Looking for recommendations

phenomshel · 01-31-2010, 10:06 PM

Ok, I'm back in the market for a tablet form factor ebook reading device. I don't want to go back to an e-ink device, because there isn't one that reads every format without having to convert. I've gotten spoiled from reading on my Windows 7 netbook.

The Archos 9 is back to being a strong contender, because as far as I know, it's the most affordable tablet running Win 7 that's out there. Everything else seems to run Android and Android is out because there's no Kindle app or B&N app for it.

Anyone know of any tablets running Windows (preferably 7) at about the $550 price point of the Archos that I should be considering?

rmm200 · 01-31-2010, 10:26 PM

If I was in the market, no question that I would wait until I could try an IPad. Too bad I am not in the market for a tablet...

Robert

Houndx · 01-31-2010, 10:42 PM

The T91MT is very slightly thicker, gives you a real keyboard, has multitouch, has an SSD drive (which I find preferable) comes with Win7 Home (which has tablet enhancements unlike Win7 Starter included with the Archos). Just make sure you use the asus calibration tool rather than the default win7 tool.

phenomshel · 01-31-2010, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmm200

If I was in the market, no question that I would wait until I could try an IPad. Too bad I am not in the market for a tablet...

Robert

Thanks for the recommendation, but I've looked at the iPad and it doesn't meet several of my requirements. Thanks for the reply, though

Quote:

Originally Posted by Houndx

The T91MT is very slightly thicker, gives you a real keyboard, has multitouch, has an SSD drive (which I find preferable) comes with Win7 Home (which has tablet enhancements unlike Win7 Starter included with the Archos). Just make sure you use the asus calibration tool rather than the default win7 tool.

Since the primary usage is as ebook reader, I really don't need a physical keyboard. And I really don't want to have to replace the SSD drive to a larger capacity. I do agree about the operating system, though. Multitouch is another consideration, too. Thanks for the tips

EDIT: Just did a bit more reading.. this is looking more and more intriguing.

Houndx · 02-01-2010, 08:54 AM

Yeah, the T91MT's drive should be more than large enough if your primary use is going to be for reading. The physical keyboard is really more of a bonus since the device is basically the exact same size and, iirc, it's actually lighter than the Archos. I had the T91MT briefly and I can tell you the build quality is fantastic. I returned it due to, what I thought was, a problem with the touchscreen but it turned out that would've been resolved had I known about the Asus calibration utility.

Be prepared tho, both the Archos and T91MT will be shockingly heavy compared to a reader or MID. I mean they aren't heavy, but in comparison it's like holding a brick.

phenomshel · 02-01-2010, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Houndx

Yeah, the T91MT's drive should be more than large enough if your primary use is going to be for reading. The physical keyboard is really more of a bonus since the device is basically the exact same size and, iirc, it's actually lighter than the Archos. I had the T91MT briefly and I can tell you the build quality is fantastic. I returned it due to, what I thought was, a problem with the touchscreen but it turned out that would've been resolved had I known about the Asus calibration utility.

Be prepared tho, both the Archos and T91MT will be shockingly heavy compared to a reader or MID. I mean they aren't heavy, but in comparison it's like holding a brick.

I don't see weight being a huge issue, since I'm used to holding a netbook for reading now.
Chris and I did some discussing and decided if we're going to share the device (which I have no problem with), that we might go for something more expensive. We looked at the Gigabyte 1028X and a few other things that aren't out quite yet but will be right around the time we actually have the money. He's not crazy about the T91MT's not user replaceable battery.

Maybe you know the answer to a question we've been debating, though - what are the advantages/disadvantages to multitouch?

Houndx · 02-01-2010, 01:23 PM

The big one is, especially if you plan on surfing on a small device, is pinch to zoom. The other gestures are nice but that's the huge one.

WT Sharpe · 02-02-2010, 06:08 PM

I find the new generation of tablets fascinating, but I haven't found one yet that fits my requirements.

When y’all find the following tablet, give me a holler:

24 hour battery life with wireless off
Virtual keyboard
USB port
Full featured word processor
<1 lb.
<$300.00

phenomshel · 02-06-2010, 08:27 PM

Well, I ended up with the ASUS T91MT. It's charging now - can't wait for it to be done so I can play with it! This thing is TINY. I don't know what I expected, but I love the size of this.
My version came with Win 7 Home Premium, so I don't have to upgrade the OS. I decided the 32 gig SSD would be sufficient, since this is mainly going to be used as an ebook reader. It also has two USB slots and a couple of SD card slots as well. Plus 500 gigs of online storage via ASUS that I doubt I'll ever use. We upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, (it came with one).

