Tablet or ebook reader?

haino · 03-08-2011, 03:07 PM

I am a bit confused (or perhaps thick) but can anyone explain the difference between a tablet PC and an ebook reader with LCD screen and wi-fi.
It seems to me that they seem to be merging somewhere.

jbcohen · 03-08-2011, 03:16 PM

IMHO the tablet will eventually replace the dedicated reader, but others might take issue with my opinion.

The real difference between tablets and dedicated readers is that the tablet can do things other than showing electronic books. The kindle and Nook are technically tablets since the can do other things as well. A Pandigital Novel, while it can web surf has its primary job as showing electronic books so its still classified as a dedicated device.

Namekuseijin · 03-08-2011, 03:36 PM

ebook readers ought to be cheaper for being inferior hardware dedicated just to reading. Their best feature is eInk display, which is to say, LCD ebook readers are just severely limited tablets (which cynics would say is a severely limited notebook, which cynics would say... well, you get it).

Lemurion · 03-08-2011, 06:50 PM

I think tablets are going to largely supplant but not completely replace dedicated readers. Many more people are going to have tablets, and they're going to use them for at least some reading, but dedicated readers aren't going to go away as long as they remain much better for reading.

wyndslash · 03-08-2011, 06:53 PM

meh, i may get a tablet in the future, but i'm still going to get a dedicated ereader. makes me feel more personalized and special

plus the battery life

i don't know for others; but i get easily distracted

so i would just like a simple ereader that doesn't entice me to do anything else but read, like a real book does (unless the book is very bad, of course)

Hamlet53 · 03-08-2011, 07:07 PM

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.

mountain_lion · 03-08-2011, 07:38 PM

I have a tablet with two reading applications. I love it... is very useful at work and meetings, and I can do a lot of other things.

tomereader · 03-08-2011, 07:42 PM

I've been researching tablets a lot thinking that when my JBL goes that is the way I will go next time the only drawbacks are battery related almost all tablets only have 5 hour usage rate and I've only seen one or two that have (designed

replaceable batteries

I saw something like http://www.gomadic.com/battery-backup-cat.html a way to harness 4 batteries that ended in a mini usb plug that would let you continue your tablets use in an emergancy ..like if the tablet died while I was using it as a gps and stranding me in an unknown city...

A 5 or 7 inch tablet would make a good reader plus the fun stuff for a gadget freak

like me

coolereader has changeable colors for fonts and backgrounds and up to a 72 font so that would work for me

pietrocrazy · 03-08-2011, 08:01 PM

They are essentially the same thing, except that an LCD ebook reader is designed primarily for reading, so it might not have all the bells and whistles of a tablet that is not dedicated to reading. Maybe someone with a rooted Nook color can comment better.

I think that tablets will certain replace ereaders for many people, in the same way that smart phones have replaced dedicated MP3 players for many people. But there are a lot of people who really prefer eInk (I am among these people), so I really doubt they will be completely replaced. I wonder if 10 or 20 years down the line we'll be looking at screens that can function in both capacities, or in any case I'm sure someone will come up with a creative solution.

elcreative · 03-08-2011, 08:18 PM

I have dedicated eReaders for reading and am still looking at tablets but as anything under 10" wouldn't meet my needs, a tablet will never replace my eReaders which just slip in a pocket and go virtually everywhere with me. When I get a tablet, I may read on it but I want it for other purposes primarily...

jgaiser · 03-08-2011, 08:21 PM

I was a big Kindle fan. Still am.

But, for me the iPad has mostly replaced the Kindle. *I* don't have the eye strain problems some people complain about after long reading times and though the battery life is much poorer than the Kindle, the iPad is my goto reader now.

pappcam · 03-08-2011, 08:33 PM

A good ebook reader uses e-ink, no back-lighting, is extremely lightweight and is relatively inexpensive. They are made to simulate the reading of a physical book

A tablet is the opposite of all those and plays Angry Birds.

Barty · 03-08-2011, 09:18 PM

I think the CPU / memory / display requirements for tablets and ereaders are too different for the two to merge for quite a while. Tablets need high CPU performance, good sized memory, high refresh rate color display, at least 7". Ereaders need non glare, preferably reflective display, long battery life, relatively lower price.

hughes · 03-08-2011, 11:25 PM

Dedicate ereaders cost less and could conceivably become free.

astra · 03-09-2011, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haino

I am a bit confused (or perhaps thick) but can anyone explain the difference between a tablet PC and an ebook reader with LCD screen and wi-fi.
It seems to me that they seem to be merging somewhere.

Tablet might do a lot more than just read ebooks?

