8+ Readers in comparison

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by johndoesecond

Ho mgmueller,

Did you have a chance to have a look at Galaxy note?

I remember you liked Streak. This one seems to be a better and faster machine with more or less similar form factor.

I hadn't heard of Galaxy note before your post, I actually had to google it.
Quite a coincidence: I had thought about Galaxy Player and/or Galaxy S last week. I've decided against them and probably same applies for note: I simply don't have a need for units smaller than 7".
I use iPod touch as a media player, often plug it to the TV in hotels or one of my pico beamers when traveling. Else, I'm not using iPod touch at all. Same would happen for any Android gadget of that size.
If I plug it to the TV or beamer, size doesn't matter. I can do so with a 7" or even 10" tablet as well.
If I actively want to use it, I find 7" about perfect.
And I'm quite fond of the 8.9" units, such as Galaxy Tab or LG.
Most interesting for now: Samsung 7.7" and 8.9" and LG 8.9".
But (and this never has happened before) I've promised myself, to get rid of 2 or 3 tablets, before buying new ones. I already sold the Asus EeePad Transformer (maybe used it 3 hours in total), next hopefully will be Acer Iconia. Maybe iPad 1 as well...
I simply can't handle my units anymore. Whenever I open my bookcase, another tablet or reader has run out of battery.
And lots of my units I never have used.
Acer Iconia and Asus EePad Transformer for example had been unplanned and I didn't even play around with them.
So I've developed a new habit: I don't buy those gadgets spontaneously anymore. I check them out and think for at least a day. The urge to buy the Sony tablet had been gone the very same day I saw it.
Unfortunately, this usually is a sign that I'm moving on and probably will find some new type of gadgets quickly.
And I had another epiphany 2 weeks ago: I've reactivated my iRex 800, hadn't used it for 9 months or so. I was deeply disappointed about contrast and display quality. In my memory, those had been way better. Now, after having read an entire book on it again, I'm used to it again. But not as fond of eInk/ePaper anymore, as I used to be. Tablets mainly have replaced my eBook readers. And as I've said: I'm not buying tablets that spontaneously anymore...
Time for the next new thing, I guess...

[johndoesecond]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, mgmueller.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by johndoesecond

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, mgmueller.

Since I do have a Dell Streak I can give you some advice. The perfect size for a phone (for me it still easily fits in the front pockets of my pants/jeans -- and I have small hands) but too small for a tablet. I mostly use it in landscape mode, except when I make calls. A phone like the Streak and the new Samsung is great when you don't rely so much on calling, but on other forms of communication (SMS, e-mail, IM, whatever). I don't make or take that many calls, since I travel internationally a lot we mostly keep in touch via data.

But as a tablet? Forget it, 5" is only about double the size of an iphone. Great for quick browsing on the go, but no tablet experience. As for the stylus, I would love to have Wacom on a 7" or 8" device, but on the Samsung's 5"+ screen I can imagine taking notes with a pen being a little akward, poking at that small area. Though a pen would be great for browsing --- no need to zoom in to hit those links. Anyway, the stylus pen definitely is a plus.

[ProDigit]

ECTACO Jetbook on newegg for $50!

[rhari79]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Since I do have a Dell Streak I can give you some advice.

well said. I use if for occasional browsing, but more for reading. Sometimes too cumbersome to use a night light with the kindle. So the streak fits in perfectly. Its also a good phone as it is quite loud and large to be used comfortably(also looking a little silly).
I have also found a way to reduce the brightness very low and this helps a lot with the glare.
The current 2.4.x streakdroid gingerbread is very stable.

One question though:
keeping the streak in the pocket often leads to an unresponsive lcd touch for quite a few seconds possibly due to some static. So the slide to answer/unlock doesnt work always.
Does this affect you? and any way to solve this?
I would love to use this as a regular phone, but this pocket issue stops me.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by rhari79

One question though:
keeping the streak in the pocket often leads to an unresponsive lcd touch for quite a few seconds possibly due to some static. So the slide to answer/unlock doesnt work always.
Does this affect you? and any way to solve this?
I would love to use this as a regular phone, but this pocket issue stops me.

Yes, I had this problem, but there is a simple solution. When you put the Streak into your pocket make sure the screen always faces away from your body. Since I am doing this, it never once happened to me again.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by johndoesecond

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, mgmueller.