I'm hoping I ended up with the best compromise currently possible for both functionality and portability. Will post pictures in a bit.

kjk · 02-06-2010, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Well, I ended up with the ASUS T91MT. It's charging now - can't wait for it to be done so I can play with it! This thing is TINY. I don't know what I expected, but I love the size of this.
My version came with Win 7 Home Premium, so I don't have to upgrade the OS. I decided the 32 gig SSD would be sufficient, since this is mainly going to be used as an ebook reader. It also has two USB slots and a couple of SD card slots as well. Plus 500 gigs of online storage via ASUS that I doubt I'll ever use. We upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, (it came with one).

I'm hoping I ended up with the best compromise currently possible for both functionality and portability. Will post pictures in a bit.

Congrats! Can't wait to read your impressions of it. Are you totally playing with the cool rotating screen thing?

phenomshel · 02-07-2010, 02:42 PM

LOL kjk!! Well, not when you asked. When you asked I was still trying to do the setup. I didn't get to play with the totally cool rotation until I went to bed last night. But once I got that figured out, this thing is THE perfect ebook reader for me. I can swivel it, prop it on the pillow next to me, and use one finger to turn pages. I don't even have to hold it. I can adjust screen brightness from almost invisible to brighter than daylight - I had the light off in my room last night and the screen brightness down and it was extremely comfortable on my eyes. If I rotate it portrait mode, using Calibre I get a longer page of text - which is what I wanted. This is going to make an awesome comic book reader in landscape mode, too.

The one thing I'm not crazy about is the glossy finish on it. This thing would be a nightmare for someone with OCD. It is a fingerprint magnet deluxe. Chris is concerned about the swivel hinge giving out, but so far it feels pretty sturdy to me. I have found that I enjoy using the stylus and the virtual keyboard to type when I have it in tablet mode. I will definitely need to go get a couple of SD cards for this - I uninstalled a bunch of the software that came with it that I have no use for, but I still only have 14 gigs of the 32 gig drive left.

The battery life already seems longer than with my netbook. I read for a couple of hours last night and the battery indicator barely moved.

My summary: If you're going to use this mainly for reading and you already de DRM your books, like I do, install Calibre, throw your books on an SD card and have at it. However, as a full netbook I find it a bit sluggish in performance. Since that isn't what I bought it for, I'm ok with it, but someone else might not be.

Bremen Cole · 02-11-2010, 03:48 PM

I am getting more and more interested in this http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=T71-10110 tablet..... as a lite laptop replacement and reader.... anyone have any opinions?

WT Sharpe · 02-11-2010, 04:41 PM

I'm sure you caught that it's the Starter Version of Windows 7. That may or may not affect your decision. I haven't looked very closely at the differences between the starter version and the regular edition, but I think one difference is in how they handle touchscreens, and whether multi-touch is supported.

WT Sharpe · 02-11-2010, 04:51 PM

I was right. Windows 7 Starter does not support multi-touch. The second video relates the differences between the versions of Windows 7:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=T71-10110

Frankr · 02-11-2010, 05:44 PM

I know there is a group buy (members of this forum hoping for a great discount price) going on for the eletroworld A700 I do not know anything about this device, except the specs look good and it will be reviewed here shortly.

01-31-2010, 10:06 PM	#1
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Looking for recommendations Ok, I'm back in the market for a tablet form factor ebook reading device. I don't want to go back to an e-ink device, because there isn't one that reads every format without having to convert. I've gotten spoiled from reading on my Windows 7 netbook. The Archos 9 is back to being a strong contender, because as far as I know, it's the most affordable tablet running Win 7 that's out there. Everything else seems to run Android and Android is out because there's no Kindle app or B&N app for it. Anyone know of any tablets running Windows (preferably 7) at about the $550 price point of the Archos that I should be considering?

02-01-2010, 08:54 AM	#5
Houndx Groupie Posts: 159 Karma: 149 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: A81 MID, Dell Streak	Yeah, the T91MT's drive should be more than large enough if your primary use is going to be for reading. The physical keyboard is really more of a bonus since the device is basically the exact same size and, iirc, it's actually lighter than the Archos. I had the T91MT briefly and I can tell you the build quality is fantastic. I returned it due to, what I thought was, a problem with the touchscreen but it turned out that would've been resolved had I known about the Asus calibration utility. Be prepared tho, both the Archos and T91MT will be shockingly heavy compared to a reader or MID. I mean they aren't heavy, but in comparison it's like holding a brick. Last edited by Houndx; 02-01-2010 at 10:11 AM.

