Galaxy Tab S 8.4 makes a great ereader

[rgeorg]

The black background style of UB Reader is good to read on. But when I use (the paid version!) UB I get a recurring message of "UB Reader has stopped" or that the tablet has stopped. In fact, everything continues to work OK, so it is just annoying. I suppose that I should send the developers an email - too lazy. Perhaps tomorrow.

The nice thing is that with AMOLED screens a black background uses minimal battery as the pixels are "off" - as I understand it. My initial tests are about 7% per hour, which would give me around 12 hours reading per charge. Not too bad. I do have the larger 10.5" screen, so perhaps it uses more power than the 8.4". I enjoy reading magazines and comics so I purchased the larger screen size. For basic books, I found that I prefer to hold it horizontally and have a 2-page per view reading layout.

Am also testing the KFHD as a nighttime reader for fiction as the 7" is easy to hold. I can't seem to avoid needing multiple devices!

[TonyGamble]

Yeah the Galaxy Tab S uses AMOLED screens and yeah it looks really nice

But can you read a book on it in the Australian outdoors?

Tony

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by TonyGamble

Yeah the Galaxy Tab S uses AMOLED screens and yeah it looks really nice

But can you read a book on it in the Australian outdoors?

Tony

I live in Brisbane, Queensland and I haven't bothered to read it in direct sunlight (too hot, phew...), but certainly on a shaded bench or something like that it's fine.

I'll test out how it performs in direct sunlight later and post back.
As it turns out it's a sunny day today, which is a change, what with all the rain we've been getting lately.

[TonyGamble]

Thanks.

I certainly can't see my S4 phone with the AMOLED screen to read emails in the sunshine.

I try to use my Samsung 7.7 to view photos taken as I photograph in sunlight and it is impossible. I'd love to use it as my ebook reader but would find that, and the battery life, frustrating. Your Samsung may be kinder but mine would not give me a day's reading - or it would be pretty flat by the end of the day.

[rgeorg]

I only use audio books in sunlight as reading print/eink in sunlight gives me a headache. In Greece, the sun is powerful.

Even so, I usually keep one book open in my eink readers for the rare afternoon read. Like I said, I just can't seem to get a one-device-does-all.

I like the KOBO Glo, but I can't get folders for organizing books. It is as close as I have gotten to an all-purpose ereader. I suppose the AZ Paperwhite would be a similar experience. I got the KOBO at 1/2 price, about $65. But, it is small at 6" and no folders for organizing books. At 22 pages of books (and slowish page turns) it is frustrating to select books.

That is why I am trying with the tablet. Plus, after paying so much ($500) for it, particularly for the screen quality, I want to use it as much as possible.

I have to admit that the experimenting is fun though!

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

I like the KOBO Glo, but I can't get folders for organizing books.

You could use shelves to organize books, which is almost like folders, if you use the Kobo together with Calibre.

[rgeorg]

Thanks!
I didn't know this. I have all my books on Calibre, so I'll give it a try. Last time I connected to KOBO the device new update was not compatible with Calibre - but I think it is working now. I had given up but I'll see. I actually really like reading on the KOBO GLO. It is very easy on the eyes and lights enough not to strain (as the white-text-on-black-background does).

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by TonyGamble

Thanks.

I certainly can't see my S4 phone with the AMOLED screen to read emails in the sunshine.

I try to use my Samsung 7.7 to view photos taken as I photograph in sunlight and it is impossible. I'd love to use it as my ebook reader but would find that, and the battery life, frustrating. Your Samsung may be kinder but mine would not give me a day's reading - or it would be pretty flat by the end of the day.

I tried out the Galaxy tab S outside in direct sunlight and I DID have to turn up the brightness, but after that it was quite readable for general usage.
However I would not personally want to read ebooks in direct sunlight like that, it was quite glaring in my eyes, but my eyes are pretty sensitive to light, so that could be just me.

I found ereaders to be easier in eyes in direct sunlight and I don't have to angle the ereader to avoid direct lightsource reflections.

