How Far Should This Luddite Reform?
July 8, 2013 11:26 AM Subscribe
After years of stubbornly insisting that I liked paper books and regular computing, I'm sorta kinda considering getting an e-reader and/or a tablet. Should I bother?
I already have a fairly-new (read: 2 years and change) laptop that serves me fine for the basic computing needs I have (web browsing, writing, occasional CIVILIZATION sessions), and lots of books-on-paper. But after a recent visit to a friend who had tablets and a kindle, I started to sort of realize that maybe this fancy tech stuff wasn't that bad maybe. That, plus a little bit of an extra financial boon now, have made me consider looking into other things. But I'm afraid of going too nuts and just getting something I wouldn't use.
My concerns:
1) I'm pretty sure that I want the e-reader no matter what. I also know I want to keep it simple - just stuff to read, no games or any crap like that. No ads. What brands are good and what should I keep in mind to look for? And what stuff is okay to splurge on ("I know that the way this screen is lit is 20 bucks extra over that other model but it's worth it") and which aren't ("okay, fine, you don't NEED to have a doohickey that will let you decide what color you want the print")?
2) The tablet is trickier - I'm thinking of it mainly as a more portable version of my laptop. Carting my laptop around my apartment or to the local coffee shop is fine, but it's not lightweight enough to be on me 24/7, and I'm thinking I'd like that ability. I'd still mainly use it for the same tasks - web browsing, maybe an app or two. Maybe something that I could also get some kind of a productivity ap on (a calendar program, mainly). Am I more likely to fall in love with this and use it more often than I use my laptop? Or is it going to be an expensive gadget that I end up not using? How easy would it be to sync to my main computer?
3) While I do have some more cash to play with right now, I don't want to go too nuts. Should I bother? What other questions should I maybe ask myself to ascertain whether I should bother or not?
4) How much would this realistically set me back?
Possibly relevant note - I do not have a smartphone, and I also have no interest in a smartphone still. I prefer keeping my phone and my computing separate for reasons I can't quite pinpoint.
While I am always curious about brand recommendations, I'm right now focusing on "should I even bother in the first place". Thanks.
I already have a fairly-new (read: 2 years and change) laptop that serves me fine for the basic computing needs I have (web browsing, writing, occasional CIVILIZATION sessions), and lots of books-on-paper. But after a recent visit to a friend who had tablets and a kindle, I started to sort of realize that maybe this fancy tech stuff wasn't that bad maybe. That, plus a little bit of an extra financial boon now, have made me consider looking into other things. But I'm afraid of going too nuts and just getting something I wouldn't use.
My concerns:
1) I'm pretty sure that I want the e-reader no matter what. I also know I want to keep it simple - just stuff to read, no games or any crap like that. No ads. What brands are good and what should I keep in mind to look for? And what stuff is okay to splurge on ("I know that the way this screen is lit is 20 bucks extra over that other model but it's worth it") and which aren't ("okay, fine, you don't NEED to have a doohickey that will let you decide what color you want the print")?
2) The tablet is trickier - I'm thinking of it mainly as a more portable version of my laptop. Carting my laptop around my apartment or to the local coffee shop is fine, but it's not lightweight enough to be on me 24/7, and I'm thinking I'd like that ability. I'd still mainly use it for the same tasks - web browsing, maybe an app or two. Maybe something that I could also get some kind of a productivity ap on (a calendar program, mainly). Am I more likely to fall in love with this and use it more often than I use my laptop? Or is it going to be an expensive gadget that I end up not using? How easy would it be to sync to my main computer?
3) While I do have some more cash to play with right now, I don't want to go too nuts. Should I bother? What other questions should I maybe ask myself to ascertain whether I should bother or not?
4) How much would this realistically set me back?
Possibly relevant note - I do not have a smartphone, and I also have no interest in a smartphone still. I prefer keeping my phone and my computing separate for reasons I can't quite pinpoint.
While I am always curious about brand recommendations, I'm right now focusing on "should I even bother in the first place". Thanks.
Personally, I'd just get a iPad Mini. Size of a small reader, not too expensive--but doubles as a tablet. You can install the Kindle app, plus iBooks, so you can do all your reading, but surf at home (provided you have wifi). Easy to sync.
I found I read more on my Kindle than I did in paper. It's just so much easier to read a big juicy book on a Kindle (or whatever) than dragging a hardcover (even some paperbacks) around.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:35 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I found I read more on my Kindle than I did in paper. It's just so much easier to read a big juicy book on a Kindle (or whatever) than dragging a hardcover (even some paperbacks) around.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:35 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have a kindle fire, which I have very mixed feelings about. Thoughts about it:
- It has ads, which I hate. Someone gave me this thing to read books on so now I have to stare at ads all day despite the fact that I'm already paying for the damn books I'm reading? No thank you. Diediediediedie is basically how I feel about this. (It also doesn't help that I used to have the old-school non "fire" edition of the kindle -- what I think they now sell as the "paperwhite" -- and it did not involve ads.) My kindle was a gift, but if I were paying, I'd happily spend the extra money for something that doesn't require me to stare at ads for shit I don't want while I read books I ALREADY FRICKEN PAID FOR AND WHAT MORE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH
- I don't really use any of the other non-book related functions. I like that, if you're already an Amazon Prime user, you can stream their free videos and movies on it. But I don't have Amazon Prime so it doesn't really help me. Also I use my laptop for streaming video for the most part. I think I'd be intrigued by a tablet with a netflix app, just for "watch an episode of Roseanne while pooping" novelty value.
- I find that the battery life absolutely stinks. Especially as an item made mostly for reading. This is another area that the older pre-fire "paperwhite" style kindle was better. I'll happily trade full color and a backlit screen and the video/game/app potential for the ability to read my book while not connected to a wall. I brought my old kindle on a month-long international trip in 2010 and charged it maybe three times. I can barely bring my kindle fire to the damn dog park with me without advance planning to make sure it's completely charged up.
- In terms of the kindle's intended use (reading ebooks), it's pretty good I guess. Also, as an object, I find it fine to use, a good size, etc. Nothing really wrong with it as a thing in itself.
posted by Sara C. at 11:36 AM on July 8, 2013
- It has ads, which I hate. Someone gave me this thing to read books on so now I have to stare at ads all day despite the fact that I'm already paying for the damn books I'm reading? No thank you. Diediediediedie is basically how I feel about this. (It also doesn't help that I used to have the old-school non "fire" edition of the kindle -- what I think they now sell as the "paperwhite" -- and it did not involve ads.) My kindle was a gift, but if I were paying, I'd happily spend the extra money for something that doesn't require me to stare at ads for shit I don't want while I read books I ALREADY FRICKEN PAID FOR AND WHAT MORE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH
- I don't really use any of the other non-book related functions. I like that, if you're already an Amazon Prime user, you can stream their free videos and movies on it. But I don't have Amazon Prime so it doesn't really help me. Also I use my laptop for streaming video for the most part. I think I'd be intrigued by a tablet with a netflix app, just for "watch an episode of Roseanne while pooping" novelty value.
- I find that the battery life absolutely stinks. Especially as an item made mostly for reading. This is another area that the older pre-fire "paperwhite" style kindle was better. I'll happily trade full color and a backlit screen and the video/game/app potential for the ability to read my book while not connected to a wall. I brought my old kindle on a month-long international trip in 2010 and charged it maybe three times. I can barely bring my kindle fire to the damn dog park with me without advance planning to make sure it's completely charged up.
- In terms of the kindle's intended use (reading ebooks), it's pretty good I guess. Also, as an object, I find it fine to use, a good size, etc. Nothing really wrong with it as a thing in itself.
posted by Sara C. at 11:36 AM on July 8, 2013
Best answer: Im my opinion, there is only one line of e-reader to consider (Kindle, the e-ink ones) and one line of tablet to consider (iPad). I have two of each. I have also had two different Android tablets, neither of which I liked. I use the iPads a lot more than the Kindles, but I don't actually read that many books. I will look for a Kindle version of any book I want first though, before getting a paper one. I actually find a Kindle more convenient than a paper book most of the time, especially since the battery lasts so long.
But if I was only going to buy one out of all these devices, I would get an iPad mini. More portable than the full-sized iPad, battery lasts long enough, you can use it for anything, including reading books, etc. I would get it with the cellular radio, since sometimes you want to be able to have internet when you're somewhere with no wi-fi, and also that's the only one with GPS.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:37 AM on July 8, 2013
But if I was only going to buy one out of all these devices, I would get an iPad mini. More portable than the full-sized iPad, battery lasts long enough, you can use it for anything, including reading books, etc. I would get it with the cellular radio, since sometimes you want to be able to have internet when you're somewhere with no wi-fi, and also that's the only one with GPS.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:37 AM on July 8, 2013
should I even bother in the first place
This depends on what appeals to you about each thing you are considering. I LOVE e-reading because 1) I find it more comfortable to read without having to hold a (possibly heavy) book a certain way and continually turn pages, 2) I have my book with me wherever I go, without the need to carry anything extra, and 3) I can get new books instantly, including public domain books for free, and borrow books from the library without leaving the house (though there is often a wait). But. My e-reader is my smartphone is my tablet (Galaxy Note) so it's just one device that I always have with me. If I had to carry a separate phone, e-reader, and tablet everywhere... well, I probably wouldn't. Something would get left at home, which defeats a lot of the convenience rationale for having everything be electronic.
posted by payoto at 11:37 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
This depends on what appeals to you about each thing you are considering. I LOVE e-reading because 1) I find it more comfortable to read without having to hold a (possibly heavy) book a certain way and continually turn pages, 2) I have my book with me wherever I go, without the need to carry anything extra, and 3) I can get new books instantly, including public domain books for free, and borrow books from the library without leaving the house (though there is often a wait). But. My e-reader is my smartphone is my tablet (Galaxy Note) so it's just one device that I always have with me. If I had to carry a separate phone, e-reader, and tablet everywhere... well, I probably wouldn't. Something would get left at home, which defeats a lot of the convenience rationale for having everything be electronic.
posted by payoto at 11:37 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have a laptop, an e-reader, and a tablet. I'd advise you to get the tablet and not the e-reader, unless you spent lots of time outdoors reading and e-ink actually makes a difference to you.
