Tablet or ebook reader? - Page 2

Sweetpea · 03-09-2011, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

Tablet might do a lot more than just read ebooks?

I would describe it more like: a tablet will have an "open" system (meaning you can install other programs on it), while an ebook reader will have a "closed" system, so you cannot add new applications yourself.

astrangerhere · 03-09-2011, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

When a tablet is of the size and weight of my ebook reader, provides as clear text, is as easy on the eyes for extended reading, matches the battery life, and is comparable in cost, then I may think about substitution of a tablet for my ebook reader. Even then I will not feel a great need. When I plan on reading I really have not interest in surfing the web, receiving emails, or any of the other additional functions a tablet could provide.

I second this. I own 2 PCs a laptop, a netbook and a Droid X. I don't want to read on any of them. I sit in front of some breed of computer all day long and I want to get away from that completely when I read a book. I adore my e-ink screen and will always prefer it to a back-lit LCD for reading.

WillAdams · 03-09-2011, 11:30 AM

I've been using Tablets since they were referred to as ``pen computers'' --- started w/ an NCR-3125 running Go Corp.'s PenPoint OS.

If something is in full color, and demands a large page, or I want to make extensive annotations, I'll read it on my Fujitsu Stylistic ST-4121. For texts which are suitable for re-flow, on which I only wish to mark errors and which are acceptable in b/w, I use my Sony PRS-600.

While the Fujitsu gets used for a lot more than reading (graphic design, writing, light-programming / macro-writing), then Sony ebook reader is almost always w/ me in a shirt pocket.

They're different devices, for different needs and are complementary.

William

Penforhire · 03-09-2011, 11:54 AM

In a year or two I'll have a hard time buying a dedicated e-book reader versus a tablet if the displays get just a tiny bit better (maybe a 'retina' class iPad display). Battery life is good enough for me right now.

SameOldStory · 03-09-2011, 12:29 PM

Dedicated e-book readers could still be around in years to come. But to do that prices will have to drop tremendously.

And that may happen. In the early '70s the major cities had calculator stores. At least in New York & Boston.

At the time the HP-35 was selling around $350 - $400!

Now you can go to the Dollar Tree, and if you're willing to buy in bulk, you can get calculators for about 50 cents ($1 for a package of two).

The one thing that a dedicated e-book reader has over a tablet is that the tech doesn't have to get a lot better.

Having said that, the next reader I buy will probably be a Nook Color (and then root it).

exscentric · 03-09-2011, 01:34 PM

Most of the above is true. The Pandigital is now a full tablet due to updates from Pandigital.

One is back lit so works in the dark, the eink does not. The reader primarily reads, the tablet can do reading, games, surfing (much easier) email maps office type work to a point, biorythums, geneology and all sorts of time wasting stuff :-)

I have a pandigital and love it but seldom use it. I liked the kindle for my eyes and the weight is much nicer for reading.

No light needed for the tablet.

Overall it comes down to what you want to do with your unit and what you like.

Battery life is one of the biggies with kindle for me. Have charged it a couple times in a couple months, charge the pandigital nightly.

Anthem · 03-09-2011, 02:49 PM

Hahahaha! Awww, tablets as reading devices. How cute!

SameOldStory · 03-09-2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exscentric

Battery life is one of the biggies with kindle for me. Have charged it a couple times in a couple months, charge the pandigital nightly.

While I like how long the battery lasts in my reader, it's of little importance to me. When I come home each day I plug in my phone. No big deal. Charging a tablet/backlit reader overnight would be an option if you take it to work.

The problem with rechargeable batteries is that they progressively take less and less of a charge. To me, being able to replace the battery in your reader/tablet is more important than having to charge it every day or two.

OldGunbunny · 03-09-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I would describe it more like: a tablet will have an "open" system (meaning you can install other programs on it), while an ebook reader will have a "closed" system, so you cannot add new applications yourself.

This is about as close as you can get to a definition or distinction.

Here's an example for you. I hauled up out of San Francisco the other day in a Delta sardine tube for Atlanta. The woman sitting in the window seat was reading from a Kindle. Woman in the middle seat was reading from an iPad and I, in the aisle seat was reading from a Sony PRS-500. Oh, and in the overhead, my Lenovo X60 ThinkPad tablet PC (looks like a laptop but is also a tablet). It has the Sony reader and FOXIT PDF reader installed.

So all four devices can be used to read. Where do we make a distinction? Sweetpea's makes the most sense to me.

wyndslash · 03-09-2011, 09:09 PM

@sameoldstory: i love my scientific calculator

though it certainly wasn't cheap (due to it being scientific, of course

)

SameOldStory · 03-10-2011, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyndslash

@sameoldstory: i love my scientific calculator

though it certainly wasn't cheap (due to it being scientific, of course

)

This is what I started out with. The middle "slide" part can be pulled out and flipped over for more functions.

A side story;
When (electronic) calculators first came out people were writing books willed with "calculators" games.

wyndslash · 03-10-2011, 08:13 AM

cool!

i remember my grandmother was a whiz with the abacus, though

jbcohen · 03-10-2011, 08:18 AM

Personally, I love technology and love to work with it. I like the idea of a tablet PC, however I simply can not find an excuse or job for one around my home. My blackberry does a lot of jobs for me and does the electronic books since I got it from my office for $0 with the ultimate cell plan $0 a month for unlimited minutes, and $0 per month for unlimted texting. So I have simply pressed it into service for as much as I possibly can.

