(edit title) Kindles, surf tablets, i-pads Which one to get Options

[Puffin]

Need som advice. My 14 year old wants a Kindle or similar tablet och reader mainly to download books to read in English

Does anyone have experience of what is the best to get and where you can download plenty of books at a good price?

I have read that it can be hard to download from Amazon etc if you are not in the right country - is this a problem?

[axiom]

I think the first decisive question is do you want a dedicated reader or do you want a device that can handle a little more than just reading books. A dedicated book reader such as the kindle is cheaper with extremely good battery life and screens that are optimized to give the feel of reading actual print.

The downside of course is that you get less functionality than you would with an iPad, which of course costs a little more but is a reader and so much more. Multfunctional tablets also have significantly less battery life.

When it comes to dedicated readers, there is the issue of document format, some (like the Sony line, etc) are pretty ok with any generic formats you can throw at them while others such as the Kindle require specific ebook formats obtainable through amazon or you do some fiddling at home and convert them.

I would personally go for a tablet and gain the extra use such as spotify, youtube, apps, web browsing, email, facebook, etc while being able to open just about any document format you can throw at it.

You can of course buy ebooks from the major retailers online, bokus, etc but you can also rent them from the swedish library and download them straight home for reading. There are also online projects such as Gutenberg or Google which offer thousands of classic titles such as Jane Eyre for free download to read on pretty much any device.

[gplusa]

I'll tag along with this Q&A. Can you read/work on MS Office documents with an ipad ok ? Wouldn't mind being able to read work documents on the train without having to drag out a lap top. I've read about apps that supposedly do this to some degree, but I wouldn't mind hearing from anyone who has some first hand experience of exactly what can or can't be done.

[rtharper]

The Kindle is the best for actual reading of books, but it's not useful for *anything* else. The e-ink makes for an amazing reading experience, and the battery lasts ages, but it is painful to do anything else on it, imo. Obviously, this also locks you into the Amazon e-book store for books, although pdfs, epubs, and mobis also work just fine

As for buying when you are outside the country, I'm not sure how it will work, esp if you lack a bank account in that country (I assume amazon.co.uk would be your source, there). Many classics (i.e. stuff in the public domain) is available on Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/

When it comes to other tablets, the iPad 2 is the best value for money, imo. They still sell them despite the iPad 3 being out, so you aren't paying the alpha consumer premium, and many android tablets are even more expensive. You can also read both Kindle and iTunes book store books on an iPad, as well as do other things. The screen is simply not as nice to read as a Kindle, though, and the device is much, much more expensive (Kindles are down to £89).

[Gordy]

Puffin if your young one's intention is to read books then I would definitely recommend getting the kindle rather than some other tablet.

The reason for that is eye strain. The kindle is not backlit and is much much easier on the eyes than a tablet.

Depending on your child's taste there is a massive amount of (legit) free books available on the internet although sometimes the page formatting isn't correct for the kindle.

I haven't checked in some time but the last time I did Amazon themselves have many many free books available for download.

The cheapest kindle is the one to go for, as a book reader most people never use a keyboard.

[byke]

Used both, didn't like the kindle.

I know it serves a purpose, but found the physical size too small and the lack of any colour slightly dull, like reading an etcha - sketch.

In regards to a pad, iPad 2 16gb wifi only.
This particular model actually has a new smaller processor on the latest batch (if ordered directly from www.apple.se) and it results in up to almost a 30% saving on battery (which means up to 13 hours) ... which is pretty amazing. its not listed, but according to reports the new chip is shipping in this model.

Plus the child can use the pad to research (wikipedia, google etc) ... and other things like newspapers (I have a ties subscription and love it) TV via iPlayer or Filmon etc ... (you can even track your child if they have one with them).

The possibilities are limitless.
However the biggest thing that separates the pad and kindle is outdoor use.
If you want to sit in the garden and read, then its only the kindle.
However if you can read indoors, then the worlds your oyster and comparing the 2 is like comparing the phone directory to the WWW.

[byke]

I'll tag along with this Q&A. Can you read/work on MS Office documents with an ipad ok ? Wouldn't mind being able to read work documents on the train without havin ... (show full quote)

I'll tag along with this Q&A. Can you read/work on MS Office documents with an ipad ok ? Wouldn't mind being able to read work documents on the train without having to drag out a lap top. I've read about apps that supposedly do this to some degree, but I wouldn't mind hearing from anyone who has some first hand experience of exactly what can or can't be done. ... (hide full quote)

Do you mean like documents? or spreadsheets etc ?
It does pretty much all of it TBH.

What exactly are you hoping to do on one?

Apple make 3 apps :
Pages (Word processor)
Numbers (spreadsheets etc)
Keynote (Presentations)

And MS Should have a version of iPad office out soon.

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/21/micros...n-to-app-store/

[axiom]

Office on the iPad, sounds pretty neat !

[koshka]

A few things to consider if he's likely to use it for study. The Kindle includes a note-taking function but trying to write more than a few words on the keyboard version takes ages. I haven't used it but I'm guessing that the new Kindle Touch might be a way around this. It was just released in the UK. You can import PDFs into the Kindle (or it's iPad app) which is again handy if you have a lot of study materials in this format.

