iPad Can the iPad replace ebook readers?

Originally Posted by scottjl

well. i have good vision and my letters aren't blurry. so i think i can read pretty darn quick too. sorry to hear about your poor eyesight. maybe try a larger font? or audiobooks.

My eyesight is about 15/20. The text is blurry as is confirmed below. As I mentioned previously changing the font size does not solve the problem. (BTW I do enjoy audiobooks too, thank you.) I don't know what Apple has done to the font rendering but it is certainly not on par with the Macbook Pro. I suspect two reasons: 1) The dpi is not great enough to be used as an effective ereader and 2) they had to make compromises in the algorithm to accommodate both landscape and portrait views.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by scottjl

...

very crippled

Yep, very crippled compared to my Acer Netbook which is even cheaper cost wise.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by richman

Gee, from your standpoint the IPAD is not a book reader , and you are right. For you, the IPAD is not a ebook reader.
But for lots of folks, the IPAD is a ebook reader that is easier to read than on a laptop/netbook and has color pages/images.
I think what you mean is that the KINDLE is JUST a EREADER and the IPAD does everything ,including ereader. Amazon is gonna have to be VERY NICE to IPAD because if you look on top 100 electronic's they sell after KINDLE are lots of itouchs/nano devices. And amazon will be SELLING ipads too, I would imagine and sell lots of them.

No I mean just what I said.

If I want a computer that reads ebooks I'll use a full function one like a netbook.

I also expect full-function (i.e. not crippled) tablets (probably with Windows 7) by the end of the year if not already for less money than the i-feminine hygiene brand.

[richman]

You have itouch and n800 and I guess you can't read text on those devices either, or are they different or better. You have actually went to store and looked at the IPAD? I have no problem when a person says that the device doesn't work for them after trying it, but if they offer an opinion without actually having their hands on the unit, well, "yeah , it is their opinion, but it's not based on actually using the device." I know they have a number of font types and sizes and I do find it hard to believe you are typing on a computer screen and so you can read lcd screens, and you do have itouch and n800 , and they are small screens. I must be missing something , and you could have valid point, I must be missing it for some reason.


p.s. kennyC! No problem , I too have a netbook and laptop but it is a pain for me to read ebooks on them and that is why I got the 505, in addition to the fact I could only get 2 hours battery life out of them.
The advantage of this IPAD is touch screen, and fast start up , and apple made the whole experience much nicer.

I am sure some other people would agree with you liking to read on netbook or laptop over IPAD but since I do have them and bought the 505 because I didn't like reading books on the laptop or netbook , .... then last week tried the IPAD, the IPAD was WONDERFUL and with 10 hour battery life and quick on and off and great screen and easy page turns, MUCH MUCH better than 505's screen for me or my laptop or netbook. So what, we have different views on this, I like hearing different viewpoints on stuff.

[scottjl]

Originally Posted by akira28

My eyesight is about 15/20. The text is blurry as is confirmed below. As I mentioned previously changing the font size does not solve the problem. (BTW I do enjoy audiobooks too, thank you.) I don't know what Apple has done to the font rendering but it is certainly not on par with the Macbook Pro. I suspect two reasons: 1) The dpi is not great enough to be used as an effective ereader and 2) they had to make compromises in the algorithm to accommodate both landscape and portrait views.

again, if you see the characters as blurry and unreadable, then sorry to hear the ipad isn't good for your vision. to each his own. i have on problem reading on my ipad at any font size.

1. the macbook pro 17" dpi is 132, the ipad is 132 as well. source
2. i imagine the algorithm for font rendering is the same no matter what the orientation is. apple has been doing font rendering for longer than many companies have been around. i trust them to get it right.

Yep, very crippled compared to my Acer Netbook which is even cheaper cost wise.

i have an eeepc. it's collecting dust right now. my ipad is lighter, thinner, easier to carry and gets easily double the battery life (of the stock battery, not one of those huge extended batteries, which i also have). it also has a larger and better display. don't ya just hate scrolling around in that 1024x600 landscape screen? you can't imagine the freedom of an actual 1024x768 screen that will easily pivot from portrait to landscape, or carrying around the thin and light ipad. it was a joy to use on the 6 flights i took this past week. no lugging out the laptop or netbook (i used to carry both with me in my travels). the instant-on startup of the ipad. how it didn't take up all of my available space (and i fly first class!) and no screwing around with windows. some times quality costs a little extra... i'm glad i can afford it.

