A NetBook vs. an eBook

[Format C:]

I don't think netbook vs. ebook reader is an easy comparision.
It has to bu put in context to work.
How do they compare is all about how one uses them.

Making an analogy: the book -> ebook reader -> netbook paradigm is in many aspects like the film -> DSLR -> iPhone paradigm.
Of course a MF 6x6 camera is a lot heavier than a cellphone.
Of course you can't play Tic Tac Toe with a Nikon D2X.
But photographers going after image quality without compromises still shoot film. Photographers going after the best quality achievable with the digital handiness use Reflex cameras, which are getting every year closer to film quality.
Casual shooters who take a snapshot every now and then use more pratical solutions, like point and shoot or iphones.
But nobody will say that image quality is the same.
Somebody can care not, others can not even see the difference, but it's there.

The same is for reading: the best quality is still on paper (a good printing, I mean, not cheap paperbacks), the best quality with the digital convenience is on dedicated readers (and getting better every year), multi-purpose devices are good if quality is not an issue and for more casual users who need to do a lot of things and good is enough.



I'm in the middle lot: I use a DSLR for photos and a reader for fiction.
Manuals and technical writing on paper.

[calvin-c]

I disagree with your statements about quality-but I will agree with them if you change them to average quality, or including features, or something. Paper books still have the best average quality because the average computer setup is just that-average. I have a high-end workstation on which I, occasionally, read ebooks. (Primarily when they have images-maps, diagrams, etc.) If I get a good quality ebook, the display quality is just as good as a good quality treebook. But I'll agree-it takes considerable investment to achieve that quality. I certainly didn't do it to read ebooks because it's a lot easier (and cheaper, unless you have hundreds of books that require high-quality display) to just buy a decent paper copy.

As for the dedicated reader, the major advantages there, IMO, over multi-function computers, is battery life & portability. Again, I see little, if any, difference in the display quality-even for what I think of as an 'average' display. (I'll admit I haven't seen a lot of what others consider average notebooks-to me, even an average notebook should display a resolution of 1200x800 or better. Don't know very much at all about netbooks yet, though.)

[Kralik]

Originally Posted by advocate2

I have the Asus 1008ha which is a half pound lighter than the 1005. The supplied graphics driver already rotated the screen easily. It does not rotate the touchpad, however, and becomes confusing. i am looking forward to trying this little program to see if it rotates the touchpad as well as the screen.

That is what eeeRotate with Sakasa is for. It takes care of the touchpad rotation for you.

Originally Posted by phenomshel

That being said: I still want something with a tablet form factor. And I don't mean the "convertible" kinds where the screen flips back on itself. I want a true tablet, no keyboard, but still wireless/internet capable, and with the hardware to back it up. I'd even be willing to take a chance on a dual screen setup like the proposed Microsoft Courier device. At this point in time, the Archos 9 comes closest; but it's still short in the hardware department, in my opinion. I'm hoping whatever Microsoft ends up releasing will end up being closer to what I'm looking for.

You might consider looking into the Viliv X70.

For me... I love my jetBook because it IS actually pocketable. I also love my Asus Eee PC because it is portable, has a SSD, and gets 8+ hours of battery. It's the screen the bothers me. My eyes like the jetBook for extended reading far more. And even the 9" 2.4 lb. Eee can't match with 7 oz. and pocketable.

I'm looking forward to a tablet with Pixel Qi... best of both worlds.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by calvin-c

As for the dedicated reader, the major advantages there, IMO, over multi-function computers, is battery life & portability. Again, I see little, if any, difference in the display quality-even for what I think of as an 'average' display. (I'll admit I haven't seen a lot of what others consider average notebooks-to me, even an average notebook should display a resolution of 1200x800 or better. Don't know very much at all about netbooks yet, though.)

Netbooks tend to have lower than average screen resolutions. I know XP, out of the box on my netbook complained about resolution being set to low, and it was at the native resolution of the LCD (1024x576).

[Tattncat]

Originally Posted by poshm

For many people I suspect a netbook as an ereader as well is fine. If you can put up with the shorter battery life and are able to read from the screen with no problems then it has many advantages.

I can't read from an LCD screen for too long and have pretty bad eyesight as it is. And the massive plus of the Sony reader is the battery life which can last between 1-2 weeks at a time.

If I was traveling, I'd take my ereader and iPod touch for Internet / email and music. I used to take my eee pc but I wouldn't consider that now.

It all depends what you want from the hardware I guess.

I'm with you. Between the Touch and my 700 I don't worry about carrying around a laptop/netbook.

[Littermate]

One other point regarding Netbooks vs E-Readers: The fragility of most netbooks these days.

My early EEE had a flash drive but they all seem to have regular spinning hard disks these days, and that makes me nervous at handling them, which limits my comfort when reading. Although modern disks are more resiliant, they can still easily be crashed if you whizz them around too roughly and that makes me rather more edgy when trying to read on one. With the PRS505 I can just toss it on the bed or clunk it carelessly on the table if I need to get up, and I've even dropped it on the floor more than once - something that I am more likely to do with a netbook, what with its size and general clunkiness- and the PRS is more likely to survive such handling than a PC with a mechanical disk.

With all the other benefits of E-readers (battery life, outdoor reading, small size, beautiful screen) I plump for them for leisure reading anyday.

Course, its all down to preference and taste and I would never expect anyone to follow me blindly. With all the new readers coming out lately it seems I am in a growing minority.

May your eyes never cease

[Josieb1]

I have both a netbook (Samsung NC10) and an ebook (Sony PRS 505). I travel too and from work, about 45 minutes each way on the train, and the ebook is so much easier to read on.

I had my netbook about 8 months before I bought my ebook and wouldn't be without the ebook now, as much as I love my netbook it is a bit of a white elephant.

I read fanfiction, and 90% of it is on word/RTF, thats why I bought the netbook originally but it is too bulky for travel, even as small as it is

[javajoe96]

I think it depends on how new your netbook is. Because the newer ones really seem to run very quiet and very cool. My friend just got a new ASUS last night and he was using it on his lap for 2 and half hours and it was barely warm to the touch and he was not sure if that was from the netbook or from his legs warming it up.

[javajoe96]

Originally Posted by Littermate

One other point regarding Netbooks vs E-Readers: The fragility of most netbooks these days.

My early EEE had a flash drive but they all seem to have regular spinning hard disks these days, and that makes me nervous at handling them, which limits my comfort when reading. Although modern disks are more resiliant, they can still easily be crashed if you whizz them around too roughly and that makes me rather more edgy when trying to read on one. With the PRS505 I can just toss it on the bed or clunk it carelessly on the table if I need to get up, and I've even dropped it on the floor more than once - something that I am more likely to do with a netbook, what with its size and general clunkiness- and the PRS is more likely to survive such handling than a PC with a mechanical disk.

With all the other benefits of E-readers (battery life, outdoor reading, small size, beautiful screen) I plump for them for leisure reading anyday.

Course, its all down to preference and taste and I would never expect anyone to follow me blindly. With all the new readers coming out lately it seems I am in a growing minority.

May your eyes never cease

I think all the ASUS netbooks have solid state drives, My friend bought one last night and all three models at Best Buy had solid state drives.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by javajoe96

I think all the ASUS netbooks have solid state drives, My friend bought one last night and all three models at Best Buy had solid state drives.

Not all do. There are optional traditional hard drives. They just push the solid state ones more.