nook Color vs Pandigital Tablet/Novel for techies

SameOldStory · 02-13-2011, 07:10 PM

This should not be moved, because it is not exclusive to the two mentioned readers. The discussion may help others and if moved to a specific reader forum others would probably never see it.

Comparisons between the two readers may be covered elsewhere, but I have not seen my main question discussed.
================================================== =========================

I'm searching for a color ereader to use for work. Unfortunately "work" is often atop a tall ladder.

Last week, in fact, I was on top of a ten foot ladder trying to program an unfamiliar control board. I actually had the manufacturers PDF manual on a USB drive, but there were no computers nearby. Added to that, they probably wouldn't have let me plug one in to their computers to begin with (USB drives are great for viruses).

Today I was looking at a nook Color and a Pandigital Tablet alongside a Pandigital Novel. All were turned off, but that wasn't a problem. I was looking at the screen size. Likewise, battery life is unimportant to my needs.

Now a seven inch screen looks to be an absolute minimum, and it has to be backlit as well as color. (I looked at an iPad today too but wouldn't dare take it up above the ceiling tiles with my other tools.) Nine or ten inches might be better, but there are times when there is very little room up there.

Is there anyone using these, or other, ereaders like that for reading manufactures PDF’s? I can't be the only one.

NOTE: I have tried using my 6 inch reader but it really isn't suitable.

WillysJeepMan · 02-13-2011, 07:47 PM

nook color has a built-in loop for a carabiner... end of story.

SameOldStory · 02-13-2011, 10:48 PM

I was, indeed, looking at that. It was next to the $250 price tag.

I've heard that a rooted nook color is GREAT, and I heard that a rooted nook color has problems (more to do with android, I guess).

Android 3 is supposed to be coming, but I'm betting the price tags attached to the newer stuff will be higher than the older stuff.

I intend to use it as a reference library, and I'll be paying for it myself. That plus all the knocking around it'll get make me reluctant to spend much money on whatever I buy.

What I want is something like an iPad or it's successor. With I'm hoping for, though, is something cheap enough that I won’t cry if I drop it. Or on it.

GreenMonkey · 02-14-2011, 08:36 PM

The viewing angles are much better on the NC's IPS screen. The Pandigital isn't a bad device - especially for the price (a buddy got the PN on the $60 Kohl's deal a while ago).

The capacitive screen is better for touch on the NC but the PN's resistive screen would be more scratch resistant and usable if you're wearing gloves or the like.

I would think in the ladder scenario you mentioned, the viewing angles would be very important on a tablet device.

SameOldStory · 02-14-2011, 09:10 PM

I'm kind of watching and hoping for the nook Color to go on sale.

Space is more of a problem than viewing angles in some situations.

Does the nook Color handle PDF's made up of diagrams well? The manufactures PDF's are basically pictures of their manuals saved as a PFD file, no reflow in most of them.

The Pandigital Novel 9 looked good (size wise) until I checked it out. I don't think that it's even close to the current Pandigital Novel (black).

I know that there's more than a few tech people here on MR. Surely some of you would like to carry searchable manuals in a ereader/tablet?

v1k1ng1001 · 02-14-2011, 10:45 PM

The nook color is a superior product and worth the extra cash if you were to buy right now.

Ok, so reflow is not an option on those .pdfs but the nook color really excels at pinch zooming so that you can read manuals and the like.

The problem with the Nook color is that it's not a tablet and it sounds like you'd rather have a nice Android tablet with more functionality. If I were you, I'd wait until the end of this year because my guess is that there will be some really nice Android tablets coming to market.

Come to think of it, I think Ubuntu is trying to bring its OS to touchscreen devices this next year.

SameOldStory · 02-14-2011, 11:11 PM

What I would like is an 8 to 9 inch tablet platform to read PDF's for very little money. Seven inches would be absolute minimum. I've tried my 6 inch ereader and it's not suitable.

This is not to be my ereader, and is not for watching YouTube. Playing games of any sort wouldn't interest me at all.

The reason it has to be cheap is twofold.
1) I would be paying for it because I think that I would benefit from using it. The company for which I work has given us Toshiba laptop/tablet computers (weighing about 2.5 pounds) and thinks that that is all we need.
2) Theft and accidental damage are real possibilities. This is not for relaxing at home on a quiet night.