The thing is, a tablet IS an e-reader -- I have a Google Nexus 7 ($200 or less) and use it primarily to read books, check Twitter and email, and sometimes play games. It's a different set of uses than my laptop because I can haul it out during even brief periods of sitting-and-waiting. Nobody would haul a laptop out for a ten-minute wait at the post office, but a tablet... yeah. It's also much lighter to carry around than books -- a godsend if you do a lot of air travel or commute by public transit.
posted by Andrhia at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
The thing is, a tablet IS an e-reader -- I have a Google Nexus 7 ($200 or less) and use it primarily to read books, check Twitter and email, and sometimes play games. It's a different set of uses than my laptop because I can haul it out during even brief periods of sitting-and-waiting. Nobody would haul a laptop out for a ten-minute wait at the post office, but a tablet... yeah. It's also much lighter to carry around than books -- a godsend if you do a lot of air travel or commute by public transit.
posted by Andrhia at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Does your local library loan out e-readers? Many do nowadays - it might be fun to "test drive" what they have to offer to see how you like them. If you don't like it, no harm done. No money spent, no guilt about seeing it on the end table and reaching for a dead tree book instead.
For myself: I bought a Kindle. It was peer pressure that made me do it (honest, dad!). I gave it a few weeks and went back to dead tree books. I donated my Kindle to my library and chalked up the whole experience to "trying something new in the name of professional development". I wish I would have borrowed a Library Kindle/nook/etc first to find out how much I didn't like it. Would have saved a few bucks!
posted by Elly Vortex at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013
For myself: I bought a Kindle. It was peer pressure that made me do it (honest, dad!). I gave it a few weeks and went back to dead tree books. I donated my Kindle to my library and chalked up the whole experience to "trying something new in the name of professional development". I wish I would have borrowed a Library Kindle/nook/etc first to find out how much I didn't like it. Would have saved a few bucks!
posted by Elly Vortex at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013
Agreed, try the iPad Mini or regular iPad. If it does nothing else, it'll get you to stop asking yourself the singular question "Should I get a tablet?" and replace it with multiple iterations of "Should I download this app?"
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 11:38 AM on July 8, 2013
I grabbed an iPad Mini because there are apps for all the dedicated readers out there (Kindle, Nook, Sony, etc.), as well as for Overdrive (common library ereader DB). Any fears I had over the difference in price that I paid over the dedicated readers was destroyed when I saw a parent with one on a flight. She'd downloaded a movie for the kids to watch while on a flight without TVs. Priceless. Unfortunately I also realized Apple managed to create a device that makes it "okay" for adults to play video games, so you have to be careful with it. I'm sure other awesome uses for it are out there though. It definitely is not replacing my computer entirely, because the lack of a *decent* keyboard (yes, they are out there, but usually too small) limits what it can replace. So web browsing and email checking happens on the Mini now. I use the laptop for papers and dedicated apps now. Dropbox keeps content between both synchronized, along with my smart phone... which I still use mainly to place phone calls.
posted by jwells at 11:40 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by jwells at 11:40 AM on July 8, 2013
For a pure e-reader, see if you can find someone to let you play with an e-ink reader vs a backlit screen. E-ink is a glorious thing for reducing eye strain and if you're anticipating happily bunking down with your e-reader for extended reading sessions you may very well fall in love with it. (In which case: Kindle Paperwhite, unless you're opposed to Amazon for assorted perfectly valid reasons. The Paperwhite is a glorious thing for reading if you don't require a multitasker that you can also play games on, check email, blah blah blah.)
On the other hand, if you decide the e-ink doesn't do it for you, maybe you don't need a separate reader and can just get a tablet to do double-duty.
Mainly I'm responding because I was one of those people who was never intending to ditch her laptop for a tablet - but sure enough, I fell in love with the iPad and now I barely touch my laptop. I actually barely touch the poor Paperwhite either. Even though the e-ink is much nicer, my iPad is what I have handy so it tends to be what I read from. Except when I'm travelling and battery life is an issue, then I bring both. The tablet is perfect for web browsing and your basic low-level typing (a metafilter post, an email). For long fits of typing you'll go back to the laptop or perhaps a bluetooth keyboard for the tablet.
If you happen to be a comic book reader, go with a 10" tablet. 7" was just a leeetle bit too small for proper digital comic display.
posted by Stacey at 11:41 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, if you decide the e-ink doesn't do it for you, maybe you don't need a separate reader and can just get a tablet to do double-duty.
Mainly I'm responding because I was one of those people who was never intending to ditch her laptop for a tablet - but sure enough, I fell in love with the iPad and now I barely touch my laptop. I actually barely touch the poor Paperwhite either. Even though the e-ink is much nicer, my iPad is what I have handy so it tends to be what I read from. Except when I'm travelling and battery life is an issue, then I bring both. The tablet is perfect for web browsing and your basic low-level typing (a metafilter post, an email). For long fits of typing you'll go back to the laptop or perhaps a bluetooth keyboard for the tablet.
If you happen to be a comic book reader, go with a 10" tablet. 7" was just a leeetle bit too small for proper digital comic display.
posted by Stacey at 11:41 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Hmm. I have a supplementary question in the wake of the iPad Mini recs:
* I have a PC, and I remember the days when Mac products and PC products didn't play nice. Would the iPad Mini play nicely with my dell laptop?
Also, the notion of maybe streaming more movies more often is also part of this appeal too and something I forgot to mention. (I can do that on my laptop, but for some reason the battery life plummets if i watch videos.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:43 AM on July 8, 2013
* I have a PC, and I remember the days when Mac products and PC products didn't play nice. Would the iPad Mini play nicely with my dell laptop?
Also, the notion of maybe streaming more movies more often is also part of this appeal too and something I forgot to mention. (I can do that on my laptop, but for some reason the battery life plummets if i watch videos.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:43 AM on July 8, 2013
I love e-reading (I have a Nook, because I try to make Amazon work for my dollars whenever possible). When I'm tired I can just increase the text size. If I'm not sure of the definition of a word I just bang on the word and the built-in dictionary pops up with the answer. There is a light, so I can read without disturbing Mrs. Lurgi. Reading the latest Neal Stephenson won't give me hand cramps (seriously. What is it with that guy?) It's all good. I still buy books (usually used, these days), but I'd prefer to read everything on the e-reader because it's just so darned easy.
I prefer the dedicated e-reader, because I think that there is less eyestrain reading it (whether that is actually true is another question. I have actually read books on my phone and had it not be a problem, so it's entirely possible that I'm full of crap).
If nothing else, an e-reader is great to bring along on vacation. Rather than dragging along a dozen books, I can take my whole library with me.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 11:44 AM on July 8, 2013
I prefer the dedicated e-reader, because I think that there is less eyestrain reading it (whether that is actually true is another question. I have actually read books on my phone and had it not be a problem, so it's entirely possible that I'm full of crap).
If nothing else, an e-reader is great to bring along on vacation. Rather than dragging along a dozen books, I can take my whole library with me.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 11:44 AM on July 8, 2013
Best answer: I was a "no way will I ever buy an ereader" person. And then I got a Kindle keyboard (no paperwhite, no touchscreen, just a tiny keyboard that I never use, and physical page-turn buttons). It's amazing. So easy to read, and I no longer have to deal with the "packing for a weekend, only have room for 2 books but I'm in the middle of 4" dilemma. Or the "waiting in the doctor's office, but I'm near the end of this book, should I take another" issue. The print is crisp and doesn't hurt my eyes. The charge lasts FOREVER. I still buy way too many dead tree books. It's awesome.
I also have a Nexus 7. It gets a lot of use, but I couldn't use it as a regular e-reader because the charge runs out too fast, and I prefer e-ink for long-term reading. It also has some screen lift issues, so I can't really recommend it per se. Just wanted to chime in that a tablet isn't necessarily sufficient to cover for a dedicated e-reader.
posted by specialagentwebb at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I also have a Nexus 7. It gets a lot of use, but I couldn't use it as a regular e-reader because the charge runs out too fast, and I prefer e-ink for long-term reading. It also has some screen lift issues, so I can't really recommend it per se. Just wanted to chime in that a tablet isn't necessarily sufficient to cover for a dedicated e-reader.
posted by specialagentwebb at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Mr Meat has an ipad. I have a Kindle.
For reading, I strongly, strongly prefer the Kindle. In bright light, I find it hard to read on the ipad. I think I've only paid for one book - I am on the mailing lists for lots of free books, and I get all my reading from there. I do still go to the library for plenty of hard copy books.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
For reading, I strongly, strongly prefer the Kindle. In bright light, I find it hard to read on the ipad. I think I've only paid for one book - I am on the mailing lists for lots of free books, and I get all my reading from there. I do still go to the library for plenty of hard copy books.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
I have a kindle e-ink and wouldn't dream of getting something else for reading. I read A LOT, like A LOT and love my kindle. Really the only downside is that I buy a lot more books than I used to but I can afford it and it doesn't bother me that much. Before I was going to the library every week and that would be really inconvenient since we moved away from a close one.
