Quote:
Originally Posted by Laridae
..My anticipation grew as I read through this chronology wondering how you would assess the current crop of dedicated eReaders - specifically my new Kobo Vox. But you make it quite clear that these dedicated readers hold no interest for you. That's truly a shame since it appears to my (cheapskate?) self that there is a legitimate market here for devices in this category and at this price point, especially as ebooks are readily available to borrow free from public libraries.
But I did catch your earlier point that for heavy readers that buy their books, the cost of the hardware is not the issue.
Thanks again for a great read!
 |
You definitely got a point here ("it appears to my (cheapskate?) self that there is a legitimate market here for devices in this category and at this price point"). For quite some time I intensively defended dedicated readers against tablet owners: "Tablets = too heavy, too much battery consumption, not good enough contrast, ...".
But over time, ca. Autumn 2010, I really got fond of my tablets.
I either use these gadgets at home on the sofa, where battery consumption for example is not really an issue, or when traveling. And on the road, those multifunctional devices really are phantastic. On some trips, when traveling light, I didn't even bring a laptop with me anymore.
Now, I typically take my ultra-portable MacBook Air 11" and 2 or 3 tablet-style gadgets with me. For now, it's usually Samsung Galaxy Note 5", which easily fits in my suit's pocket. And often Sony Tablet P. It has some weak spots, mainly the gap between the 2 screens. But it's highly portable and still has a (actually 2) big enough screen(s). And most of the time I take one "real" tablet with me. I've lost interest in iPad 2 maybe 3 months ago. But this obviously will change with iPad 3. For now, I prefer Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9" or Motorola Xoom. And of course my favorite: BlackBerry PlayBook.
But having more than one unit (often up to 5) with me already, I don't have the space or need for a dedicated reader (anymore).
I've briefly tried with iRex 800, one of my former favorites, about 3 months ago. But I simply didn't find any arguments for it respectively against tablets.
In Germany, I have to care 3.2 days per year about reading in direct sunlight, so glare and contrast is not an important argument obviously.
Even on a trip, the 8+ or even 12+ hours battery duration of most tablets are more than enough.
Weight is an argument. I couldn't read on iPad or Xoom for more than 3 hours in a row. But I easily can do so on BlackBerry PlayBook.
Contrast, glare and such arguments about the display quality are highly subjective of course. I was surprised, when checking out iRex 800. Okay, no Pearl display. Kindle DX Graphite for example has a darker font and more contrast. But I find the backlit display of tablets as pleasing to the eye as eInk displays. And I love, having Kindle, Kobo, B&N and other reading apps in parallel. Would there be a Microsoft lit app for my oldest eBooks, I could have my entire library of bought books without need for stripping DRM and converting.
You've already mentioned my argument about follow-up costs: Buying 100 eBooks per year = ca. $ 1.000 = outweighs even the most expensive tablet. And when using your tablet for 2 or 3 years, the initial invest only will add up to about 20% of the total costs.
But I totally agree: If reading is all you want, Kindle for example with its price point of ca. $ 100 can't be beat.
But personally, I'd miss checking my emails, looking up the nearest restaurant or ordering some new gadget from Amazon.
But I honestly have to admit: I'm not reading intensively in the moment. There have been times, when I've read 6 to 8 hours every single day. For now, it's 2 or 3 hours at best and often I don't read at all (*) for 2 or 3 days.
(*) By "reading" I mean actual reading sessions of books. I don't count 15 minutes of checking my emails or reading an online newspaper.
When I'll be reading as intensively again, my demands might change...