SameOldStory · 03-10-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyndslash

cool!

i remember my grandmother was a whiz with the abacus, though

The Abacus vs. the Electric Calculator
"An exciting contest between the Japanese abacus and the electric calculating machine was held in Tokyo on November 12, 1946, under the sponsorship of the U. S. Army newspaper, the Stars and Stripes. In reporting the contest, the Stars and Stripes remarked:

"The machine age tool took a step backward yesterday at the Emie Pyle Theater as the abacus, centuries old, dealt defeat to the most up-to-date electric machine now being used by the United States Government...The abacus victory was decisive."
The Nippon Times reported the contest as follows:

"Civilization, on the threshold of the atomic age, tottered Monday afternoon as the 2,000-year-old abacus beat the electric calculating machine in adding, subtracting, dividing and a problem including all three with multiplication thrown in, according to UP. Only in multiplication alone did the machine triumph..." "

OOOPS!

I've read that even though the abacus was the clear winner, the Japanese were very impressed with the technology. And look what happened.

jbcohen · 03-10-2011, 08:49 AM

Yeah I imagine the abcus would win that contest but when you tak about simple arithmatic a abcus does a great job but when it comes to the more complicate math that's where it slows down considerably. An old teacher of mine who was an expert on an abcus tried to do a manova with four independent variables, it took him four weeks to get it done and then it was wrong when he finished. Took him a year and a half to get it right, SPSS PC+ did that in approximatly one second.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Netbook Tablet as a Viable eBook Reader Option	jswinden	Alternative Devices	225	11-24-2010 03:05 PM
Electronic ebook reader or tablet PC?	zetareticuli	Which one should I buy?	25	01-20-2010 11:27 PM
Tablet PC as ebook reader	wayspooled	Which one should I buy?	48	11-28-2009 04:51 PM
Apple Tablet eBook Reader rumours	orwell2k	News	0	10-01-2009 10:06 AM
compact tablet PC or an ebook reader?	tr_tr	Which one should I buy?	13	09-26-2009 08:10 AM

03-09-2011, 11:30 AM	#18
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	I've been using Tablets since they were referred to as ``pen computers'' --- started w/ an NCR-3125 running Go Corp.'s PenPoint OS. If something is in full color, and demands a large page, or I want to make extensive annotations, I'll read it on my Fujitsu Stylistic ST-4121. For texts which are suitable for re-flow, on which I only wish to mark errors and which are acceptable in b/w, I use my Sony PRS-600. While the Fujitsu gets used for a lot more than reading (graphic design, writing, light-programming / macro-writing), then Sony ebook reader is almost always w/ me in a shirt pocket. They're different devices, for different needs and are complementary. William

03-09-2011, 11:54 AM	#19
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	In a year or two I'll have a hard time buying a dedicated e-book reader versus a tablet if the displays get just a tiny bit better (maybe a 'retina' class iPad display). Battery life is good enough for me right now.

03-09-2011, 12:29 PM	#20
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	Dedicated e-book readers could still be around in years to come. But to do that prices will have to drop tremendously. And that may happen. In the early '70s the major cities had calculator stores. At least in New York & Boston. At the time the HP-35 was selling around $350 - $400! Now you can go to the Dollar Tree, and if you're willing to buy in bulk, you can get calculators for about 50 cents ($1 for a package of two). The one thing that a dedicated e-book reader has over a tablet is that the tech doesn't have to get a lot better. Having said that, the next reader I buy will probably be a Nook Color (and then root it).

03-09-2011, 01:34 PM	#21
exscentric Addict Posts: 379 Karma: 1033424 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: WY Device: Kindle keyboard	Most of the above is true. The Pandigital is now a full tablet due to updates from Pandigital. One is back lit so works in the dark, the eink does not. The reader primarily reads, the tablet can do reading, games, surfing (much easier) email maps office type work to a point, biorythums, geneology and all sorts of time wasting stuff :-) I have a pandigital and love it but seldom use it. I liked the kindle for my eyes and the weight is much nicer for reading. No light needed for the tablet. Overall it comes down to what you want to do with your unit and what you like. Battery life is one of the biggies with kindle for me. Have charged it a couple times in a couple months, charge the pandigital nightly.

03-09-2011, 02:49 PM	#22
Anthem Guru Posts: 704 Karma: 1622328 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle Oasis, OnePlus Nord	Hahahaha! Awww, tablets as reading devices. How cute!

03-09-2011, 09:09 PM	#25
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	@sameoldstory: i love my scientific calculator though it certainly wasn't cheap (due to it being scientific, of course )

03-10-2011, 08:13 AM	#27
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	cool! i remember my grandmother was a whiz with the abacus, though

03-10-2011, 08:18 AM	#28
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Personally, I love technology and love to work with it. I like the idea of a tablet PC, however I simply can not find an excuse or job for one around my home. My blackberry does a lot of jobs for me and does the electronic books since I got it from my office for $0 with the ultimate cell plan $0 a month for unlimited minutes, and $0 per month for unlimted texting. So I have simply pressed it into service for as much as I possibly can.

03-10-2011, 08:49 AM	#30
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Yeah I imagine the abcus would win that contest but when you tak about simple arithmatic a abcus does a great job but when it comes to the more complicate math that's where it slows down considerably. An old teacher of mine who was an expert on an abcus tried to do a manova with four independent variables, it took him four weeks to get it done and then it was wrong when he finished. Took him a year and a half to get it right, SPSS PC+ did that in approximatly one second.

Advert

Advert