I would NOT get a tablet if you only plan on reading on it and don't actually want a tablet. The e-ink is sooooooooo much nicer for reading plus I can read outside or with my sunglasses on (can't on a tablet since they are polarized and make the screen look all funny) and I can read for hours without any eye strain.
posted by magnetsphere at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
I would NOT get a tablet if you only plan on reading on it and don't actually want a tablet. The e-ink is sooooooooo much nicer for reading plus I can read outside or with my sunglasses on (can't on a tablet since they are polarized and make the screen look all funny) and I can read for hours without any eye strain.
posted by magnetsphere at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
I have a nook simple touch and I like it a lot. If I was getting one today, I'd still go with a nook simple touch--I'd just get it with a glow light. It's super basic, opens epubs, no ads, and has a battery that lasts forever. That being said, I prefer paper books, but ebooks are so often on sale for under five dollars that it's hard to resist. I'd say I do about a quarter of my reading on my nook, the rest with real books.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 11:45 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am still in love my first generation Kindle DX. The larger screen size makes it a workable replacement for a greater variety of publications and documents (because it's better for illustrations) than the standard-sized Kindles (which seem to be primarily aimed at replacing trade paperbacks only). The only thing that sucks about it is it's black and white so it's not good for reading comics. I don't know if they make color e-ink now -- if not, and if you read a lot of publications with color illustrations, you may be better getting a tablet with a Kindle app installed instead of an actual Kindle.
posted by Jacqueline at 11:46 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by Jacqueline at 11:46 AM on July 8, 2013
iPads play nice with PCs. With iCloud you don't even need a computer to synch the iPad.
I have an iPad, an iPhone, a laptop, and a Kindle. The iPad and iPhone with the kindle app is where most of my reading gets done now. I'd get an iPad, then decide if you need a separate reader.
posted by dpx.mfx at 11:46 AM on July 8, 2013
I have an iPad, an iPhone, a laptop, and a Kindle. The iPad and iPhone with the kindle app is where most of my reading gets done now. I'd get an iPad, then decide if you need a separate reader.
posted by dpx.mfx at 11:46 AM on July 8, 2013
I would get an eReader over a tablet, unless you want to read comics.
eReaders are awesome. They're as easy to read as a physical book, except you can load them up with as many books as you can imagine. Since they don't shine light in your face, they're okay to read in bed at night - you won't get eyestrain or have problems falling asleep as a result of a computer screen's light. I used to have a Sony model, but I got a Kindle when it died. Both were excellent.
I won an iPad Mini in somebody else's raffle (don't ask). It's nice enough, but it's hardly amazing. I typically find myself missing a real keyboard.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:47 AM on July 8, 2013
eReaders are awesome. They're as easy to read as a physical book, except you can load them up with as many books as you can imagine. Since they don't shine light in your face, they're okay to read in bed at night - you won't get eyestrain or have problems falling asleep as a result of a computer screen's light. I used to have a Sony model, but I got a Kindle when it died. Both were excellent.
I won an iPad Mini in somebody else's raffle (don't ask). It's nice enough, but it's hardly amazing. I typically find myself missing a real keyboard.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:47 AM on July 8, 2013
"should I even bother in the first place"
To be brief, I love my e-reader (Kindle Paperwhite) but probably could have lived without my iPad 3 (wifi only). I use the Kindle a lot more, am reading more and faster than I was with my paper books, but... all books are not available in electronic format, and the books can be pricey and full of errors, etc.
I find that whenever I want to do some internet-ting, unless it's pretty brief or I'm sitting on the couch/in bed and have the iPad at hand, I still prefer to use my laptop's physical keyboard. I don't regret the purchase (there was no iPad mini at the time, so no idea if I would have preferred that to the e-reader and tablet set up I have now) but it definitely has not replaced my laptop and I really don't care for reading books on it, either. I have an HP laptop which works fine with my iPad for syncing and backups (via iTunes/iCloud) but things that I do on my laptop tend to live only there, and same with the iPad, due to the different softwares, etc.
(I have the ad-supported version but you only see the ads when the Kindle is "resting," and since it's in my case, I only see ads for the two seconds it takes me to put in my passcode or if I'm looking at my library - in either case, not enough to bother me.)
posted by sm1tten at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013
To be brief, I love my e-reader (Kindle Paperwhite) but probably could have lived without my iPad 3 (wifi only). I use the Kindle a lot more, am reading more and faster than I was with my paper books, but... all books are not available in electronic format, and the books can be pricey and full of errors, etc.
I find that whenever I want to do some internet-ting, unless it's pretty brief or I'm sitting on the couch/in bed and have the iPad at hand, I still prefer to use my laptop's physical keyboard. I don't regret the purchase (there was no iPad mini at the time, so no idea if I would have preferred that to the e-reader and tablet set up I have now) but it definitely has not replaced my laptop and I really don't care for reading books on it, either. I have an HP laptop which works fine with my iPad for syncing and backups (via iTunes/iCloud) but things that I do on my laptop tend to live only there, and same with the iPad, due to the different softwares, etc.
(I have the ad-supported version but you only see the ads when the Kindle is "resting," and since it's in my case, I only see ads for the two seconds it takes me to put in my passcode or if I'm looking at my library - in either case, not enough to bother me.)
posted by sm1tten at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013
Best answer: I have just donated 11 boxes of books to our local library branch.
I love my Kindle, although I think I'd like a Paperwhite more.
I like how instantaneous it is, oh, book. Now. Read! Yay!
Also, when I used to travel for business I'd schlep at least 4 books per trip. Now, I have everything and then some right on my Kindle. Lightens the load certainly.
We're downsizing, so not having to accomodate shelves and shelves of books is certainly nice.
FWIW my parents who lugged all of their books all over the world, finally got rid of them all when they got Kindles.
I have a Dell PC, and I'm thinking that for what I do with it, I should have bought a tablet.
But I like having the Kindle just for books.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love my Kindle, although I think I'd like a Paperwhite more.
I like how instantaneous it is, oh, book. Now. Read! Yay!
Also, when I used to travel for business I'd schlep at least 4 books per trip. Now, I have everything and then some right on my Kindle. Lightens the load certainly.
We're downsizing, so not having to accomodate shelves and shelves of books is certainly nice.
FWIW my parents who lugged all of their books all over the world, finally got rid of them all when they got Kindles.
I have a Dell PC, and I'm thinking that for what I do with it, I should have bought a tablet.
But I like having the Kindle just for books.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love real books, love them with such a passion I owned a secondhand bookstore for 5 years. My husband bought me a Nexus 7 for my birthday and I was like why the hell did you buy me this I could have spent the money on something I would use like more books(I was not gracious about it at all). He got the last laugh I use that baby every day at least an hour a day, in ways I could not have imagined I have found it useful. I should add I don't have a smart phone either and many of my uses would probably be filled with one of those.
Laying in bed and remembering something I have to do tomorrow, 2 seconds and it's added to my google calander or tasks.
Long car trip and bored, games and movies.
Finished my book while at a coffee shop, BAM open a new book.
Recipes in the kitchen.
Reading or IMing family on the loo, I leave mine on the back of the toilet, on the floor it's fallen off the roof of my car at at least 35mph and was found in the gutter still in working order.
Tablets are so much quicker to start up and get to looking up quick things online than a computer or laptop so you can just look up that recipe or quick fact in seconds not minutes.
SO MANY FREE BOOKS. OMG SO MANY BOOKS. Did I mention the free books?
If you are going to read a lot of PDF's I'd recomend a 10" over a 7" but I really like the size of the 7" as it's just small enough to slip into a handbag or large pocket, but big enough to actually see what you are doing on it.
I now also have a nook touch and I love eInk when reading an engrossing book as it is so much easier on the eyes.
You are looking at about $200 for the Nexus 7, so it's a good entry level price too.
posted by wwax at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Laying in bed and remembering something I have to do tomorrow, 2 seconds and it's added to my google calander or tasks.
Long car trip and bored, games and movies.
Finished my book while at a coffee shop, BAM open a new book.
Recipes in the kitchen.
Reading or IMing family on the loo, I leave mine on the back of the toilet, on the floor it's fallen off the roof of my car at at least 35mph and was found in the gutter still in working order.
Tablets are so much quicker to start up and get to looking up quick things online than a computer or laptop so you can just look up that recipe or quick fact in seconds not minutes.
SO MANY FREE BOOKS. OMG SO MANY BOOKS. Did I mention the free books?
If you are going to read a lot of PDF's I'd recomend a 10" over a 7" but I really like the size of the 7" as it's just small enough to slip into a handbag or large pocket, but big enough to actually see what you are doing on it.
I now also have a nook touch and I love eInk when reading an engrossing book as it is so much easier on the eyes.
You are looking at about $200 for the Nexus 7, so it's a good entry level price too.
posted by wwax at 11:48 AM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
* I have a PC, and I remember the days when Mac products and PC products didn't play nice. Would the iPad Mini play nicely with my dell laptop?
I find this question mostly moot. I am a Mac user but I never plug my iPad into it anyway, it's an entirely self-contained machine.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:49 AM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I find this question mostly moot. I am a Mac user but I never plug my iPad into it anyway, it's an entirely self-contained machine.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:49 AM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
Wouldn't it depend what you like to read? Most of the books on my GoodReads to-read reading list (which I refer to whenever I hit one of the several amazing used bookstores in Victoria and Sidney BC) are not available on e-reader, mostly because they are kind of old and obscure.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:50 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by KokuRyu at 11:50 AM on July 8, 2013
In terms of the e-reader, if you're a big-time library borrower like I am, check in with your local library to find out what e-platforms they support. Many libraries, especially in big cities, now let you check out e-books on their websites, but only in certain formats. If you want to be able to borrow e-books, make sure you get a reader or tablet that supports the format(s) they offer.
I love my Kindle (which I didn't think I would, because I love paper books so much), but I've never tried any other devices, so I can't speak to the relative merits. One of the things I love about the Kindle is that it's really easy to send non-book documents (longform web articles, word documents, etc.) to the device to read later. So I don't just read books on it; I also get most of my news and work-related reading done on it.