03-08-2011, 03:07 PM	#1
haino Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Tablet or ebook reader? I am a bit confused (or perhaps thick) but can anyone explain the difference between a tablet PC and an ebook reader with LCD screen and wi-fi. It seems to me that they seem to be merging somewhere.

03-08-2011, 06:53 PM	#5
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	meh, i may get a tablet in the future, but i'm still going to get a dedicated ereader. makes me feel more personalized and special plus the battery life i don't know for others; but i get easily distracted so i would just like a simple ereader that doesn't entice me to do anything else but read, like a real book does (unless the book is very bad, of course) Last edited by wyndslash; 03-08-2011 at 11:29 PM.

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03-08-2011, 03:16 PM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,033 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	IMHO the tablet will eventually replace the dedicated reader, but others might take issue with my opinion. The real difference between tablets and dedicated readers is that the tablet can do things other than showing electronic books. The kindle and Nook are technically tablets since the can do other things as well. A Pandigital Novel, while it can web surf has its primary job as showing electronic books so its still classified as a dedicated device.

03-08-2011, 03:36 PM	#3
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	ebook readers ought to be cheaper for being inferior hardware dedicated just to reading. Their best feature is eInk display, which is to say, LCD ebook readers are just severely limited tablets (which cynics would say is a severely limited notebook, which cynics would say... well, you get it).

03-08-2011, 06:50 PM	#4
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I think tablets are going to largely supplant but not completely replace dedicated readers. Many more people are going to have tablets, and they're going to use them for at least some reading, but dedicated readers aren't going to go away as long as they remain much better for reading.

03-08-2011, 07:07 PM	#6
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	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.

03-08-2011, 07:38 PM	#7
mountain_lion Addict Posts: 232 Karma: 543882 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Puerto Rico Device: fbreader, Kindle	I have a tablet with two reading applications. I love it... is very useful at work and meetings, and I can do a lot of other things.

03-08-2011, 07:42 PM	#8
tomereader Zealot Posts: 124 Karma: 664461 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: North Coast of Ohio Device: Ectaco JBL, Archos 5, 7, 70, Kindle DXG, Craig 7, Vizio Vtab	I've been researching tablets a lot thinking that when my JBL goes that is the way I will go next time the only drawbacks are battery related almost all tablets only have 5 hour usage rate and I've only seen one or two that have (designed replaceable batteries I saw something like http://www.gomadic.com/battery-backup-cat.html a way to harness 4 batteries that ended in a mini usb plug that would let you continue your tablets use in an emergancy ..like if the tablet died while I was using it as a gps and stranding me in an unknown city... A 5 or 7 inch tablet would make a good reader plus the fun stuff for a gadget freak like me coolereader has changeable colors for fonts and backgrounds and up to a 72 font so that would work for me

03-08-2011, 08:01 PM	#9
pietrocrazy Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 706 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	They are essentially the same thing, except that an LCD ebook reader is designed primarily for reading, so it might not have all the bells and whistles of a tablet that is not dedicated to reading. Maybe someone with a rooted Nook color can comment better. I think that tablets will certain replace ereaders for many people, in the same way that smart phones have replaced dedicated MP3 players for many people. But there are a lot of people who really prefer eInk (I am among these people), so I really doubt they will be completely replaced. I wonder if 10 or 20 years down the line we'll be looking at screens that can function in both capacities, or in any case I'm sure someone will come up with a creative solution.

03-08-2011, 08:18 PM	#10
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	I have dedicated eReaders for reading and am still looking at tablets but as anything under 10" wouldn't meet my needs, a tablet will never replace my eReaders which just slip in a pocket and go virtually everywhere with me. When I get a tablet, I may read on it but I want it for other purposes primarily...

03-08-2011, 08:21 PM	#11
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	I was a big Kindle fan. Still am. But, for me the iPad has mostly replaced the Kindle. I don't have the eye strain problems some people complain about after long reading times and though the battery life is much poorer than the Kindle, the iPad is my goto reader now.

03-08-2011, 08:33 PM	#12
pappcam Member Posts: 20 Karma: 9754 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada Device: Sony PRS-350	A good ebook reader uses e-ink, no back-lighting, is extremely lightweight and is relatively inexpensive. They are made to simulate the reading of a physical book A tablet is the opposite of all those and plays Angry Birds.

03-08-2011, 09:18 PM	#13
Barty doofus Posts: 2,555 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I think the CPU / memory / display requirements for tablets and ereaders are too different for the two to merge for quite a while. Tablets need high CPU performance, good sized memory, high refresh rate color display, at least 7". Ereaders need non glare, preferably reflective display, long battery life, relatively lower price.

03-08-2011, 11:25 PM	#14
hughes Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 1006020 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Akron, OH USA Device: Kindle PW, Galaxy Nexus, iPad 1	Dedicate ereaders cost less and could conceivably become free.