I work with a lot of university students (and more specifically those with dyslexia) and I've been looking at what apps they are already using for study. In addition to Pages there are a number of good note-taking apps. My personal favourite is Noteshelf which allows you to take handwritten and typed notes on an iPad. It includes something like 17 coloured pens, several highlighters and about 20 different page formats including Cornell notes. I think handwriting to typed text conversion is also included. There are others that also record and sync the audio to your notes although I've found the audio quality very poor compared to the Olympus voice recorders that a lot of students use. Some examples include Audionote and Notability. Annotate PDF is also a handy app to have.

I'd also say that the iPad 2 is relatively good value. I got to compare our one to my dad's iPad 3 last week and whilst the screen and camera / camcorder are better it's only if you use those functions that you could really justify the extra money. Having said that there are some very innovative app developers out there so I might change my mind over the coming months.

One other thing to consider system wise is that Windows 8 Metro is due out at the end of this year which should see some Windows tablets coming on to the market.

[gplusa]

Byke, I was hoping that I might be able to read documents whilst travelling to meetings etc. I'm often on the train for a couple of hours travelling to sites, and I don't like hauling out a lap top if there's someone sitting next to me. So I thought/hoped this might be a solution. Mainly MS Word documents, with the ability to make basic changes if need be. I am a little unsure about how well the Ipad, and add-on software, copes with those types of files. Or if I would just end up disappointed and use it as an expensive way to surf porn.

[Rick Methven]

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy 8.9" wifi/3G pad and am very happy with it. I got the smaller 8.9 inch version rather than the normal 10.1 inch for better portability,

I have downloaded free apps for office that allows me to write and edit word docs and Excel spreadsheets as well. The Kindle Android app gives me access to all my kindle ebooks and I can buy new books from the galaxy tab directly so my kindle becomes surplus to requirements. You can also use it as a phone. There are also plenty of news reader apps for newspapers including Swedish papers. for entertainment the android system does support flash which the iPad does not. Plus you are not tied to Apple for everything. I have been playing with it for a week now and am very happy with it.

[byke]

Byke, I was hoping that I might be able to read documents whilst travelling to meetings etc. I'm often on the train for a couple of hours travelling to sites, and I don ... (show full quote)

Byke, I was hoping that I might be able to read documents whilst travelling to meetings etc. I'm often on the train for a couple of hours travelling to sites, and I don't like hauling out a lap top if there's someone sitting next to me. So I thought/hoped this might be a solution. Mainly MS Word documents, with the ability to make basic changes if need be. I am a little unsure about how well the Ipad, and add-on software, copes with those types of files. Or if I would just end up disappointed and use it as an expensive way to surf porn. ... (hide full quote)

That shouldn't be a problem with the current line of applications available.
TBH ... I haven't met that many people who are disappointed with an iPad.

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy 8.9" wifi/3G pad and am very happy with it. I got the smaller 8.9 inch version rather than the normal 10.1 inch for better portabili ... (show full quote)

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy 8.9" wifi/3G pad and am very happy with it. I got the smaller 8.9 inch version rather than the normal 10.1 inch for better portability,

I have downloaded free apps for office that allows me to write and edit word docs and Excel spreadsheets as well. The Kindle Android app gives me access to all my kindle ebooks and I can buy new books from the galaxy tab directly so my kindle becomes surplus to requirements. You can also use it as a phone. There are also plenty of news reader apps for newspapers including Swedish papers. for entertainment the android system does support flash which the iPad does not. Plus you are not tied to Apple for everything. I have been playing with it for a week now and am very happy with it. ... (hide full quote)

Hey Rick,
Don't you have a kindle? do you still use it or has the tablet become a more attractive option?

I think nearly all tablet devices offer a kindle app (iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows etc ...)

In regards to Flash, this is true.
Apple doesn't support Flash, although there are 3rd party apps that allow such.
But since Adobe (the maker of flash) has now conceded and dropped ALL support for flash on mobile devices, its a bit of a red herring since no one now supports flash on mobile devices. In hindsight, Apple was right ... it wasn't suitable for tablet devices. And it would now seem that it won't be supported on Android 5.0 either.

I must ask (nicely), what happened to your other Android devices.
I thought you had another Android tablet and a phone? are they on the shelf now?

In regards to the Apple eco system, yes it is a closed world.
But the upside to it, is the lack of malicious apps that Google keeps having to try and pull.
And a catalog of shall we say much cleaner and wider versatility of apps are available in the Apple store (which in turn is allot easier to search for).

Obviously both systems have advantages to a certain extent.
But for me the biggest notability between the iPad and an Android device is the ability to update the operating system when a new version comes out. I know that when the next operating system upgrade for the iPad comes out, that older models will still be able to upgrade for free. Whereas many of the Android devices are left stuck with an old OS with the expectation of users needing to purchase a new device.

