E Ink display doesn't harm your eyes. Battery life is outstanding; on average you charge the device only once a month. My only complaint with the Kindle design is the placement of the keyboard at the bottom of the device. Amazon's CEO has noted during past product announcements that the keyboard is there to help people take notes or search. But to me,it seems like a waste of space. Despite the small screen on a mobile phone, I find reading on one to be simple and satisfactory. All of the mobile phones on which I read chapters felt somewhat similar; although screen brightness and the size of the phone's screen did vary. If I had wanted to, I could have bought my book through dozens of e-book apps   in the Apple App Store. Most are free and offer access to thousands of free e-books or paid versions. But the big downside for many is that you can read them only on Apple devices. Both iPads 1&2 offer an immersive reading experience. I found myself jumping back and forth between my book and the Web, looking up old facts and pictures of New York City. I also found myself being sucked into the wormhole of the Internet and a few games of Angry Birds rather than reading my book. For the last chapters of the book, I read the paperback, which is still my favourite choice. Since we are comparing devices so I guess I need to choose one. In the end it might come down to Kindle. But if money is tight, go for print. My used paperback cost only$4 from Amazon. If the writer were short of money, he would prefer   _  .
a print paperback an Apple iPad a mobile phone an Amazon Kindle