Zenpad S 8.0 as a Reader?

Ravensknight · 01-31-2016, 09:08 AM

Does anyone have any experience with the Asus Zenpad S 8.0 tablet? If so, your thoughts, pro or con?

I am thinking of getting back into reading comics/graphic novels and while I have the Nexus 7.2, that is just a bit small for my eyes and I hate zooming.
The reviews on amazon seem pretty good and I like the whole 4x3 format, especially for GN's and manga.

I'll be checking out Bestbuy later this week, but since I can't load a comic of my own to see how it works, I'm not sure how good a test it will be. Which is why I'm asking here.

Thanks!

aceflor · 01-31-2016, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

Does anyone have any experience with the Asus Zenpad S 8.0 tablet? If so, your thoughts, pro or con?

I am thinking of getting back into reading comics/graphic novels and while I have the Nexus 7.2, that is just a bit small for my eyes and I hate zooming.
The reviews on amazon seem pretty good and I like the whole 4x3 format, especially for GN's and manga.

I'll be checking out Bestbuy later this week, but since I can't load a comic of my own to see how it works, I'm not sure how good a test it will be. Which is why I'm asking here.

Thanks!

It's a great tablet. I have one, the 580CA, and I love it. It replaces my Samsung Note 8 which was starting to be extremely slow.I use it for reading and take notes. Here a link to another thread where we just discussed this tablet: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=270353.

There are two types of zenpad S 8.0 : the 580C or the 580CA. The CA, which I have, works with the Z Stylus (sold separately) and has a better processor. I don't know what is sold in the US, I have the 2GB Ram 32 GB with an Atom Z3560 processor version. There is a CA 4GB 64 GB with an Atom Z3580 version, as well as different C versions with various processors according to the countries they are sold in, those cannot be used with the active Z Stylus.

I have not read comics on it but am sure it would do very well as I have all my class books to annotate on it and all are PDF's, sometimes of a poor quality, but the display manages them without any problem and enables me to read everything, notes included.

Ravensknight · 01-31-2016, 11:08 AM

thanks for the info and the thread link. Appreciate it!

diremommy · 02-02-2016, 12:15 AM

I've got the C, the cheaper model, and I love it, too. It has quite a bit of bloatware, you can disable most of it, and probably get rid of even more if you root it, which I haven't done. Otherwise, this is an excellent tablet. I got mine at the end of November, and have had no issues.

Ravensknight · 02-03-2016, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diremommy

I've got the C, the cheaper model, and I love it, too. It has quite a bit of bloatware, you can disable most of it, and probably get rid of even more if you root it, which I haven't done. Otherwise, this is an excellent tablet. I got mine at the end of November, and have had no issues.

I just ordered a C tonight and with prime it should be here by Friday. That way I'll have all weekend to play with it...

aceflor · 02-04-2016, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

I just ordered a C tonight and with prime it should be here by Friday. That way I'll have all weekend to play with it...

Congrats ! Have fun with your new toy !

Wearever · 02-04-2016, 09:51 AM

Diremommy , good to know you can get rid of most of the bloatware. I am still thinking about getting another Android tablet to replace my Nexus 7. ( it died ) I think the Asus Zenpad might be the best option for size & price.

Let us now how you like your new Zenpad, Ravensknight.

Ravensknight · 02-04-2016, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wearever

Let us now how you like your new Zenpad, Ravensknight.

Will do. I've got a couple of graphic novels just waiting to jump on it and be read!

Ravensknight · 02-13-2016, 02:25 PM

So it has been a week and I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with this tablet. I don't use it a lot, so what matters to others might not be an issue at all for me.

I like the 4x3 format and have put a BobJ cover on it. That allow my hands something to actually hold onto. The format also makes reading comics easier on my wrists, as the balance is what I'm used to, as opposed to my Nexus 7.2.

I read Superman: Speeding Bullets on it, a 48 page comic and then immediately read the paper copy that I own, to compare. No problems reading it on the tablet and while some of the details were hard to see, I didn't notice that I was missing them and when I saw them on the paper copy, I didn't feel like it was better, just "more".

So overall, I am pretty pleased with this.

Wearever · 02-14-2016, 07:45 PM

Glad you like your Zenpad Ravensknight !

underscore · 02-15-2016, 09:29 AM

I, got one zenpad8 last week also.
As for comics i found out that perfect viewer allows me to add files to the "library" from the home local NAS/network share for indoor use without having to copy all to the device.
Any suggestion for a good pdf reader with the same feature?