As for trying to use a tablet for a phone ...
I have had a good laugh lately at some of these huge phones
I wonder if we will look back at them in the same we did of that of the 1980's

 

 

[Rick Methven]

TBH ... I haven't met that many people who are disappointed with an iPad.

My son was round yesterday and was swearing at his

Hey Rick,
Don't you have a kindle? do you still use it or has the tablet become a more attractive option?

I think nearly all tablet devices offer a kindle app (iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows etc ...)

I have a kindle and would have liked to buy a Kindle fire but Amazon is still restricting it sale to the USA only. I had the Kindle app on the Galaxy phone but the screen is a bit small so you needed to carry both the kindle and a phone

In regards to Flash, this is true.
Apple doesn't support Flash, although there are 3rd party apps that allow such.
But since Adobe (the maker of flash) has now conceded and dropped ALL support for flash on mobile devices,

I had an automatic upgrade to Flash 11 yesterday on my Galaxy tab - Android 3.1

I must ask (nicely), what happened to your other Android devices.
I thought you had another Android tablet and a phone? are they on the shelf now?

Still have the Galaxy SII phone which my wife will use as I have moved to the Nokia Lumia windows 7.5 phone that works very well with my windows PC also has free Nokia maps that you can download before you go abroad and not have roaming charges when you are out of the country as they just use GPS.

Obviously both systems have advantages to a certain extent.
But for me the biggest notability between the iPad and an Android device is the ability to update the operating system when a new version comes out. I know that when the next operating system upgrade for the iPad comes out, that older models will still be able to upgrade for free. Whereas many of the Android devices are left stuck with an old OS with the expectation of users needing to purchase a new device.

I will be able to upgrade the operating system on the tab to ice cream sandwich. Samsung is already outselling apple in the first quarter and the new range of phones and tabs will increase the Android market share as they do more and you are not tied to one supplier for apps and accessories.

As for trying to use a tablet for a phone ...
I have had a good laugh lately at some of these huge phones
I wonder if we will look back at them in the same we did of that of the 1980's

I had a Motorola luggable brick in the 80's that was so heavy you got arm strain just lifting the thing to your ear

[David S]

Used both, didn't like the kindle.. I know it serves a purpose, but found the physical size too small and the lack of any colour slightly dull, like reading an etcha - sketch.

Or how about ... like reading a book?

However the biggest thing that separates the pad and kindle is outdoor use.
If you want to sit in the garden and read, then its only the kindle.

Battery life is one of the other things that I like about the kindle. I only need to charge it every month or so.

A few things to consider if he's likely to use it for study. The Kindle includes a note-taking function but trying to write more than a few words on the keyboard version t ... (show full quote)

A few things to consider if he's likely to use it for study. The Kindle includes a note-taking function but trying to write more than a few words on the keyboard version takes ages. I haven't used it but I'm guessing that the new Kindle Touch might be a way around this. It was just released in the UK. You can import PDFs into the Kindle (or it's iPad app) which is again handy if you have a lot of study materials in this format. ... (hide full quote)

An option for noting taking is a kindle cover that has place for a (paper) notepad. I find quick note taking still a little cumbersome even on tablets. On the kindle itself it's an utter pain.

I work with a lot of university students (and more specifically those with dyslexia) and I've been looking at what apps they are already using for study. In addition to Pages there are a number of good note-taking apps. My personal favourite is Noteshelf which allows you to take handwritten and typed notes on an iPad. It includes something like 17 coloured pens, several highlighters and about 20 different page formats including Cornell notes. I think handwriting to typed text conversion is also included. There are others that also record and sync the audio to your notes although I've found the audio quality very poor compared to the Olympus voice recorders that a lot of students use. Some examples include Audionote and Notability. Annotate PDF is also a handy app to have.

Evernote! Nothing beats it

One other thing to consider system wise is that Windows 8 Metro is due out at the end of this year which should see some Windows tablets coming on to the market.

I'm holding out of Windows 8 tablets. They look as if they're going to be very nice.

Budget is of course an issue between an e-reader vs a proper tablet. Also consider the Barnes & Noble Nook. They have a version coming out soon with a built in backlight for reading in bed.

I have no problems buying books from Amazon. Haven't tried a Nook here yet.

Another advantage I find for a dedicated e-reader is that it's harder to get distracted by surfing.

So, for an e-reader -

Pros -
* price
* battery life
* outdoor use
* no (or less) internet distraction

cons -
* poor note-taking ability
* not as flexible
* most models are too small for many text books (Kindle DX is a larger option)

[soultraveler3]

Hey Puffin,

If you want a nice, basic e-reader for your son the iriver story hd is really nice. It doesn't cost much compared to many of the other readers but it's really nice. I've had mine for almost a year now and love it. It's backlit, has the special ink, super long lasting battery and a nice sized screen. It's easy to use and comes per-loaded with a ton of classics. It's also nice because it accepts many different formats so you can download books from a lot of different places without running into the problems with Amazon.

They're not as well known as some of the other brands but they always get good reviews and it's worked wonderfully for me. You can also get really nice leather covers for it in a bunch of different colors.

Here's a link.
http://www.iriverinc.com/product/productOv...sp?lpCode=M0015