There's definitely a place for eink ereaders such as the Kobo and Kindle, but given my personal reading habits, I'm fine with the Tab S.

Nothing goes to waste in our family though, my son uses my Kobo Glo and loves it.

[TonyGamble]

I tried out the Galaxy tab S outside in direct sunlight and I DID have to turn up the brightness, but after that it was quite readable for general usage.

We are taking our first bookless holiday in a week's time. Up to now I have been paranoid about losing a Kindle and having nothing to read. Now the prices are much more reasonable we are taking 'several' Kindles. Plus my Sony T1 and Samsung 7.7. It will be interesting to see which I find most easy to use indoors and out on the deck of a boat sailing up the east coast of Vietnam.

Tony

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by TonyGamble

We are taking our first bookless holiday in a week's time. Up to now I have been paranoid about losing a Kindle and having nothing to read. Now the prices are much more reasonable we are taking 'several' Kindles. Plus my Sony T1 and Samsung 7.7. It will be interesting to see which I find most easy to use indoors and out on the deck of a boat sailing up the east coast of Vietnam.
Tony

Interestingly, for some years now I've not bothered much with pbooks, as I've been using and quite happy with eInk ereaders and still am really.
It's just I got this Galaxy tab S for free.

I'm quite sure it'll function as a decent ereader outside under a shade or something.
But then direct sunlight shining off a white Eink screen is even too much glare for me.

Personally if I were going on a holiday, I would definitely bring dedicated ereaders.
I certainly wouldn't be relying on any tablet for long term battery life.
The Galaxy tab S has really good battery life, especially in Ultra power saving mode, but it has nothing on a Kindle or Kobo for battery life.

I would probably bring 1 paperback book as well, just in case..

[rgeorg]

I just bring a 4-5" Android phone/device for reading on travels. Not great, but fine for short periods of time and has communication (Skype, email, etc). My SGP5 has a larger battery, about 10-12 hours which helps. I also carry a mp3 player with audiobooks, so lighting (or lack of it) is not an issue.

I also carry one paperback book or a Reader's Digest! Someone gave me a stack of them last year :-)

[Gerrye]

I just got a Galaxy Tab 12.2 and I'm looking for an ereader for it... Any thoughts... Love the real estate..

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

I dunno if the price tag is worth it for just an ereader if you have to pay for this, but if you want a great tablet that functions as a really good ereader with a good battery life, I highly recommend this device..

My eink days may well be over... but time will tell.

When I read something like this I cant help but get a little jelly It seems that for some people it really doesn't matter what kind of screen they are reading off from.
Maybe it's my astigmatism+myopia, but whether it is a PC, laptop or tablet screen, couple of hours of use and my eyes literary start to hurt. Like really bad eyeball pain.
I could never in a million years dream of replacing kindle with a tablet of any kind, because it just wouldn't work.
With paper books or kindle my eyes do get tired if I'm reading all day, but I get sleepy, I don't end up in pain.

[TonyGamble]

I just got a Galaxy Tab 12.2 and I'm looking for an ereader for it... Any thoughts... Love the real estate..

I'll remind you what I said in February.

We are taking our first bookless holiday in a week's time. Up to now I have been paranoid about losing a Kindle and having nothing to read. Now the prices are much more reasonable we are taking 'several' Kindles. Plus my Sony T1 and Samsung 7.7. It will be interesting to see which I find most easy to use indoors and out on the deck of a boat sailing up the east coast of Vietnam.

The answer is that we never used anything other than the Kindles. The Sony would have been OK but the Samsung with the larger screen was simply not visible enough in (even shaded) sunshine.

Since then I bought a Samsung 12.2 to replace a Toshiba Thrive. I use it a lot but it struggles outdoors and I'd never bother to e-read on it. Yes, looking at emails and web sites, but never to read a book.

To answer your question there are lots of free e-reading apps. Set a couple of hours aside and try three or four of them.

Tony

[Gerrye]

Tony,

Sorry I missed your February remarks, but I just found this forum yesterday....