Also, I have the cheapest possible regular Kindle, with ads. The ads are really, really unobtrusive. They appear only on the screen saver and in tiny print at the very bottom of the list of books on the device. There are no ads anywhere while you're actually reading a book or document. I wouldn't pay the extra $20 to get rid of the ads, because I don't even notice them.
posted by decathecting at 12:03 PM on July 8, 2013
I love my Kindle (which I didn't think I would, because I love paper books so much), but I've never tried any other devices, so I can't speak to the relative merits. One of the things I love about the Kindle is that it's really easy to send non-book documents (longform web articles, word documents, etc.) to the device to read later. So I don't just read books on it; I also get most of my news and work-related reading done on it.
Also, I have the cheapest possible regular Kindle, with ads. The ads are really, really unobtrusive. They appear only on the screen saver and in tiny print at the very bottom of the list of books on the device. There are no ads anywhere while you're actually reading a book or document. I wouldn't pay the extra $20 to get rid of the ads, because I don't even notice them.
posted by decathecting at 12:03 PM on July 8, 2013
I have a 3rd generation e-ink Kindle and before that I used an ancient Sony Reader. If you are reading straight text (like novels) rather than anything with a lot of images or links or anything like that, an e-ink reader is great. Flip the switch and it immediately brings up the page you were reading, and as someone who spends way too much time staring at back-lit LCD screens all day, e-ink is much nicer on the eyes than a normal screen. Also for example you can put it in a sandwich-size ziplock bag and read it on a sandy beach on a sunny day without any problems, which wouldn't be practical with most other devices. As long as you can get your reading material on it either through Amazon or calibre, it's the best way to read text in my opinion.
I also have an Android tablet which I don't really use. In most situations where I could use the tablet, I usually just use my Android phone or my netbook. The only thing that the tablet is better for than either of those two is portable video viewing.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:04 PM on July 8, 2013
I also have an Android tablet which I don't really use. In most situations where I could use the tablet, I usually just use my Android phone or my netbook. The only thing that the tablet is better for than either of those two is portable video viewing.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:04 PM on July 8, 2013
I <3 my Kindle Paperwhite. DO NOT GET A fire. Period. (well, unless you want it for videos, which it apparently does sorta. I simply wanted a kindle to read, and nothing but. Fire is trying to be some sorta hybrid reader/Amazon selling machine/tablet, and sorta works, pimps Amazon like crazy, and sorta works. As of a few months and some RAGE! ago, Fires did not have an Amazon provided option to sort my books; this was a huge slap in the face to me. Since, you know, my much older kindle did.)
My Kindle Keyboard was ok, but far too fragile for my clumsy lifestyle. The lack of a backlighting on the keyboard was annoying.
For ad-free versions, I think they charge an extra $20 or so, which is sorta lame, yes. But my Kindle Paperwhite was around $120 total, and I use it a ton.
Buying a book for the kindle can be costly, but there are SO MANY free or extremely cheap books and collections and internet resources that I almost never pay for reading material.
I do find the kindle struggling with some PDF's and jumping to the middle of a book, and such, and the lack of colour might bother people, but overall, its fantastic.
posted by Jacen at 12:05 PM on July 8, 2013
My Kindle Keyboard was ok, but far too fragile for my clumsy lifestyle. The lack of a backlighting on the keyboard was annoying.
For ad-free versions, I think they charge an extra $20 or so, which is sorta lame, yes. But my Kindle Paperwhite was around $120 total, and I use it a ton.
Buying a book for the kindle can be costly, but there are SO MANY free or extremely cheap books and collections and internet resources that I almost never pay for reading material.
I do find the kindle struggling with some PDF's and jumping to the middle of a book, and such, and the lack of colour might bother people, but overall, its fantastic.
posted by Jacen at 12:05 PM on July 8, 2013
I have the cheapest Kindle (but without the ads) and I love it far more than I expected to. I use calibre for turning stuff from Lexis or the Web into readable documents on the Kindle. Calibre was initially confusing to me, but I figured it out eventually. The ability to take academic articles to lunch or home with me to read on the bus has really helped my productivity at work (and makes me feel less guilty about slacking off on metafilter sometimes while I'm at work). The ability to have dozens of books with me anytime I might get stuck somewhere or when I might get tired of what I'm reading is the best and reading on the Kindle is absolutely unlike reading on a screen.
The only problem I ever have with the Kindle is that I need a book light for reading it in bed.
I have no interest in a tablet, so I can't speak to that, but the Kindle has been the best. My library system has lots of stuff available for the Kindle, too, which has made a difference.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:09 PM on July 8, 2013
The only problem I ever have with the Kindle is that I need a book light for reading it in bed.
I have no interest in a tablet, so I can't speak to that, but the Kindle has been the best. My library system has lots of stuff available for the Kindle, too, which has made a difference.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:09 PM on July 8, 2013
I was also a "bah humbug I'll never buy an e-reader" person, but raves from friends and consideration of the practical aspects of such a device wore me down. I bought a basic, bottom-end plain old e-ink Kindle a couple of months ago, and I am surprised by how much I love it, and how much reading I've done since I got the thing.
I've had a 1st generation iPad through work which is a wonderful device for various tablet-y tasks (web surfing, checking email, watching Netflix) but a terrible device for reading books; the backlit screen is very hard on the eyes, and it's very heavy to hold comfortably for extended periods. I know newer iPads have better resolution and are marginally lighter, but I would still not buy a tablet expressly for reading books.
E-ink is a pleasure to read, and the Kindle weighs less than some paperbacks. It will never fully replace my love of the dead tree format (especially for image-heavy/reference type books) but for "Mainstream fiction I just want to read and don't really care about owning physically forever and ever" books it is wonderful. My library is also part of a network that has some e-books available for lending too, which is pretty sweet as long as you can finish a title within the two week loan period. (No renewals through this particular program.) And of course there's all of Project Gutenberg and many free public domain classics on Amazon too.
If/when my current Kindle bites the dust I may look at a Paperwhite, with the side-lighting and (I think?) slightly whiter screen and higher resolution... but part of me likes old school "need a light source" reading. I have the ad-supported version, and as has already been mentioned, it's unobtrusive; you get a full screen ad when the device is in standby mode, and a small banner on the book list; never when reading.
posted by usonian at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've had a 1st generation iPad through work which is a wonderful device for various tablet-y tasks (web surfing, checking email, watching Netflix) but a terrible device for reading books; the backlit screen is very hard on the eyes, and it's very heavy to hold comfortably for extended periods. I know newer iPads have better resolution and are marginally lighter, but I would still not buy a tablet expressly for reading books.
E-ink is a pleasure to read, and the Kindle weighs less than some paperbacks. It will never fully replace my love of the dead tree format (especially for image-heavy/reference type books) but for "Mainstream fiction I just want to read and don't really care about owning physically forever and ever" books it is wonderful. My library is also part of a network that has some e-books available for lending too, which is pretty sweet as long as you can finish a title within the two week loan period. (No renewals through this particular program.) And of course there's all of Project Gutenberg and many free public domain classics on Amazon too.
If/when my current Kindle bites the dust I may look at a Paperwhite, with the side-lighting and (I think?) slightly whiter screen and higher resolution... but part of me likes old school "need a light source" reading. I have the ad-supported version, and as has already been mentioned, it's unobtrusive; you get a full screen ad when the device is in standby mode, and a small banner on the book list; never when reading.
posted by usonian at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: FWIW: The NYPL has a somewhat decent selection of eBooks (I define "somewhat decent" as "better than you'll find for free anywhere else") that are easily checked out online.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013
I have an iPad mini and a Kobo ereader.
I use the Kobo every day, multiple times a day. I use the iPad most days. The iPad has, in some ways, replaced my laptop -- I do all my tumblr-ing and pinterest-ing and my rss-ing on it -- but it has not in any way replaced the Kobo (this is not necessarily a brand endorsement, just a e-ink over tablet endorsement). A lot of people have covered the "reading in the sun!!" thing, but here are some other pro-ereader arguments.
1. The cost. It's not CHEAP, but at as low as $40 (the price of an expensive hardcover!) you don't really need to worry about it so much, you know? You can drop the thing or lose it, or take it in the bath or to the beach, without worrying about your $500+ hardware.
I find that I am much more concerned about using the iPad, even though it's a cheap-o version, than I am about the kobo.
2. The battery. A tablet battery is good, but the e-ink battery is AMAZING. In the last year with my device, the battery has died at an inconvenient moment once. I rarely plug the thing in (as in, every few weeks I remember). There is no worse nightmare for me than hour 2 of an 11-hour flight with a device at 30% battery. If I'm taking the iPad for a weekend away and forget the charger I'm boned, but the same can not be said for the kobo.
3. Disconnectedness. Nothing is worse than being in the middle of a good chapter only to have a fucking email pop up. It drags you right out. That's not an option on most e-ink devices and I hope it stays that way forever.
4. No other choices. Sometimes it's hard to convince myself to read a book when there's a couple of articles left in my feedly, a couple of new pins, a conversation on facebook. Worse, when there's a new level of Angry Birds. But I'm always happier after an hour with a book than I am with an hour whiled away on puzzle games and twitter. If the options aren't immediately available I won't take them.
All of that being said, the iPad Mini is a very fun little toy. If you read more cookbooks and magazines than you do straight-text books, it's probably your best bet. And if you're thinking of doing both, I recommend it as a halfway decent laptop replacement. It's not great for longterm typing, but for browsing and emails it's lovely and portable. But it's just a toy for me -- I couldn't actually get rid of my main computer and replace it with a tablet, nor could I get rid of my ereader. The only thing it's allowed me to sell is my Gameboy.
posted by AmandaA at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013
I use the Kobo every day, multiple times a day. I use the iPad most days. The iPad has, in some ways, replaced my laptop -- I do all my tumblr-ing and pinterest-ing and my rss-ing on it -- but it has not in any way replaced the Kobo (this is not necessarily a brand endorsement, just a e-ink over tablet endorsement). A lot of people have covered the "reading in the sun!!" thing, but here are some other pro-ereader arguments.
