Black Friday Deals - Tablets & eReaders

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Yeah what's up with this view angle on these tablets anyway? It makes no sense. The Colby tablet I bought but returned a few years ago didn't have this problem. Who came up with idea? I am really leaning toward a Nexus 7.

The viewing angle issue isn't an idea so much as the result of a company's decision to use a cheaper LCD panel.

For the best viewing angles, you want an IPS panel like the one on the Nexus 7, Nexus 4, LG smartphones generally and the iPad, or one of many higher-end OLED iterations by Samsung -- cf. the ones on the S4, Note 3 and Note 10.1 2014.

The difficulty with Samsung is that they're constantly renaming their versions of OLED, so that you have to research the advantages and quirks of each particular kind.

Many other devices than the ones I've mentioned use IPS panels, and companies often stratify panel types according to the price ranges of different models. ASUS uses IPS frequently but not always (some of their laptops use TN panels, which are the worst); the same is true of companies like Dell. You can usually find the panel type listed in the specs, and occasionally the maximum viewing angle as well (which should be 180, obviously).

You might be interested in this detailed display shootout between three higher end smartphones -- not because of the actual models discussed but because of the details about the panels.

Virtually every comparison on that page makes me glad I picked up a Galaxy S4 instead of the SIII (though I'd have waited for the Note 3 if my phone hadn't died suddenly at the end of July).

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

The viewing angle issue isn't an idea so much as the result of a company's decision to use a cheaper LCD panel.

For the best viewing angles, you want an IPS panel like the one on the Nexus 7, Nexus 4, LG smartphones generally and the iPad, or one of many higher-end OLED iterations by Samsung -- cf. the ones on the S4, Note 3 and Note 10.1 2014.

The difficulty with Samsung is that they're constantly renaming their versions of OLED, so that you have to research the advantages and quirks of each particular kind.

Many other devices than the ones I've mentioned use IPS panels, and companies often stratify panel types according to the price ranges of different models. ASUS often uses IPS but not always; the same is true of companies like Dell. You can usually find the panel type listed in the specs, and occasionally the viewing angle as well (which should be 180, obviously).

You might be interested in this detailed display shootout between three higher end smartphones -- not because of the actual models discussed but because of the details about the panels.

Virtually every comparison on that page makes me glad I picked up a Galaxy S4 instead of the SIII (though I'd have waited for the Note 3 if my phone hadn't died suddenly at the end of July).

I agree it's just a cheap way to make screens. I will read up on the info given. This is new to me. I own Kindle Fires and Samsung Galaxy Player that don't have this issue.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by koland

Well,if you are checking your stocks or bank acct on one, you don't want as many people to see it...


Of course, the real reason is that it is a less expensive screen, just as with TV's - the better viewing angle from the side, the more expensive and the same from a lower viewpoint (little kids right under the screen) -- that translates to tablets, as well as notebooks and monitors.

Oh you can see it still just the screen goes negative if you are looking dead on, you have to look from the side when it's in portrait. Landscape has no view angle. No more cheap tablets for me. The store Demo really didn't show this problem.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I agree it's just a cheap way to make screens. I will read up on the info given. This is new to me. I own Kindle Fires and Samsung Galaxy Player that don't have this issue.

You're welcome!

It's easy to see why you hadn't experienced this issue before.

KF tablets have always used IPS panels. Galaxy Players vary, though I know for a fact that the GP 4.2 uses an IPS.

Knowing about IPS panels will also help you if you're ever in the market for a monitor or flat-screen TV. Viewing angles become rather important when they affect groups of people in a living room and screens meant to be seen from multiple vantages.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

You're welcome!

It's easy to see why you hadn't experienced this issue before.

KF tablets have always used IPS panels. Galaxy Players vary, though I know for a fact that the GP 4.2 uses an IPS.

Knowing about IPS panels will also help you if you're ever in the market for a monitor or flat-screen TV. Viewing angles become rather important when they affect groups of people in a living room and screens meant to be seen from multiple vantages.

The SGP5 must use it too because no issues there. My HP 22" LCD WS monitor doesn't use view angle either or my Sony Brava HDTV this is all new to me. My netbook only does it if I tilt the screen too forward or too back so thank you I know what to look for and something to stump the local sales guys with.

