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Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah (or the rebel version, Chanukah), Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice or Saturnalia…shopping season is about to begin and have you done anything about it yet? Counting on Black Friday this year? Well, DON’T! Advance word on the major tech sales set  for the day after Thanksgiving indicates there won’t be too many major values this year, so why not get a jump on the rush and start shopping early!

Ebook readers and ebooks make ideal holiday gifts and are expected to be one of the more popular items this year. Last year ebook sales increased by nearly 70 percent, and from January to August of this year they have already climbed another 177 percent! If you are Ebook Reader shopping for Christmas this year you certainly won’t be alone. It is estimated that 1.2 million Ebook Readers will be sold this year to holiday shoppers, roughly 40 percent of their total forecast sales in 2009. Ebooks are such a hot ticket this year that many retailers are looking to them to help drive holiday revenues as the recession lingers. Last year it was netbooks…this year, Ebook Readers. Best Buy for example is reserving a portion of their stores this year to educate consumers about Ebooks (and sell a few, of course).

So, how do you make an informed choice when looking to buy Ebook readers for your gift list? Come to Mobilitysite, of course! I have put together a gift giving guide that discusses the pros and cons of the Readers that will be available before the holidays, as well as some other Ebook related gift giving options.

Read on after the jump.

Ebook Readers

There are a whole bunch of attractive Ebook Readers planned for 2010 (note that “planned” is still the oprative word) but there are already several solid options available, perfect for gifts. Lets look at some of the most popular or interesting choices for the holidays.

The Kindle 2

The device that first made the mainstream sit up and notice Ebooks, the Kindle is certainly a popular device and is Amazon’s top selling gadget EVER. Like all innovators, the Kindle has both fans and detractors but there is no denying it is a high-quality, status laden device, second really only to some stuff sold by Apple in popular esteem.

This 6 inch E-Ink based Ebook reader device sells for the average price these days, around $250 and is definitely available. If you order it now or in the next month or so from the Amazon website you should have no problem getting it delivered for Christmas.

The device sports a QWERTY keyboard and 3G wireless that now works in both the US and in most of the world, but doesn’t yet include other hot features such as a touch screen, wifi or expandable memory.

Another drawback is the fact that the Ebook formats you can use on a Kindle are quite limited and the device only works with books you buy from (guess who) Amazon and can not work with open source formats such as EPUB. As Google Books begin to become more available and Ebooks overall continue their spread, this has the makings of a major drawback for the device.

Still, if you want an Ebook you KNOW you will be able to get a hold of before the holidays and want to maximize that wonderful “OOOOHHHHHHH” factor (especially from people who aren’t overly tech savvy), the Kindle 2 is still your best bet.

The Nook

Barne’s and Noble’s Nook is the big contender against the Kindle 2 this year and been a major source of gadget lust the last few weeks, even from people who don’t like Ebooks. The devices runs the very hot Android OS and has been designed to make up for many of the Amazon products weaknesses. It sports a dual screen, a 6 inch E Ink screen AND a smaller color touch screen (which doubles as a virtual keyboard), it can use WiFi in addition to 3G, it has expandable memory, supports EPUB (which is rapidly becoming the standard Ebook format) and other common formats, and you can lend Ebooks to other Nook users for preset periods of time. It even retails for the same price as the Kindle 2.

However, the Nook has two big disadvantages…one is that you have to act fast. If you preorder the device today you will get it no sooner than the middle of December, and there is a very good chance that date will slip further. Of course, that is assuming that the device ships at all. There is a major lawsuit asking that the Nook be shelved due to copyright infringement and there is no clue as of yet how that is going to go. You don’t want your gift giving to be decided by a judge, do you?

The other disadvantage is that the Nook is a US-Only device and will be for the foreseeable future. Even if (like me) you intend to have someone buy you a Nook and ship it, you won’t be able to access the Barnes and Noble store or use the 3G wireless. Keep that in mind if your gift list is international.