1. The cost. It's not CHEAP, but at as low as $40 (the price of an expensive hardcover!) you don't really need to worry about it so much, you know? You can drop the thing or lose it, or take it in the bath or to the beach, without worrying about your $500+ hardware.
I find that I am much more concerned about using the iPad, even though it's a cheap-o version, than I am about the kobo.
2. The battery. A tablet battery is good, but the e-ink battery is AMAZING. In the last year with my device, the battery has died at an inconvenient moment once. I rarely plug the thing in (as in, every few weeks I remember). There is no worse nightmare for me than hour 2 of an 11-hour flight with a device at 30% battery. If I'm taking the iPad for a weekend away and forget the charger I'm boned, but the same can not be said for the kobo.
3. Disconnectedness. Nothing is worse than being in the middle of a good chapter only to have a fucking email pop up. It drags you right out. That's not an option on most e-ink devices and I hope it stays that way forever.
4. No other choices. Sometimes it's hard to convince myself to read a book when there's a couple of articles left in my feedly, a couple of new pins, a conversation on facebook. Worse, when there's a new level of Angry Birds. But I'm always happier after an hour with a book than I am with an hour whiled away on puzzle games and twitter. If the options aren't immediately available I won't take them.
All of that being said, the iPad Mini is a very fun little toy. If you read more cookbooks and magazines than you do straight-text books, it's probably your best bet. And if you're thinking of doing both, I recommend it as a halfway decent laptop replacement. It's not great for longterm typing, but for browsing and emails it's lovely and portable. But it's just a toy for me -- I couldn't actually get rid of my main computer and replace it with a tablet, nor could I get rid of my ereader. The only thing it's allowed me to sell is my Gameboy.
posted by AmandaA at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2013
We don't have a tablet, can't help you there. They seem like toys to me still. Maybe someday.
We broke down and bought a Kindle maybe a year ago. It's not bad, but I have not experienced the metamorphosis that some folks do. I still mostly read paper books. My wife has moved over to the Kindle a little more.
The nicest thing for me about the Kindle is being able to read things only available as e-books, or much much cheaper as e-books. There are some of those.
The next nicest thing is being able to take a lot of reading material in a tiny container, when travelling or waiting at the DMV or whatever.
I'm not crazy about wagging around expensive gear to get lost or broken or stolen, but fortunately the cheaper Kindles are not too costly. If our replacement cycle ends up being a couple years it would still be worth it to us.
Older stuff that's out of copyright you can often find for free or very cheap (lots of good stuff there, too).
If you're considering an e-reader, you should decide whether or not you want e-ink. I absolutely do. I don't think I could read up close with a back lit screen for very long, and I suspect it would screw up my sleep to do it in bed before lights out. The e-ink reading is agreeable, about as nice as a paper book.
posted by mattu at 12:13 PM on July 8, 2013
We broke down and bought a Kindle maybe a year ago. It's not bad, but I have not experienced the metamorphosis that some folks do. I still mostly read paper books. My wife has moved over to the Kindle a little more.
The nicest thing for me about the Kindle is being able to read things only available as e-books, or much much cheaper as e-books. There are some of those.
The next nicest thing is being able to take a lot of reading material in a tiny container, when travelling or waiting at the DMV or whatever.
I'm not crazy about wagging around expensive gear to get lost or broken or stolen, but fortunately the cheaper Kindles are not too costly. If our replacement cycle ends up being a couple years it would still be worth it to us.
Older stuff that's out of copyright you can often find for free or very cheap (lots of good stuff there, too).
If you're considering an e-reader, you should decide whether or not you want e-ink. I absolutely do. I don't think I could read up close with a back lit screen for very long, and I suspect it would screw up my sleep to do it in bed before lights out. The e-ink reading is agreeable, about as nice as a paper book.
posted by mattu at 12:13 PM on July 8, 2013
I have the cheap-o kindle crush-onastick linked and the kindle app on all the things: Nexus 4 (phone), Nexus 7, the laptop and the desktop. They all see use - even the desktop on occasion which I really only use for video games. There is no going back.
posted by MillMan at 12:14 PM on July 8, 2013
posted by MillMan at 12:14 PM on July 8, 2013
I have a first generation Kindle, a Nexus 7 tablet, and an Android phone. I have the Kindle app on the tablet and phone, and use all three to read. I do find myself using the tablet more often than the other two, however. It's just more convenient. The Kindle is a little easier on the eyes and has the best battery life, but the tablet does many other things and the backlight level is adjustable in the Kindle app.
If I could only have one device, it would be the tablet.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 12:17 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
If I could only have one device, it would be the tablet.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 12:17 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
FWIW, I bought a Kindle and re-sold it to a friend within a month. A year later, I bought color Nook, downloaded a couple of novels and re-subscribed to the NYTimes on it. But I don't use it. It just sits there. Two strikes and I'm out--looks like I just like books. Real books. They don't require charging and the pages turn real easy. Real pages.
For what it's worth.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 12:19 PM on July 8, 2013
For what it's worth.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 12:19 PM on July 8, 2013
I was a "no way will I ever buy an ereader" person.
This was also me, until our credit union gave us kindles for joining up. I went from a Kindle Touch to a Paperwhite (the one with ads, and I never notice them anymore, and they only appear on the lock screen anyway) and while yes, I do still have stacks of dead-tree books in my house, I now have digital stacks, too! I can't tell you what a pleasure and relief it is (and I know this isn't just me) to have a device that contains many, many books - because what if I get tired of the one I'm reading, or I finish it, or I'm just not in the mood for that particular book right now? Etc. I'd read books via the Kindle app (and Stanza) on my phone, and had assumed that all the e-ink hype was just hype. Maybe some of it is, but I really have noticed a difference, and reading on the paperwhite is waaay better than reading on my phone. I also love it because all it's for is reading - no games, no internet, just reading, mostly books. YMMV.
posted by rtha at 12:27 PM on July 8, 2013
This was also me, until our credit union gave us kindles for joining up. I went from a Kindle Touch to a Paperwhite (the one with ads, and I never notice them anymore, and they only appear on the lock screen anyway) and while yes, I do still have stacks of dead-tree books in my house, I now have digital stacks, too! I can't tell you what a pleasure and relief it is (and I know this isn't just me) to have a device that contains many, many books - because what if I get tired of the one I'm reading, or I finish it, or I'm just not in the mood for that particular book right now? Etc. I'd read books via the Kindle app (and Stanza) on my phone, and had assumed that all the e-ink hype was just hype. Maybe some of it is, but I really have noticed a difference, and reading on the paperwhite is waaay better than reading on my phone. I also love it because all it's for is reading - no games, no internet, just reading, mostly books. YMMV.
posted by rtha at 12:27 PM on July 8, 2013
I can read books on my iPad, but I almost never do, with the distractions of the internet right there. My old Kindle2 is much better for reading, since its web browser is slow and awkward, just right for emergencies-only use. I'm not being continually tempted to go check on something. I still read more paper books from the library than eBooks, but I like to have the Kindle for traveling and unexpected waits. I check out a stack of eBooks from the library when going on trips.
posted by Ery at 12:33 PM on July 8, 2013
posted by Ery at 12:33 PM on July 8, 2013
I have a Nexus 10. It has not replaced my laptop in any way whatsoever, and people tell me it never will. I rarely use it for reading, because most technical books have really shitty e-book versions. Yes, even books about computers. So I still read books on paper and on my laptop.
posted by Nomyte at 12:47 PM on July 8, 2013
posted by Nomyte at 12:47 PM on July 8, 2013
Best answer: I have both an iPad and an oldish e-ink Nook. The ipad is a lot of fun, and I'm glad I have it, but if I were to lose it, sure I'd be pissed, but my life wouldn't be much worse and I'd probably spend a lot of time thinking about whether or not to spend the money to replace it.
The Nook on the other hand, would be replaced the very day I lost it. It's pretty much my favorite thing that I own (especially now that my book club has decided to read 1Q84). I wholeheartedly suggest any e-ink e-reader. Choose your brand based on where you like to buy books.
posted by Ragged Richard at 12:50 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Nook on the other hand, would be replaced the very day I lost it. It's pretty much my favorite thing that I own (especially now that my book club has decided to read 1Q84). I wholeheartedly suggest any e-ink e-reader. Choose your brand based on where you like to buy books.
posted by Ragged Richard at 12:50 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Tablets are great for travel internet. The iPad is the best-built tablet IMO. But my old e-ink reader is much better for non-technical books (few/no figures or diagrams) because they suck at the internet, so I can escape the Internet's siren song for a while.
My iPad can run for about ten hours with the screen on. My old Kindle can probably go for a week or two of unceasing page turning on a charge.
posted by zippy at 12:54 PM on July 8, 2013
My iPad can run for about ten hours with the screen on. My old Kindle can probably go for a week or two of unceasing page turning on a charge.
posted by zippy at 12:54 PM on July 8, 2013
I finally got around to just buying the most basic Kindle and it is hands down the best thing I've bought in so long.
Cost around $70.
I was lugging around the 5th George R.R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire. Now I just carry my kindle everywhere!
Also definitely get it with the ads. It's not only $20 cheaper but the ads are actually awesome. I've gotten so many cool books for $1.99 thanks to the daily deals. If you don't want to have the screensaver ads up, you can just turn it all the way off. It in no way affects the reading.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 12:59 PM on July 8, 2013
Cost around $70.
I was lugging around the 5th George R.R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire. Now I just carry my kindle everywhere!