[scottjl]

Originally Posted by kennyc

No I mean just what I said.

If I want a computer that reads ebooks I'll use a full function one like a netbook.

I also expect full-function (i.e. not crippled) tablets (probably with Windows 7) by the end of the year if not already for less money than the i-feminine hygiene brand.

excuse me, but what function (out of the many that i listed) can't you do on an ipad that you'll be doing on your (not yet available) windows 7 tablet?

i'm doing a whole lot of functions right now. how many are you doing on your (not yet available) tablet. 0. keep waiting though, some day you might be.

from your last remark, it's pretty clear you're a troll..

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Kenny, you're a friend to me so I'll go easy. ...''
It used to be true but you have clearly not experimented with the iPad's new type of user interface. ....

How many times do you bring your computer outdoors? I've got two laptops and I've tried once. Not a likeable experience......

To do proper justice to comic books and PDFs a device has to have a certain screen size and the iPad has the smallest adequate
Netbooks are a great alternative for color docs but so is iPad. .....

But there are 3 more alternatives promised other than iBooks available with really, really cheap apps, cheaper than a book actually! Kindle, B&N, Kobo. ....



I also have objections about iPad but I'll have to live with them.
.....


Kenny I feel that you refuse to even feel objective about the iPad and other Apple products. .....

If it's political? That's your thing. I'm not from your country and I don't even care about American politics. ....

No need to go easy sir. I'm a big boy. I tend to say what I think and expect others to as well.

I do not have an iPad, nor have I tried one, but I do have an iPhone and the interface is identical from what I gather (other than size, which certainly is a difference)

Okay computers outdoors. That's no what we're talking about, we're talking about eReaders and I read almost every day while walking at lunch time -- yes in bright Colorado (close to the sun) sunlight.

You are right about the size needed to display comics. A full PC or Netbook screen is probably even better. particularly for PDFs

Promises, promises, promises.....show me the money.

Politics, American Politics??? Not sure where that came from. My issue with Apple is several-fold. Primarily with the way they are doing business by forcing all applications and data through their controlling greedy hands.

I despise the apple fanboyz (as well as any other techno-sheep fanboyz) that buy into the lies that are fed them by media and corporate controllers.

I will not be buying one and I will continue to point out it and Apple's deficiencies as necessary.

Enjoy your Pad.

[scottjl]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I will not be buying one and I will continue to point out it and Apple's deficiencies as necessary.

Enjoy your Pad.

without a device in your hands, or having actually touched and used one for any significant length of time, how do you feel you are qualified to comment, positive or negative, on any device? you're just spouting off opinions without any actual experience. which pretty much renders your comments meaningless without anything to back them up.

i'm thoroughly enjoying my ipad.

Originally Posted by richman

You have itouch and n800 and I guess you can't read text on those devices either, or are they different or better. You have actually went to store and looked at the IPAD? I have no problem when a person says that the device doesn't work for them after trying it, but if they offer an opinion without actually having their hands on the unit, well, "yeah , it is their opinion, but it's not based on actually using the device." I know they have a number of font types and sizes and I do find it hard to believe you are typing on a computer screen and so you can read lcd screens, and you do have itouch and n800 , and they are small screens. I must be missing something , and you could have valid point, I must be missing it for some reason.

richman,

I assume you were addressing me so I will respond. I mentioned in an earlier post that I went to Best Buy and spent some time with the iPad. It was immediately apparent that something was not quite right with the font rendering. It is not my intention to simply talk evil about the device. I had high hopes that I could finally get a portable device with a larger screen (I dislike e-ink).

I have no problem reading on any of my other devices. None of these display the blurry nature of the iPad (at their relative sizes). The n800 is really great for a pocket device and the text is very sharp. My coworker has a Droid that has the same resolution. It is also very sharp and she loves it.