Now we just need a list of tablets that uses IPS. This is so helpful for those reading the thread so they don't get the kids or themselves something to mess with their eyes.

[tubemonkey]

Today Only - Thu 14 Nov --- free $15 GC

• Kindle Fire HD 7 16GB --- $169 + free $15 GC
• Kindle Fire HD 7 8GB --- $139 + free $15 GC

Not as good as the $40 digital credit that expired yesterday; nor as good as various Black Friday deals coming up in two weeks.


My advice is to pass on this offer and wait until BF.

[tubemonkey]

Staples just released their ad - all of the major box stores are now out, except Costco.

• Fire HD 8.9" 16GB (2012) ($269/$189) ---$169
• Fire HDX 7" 16GB ($229/$189) --- $204** after $25 GC
• Fire HD 7" 8GB ($139/$99) --- $114** after $25 GC
• Fire 7" 2G 8GB (2012) --- $79
• Nexus 7.2 16GB ($229/$184) --- $199
• ------
  
• Dell Venue Pro 8" 32GB ($330) --- $280
• MS Surface RT 10.6" 32GB w/ Key ($400) --- $250
• Toshiba Encore 8" 32GB ($330) --- $300
• ------
• Paperwhite 2 ($119) --- $99** after $20 GC

There you go. Staples is only the second major box store to offer an ereader for sale. The other one is Best Buy (Kindle 4 for $50). Doesn't look good for the future of eink ereaders.
.

[tubemonkey]

Revising my wish list. Not getting a Chrome device. No longer need the flash and hard drives.

[Prestidigitweeze]

The only Kindle I'd buy at this point is an HDX+ 8.9 with 32 GB or more. I like the Paperwhite 2 but already own an Aura HD.

Still waiting for Amazon to adopt a higher resolution for eink.

Still waiting for deals on higher capacity versions of newer tablets. I hope we'll see them this year, don't you?

(In other news, my grillfiend might be getting a Nexus 5 for Christmas. We'll have to see.)

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

The only Kindle I'd buy at this point is an HDX+ 8.9 with 32 GB or more. I like the Paperwhite 2 but already own an Aura HD.

Just a heads up on the HDX 7" it suffers from a blue border issue that varies with device. I've gone through 3 of them and each one had its own issues. The blue border can be subtle or it can be right in your face or in between or it can bleed into the screen making it look horrible. Think PW1 color blobs issue on a tablet. *shudder* The 8.9 uses White LEDs and looks amazing. Amazon wont replace your HDX 7 if has a blue border they are calling it normal.

I don't think the HD (2013) version suffers from this but I haven't looked yet I am still debating whether to keep my HDX or go with something else. If it didn't have the blue border it would be the best 7 tablet I have seen when it comes to the screens. It's better than the Nexus 7 but that blue border just ruins it.

[tubemonkey]

Costco ad is now out - details later

This is the last of the big box stores to drop. The only ones left are online stores.

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

You can usually find the panel type listed in the specs, and occasionally the viewing angle as well (which should be 180, obviously).

Realistically you're not going to see 180 which would mean that you could view the screen by looking at it from either edge directly beside the display. The best you're probably going to see is like 178 or so which is a pretty extreme angle even so...

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by hwlester

Realistically you're not going to see 180 which would mean that you could view the screen by looking at it from either edge directly beside the display. The best you're probably going to see is like 178 or so which is a pretty extreme angle even so...

The point is not that you actually need a maximum of 180 but that companies and reviewers list screens that way to indicate an absence of viewing angle issues. I've sometimes wondered whether that so-called measurement is ever literally true, but in the practical sense, it's useful.

[curtw]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Maybe Someone that has one with a huge touchpad can enlighten why it's needed?

Well, on MacOS, some of the multi-touch gestures take four fingers. If you want to take advantage of all of the available shortcuts, you need a bunch of touchpad real estate.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by curtw

Well, on MacOS, some of the multi-touch gestures take four fingers. If you want to take advantage of all of the available shortcuts, you need a bunch of touchpad real estate.

These are Windows 8 so maybe it's something similar.