Also definitely get it with the ads. It's not only $20 cheaper but the ads are actually awesome. I've gotten so many cool books for $1.99 thanks to the daily deals. If you don't want to have the screensaver ads up, you can just turn it all the way off. It in no way affects the reading.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 12:59 PM on July 8, 2013
I was a "no thank you I love real books" person, but my husband got me a bog-standard e-ink Kindle and I love love love it. Particularly since I love doorstop books. Particularly since I have two little kids and getting to a bookstore is a drag. I can buy new books from ANYWHERE MUA HA HA HA HA!
So now, we have two Kindles on the same Amazon account, and an iPad. I would never use the ipad for reading a book on, I use it for movies and TV and for when I want a computer but not, like, a whole computer. My dad went from a laptop to an ipad + bluetooth keyboard and loves it.
posted by KathrynT at 1:15 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
So now, we have two Kindles on the same Amazon account, and an iPad. I would never use the ipad for reading a book on, I use it for movies and TV and for when I want a computer but not, like, a whole computer. My dad went from a laptop to an ipad + bluetooth keyboard and loves it.
posted by KathrynT at 1:15 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I love my Kindle Paperwhite. DO NOT GET A fire. Period.
Totally agree. I think the Fire is a good device for people who like devices. I think the Paperwhite is the best device for people who are hard-core readers. The reading experience is superlative, the device itself is comfortable to hold, and the not having to leave the comfort of my bed / chair /vacation destination to run to a store to get the next book in a series is an utter joy. For non-series reading, I just browse the Amazon.com website and click the button to have things I want to read delivered to my device. I have never connected it to anything else.
My first one was a Kindle Keyboard called Pandorica, because it contained worlds. My new Kindle Paperwhite is called Gringotts because realistically, it's where I put all my money. Having said that, as a very heavy reader (550+ books since I got it just under 2 years ago), I have saved a ton of money buying Kindle editions over print books.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:24 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Totally agree. I think the Fire is a good device for people who like devices. I think the Paperwhite is the best device for people who are hard-core readers. The reading experience is superlative, the device itself is comfortable to hold, and the not having to leave the comfort of my bed / chair /vacation destination to run to a store to get the next book in a series is an utter joy. For non-series reading, I just browse the Amazon.com website and click the button to have things I want to read delivered to my device. I have never connected it to anything else.
My first one was a Kindle Keyboard called Pandorica, because it contained worlds. My new Kindle Paperwhite is called Gringotts because realistically, it's where I put all my money. Having said that, as a very heavy reader (550+ books since I got it just under 2 years ago), I have saved a ton of money buying Kindle editions over print books.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:24 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
> I was a "no way will I ever buy an ereader" person. And then I got a Kindle keyboard (no paperwhite, no touchscreen, just a tiny keyboard that I never use, and physical page-turn buttons). It's amazing. So easy to read, and I no longer have to deal with the "packing for a weekend, only have room for 2 books but I'm in the middle of 4" dilemma. Or the "waiting in the doctor's office, but I'm near the end of this book, should I take another" issue. The print is crisp and doesn't hurt my eyes. The charge lasts FOREVER. I still buy way too many dead tree books. It's awesome.
I came here to say all this. I had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century; what finally convinced me was the ability to download all those Russian novels I wanted to read. It's changed my life. I carry it with me everywhere and have no more travel angst ("should I take two more books and a NYRB, just in case?"). Do it! DOOOO ITTTTT! Seriously, you won't regret it.
posted by languagehat at 2:27 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I came here to say all this. I had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century; what finally convinced me was the ability to download all those Russian novels I wanted to read. It's changed my life. I carry it with me everywhere and have no more travel angst ("should I take two more books and a NYRB, just in case?"). Do it! DOOOO ITTTTT! Seriously, you won't regret it.
posted by languagehat at 2:27 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I just got a Kindle Paperwhite. I was really resistant but I'd been thinking about it a lot since I moved to a city with public transportation, because it can be inconvenient to carry a book around on the bus, train, etc.
One thing that's really great is that you can download a chapter or so to try it out. I've been listening to Fresh Air a lot recently and will often download the trial as soon as I listen to the podcast so it's on my "to read" list. I read the first chapter of one book that I felt sorta "eh" about and didn't download. However I started a great book the other day and ended up buying the whole book and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Another thing that's really useful is the dictionary function. You just press to hilight a word and it pulls up the definition. The book I'm reading has a lot of unfamiliar words because it takes place partly in Nigeria, so it's been really helpful.
I also have an iPad, which is okay but honestly if it broke or I lost it I probably wouldn't replace it. I like to curl up in bed and watch Netflix or Hulu+ on it, but I could do that with my laptop too. I traveled with it once and it was convenient to have to check my email and such without lugging my entire laptop. Maybe I would like the iPad more if I had a keyboard, but it's really annoying to type on as-is. Something about it also feels very...limiting...although I am not sure how to explain it.
posted by radioamy at 4:01 PM on July 8, 2013
One thing that's really great is that you can download a chapter or so to try it out. I've been listening to Fresh Air a lot recently and will often download the trial as soon as I listen to the podcast so it's on my "to read" list. I read the first chapter of one book that I felt sorta "eh" about and didn't download. However I started a great book the other day and ended up buying the whole book and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Another thing that's really useful is the dictionary function. You just press to hilight a word and it pulls up the definition. The book I'm reading has a lot of unfamiliar words because it takes place partly in Nigeria, so it's been really helpful.
I also have an iPad, which is okay but honestly if it broke or I lost it I probably wouldn't replace it. I like to curl up in bed and watch Netflix or Hulu+ on it, but I could do that with my laptop too. I traveled with it once and it was convenient to have to check my email and such without lugging my entire laptop. Maybe I would like the iPad more if I had a keyboard, but it's really annoying to type on as-is. Something about it also feels very...limiting...although I am not sure how to explain it.
posted by radioamy at 4:01 PM on July 8, 2013
I too was convinced I'd never leave REAL books for some electronic toy..... hah! In my case, I worked with a fellow Luddite whose wife surprised him with a Kindle back in 2009; within a week, he was in love with it for all the reasons above, and within two weeks I'd ordered one of my own.
That was a 2nd Generation model; when it died (it was an accident, nothing to do with Kindle's quality) I replaced it with the 3rd Gen --- AKA the Keyboard --- that I still have. I've got over 700 books on the thing, I try VERY hard to get new Kindle books --- I'm living in the midst of probably 4000 or more dead-tree books, and don't need to bury this place in still more. It's a really handy thing for all of us heavy readers: so much easier than hauling around big, bulky, heavy 'real' books.
posted by easily confused at 4:11 PM on July 8, 2013
That was a 2nd Generation model; when it died (it was an accident, nothing to do with Kindle's quality) I replaced it with the 3rd Gen --- AKA the Keyboard --- that I still have. I've got over 700 books on the thing, I try VERY hard to get new Kindle books --- I'm living in the midst of probably 4000 or more dead-tree books, and don't need to bury this place in still more. It's a really handy thing for all of us heavy readers: so much easier than hauling around big, bulky, heavy 'real' books.
posted by easily confused at 4:11 PM on July 8, 2013
Another Kindle fan here. I take it everywhere.
Something to consider - if you travel a lot, particularly overseas, get the 3G version. Being able to download books whereever* you are is fabulous. Plus you can use it for emergency googling (I assume the new versions still have the browser).
*Well, not quite, but pretty close.
posted by kjs4 at 4:25 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Something to consider - if you travel a lot, particularly overseas, get the 3G version. Being able to download books whereever* you are is fabulous. Plus you can use it for emergency googling (I assume the new versions still have the browser).
*Well, not quite, but pretty close.
posted by kjs4 at 4:25 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
One thing to take into account, maybe, if you're like me: e-ink readers don't really work as well as paper or LCDs for technical stuff; I've read a few technical books on my Kindle and it's fairly annoying when the book says "as we can see on figure 1" and you have to change the page 2-3 times (about 2 s) to see the figure, then come back, and aforth.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 4:37 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 4:37 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all very much. Just popping in to clarify a couple of questions others have had, and let y'all poke holes in the plan you've all now helped shape -
* I wouldn't be using the e-reader for any technical reading. Just straight-up text, mainly free public domain stuff and the odd cheap thing.
* I have a dumb phone and I like it that way.
So I'm thinking: a fairly basic e-reader that would be just for books, and a fairly basic tablet that would be for "travel internet, occasional video streaming, maybe jotting down notes and then all the productivity doodads I'd have on my smartphone if I had one". How's that?
And should I go Kindle/iPad? Or other brands?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:46 PM on July 8, 2013
* I wouldn't be using the e-reader for any technical reading. Just straight-up text, mainly free public domain stuff and the odd cheap thing.
* I have a dumb phone and I like it that way.
So I'm thinking: a fairly basic e-reader that would be just for books, and a fairly basic tablet that would be for "travel internet, occasional video streaming, maybe jotting down notes and then all the productivity doodads I'd have on my smartphone if I had one". How's that?
And should I go Kindle/iPad? Or other brands?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:46 PM on July 8, 2013
So I'm thinking: a fairly basic e-reader that would be just for books
Kindle Paperwhite.
fairly basic tablet that would be for "travel internet, occasional video streaming, maybe jotting down notes and then all the productivity doodads I'd have on my smartphone if I had one
I've not found anything as good as an iPad for less than an iPad, and since I can't afford an iPad, I don't have a good suggestion for this that is not a smartphone. I'd get the Kindle since the cost of breaking the Luddite barrier is really low on that, and then see where you are after that.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:56 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Kindle Paperwhite.
fairly basic tablet that would be for "travel internet, occasional video streaming, maybe jotting down notes and then all the productivity doodads I'd have on my smartphone if I had one
I've not found anything as good as an iPad for less than an iPad, and since I can't afford an iPad, I don't have a good suggestion for this that is not a smartphone. I'd get the Kindle since the cost of breaking the Luddite barrier is really low on that, and then see where you are after that.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:56 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'd say check out the Google Nexus's(Nexi? Nexuses). Kindle is basically an android platform with all sort of restrictions so if you go that route for not much more you can get a fully functional Android system, unless you are going an eInk reader in which case they are supposed to be great at that.