[richman]

kennyc!
Maybe you shouldn't try an IPAD because you might like it and buy one and have to "eat your words".
I know I have made a fool of myself many, many times over the years (last few days too) , I'm slowly learning to actually investigate stuff more and not just speak to hear myself speak. We have scottjl here who OWNS one and has laptops/netbooks, iphones and "many, many gadgets" , and I trust him more about this subject than you who have never even handled it.
I also saw 10 or more reviews on utube/internet sites and actually went to store and handled it, but scottjl is the MAN because he is coming from HANDS on experience from actual use the last week.

p.s.akira28! That is cool. Thanks for clarifying that for me, you did everything that could be done, you did go to store and look at it. It is weird though because I would be thinking more people would be saying the same thing about the IPAD on that point, wouldn't you?

p.s.s. The only point I heard a few times from people was that the 1.5 pound IPAD would be too heavy to use for reading for long periods of time. Scottjl , do you find reading on your IPAD difficult for long periods, what is your set up, are you holding it in one hand, or is it on table, is that a valid point or not from your perspective. The 505 is pretty light weight. Also the other point some people say is that since this is a LARGE GLASS device , if you drop it, it's finished and if you accidently fall asleep , it could drop and since it's so expensive and fragile it's not the ideal ereader (compared to lighter weight and cheaper models). I am very careful with my ITOUCH and 505, but since the IPAD is a bigger glass screen , I'm thinking it's more fragile because of larger surface area and more flexing could occur. I have fallen asleep reading on my 505 and it has dropped but I have it in armor case and it's protected and I have dropped the itouch a few times with no damage, but the screen on itouch is only a few inchs compared to this IPAD. What are your thoughts on the subject.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by scottjl

excuse me, but what function (out of the many that i listed) can't you do on an ipad that you'll be doing on your (not yet available) windows 7 tablet?

i'm doing a whole lot of functions right now. how many are you doing on your (not yet available) tablet. 0. keep waiting though, some day you might be.

from your last remark, it's pretty clear you're a troll..

Flash for one.

Installing whatever third party software I want to without have to have it approved or purchased from Big Brother.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by scottjl

without a device in your hands, or having actually touched and used one for any significant length of time, how do you feel you are qualified to comment, positive or negative, on any device? you're just spouting off opinions without any actual experience. which pretty much renders your comments meaningless without anything to back them up.

i'm thoroughly enjoying my ipad.

I've been in the computer business since before either Apple or the IBM PC. I continue to follow, analyze and use both hardware and software in my professional capacity as a systems architect.

Nothing I've stated is without a basis in reality. It is based in fact, not opinion.

I don't appreciate the personal attack in any case (that's the second one in as many posts that you have made) and have reported it. I will continue to report the facts and state them as I see them (without the personal attacks btw).

[richman]

kenny
I don't think scottjl was attacking you , but generally if someone is commenting on a subject without actually touching it and using it and ANOTHER GUY has the device and using it , and speaks from experience, that carries more weight for many of us.
Even you in your field can spot young people who act like know it alls and YOU DO have experience in field and can call a spade a spade, like I see you doing in your last post.
All you have to do is go to best buy , look at it for 1 minute then say " I have handled it" and then you would have at least some "respect".
I'm trying to "learn about the IPAD myself" and so people like scottjl offers actual hands on experience. Whereas you seem to me as "troll" too, you do have times in your field where people "act like know it alls" and you do call them on it , don't you?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by richman

kennyc!
Maybe you shouldn't try an IPAD because you might like it and buy one and have to "eat your words". ...

You never know do you. The things I've brought up are reality, whether I experienced them or not:

The Overheating
The Wi-fi problems
The "must be approved by the mother-ship" apps
The missing Flash for fully-capable operation.
The changes in book pricing due to Apple's involvement
The inability to use the iPAD (I'm told I can't use the other description or it's trolling) in bright sunlight.

The Big-Brother nature of Apple.

As I said I have an iPhone and the operation is the same. I've not even indicated that I have any issues with that, but the other aspects of the device are of major concern to me and to others who may not be aware because they bought into the dream.

The point is that the answer to the topic at hand is not only NO! but HELL NO! There's no way that the iPad will replace ebook readers. They are not even the same thing.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by kennyc

You are right about the size needed to display comics. A full PC or Netbook screen is probably even better. particularly for PDFs

A netbook can't cut it because of the orientation of the screen. I'm writing on one right now. It shows only the top or bottom portion of a page and navigating is a pain compared to the iPad.

BTW There is no need to be derisive of a device's name when discussing about it.