Therefore the Nook is a choice if you are willing to take a few more chances. Sure the Nook might rival the Kindle in “OOOOHHHHHHH” factor (in fact it will likely top the Kindle in OOOHHHHH with tech savvy recipients), but there is a good chance that instead of an Ebook Reader you will be giving an Order Confirmation in a bright red bow Christmas morning. Not much OOOHHHH in that, at least not the good kind. If you can live with that risk, personally I would prefer getting a Nook over a Kindle, but that is just a personal call.

Sony Pocket Reader and Touch Reader

The two newest additions to the popular Sony Reader line are solid, dependable devices. They lack the buzz factor of either the Kindle or the Nook, but have certain advantages. First of all the Pocket Reader is the cheapest major reader, coming in at $199 (less in some stores if you can live with it in Rose). The Touch Reader is more expensive ($299) but has the advantage of a touch screen (hence the clever name). Both devices can also utilize a wide range of formats including EPUB.

They both have drawbacks of course. The Pocket Reader comes in cheapest due to a smaller screen (5 inches) and a lack of 3G, Wifi or expandable memory. The Touch Reader also lacks wireless and is said to have a slightly muddy screen.

However, both have the advantage that they can be purchased in most major brick and mortar electronics stores, not just online, so you don’t need to sweat FedEx deliveries. The Sony Readers may lack some of the flash of the Kindle or the Nook, but they are solid, dependable devices backed by Sony’s reputation. Sony also has more experience in Ebook Readers then most major vendors, having entered the market early. If the gift is spur of the moment, or you are buying for a serious Ebook fan who expects their Ebook Reader to be a multi-format real workhorse, then you can’t go far wrong with either of these devices.

Kindle DX

The larger form Kindle designed for textbooks and periodicals, has much the same feature set as the smaller Kindle 2 save for the massive 9.1 inch screen. Another determining factor is the massive pricetag, with the Kindle DX selling for nearly 500 bucks. It also lacks International connectivity or availability, if that is an issue for you.

Currently undergoing trials at various major universities, the DX is not getting a lot of love from students or professors. Therefore don’t assume this would be a great gift idea for young Clarence out at Miskatonic U. Odds are this is a gift that will either end up in his desk drawer all term, or get him beaten up on campus even more than normal. Unless for some reason you want to read REALLY BIG books, or have an urge to buy the most expensive Ebook Reader out there, I can;t recommend the DX as a gift choice. Give this one a solid pass and wait till the DX 2 appears sometime next year.

IREX DR 800SG

Ignore the ugly name. The IREX is arriving in US stores (at least Best Buy) in time for Christmas sporting an 8.1 inch touchscreen, 3G through Verizon, Barnes and Noble Ebook Store support and the ability to read most major formats including EPUB. A very nice touch, especially considering the size of the screen, is that the IREX also supports NewspaperDirect and LibreDigital in order to get access to more than 1200 different newspapers and magazines via 3G.

Though the name is not well known in the US, IREX is a very experienced vendor in the Ebook Reader market, having produced the excellent iLiad in Europe for quite some time, entering the market long before it was fashionable. Now that Ebooks are catching on, they deserve to enjoy the success.

The big drawback on the DR 800 SG device is the price, coming in at $400. However, it is still a better value than the DX and one can say it is reasonable considering the screen size, but still 400 bucks is a tougher sell. However, this is definitely a stylish reader and could easily be a dark horse in the holiday sweepstakes if the size appeals or you are giving it to a big newspaper fan…but they REALLY need to fix that name.

iPod Touch

At this stage in the game no discussion of Ebook Readers can be complete without mentioning the iPod Touch. Though the screen is a good deal smaller then most dedicated readers, the iPod Touch does a great job as an Ebook Reader, thanks to the crisp touch screen, wifi connectivity and a bevy of excellent Ebook Reader software. If you wish to go the proprietary route you can run either Kindle software or Barnes and Noble. If you prefer to steer your own course without falling back on one of the big book stores (as I do), Stanza is a world class Ebook Reader and my personal favorite. Many other options are also available, such as iSilo, eReader or BookShelf.