I'm not a fan of iPads as I think they are overpriced for what they do, but I am sure pretty much everyone else will come on here and say iPad are awesome and will make you coffee in the morning and cause the heavens to turn, so make of my minority descent what you will.
posted by wwax at 5:04 PM on July 8, 2013
I'm not a fan of iPads as I think they are overpriced for what they do, but I am sure pretty much everyone else will come on here and say iPad are awesome and will make you coffee in the morning and cause the heavens to turn, so make of my minority descent what you will.
posted by wwax at 5:04 PM on July 8, 2013
Response by poster: Kindle is basically an android platform with all sort of restrictions so if you go that route for not much more you can get a fully functional Android system, unless you are going an eInk reader in which case they are supposed to be great at that.
Here is where my luddite traits come into play -
What is an "android platform" and why would it potentially impact what I do?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:22 PM on July 8, 2013
Here is where my luddite traits come into play -
What is an "android platform" and why would it potentially impact what I do?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:22 PM on July 8, 2013
Both the Kindle and the Nexus tablets are Android.
Amazon has stripped down and highly customized the Android interface on the Kindles. They've made it so it works wonderfully if all you want to do is read and interact with Amazon's marketplace.
Android is a much more capable operating system than just that, though. And since Android is Google's brainchild, and the Nexus is designed by Google, the Nexus has the full, unadulterated Android experience. It's more like an actual computer than the Kindle. (Although its primary purpose is to consume media.) So not only can you read on the Nexus (using Kindle's Android app, even), you can watch videos, play games, and surf the web.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:18 PM on July 8, 2013
Amazon has stripped down and highly customized the Android interface on the Kindles. They've made it so it works wonderfully if all you want to do is read and interact with Amazon's marketplace.
Android is a much more capable operating system than just that, though. And since Android is Google's brainchild, and the Nexus is designed by Google, the Nexus has the full, unadulterated Android experience. It's more like an actual computer than the Kindle. (Although its primary purpose is to consume media.) So not only can you read on the Nexus (using Kindle's Android app, even), you can watch videos, play games, and surf the web.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:18 PM on July 8, 2013
Response by poster: But what IS Android? And how can I tell whether I want it or not?
I'm definitely getting the cheap Kindle, now I'm figuring out what to get for the tablet. I want to be able to sync with my Dell laptop if I make notes there on the fly for something I want to write about later, or sync my MS Outlook calendar with my laptop. Do I need android for that? Or no?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 PM on July 8, 2013
I'm definitely getting the cheap Kindle, now I'm figuring out what to get for the tablet. I want to be able to sync with my Dell laptop if I make notes there on the fly for something I want to write about later, or sync my MS Outlook calendar with my laptop. Do I need android for that? Or no?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 PM on July 8, 2013
Windows and MacOS X : personal computers :: Android and iOS : phones and tablets.
Android is an operating system for phones and tablets that was created by google and is used by various vendors. Apple tablets and phones run iOS. Apple's stuff tends to be more closed, and offer less freedom (you can't get just any app in the app store), while Android is a lot more freewheeling.
Both a good Android tablet and an iPad will allow you to sync with a PC and to sync your tablet with your Outlook calendar (though it may be easier to sync your outlook calendar with gmail, and then sync your tablet to google, so that you can access your calendar anytime google is up, without having to connect your tablet to your PC)
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 6:58 PM on July 8, 2013
Android is an operating system for phones and tablets that was created by google and is used by various vendors. Apple tablets and phones run iOS. Apple's stuff tends to be more closed, and offer less freedom (you can't get just any app in the app store), while Android is a lot more freewheeling.
Both a good Android tablet and an iPad will allow you to sync with a PC and to sync your tablet with your Outlook calendar (though it may be easier to sync your outlook calendar with gmail, and then sync your tablet to google, so that you can access your calendar anytime google is up, without having to connect your tablet to your PC)
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 6:58 PM on July 8, 2013
Think of the Android vs ipad thing as the tablet version of PC vs Mac. Android is basically an operating system. There are some other things - Android is open source (based on Linux) rather than proprietary; it's been developed to minimise memory usage meaning that things should run faster and more efficiently, some other technical things like that. Perhaps more relevant is that Flash (a type of software which many games use) does not work on an ipad, it does on Android tablets.
My other advice would be to visit a big electronics store. A few years ago my dad was debating whether or not to get an ereader/tablet/smartphone and he was able to go and try out sample devices. Not the same as carrying it around and using it, but you can get a sense of it anyway.
As I am contemplating another overseas trip I am thinking about the whole thing myself. I have tried ereaders and tablets both and while I like tablets for games, they're useless for note-taking, writing, etc. Well, for me. I am prepared to acknowledge that my finger size means all touch screens are pretty much anathema for me. I didn't bond with the Kindle I've tried using, but they've moved on since then so would be worth giving a go. Ultimately, I love my dead tree books and if it weren't for the 14-hour trans-Pacific flight, I'd never go digital.
posted by Athanassiel at 7:01 PM on July 8, 2013
My other advice would be to visit a big electronics store. A few years ago my dad was debating whether or not to get an ereader/tablet/smartphone and he was able to go and try out sample devices. Not the same as carrying it around and using it, but you can get a sense of it anyway.
As I am contemplating another overseas trip I am thinking about the whole thing myself. I have tried ereaders and tablets both and while I like tablets for games, they're useless for note-taking, writing, etc. Well, for me. I am prepared to acknowledge that my finger size means all touch screens are pretty much anathema for me. I didn't bond with the Kindle I've tried using, but they've moved on since then so would be worth giving a go. Ultimately, I love my dead tree books and if it weren't for the 14-hour trans-Pacific flight, I'd never go digital.
posted by Athanassiel at 7:01 PM on July 8, 2013
New gadgets, one of my favorite topics! Just chiming in to suggest supplementing the cheap Kindle with an iPad mini. The organizational and note-taking apps for the iPad are superb! (I can't speak for Android tablets, although I hate my Android MyTouch crappy crap crap phone. Did I mention it was crappy?)
posted by quixotictic at 10:18 PM on July 8, 2013
posted by quixotictic at 10:18 PM on July 8, 2013
Best answer: I would definitely recommend getting an e-ink reader like the Kindle over using your tablet to read. Battery life for my Kindle touch is something like 2-3 WEEKS between charges. Which is awesome. Though I would splurge for the global 3G, since that has helped me download the 2nd and 3rd books in what I didn't know was a trilogy while I was on the beach in the Dominican Republic. For free! It was like I was living in the future! And see below for why I think you should go for the cheaper ad-supported version, at least at first.
Sara C.: "- It has ads, which I hate. Someone gave me this thing to read books on so now I have to stare at ads all day despite the fact that I'm already paying for the damn books I'm reading? No thank you. Diediediediedie is basically how I feel about this. (It also doesn't help that I used to have the old-school non "fire" edition of the kindle -- what I think they now sell as the "paperwhite" -- and it did not involve ads.) My kindle was a gift, but if I were paying, I'd happily spend the extra money for something that doesn't require me to stare at ads for shit I don't want while I read books I ALREADY FRICKEN PAID FOR AND WHAT MORE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH"
Just a note on this... on my account at Amazon.com, I can go to "Your Account", "Manage Your Kindle", and "Manage Your Devices". Then under Special Offers where it says "Subscribed Edit" I can click on the small "Edit" and opt to pay $20 to get rid of the ads on my Kindle touch. Not sure if that's an option for the Fire or not, but might be worth checking out.
posted by Grither at 4:02 AM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sara C.: "- It has ads, which I hate. Someone gave me this thing to read books on so now I have to stare at ads all day despite the fact that I'm already paying for the damn books I'm reading? No thank you. Diediediediedie is basically how I feel about this. (It also doesn't help that I used to have the old-school non "fire" edition of the kindle -- what I think they now sell as the "paperwhite" -- and it did not involve ads.) My kindle was a gift, but if I were paying, I'd happily spend the extra money for something that doesn't require me to stare at ads for shit I don't want while I read books I ALREADY FRICKEN PAID FOR AND WHAT MORE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH"
Just a note on this... on my account at Amazon.com, I can go to "Your Account", "Manage Your Kindle", and "Manage Your Devices". Then under Special Offers where it says "Subscribed Edit" I can click on the small "Edit" and opt to pay $20 to get rid of the ads on my Kindle touch. Not sure if that's an option for the Fire or not, but might be worth checking out.
posted by Grither at 4:02 AM on July 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Get an iPad if you can afford it. I am a big fan of the Android operating system (it's very customizable, there are so many options, apps forever, etc. etc. etc.) but if you're a luddite then you won't know how to use those options and all you'll get is frustration when you can't figure it out. The nice thing about Apple's stuff is that it is built specifically for people who don't know anything about tech to use.
posted by AmandaA at 6:41 AM on July 9, 2013
posted by AmandaA at 6:41 AM on July 9, 2013
Wow. Lots of opinions here! I don't have time to read all of this right now, but here's my two cents -- pick up a first-gen e-ink e-reader used for almost no money and give it a try. The basic experience will be the same as the newer Kindles, etc., there's not much investment to try it, and if you find that the interface drives you crazy but you like reading on it, you can sell it for what you paid for it and grab a new one.
I love tablets, but I hate reading books on them. They're heavier, the battery runs out, and the e-ink is really nice/easy on the eyes.
posted by nosila at 10:38 AM on July 9, 2013
I love tablets, but I hate reading books on them. They're heavier, the battery runs out, and the e-ink is really nice/easy on the eyes.
posted by nosila at 10:38 AM on July 9, 2013
> Battery life for my Kindle touch is something like 2-3 WEEKS between charges.