I've just ordered the Sony P tablet. In case you haven't seen it:
Basically, the same idea as with Nintendo DS: 2 x 5.5" displays. Clamshell device, so both displays are protected.
I haven't seen it in action. I'm really curious, how they handle the 2 displays. I've checked similar devices before. So far, they hadn't been of any use, for example didn't support both displays for reading. I'd love to hold it like a "real" book in portrait format and have 2 pages in front of me, one on each display.
Even if it shouldn't deliver that experience (yet?): At least it's highly portable and still protecting the displays. And an original idea.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've just ordered the Sony P tablet. In case you haven't seen it:
Basically, the same idea as with Nintendo DS: 2 x 5.5" displays. Clamshell device, so both displays are protected.
I haven't seen it in action. I'm really curious, how they handle the 2 displays. I've checked similar devices before. So far, they hadn't been of any use, for example didn't support both displays for reading. I'd love to hold it like a "real" book in portrait format and have 2 pages in front of me, one on each display.
Even if it shouldn't deliver that experience (yet?): At least it's highly portable and still protecting the displays. And an original idea.

Very curious what you'll think of this device. Ever since I saw it, I found it a highly interesting development.

[mgmueller]

Got it today.
Very convenient to hold.
I'd prefer 16:9 over the 4:3 (or whatever it may be).
But else: Very nice. Light and a perfect compromise of size and screen estate.
Had to unroot, to get rid of the Samsung Hubs (Kids Hub, Readers Hub, Music Hub, Video Hub). I wouldn't have used those anyway, but wouldn't have bothered to uninstall them.
But they came in French, no matter what localization I chose...
I hate such inconsistencies, but unrooting was easy enough...

Now waiting for the LG Optimus Tab. I've already seen it in Media Markt and love the form factor - similar to my Sony 900.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Very curious what you'll think of this device. Ever since I saw it, I found it a highly interesting development.

Should be here around Saturday Fingers crossed for a nice weekend

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Very curious what you'll think of this device. Ever since I saw it, I found it a highly interesting development.

Just got an SMS (!) from Sony: Delivery should be tomorrow.
Wow! That was fast!

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Just got an SMS (!) from Sony: Delivery should be tomorrow.
Wow! That was fast!

Too bad it has no phone function --- that would entice me to consider an upgrade.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Too bad it has no phone function --- that would entice me to consider an upgrade.

The no-phone function gives it a + in my book

I'm not looking for a phone (I prefer my Sonim) but a replacement for my PDA.

[mgmueller]

Just got it!
Ordered it on Monday morning, got it today (Wednesday) morning!
Surprisingly fast.

I'm charging it, so for now only first impressions:

Quite frankly,I hadn't really checked the specifications. I was sold to the 2 screens. So, what I didn't know before just checking it out: It has 2 touchscreens! I had expected only 1, similar to Nintendo DS.

It came with Honeycomb 3.2, I'm just installing the first update with some improvements and the Playstation store.

It's well built. No iPod touch quality, but not as "plasticky" as Sony's tablet S either. I'd say, it's about the same quality as the Samsung units typically are.

It's surprisingly wide (as I said: I hadn't checked the specs). Again, I had expected something similar to Nintendo DS. It's quite similar, only about 4 cm wider.

No additional stuff, not even a pouch. Given the scratch sensitive front, I certainly need some kind of protection. The PSP sleeves don't fit, tablet P is way too wide..

The battery is user exchangeable. It's quite expensive (€ 80, if I remember correctly), so I'll wait some time, before deciding whether I need a spare one. I'd wish, it was the same battery as with the old PSPs. But this would have been too easy of course.

So far, I've only seen the setup menu.
It's divided over the 2 screens in landscape format without any problems. The gap between the 2 screens is quite small (ca. 2 x 3mm). I can't imagine it much smaller, but it still might be a bit annoying in some apps - I'll have to check.

What I'll test first: Is there a reader app, which supports both screens in portrait format? Meaning: Like a book = 1 page per screen.
EDIT: In their own Sony reader app, 2 page portrait mode is working. It's quite narrow of course. So I'll have to see, whether it actually makes sense. But it's working as expected.

I'll have to gain some experience. But from my first impressions, I'd say it's certainly a great travel companion. But I don't think it would be the right unit as a sole tablet. I can't imagine myself, using it much for browsing the web at home on the sofa. So I guess, it's the perfect 2nd or 3rd tablet, but probably not the ideal only one.

Great. There's not much bloatware installed! Some Sony apps, which seem okay. But no 3rd party nonsense.

Cool: I don't know whether it's Honeycomb 3.2 or Sony or both: With the small "cross" in the task bar (standard in 3.2) you can zoom apps to fullscreen as usual. But: You can configure each app individually (!), whether it uses 1 or both screens. If you choose "1 screen", it's the upper one (reminds very much of Nintendo DS then). It's not the full width of the screen then, but about 1.5cm smaller on each side. I won't use this (probably), but it's certainly well thought out (maybe for some apps it's needed, when the gap between the 2 screens is too obtrusive).

More later on.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

<snip>

Nice, those pictures. But I want a picture of a book in two pages!