Ravensknight · 02-20-2016, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underscore

I, got one zenpad8 last week also.
As for comics i found out that perfect viewer allows me to add files to the "library" from the home local NAS/network share for indoor use without having to copy all to the device.
Any suggestion for a good pdf reader with the same feature?

I don't know of any pdf reader that will do this. Wait, doesn't perfect viewer have a pdf plugin? I thought I saw that floating around last year or so.

But since this tablet has a sdcard slot, why not put them all on that? I put a 16gb micro in that I had lying about and am using that. I am thinking of getting a bigger one so I don't easily run out of room.

Ravensknight · 02-21-2016, 12:17 AM

Ha, it does!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ewer.pdfplugin

underscore · 02-22-2016, 09:59 AM

And the plugin works well for the purpose :-)
As for expanding the tablet with a sd card probably you are right but I have some collections of old magazines in pdf and they take lot of space.

Ravensknight · 02-25-2016, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underscore

And the plugin works well for the purpose :-)
As for expanding the tablet with a sd card probably you are right but I have some collections of old magazines in pdf and they take lot of space.

I think the max size card is 128gb, but I'm not sure why that number sticks in my head.

Thankyou for mentioning pdf. I've installed the pdf plugin and now I can read twice as much with it instead of going back and forth between programs :-D

01-31-2016, 09:08 AM	#1
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	Zenpad S 8.0 as a Reader? Does anyone have any experience with the Asus Zenpad S 8.0 tablet? If so, your thoughts, pro or con? I am thinking of getting back into reading comics/graphic novels and while I have the Nexus 7.2, that is just a bit small for my eyes and I hate zooming. The reviews on amazon seem pretty good and I like the whole 4x3 format, especially for GN's and manga. I'll be checking out Bestbuy later this week, but since I can't load a comic of my own to see how it works, I'm not sure how good a test it will be. Which is why I'm asking here. Thanks!

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01-31-2016, 11:08 AM	#3
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	thanks for the info and the thread link. Appreciate it!

02-02-2016, 12:15 AM	#4
diremommy Zealot Posts: 137 Karma: 14452 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Zenpad S 8, iPad mini 2	I've got the C, the cheaper model, and I love it, too. It has quite a bit of bloatware, you can disable most of it, and probably get rid of even more if you root it, which I haven't done. Otherwise, this is an excellent tablet. I got mine at the end of November, and have had no issues.

02-04-2016, 09:51 AM	#7
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	Diremommy , good to know you can get rid of most of the bloatware. I am still thinking about getting another Android tablet to replace my Nexus 7. ( it died ) I think the Asus Zenpad might be the best option for size & price. Let us now how you like your new Zenpad, Ravensknight.

02-13-2016, 02:25 PM	#9
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	So it has been a week and I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with this tablet. I don't use it a lot, so what matters to others might not be an issue at all for me. I like the 4x3 format and have put a BobJ cover on it. That allow my hands something to actually hold onto. The format also makes reading comics easier on my wrists, as the balance is what I'm used to, as opposed to my Nexus 7.2. I read Superman: Speeding Bullets on it, a 48 page comic and then immediately read the paper copy that I own, to compare. No problems reading it on the tablet and while some of the details were hard to see, I didn't notice that I was missing them and when I saw them on the paper copy, I didn't feel like it was better, just "more". So overall, I am pretty pleased with this.

02-14-2016, 07:45 PM	#10
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	Glad you like your Zenpad Ravensknight !

02-15-2016, 09:29 AM	#11
underscore Addict Posts: 314 Karma: 1093858 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Romania (but i'm italian) Device: Onyx Boox Nova 2, Kingrow K1 (former N96 ML/i86ML Plus/M92)	I, got one zenpad8 last week also. As for comics i found out that perfect viewer allows me to add files to the "library" from the home local NAS/network share for indoor use without having to copy all to the device. Any suggestion for a good pdf reader with the same feature?

02-21-2016, 12:17 AM	#13
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	Ha, it does! https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ewer.pdfplugin

02-22-2016, 09:59 AM	#14
underscore Addict Posts: 314 Karma: 1093858 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Romania (but i'm italian) Device: Onyx Boox Nova 2, Kingrow K1 (former N96 ML/i86ML Plus/M92)	And the plugin works well for the purpose :-) As for expanding the tablet with a sd card probably you are right but I have some collections of old magazines in pdf and they take lot of space.