This is exactly my experience. It was three weeks when I was only using it for my own reading; now that I'm using it for reading novels to my wife at bedtime, it's down to two weeks. (Occasionally I don't notice it's down far enough to need recharging until I want to use it, but it's no problem to read it while it recharges as long as you arrange yourself and the cord properly.)
posted by languagehat at 11:28 AM on July 9, 2013
This is exactly my experience. It was three weeks when I was only using it for my own reading; now that I'm using it for reading novels to my wife at bedtime, it's down to two weeks. (Occasionally I don't notice it's down far enough to need recharging until I want to use it, but it's no problem to read it while it recharges as long as you arrange yourself and the cord properly.)
posted by languagehat at 11:28 AM on July 9, 2013
Yes, I was also a book person who resisted e-readers, but my first Kindle (a gift) made a convert of me as soon as I was in a waiting room and thought, "I don't feel like reading that sf book I'm in the middle of. I can switch to that mystery I got the other day!" And said mystery was on my person without having to cram multiple books in my purse.
It was even better on vacation. I must have read 10 books over the week, without having to tote them.
The Kindle keyboard was even decent for browsing online, if you were only looking at text-heavy sites like Metafilter, Wikipedia, Livejournal and fiction archives (we had a discussion at an NYC meetup once, if you're wondering why I'm specifying those sites). The new Kindle Touch models (including the Paperwhite) are almost unusable for web browsing because scrolling without the hardware buttons is maddeningly inconsistent. But the Keyboard one was great.
I also have a Nexus 7 (Android OS), which I use heavily for web browsing and feed reading and not much else. And I do like it for those, but its battery life is definitely not in the same class as the Kindle. Understandably.
I think you should get an e-ink reader (your choice as to which, though I recommend Kindles), and then see if you're having much urge to have more accessible browsing or you're happy with just books. If you want more browsing, you can get a tablet.
Also, if your browsing would be mostly long-form articles/stories, I'd like to point you to Instapaper.com, which lets you mark articles "read later" with a bookmarklet when you encounter them on your computer, and then compiles them into a "magazine" and emails it to your Kindle for more comfortable reading ("magazine" basically means there will be an easily accessible table of contents where you can skip around between articles).
posted by timepiece at 1:54 PM on July 9, 2013
It was even better on vacation. I must have read 10 books over the week, without having to tote them.
The Kindle keyboard was even decent for browsing online, if you were only looking at text-heavy sites like Metafilter, Wikipedia, Livejournal and fiction archives (we had a discussion at an NYC meetup once, if you're wondering why I'm specifying those sites). The new Kindle Touch models (including the Paperwhite) are almost unusable for web browsing because scrolling without the hardware buttons is maddeningly inconsistent. But the Keyboard one was great.
I also have a Nexus 7 (Android OS), which I use heavily for web browsing and feed reading and not much else. And I do like it for those, but its battery life is definitely not in the same class as the Kindle. Understandably.
I think you should get an e-ink reader (your choice as to which, though I recommend Kindles), and then see if you're having much urge to have more accessible browsing or you're happy with just books. If you want more browsing, you can get a tablet.
Also, if your browsing would be mostly long-form articles/stories, I'd like to point you to Instapaper.com, which lets you mark articles "read later" with a bookmarklet when you encounter them on your computer, and then compiles them into a "magazine" and emails it to your Kindle for more comfortable reading ("magazine" basically means there will be an easily accessible table of contents where you can skip around between articles).
posted by timepiece at 1:54 PM on July 9, 2013
For the tablet, get the ipad mini.
It is way easier to hold and transport and fit in a purse than the large size ipad and it is really intuitive to use (more so than than the android tablets).
I have a regular ipad and fiance has the mini and sometimes I want to switch with him because I just don't want to hold the ipad with 2 hands or have it be so heavy in my purse. He takes the mini literally everywhere.
posted by rmless at 5:31 AM on July 10, 2013
It is way easier to hold and transport and fit in a purse than the large size ipad and it is really intuitive to use (more so than than the android tablets).
I have a regular ipad and fiance has the mini and sometimes I want to switch with him because I just don't want to hold the ipad with 2 hands or have it be so heavy in my purse. He takes the mini literally everywhere.
posted by rmless at 5:31 AM on July 10, 2013
Response by poster: So after seeing that Best Buy had basic Kindles on sale for $59, and after playing with a friend's iPad yesterday, I think I'm sold. Thanks.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:16 AM on July 12, 2013
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:16 AM on July 12, 2013
Response by poster: Thanking you all once again, but this time I am doing so from my brand new iPad mini. Heh.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:26 PM on July 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:26 PM on July 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Good choice!
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 7:53 PM on July 12, 2013
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 7:53 PM on July 12, 2013
Response by poster: Oh, I'm still gonna get the Kindle, because I actually like the "make notes about the stuff you read while you're reading it" function a friend showed me - I always like making notes, but I don't do that in paper books so I keep jotting things down in notebooks that I keep losing. That WOULD be an improvement.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:34 AM on July 13, 2013
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:34 AM on July 13, 2013
Response by poster: Okay, I doubt anyone's still reading this, but will ask anyway -
The big reason why I wanted to get a Kindle was for the "you can make notes in what you read" function. But - if I just got the Kindle app for my iPad, would I be able to do that just in that, without getting the actual physical Kindle? And also download Kindle editions of books to my iPad? Or is the Kindle app meant to be more of a supplemental thing and you need the real-deal Kindle anyway?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:19 PM on August 9, 2013
The big reason why I wanted to get a Kindle was for the "you can make notes in what you read" function. But - if I just got the Kindle app for my iPad, would I be able to do that just in that, without getting the actual physical Kindle? And also download Kindle editions of books to my iPad? Or is the Kindle app meant to be more of a supplemental thing and you need the real-deal Kindle anyway?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:19 PM on August 9, 2013
The kindle app for iPad is basically a full-featured kindle on your iPad, and if you have both a kindle and an iPad you can keep any books you purchase on both of them. The app is also free so if you've already got the iPad, you might as well just try it out.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 3:23 PM on August 9, 2013
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 3:23 PM on August 9, 2013
Response by poster: I have the iPad, but not the Kindle yet. So just confirming that I could just get the app and use that and not have to buy the Kindle, it sounds like?
(which would be very helpful as I'm now on a bit of a budget.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:30 PM on August 9, 2013
(which would be very helpful as I'm now on a bit of a budget.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:30 PM on August 9, 2013
Yes, you can read kindle books on any of the devices with kindle apps, and you can move them between devices if you have more than one. When you install the app on any device, and log into your amazon account, you will get the option to deliver to that device from amazon's website when you purchase a book. Here's a screenshot of the "buy now" part of Amazon's site for a kindle book on my account. And like I said, even if you deliver the book to an iPad, you can also download it on a Kindle later if you buy one, as well.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 3:38 PM on August 9, 2013
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 3:38 PM on August 9, 2013
You can definitely make notes and highlights on your iPad in the Kindle app. You just press down at the beginning of the word or phrase to select and highlight or make a note. Here's a screen shot where I've done both. And here's what the note looks like on the page. This shows the bookmarks, highlights and notes. (Also, a very good book, btw.)
(Don't be alarmed at the color in those screenshots; I have my Kindle for iPad set for a "sepia" background – and it's actually much paler than it appears in the screenshot.)
It was really, really easy to install the Kindle for iPad, and if you get books from other places than Amazon and want to read them in your Kindle app (assuming they are mobi, AZW, or prc files), you download on your PC/laptop and transfer with a right click to your iPad using the Amazon Send to Kindle app. This also gives you the choice to store them in the cloud (your Amazon library) as well.
So if you download a book in mobi or azw file format from Manybooks, for example, once you've installed that Send to Kindle app, you can just right click to send it to your iPad Kindle reader. (Obviously you can download an epub directly and read it on your iPad in the native reader, but if you like to have your books together, you might want to keep them available from the same Kindle library as your Amazon books.)
I recently got a Kindle Paperwhite, but I use both the Kindle and the iPad. The iPad is prettier, and the Kindle is lighter with hella long battery life.
posted by taz at 2:57 AM on August 10, 2013
(Don't be alarmed at the color in those screenshots; I have my Kindle for iPad set for a "sepia" background – and it's actually much paler than it appears in the screenshot.)
It was really, really easy to install the Kindle for iPad, and if you get books from other places than Amazon and want to read them in your Kindle app (assuming they are mobi, AZW, or prc files), you download on your PC/laptop and transfer with a right click to your iPad using the Amazon Send to Kindle app. This also gives you the choice to store them in the cloud (your Amazon library) as well.
So if you download a book in mobi or azw file format from Manybooks, for example, once you've installed that Send to Kindle app, you can just right click to send it to your iPad Kindle reader. (Obviously you can download an epub directly and read it on your iPad in the native reader, but if you like to have your books together, you might want to keep them available from the same Kindle library as your Amazon books.)
I recently got a Kindle Paperwhite, but I use both the Kindle and the iPad. The iPad is prettier, and the Kindle is lighter with hella long battery life.
posted by taz at 2:57 AM on August 10, 2013
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You will spend money and not even use the e-reader. The books, which you can get second-hand in many used book stores, can be left on the back of the toilet, or on the night stand, or on the coffee table where you put your coffee cup every morning as you are spending time with your SO. You can pick them up, you can put them down, and you don't feel guilty because, after all, you spend maybe $50 on the last 50 books that you bought and never finished reading, and you can, after all, resell them when you figure out that you only finish about 30% of them.
Any you don't feel guilty about what you spent.
Let he (or she) who hath understanding reckon....
(If you break down and get a tablet, the HP TouchPad has a Kindle app and you can get them pretty cheap. Even my techophobe wife loves hers).
posted by brownrd at 11:31 AM on July 8, 2013