7 inch vs. 9 inch, Nook HD vs. HD+ and similar

[Roseweave]

At a total deadlock here... hate this feel. The 7" Snow looks better, and is more portable but the bigger real estate is better for reading comics and all that jazz as well as internet browsing, it could replace my EEEPC more or less.

I hate this feel!

[kerravonsen]

IMHO, if you already have an EeePC, keep that for doing your writing on, because in my experience, having a built-in physical keyboard is invaluable when you want to write rather than read. Yes, you could get a bluetooth keyboard IF it works with the device, but having it all in one device is less awkward. Why would you want to replace your EeePC when it is still working?

Then get the 7" because it is light and portable and you can hold it in one hand and enjoy your reading.

[Roseweave]

The EEEPC is kinda clunky and only barely working.

I'm leaning towards 7" now but there's a great deal on a 9"... bleh.

[Roseweave]

Ordered a Nook HD Snow White 8 Gig and a 16 gig MicroSD. That should do me. I was looking at the Kindle Fire HDX and it was awesome and light but I can't afford one. So it makes sense to just get a smaller one right now until the bigger ones are lighter, then I'll have this one as a sligtly as a still slightly more portable backup.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Roseweave

I have a bunch of new considerations so I'm really torn here.

On one level, 7 inch tablets are great because they're a similar size to 6 inch readers but with a little extra on top for watching movies and the like. They're super portable and useful like that. At the same time, 7 inches is a small screen for doing certain types of work. I know from the experience of using an EEE PC that 9 inches is generally enough for a device to focus as a true replacement for a laptop in certain scenarios.

The downside being 9 inch devices are heavier and might not be as suitable for reading on. In fact when I was checking some out in the shop, the size almost seemed daunting, and of the tablets over 8 inches almost seemed artificially enlarged in a way. iPads seemed more right to be because of the 3:4 aspect ratio.

But I feel like the 9 inchers are growing on me now and that I might get a fair amount of use out of them, getting more out of it than just replacing my broken Nook. I'm not a big fan of android and would prefer a portable device that can run legacy windows software but at this stage android is so widely supported it's probably not going to be much of an issue.

If I can use the tablet as an MIDI controller too I might be able to get rid of my Launchpad. Does Android still have Audio Latency issues? How is Touch Latency on the Nooks?

As you explicitly mention Nook HD and Nook HD+:
I've got both. Personally, I wouldn't buy neither again.
But if you're a fan of Nooks: Nook HD+ is okay. But I found the build quality of Nook HD unbearable. Visible gaps between the plastic frame and the housing. You even see them on about half the pictures in reviews. Some users don't bother. But I can't help myself: Whenever I turn on my Nook HD, first thing I see are those gaps.
Reason why I wouldn't buy a Nook anymore:
Over time, I've bought quite a few apps in the Nook App Store. With the latest firmware update, Google Play got integrated. Now I can access all my other apps. In general, that's a good thing. I've got way more apps that way. But why did I buy so many apps twice? it doesn't make much sense, to use the Nook versions anymore. Most don't get updates and the Google Play versions usually are a few versions ahead. But if I'm using the original Google system: Why then buy a Nook in the first place? It's a nice enough tablet, but not really outstanding, in my opinion. And managing 2 sets of applications simply gets bothersome.

As for your general question:
Personally, at the beginning of the tablet hype, I was into large format. And back then, Kindle DX had been my favorite reader. No Kindle Paperwhite is my favorite reader and I tend towards 7" tablets.
Only exception: I use Surface Pro for "professional tasks". And, would I still have the need (personally, I don't anymore, since changing jobs 18 months ago), to process PDFs, I'd aim for tablets/readers close to A4/letter format. But for all other tasks, I find 7" more than adequate.

As for the OS:
I quickly replaced iOS by Android because of the open OS and accessible file system.
In the meantime, I've replaced Android by Windows 8 and couldn't be happier with my Surface Pros and Dell Latitude 10.
In another thread, there was a discussion about productive respectively productive apps. How could there be more apps respectively how could productivity be any higher than on a full blown PC? No need for apps, just go for the legacy software and your options are sheer limitless.
But of course it all depends on the usage patterns. A Surface Pro certainly is overkill for playing Angry Birds...

[Roseweave]

the Nook was just better value than anything else I could get.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Roseweave

kinda paralysed by this decision atm

Maybe I'd be better off buying the cheaper 7 inch one and just buying a new tablet when the technology improves - that way I'd always have a more portable backup. But I'm not sure. A 9" Tablet with a bluetooth keyboard would be good enough for me to take out and write with, which I do a lot of, and would be better for reading comics.

How is reading comics on the 7" screen?

Just a matter of taste. But personally, I've used my 2 mobile bluetooth keyboards not once after the initial day. It's not really mobile anymore, most keyboards being bigger than the tablet. And I hate bluetooth. And even though some state differently: I found, bluetooth drains my battery significantly faster. And most of the times, handling is quite tricky: How to prop up the tablet? use a cover with integrated keyboard? Then the whole is bulkier than my MacBook Air.
That's one of the reasons why I came to love my Surface Pro: The covers with the integrated keyboards are phantastic.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Roseweave

the Nook was just better value than anything else I could get.

Have fun.
Great display.
The Nook HD, not the HD+, I guess?
If so: When getting it, check the gluing of the plastic frame. On mine and a few photos in reviews, there have been gaps between the plastic frame and the housing. Mine simply wasn't glued properly. I tried to glue it myself, but it's rather tricky.

[Roseweave]

does that really affect anything though? like if it gets bad i'll just get a case.

looking at covers atm actually.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Roseweave

does that really affect anything though? like if it gets bad i'll just get a case.

looking at covers atm actually.

I've read somewhere, dust cannot get below the screen. If that's true, it's only aesthetics, I guess.

[booklover6]

Congrats on making a decision. The Nook HD makes a fantastic ereader.

[jersysman]

I am very satisfied with the Nook HD+. I think you will enjoy your Nook HD. Fantastic display.

[Roseweave]

8" would have been the ideal size for me as I was looking at an 8" samsung today, but I'll tolerate, I'll have to replace the tablet in a couple of years anyway.

I need a USB/HDMI thingie. I notice they're overpriced, how is this cheap chinese knockoff?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-to-H...item3a83df66fc

[John F]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Correction on iPad weight:
iPad 1: 680g
iPad 2: 601g
iPad 3: 652g
iPad 4: 652g

As for reading comics on 7", I've had no issue doing just that on my Nexus 7 (2012) apart from the limited storage capacity. On my 7" tablets, I read in full page, portrait mode. On the 9.7" tablets, I read in double-page spread landscape. If you're considering Android, I highly recommend getting one with a microSD slot. The Asus Memo Pad HD 7 ($130-150, 300g) or the HiSense Sero 7 Pro ($130-150, 340g) are both decent options.

Looking at the Apple site, the iPad air LTE weighs 478g?

Edit: Never mind, I thought the iPad 4 was the iPad Air were the same model.