If you are intending the iPod Touch to serve as mainly a reader, then the 8GB model would serve just fine and can be had just about anywhere, at any time for $199…less if you can find a first or second generation model. If you are looking to give someone an Ebook Reader as a gift, but aren’t sure if the Ebook idea will appeal to them, then the iPod Touch is the most versatile potential reader out there and could well be your gift of choice. Just like no IT Manager got fired for buying Cisco, no boyfriend/husband slept on the couch for giving an iPod either.

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There are a few other outside possibilities which may appear before the holidays, but I wouldn’t count on them.

The first is the third of the new Sony Readers, the Daily. It will feature a large 7 inch touch screen, AT&T 3G connectivity and a $400 price tag. It was designed as an answer to the Kindle DX, with a focus on newspapers and textbooks. It is supposed to be out in December, but I have yet to see a release date. Even if it does squeak out in time, I doubt it will be very easy to find before it’s too late, so you may not want to count on it.

The second is the Spring Design Alex, a dual screen, Android based reader that it’s developers says was the inspiration for the Nook. They feel it was SO inspiring in fact that they are suing Barnes & Noble over it. NO word yet on what is happening with the lawsuit, but hey say that they will be releasing the Alex in December. However there is no date and no pricing or availability details yet, so I suspect that may be a legal ploy. Either way, this is a nice looking device but still a bit too vapourish for a holiday gift.

EBooks

Ebook Readers are great, but they are pretty big ticket items…Ebooks on the other hand are ideal stocking stuffers for those who already have Ebook Readers, or Ebook software on their PC or Mac.

On top of that, if you are giving someone an Ebook Reader, it is only right to give them a few Ebooks to get them started. Most major Ebook Retailers allow you to buy Gift Cards, so that the recipient can choose what they wish to read, on you.

Amazon

Amazon allows you to purchase gift cards up to $5000 dollars (you can buy an awful lotta Ebooks with 5K, buddy, let me tell ya), and they are good for either print or Ebooks (and for music as well for that matter). You can choose to email a card or print it yourself (from up to 20 different designs, a great idea if you are giving someone a Kindle under the Christmas tree/Hanukkah bush/Solstice Virgin Sacrifice) or have Amazon mail them a physical card. All in all, a really great gift idea, especially if you wish to send someone something more meaningful then an email but not as last year as a ecard with a crappy .wav attached.

Barnes and Noble

Barnes and Noble allows you to send someone a physical gift card, which can be used in B&N stores, or an online gift certificate via email that may be used online only….one big problem however. THEY CANNOT BE USED TO BUY EBOOKS! Serious FAIL. Barnes and Noble had best change this policy before the Nook begins reaching customers, otherwise things could get ugly. REALLY UGLY.

Sony

Sony offers online gift cards worth up to 100 dollars which are delivered by email to the recipient. Not as flashy a service as Amazon, but it works if you are giving someone a Sony Reader. A nice touch is that you can send or redeem a gift card directly from your Sony eBook Library software.

Fictionwise

Fictionwise is one of the leading independent Ebook vendors and offers emailed Gift Certificates of up to $500. Ebooks are available from Fictionwise in PDF, .lit, .mobi, .prc. .pdb and a few more esoteric formats (not EPUB yet).

The nicest part of buying from Fictionwise is that you can send people Gift Packs, which are predefined sets of certain Ebooks, such as “Double Award Winning SF Short Stories” or “Janet Dailey’s Americana Sampler”. These are great ways to introduce a new Ebook Reader to interesting authors or titles and has more charm than just giving someone a gift card to spend.

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One final Ebook-flavored stocking stuffer suggestion.

Harlequin Notables are great fun, various essential products such as notebooks or postcards emblazoned with classic (and often intensely campy) Harlequin paperback covers from days gone by, such as “General Duty Nurse” or “You’re Lonely When You’re DEAD!”. They make great little gifts for any romance-loving (or just campy) Ereading buffs on your list.

However, if you want the WHOLE SET FOR FREE, try entering a very fun contest to win them on one of my favorite Ebook sites, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.