02-06-2010, 08:27 PM	#9
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Ended up with ASUS - first impressions Well, I ended up with the ASUS T91MT. It's charging now - can't wait for it to be done so I can play with it! This thing is TINY. I don't know what I expected, but I love the size of this. My version came with Win 7 Home Premium, so I don't have to upgrade the OS. I decided the 32 gig SSD would be sufficient, since this is mainly going to be used as an ebook reader. It also has two USB slots and a couple of SD card slots as well. Plus 500 gigs of online storage via ASUS that I doubt I'll ever use. We upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs, (it came with one). I'm hoping I ended up with the best compromise currently possible for both functionality and portability. Will post pictures in a bit.

02-07-2010, 02:42 PM	#11
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	ASUS - limited review LOL kjk!! Well, not when you asked. When you asked I was still trying to do the setup. I didn't get to play with the totally cool rotation until I went to bed last night. But once I got that figured out, this thing is THE perfect ebook reader for me. I can swivel it, prop it on the pillow next to me, and use one finger to turn pages. I don't even have to hold it. I can adjust screen brightness from almost invisible to brighter than daylight - I had the light off in my room last night and the screen brightness down and it was extremely comfortable on my eyes. If I rotate it portrait mode, using Calibre I get a longer page of text - which is what I wanted. This is going to make an awesome comic book reader in landscape mode, too. The one thing I'm not crazy about is the glossy finish on it. This thing would be a nightmare for someone with OCD. It is a fingerprint magnet deluxe. Chris is concerned about the swivel hinge giving out, but so far it feels pretty sturdy to me. I have found that I enjoy using the stylus and the virtual keyboard to type when I have it in tablet mode. I will definitely need to go get a couple of SD cards for this - I uninstalled a bunch of the software that came with it that I have no use for, but I still only have 14 gigs of the 32 gig drive left. The battery life already seems longer than with my netbook. I read for a couple of hours last night and the battery indicator barely moved. My summary: If you're going to use this mainly for reading and you already de DRM your books, like I do, install Calibre, throw your books on an SD card and have at it. However, as a full netbook I find it a bit sluggish in performance. Since that isn't what I bought it for, I'm ok with it, but someone else might not be. Last edited by phenomshel; 02-07-2010 at 03:01 PM. Reason: network reset

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01-31-2010, 10:26 PM	#2
rmm200 Groupie Posts: 195 Karma: 414 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bend, OR Device: Sony PRS-600	If I was in the market, no question that I would wait until I could try an IPad. Too bad I am not in the market for a tablet... Robert

01-31-2010, 10:42 PM	#3
Houndx Groupie Posts: 159 Karma: 149 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: A81 MID, Dell Streak	The T91MT is very slightly thicker, gives you a real keyboard, has multitouch, has an SSD drive (which I find preferable) comes with Win7 Home (which has tablet enhancements unlike Win7 Starter included with the Archos). Just make sure you use the asus calibration tool rather than the default win7 tool.

02-01-2010, 01:23 PM	#7
Houndx Groupie Posts: 159 Karma: 149 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: A81 MID, Dell Streak	The big one is, especially if you plan on surfing on a small device, is pinch to zoom. The other gestures are nice but that's the huge one.

02-02-2010, 06:08 PM	#8
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I find the new generation of tablets fascinating, but I haven't found one yet that fits my requirements. When y’all find the following tablet, give me a holler: 24 hour battery life with wireless off Virtual keyboard USB port Full featured word processor <1 lb. <$300.00

02-11-2010, 03:48 PM	#12
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	I am getting more and more interested in this http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=T71-10110 tablet..... as a lite laptop replacement and reader.... anyone have any opinions?

02-11-2010, 04:41 PM	#13
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I'm sure you caught that it's the Starter Version of Windows 7. That may or may not affect your decision. I haven't looked very closely at the differences between the starter version and the regular edition, but I think one difference is in how they handle touchscreens, and whether multi-touch is supported.

02-11-2010, 04:51 PM	#14
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	I was right. Windows 7 Starter does not support multi-touch. The second video relates the differences between the versions of Windows 7: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=T71-10110

02-11-2010, 05:44 PM	#15
Frankr Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1012044 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Connecticut (USA) Device: EzReader, Sony 650, Kindle 5, Onyx i62HD, Kobo Aura HD	I know there is a group buy (members of this forum hoping for a great discount price) going on for the eletroworld A700 I do not know anything about this device, except the specs look good and it will be reviewed here shortly.