MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - I own a Kindle 3 HOWEVER, I need something for me, preferably under $200

delphin · 05-04-2011, 03:10 AM

Your two best options for color PDF reading are probably an inexpensive mid sized Android tablet like the PocketBook IQ 701 (or 'rooted' Color Nook as already suggested) or a compact Intel compatible Netbook PC.

If you can deal with something about the size of a full sized hardback book, don't overlook the Netbook option. Today, with the rush to touch screen tablet devices, you can find really nice compact 10 inch screen Netbook PCs with impressive specs on clearance for as little as about 200 dollars.

My Netbook boasts a 1.6 GHz Atom CPU, 1 Gig of memory, 250 Gig Hard Drive, 3 USB2 ports, and both Ethernet and WiFi networking built in.

Some of the Android tablets are also a good value, and if you have the bucks the iPads are also nice, but when it comes to the power, flexibility, available software options, etc, vs. the price, my Netbook just blows them away.

I have my Netbook set up to dual boot both Windows 7 and the full blown version of Ubuntu 10.04 (not just the 'netbook' editon) and it runs both flawlessly (including all the fancy 3D desktop enhancements). This gives me access not only to the full PC version of Adobe Reader, but also to virtually every other important software program written in the last 20 years, in a package the size of a typical hardback book.

I can understand why some might find a touch screen tablet device more enticing, either because they prefer even more portability, or because they want some of the newer wiz-bang features features like Accelerometers and GPS that Netbooks typically do not offer. I find however that a smart-phone is more suited for these features, and that a Netbook fills the gap very nicely between a smart-phone and a full sized PC, and in the process, makes a very nice portable PDF viewer.

05-04-2011, 03:10 AM	#7
delphin Evangelist Posts: 434 Karma: 346901 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: SONY PRS-650	Your two best options for color PDF reading are probably an inexpensive mid sized Android tablet like the PocketBook IQ 701 (or 'rooted' Color Nook as already suggested) or a compact Intel compatible Netbook PC. If you can deal with something about the size of a full sized hardback book, don't overlook the Netbook option. Today, with the rush to touch screen tablet devices, you can find really nice compact 10 inch screen Netbook PCs with impressive specs on clearance for as little as about 200 dollars. My Netbook boasts a 1.6 GHz Atom CPU, 1 Gig of memory, 250 Gig Hard Drive, 3 USB2 ports, and both Ethernet and WiFi networking built in. Some of the Android tablets are also a good value, and if you have the bucks the iPads are also nice, but when it comes to the power, flexibility, available software options, etc, vs. the price, my Netbook just blows them away. I have my Netbook set up to dual boot both Windows 7 and the full blown version of Ubuntu 10.04 (not just the 'netbook' editon) and it runs both flawlessly (including all the fancy 3D desktop enhancements). This gives me access not only to the full PC version of Adobe Reader, but also to virtually every other important software program written in the last 20 years, in a package the size of a typical hardback book. I can understand why some might find a touch screen tablet device more enticing, either because they prefer even more portability, or because they want some of the newer wiz-bang features features like Accelerometers and GPS that Netbooks typically do not offer. I find however that a smart-phone is more suited for these features, and that a Netbook fills the gap very nicely between a smart-phone and a full sized PC, and in the process, makes a very nice portable PDF viewer. Last edited by delphin; 05-04-2011 at 03:24 AM.