02-13-2011, 07:10 PM	#1
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	nook Color vs Pandigital Tablet/Novel for techies This should not be moved, because it is not exclusive to the two mentioned readers. The discussion may help others and if moved to a specific reader forum others would probably never see it. Comparisons between the two readers may be covered elsewhere, but I have not seen my main question discussed. ================================================== ========================= I'm searching for a color ereader to use for work. Unfortunately "work" is often atop a tall ladder. Last week, in fact, I was on top of a ten foot ladder trying to program an unfamiliar control board. I actually had the manufacturers PDF manual on a USB drive, but there were no computers nearby. Added to that, they probably wouldn't have let me plug one in to their computers to begin with (USB drives are great for viruses). Today I was looking at a nook Color and a Pandigital Tablet alongside a Pandigital Novel. All were turned off, but that wasn't a problem. I was looking at the screen size. Likewise, battery life is unimportant to my needs. Now a seven inch screen looks to be an absolute minimum, and it has to be backlit as well as color. (I looked at an iPad today too but wouldn't dare take it up above the ceiling tiles with my other tools.) Nine or ten inches might be better, but there are times when there is very little room up there. Is there anyone using these, or other, ereaders like that for reading manufactures PDF’s? I can't be the only one. NOTE: I have tried using my 6 inch reader but it really isn't suitable. Last edited by SameOldStory; 02-13-2011 at 07:13 PM.

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02-13-2011, 07:47 PM	#2
WillysJeepMan Guru Posts: 655 Karma: 2877892 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo Touch, KFHD7, GTab 8.4 Pro, iPadAir 2	nook color has a built-in loop for a carabiner... end of story.

02-13-2011, 10:48 PM	#3
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	I was, indeed, looking at that. It was next to the $250 price tag. I've heard that a rooted nook color is GREAT, and I heard that a rooted nook color has problems (more to do with android, I guess). Android 3 is supposed to be coming, but I'm betting the price tags attached to the newer stuff will be higher than the older stuff. I intend to use it as a reference library, and I'll be paying for it myself. That plus all the knocking around it'll get make me reluctant to spend much money on whatever I buy. What I want is something like an iPad or it's successor. With I'm hoping for, though, is something cheap enough that I won’t cry if I drop it. Or on it.

02-14-2011, 08:36 PM	#4
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	The viewing angles are much better on the NC's IPS screen. The Pandigital isn't a bad device - especially for the price (a buddy got the PN on the $60 Kohl's deal a while ago). The capacitive screen is better for touch on the NC but the PN's resistive screen would be more scratch resistant and usable if you're wearing gloves or the like. I would think in the ladder scenario you mentioned, the viewing angles would be very important on a tablet device.

02-14-2011, 09:10 PM	#5
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	I'm kind of watching and hoping for the nook Color to go on sale. Space is more of a problem than viewing angles in some situations. Does the nook Color handle PDF's made up of diagrams well? The manufactures PDF's are basically pictures of their manuals saved as a PFD file, no reflow in most of them. The Pandigital Novel 9 looked good (size wise) until I checked it out. I don't think that it's even close to the current Pandigital Novel (black). I know that there's more than a few tech people here on MR. Surely some of you would like to carry searchable manuals in a ereader/tablet?

02-14-2011, 10:45 PM	#6
v1k1ng1001 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1624276 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: South, South Texas Device: Pocketbook 620	The nook color is a superior product and worth the extra cash if you were to buy right now. Ok, so reflow is not an option on those .pdfs but the nook color really excels at pinch zooming so that you can read manuals and the like. The problem with the Nook color is that it's not a tablet and it sounds like you'd rather have a nice Android tablet with more functionality. If I were you, I'd wait until the end of this year because my guess is that there will be some really nice Android tablets coming to market. Come to think of it, I think Ubuntu is trying to bring its OS to touchscreen devices this next year.

02-14-2011, 11:11 PM	#7
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	What I would like is an 8 to 9 inch tablet platform to read PDF's for very little money. Seven inches would be absolute minimum. I've tried my 6 inch ereader and it's not suitable. This is not to be my ereader, and is not for watching YouTube. Playing games of any sort wouldn't interest me at all. The reason it has to be cheap is twofold. 1) I would be paying for it because I think that I would benefit from using it. The company for which I work has given us Toshiba laptop/tablet computers (weighing about 2.5 pounds) and thinks that that is all we need. 2) Theft and accidental damage are real possibilities. This is not for relaxing at home on a quiet night.

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