Tablet reading, Playbook v Galaxy v Nexus?

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by Blue2u

-I am concerned about clarity while reading so maybe I should read a bit more about pixel density. I love my SonyT1 and am hesitant as it is to go with lit screen. The prices of these darn tablets is too appealing, and as it seems most e-readers are going this direction anyway is what led me to start doing some reading about tablets. Vicious technology circle! I think my best bet would try to take a look at these in person side by side if possible.

-as to processing speeds, not sure this would be a huge deal breaker for me as long it's not something unbearable. I'm guessing the biggest place I would notice this is watching movies? Or will it be noticeable enough in web-browsing too?

Thank you both again for all your help.

Dedicated eReaders are a lot easier on the eyes in my opinion.

I would think the processor would be fine for web browsing. But if you start playing large games it might lag. Also it might get slow if you have too many apps open at once. As for side-loading, I don't much about that.

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Maybe it's my eyesight...
Microsoft Surface RT has been bashed for using a low resolution of 1366 x 768.
I've compared the very same MP4 movie: iPad 3 vs. Surface RT.
Honestly, I don't see much of a difference.
Colors are brighter on iPad 3.
But resolution-wise, it's not much of a difference.
A 720p movie is astonishing enough. If you hold your tablet 30cm from you, it looks perfect. On either tablet.

With a 720P video there would be no difference. As the iPad 3 and the surface RT have more than 720 x 1200 screens, so they are going to look pretty much the same while playing the same video file. But if you played a 1080p video, the iPad would be a lot sharper because it has a screen resolution of over 1080 x 1920. So in theory the iPad would look a lot better. (It seems some people have trouble playing 1080 on the iPad smoothly. Reporting stuttering and so on)

Color's are brighter on the iPad because IOS over saturates colours.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by The Terminator

With a 720P video there would be no difference. As the iPad 3 and the surface RT have more than 720 x 1200 screens, so they are going to look pretty much the same while playing the same video file. But if you played a 1080p video, the iPad would be a lot sharper because it has a screen resolution of over 1080 x 1920.

Of course. That's why I chose the example of a 720p video.
If you use a 1080p video on such relatively small displays, in my opinion and to my eyes, the difference is something like "great" vs. "phantastic".

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Blue2u

-sideloading android apps, sounds a bit beyond my technical expertise, doesn't mean I'm not willing to learn if it all works when it's done. But read a bit more and for my limited purposes sounds like I could simply download required apps right to PB, is that correct?

-re:KindleFire, yes, I'm in Canada. From the bit I've read it sounds like there are definite work-arounds to this, but not sure for the $ it would be best for me and might be easiest to go with different tablet if PB isn't the direction I go with. And frankly, rooting scares the heck out of me.

-I am concerned about clarity while reading so maybe I should read a bit more about pixel density. I love my SonyT1 and am hesitant as it is to go with lit screen. The prices of these darn tablets is too appealing, and as it seems most e-readers are going this direction anyway is what led me to start doing some reading about tablets. Vicious technology circle! I think my best bet would try to take a look at these in person side by side if possible.

-as to processing speeds, not sure this would be a huge deal breaker for me as long it's not something unbearable. I'm guessing the biggest place I would notice this is watching movies? Or will it be noticeable enough in web-browsing too?

a.) You can't directly download the Android apps to the PlayBook (to my knowledge). You have to go through your PC/Mac.
You connect you PlayBook via USB to the PC/MAc. Then you use some kind of explorer and send the file from the PC/Mac to the PlayBook. It's installed automatically on the PlayBook. The Android files are downloaded on your PC/Mac. You don't have to manipulate them, use them exactly as downloaded.
It's really simple and the descriptions on Crackberry and similar sites are great.
Remember: It's no hack. PlayBook does have a dedicated Android emulator on board. Originally developed by BlackBerry. You can buy/download some Android apps from the BlackBerry store. Experts will recognise them by their slightly different menus and such. Only problem: Only few apps are ported by their developers from Android to PlayBook and put in the PlayBook store. But basically every Android app can be used on PlayBook the way I've described it.

b.) re. resolution and clarity: Most eBook readers (not tablet, but eInk devices) are 6" and have a resolution of 800 x600: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._pixel_density
Almost every tablet is way beyond that.
Whether the tablet is 1024 x 600 (PlayBook) or way beyond that won't make that much of a difference for reading.
Yes: If you directly compare iPad 2 to iPad 3, the difference is quite obvious. But take an iPad 2 on its own, without direct comparison and it still will be phantastic.
And you have to consider: iPad is huge.
Steve Jobs did demonstrate it: 7" vs. 10" tablets doesn't sound much of a difference. But that's the diagonal measurement! 7" basically fits twice into a 10" display. And now consider a resolution of 1024 x 600 (close enough to the resolutions we've used on Notebooks only a few years ago) on such a small display.
Some users prefer eInk to backlit displays. But that's not because of the resolution, but because some experience eyestrain because of the backlit display.
When iPad came to the market only 2.5 years ago, everyone was baffled by the brilliant display.
There are tablets with higher resolution available, but that's just the finetuning. The basic units for basic tasks still are more than adequate.

Movies don't stress the processor very much. Usually you'll use movie formats, your tablet can process natively and doesn't have to do any conversion n the fly. You shouldn't experience any lag then, even on "weaker" tablets.
I guess, it's mainly high-end games, that will push the tablets to their limits. There are some impressive games for iOS and Android, you won't find on PlayBook for example.
But personally, I still have to say: I never would play a high-end game on a touchscreen unit. I'd always prefer physical controllers such as PS3 or XBOX do offer. And from your description I didn't deem games that important.

BTW: Web browsing is great on PlayBook. It has a phantastic browser.
But you won't have problems on either tablets, with the exception on a few wbesites. But these usually make problems on all tablets. Minor problems, though. You'll be able to surf 99.9% of the web without any problems.

[Blue2u]

Once again, thank you to you both. I'm extremely grateful for all your technical expertise and advice, and patience!

It's all beginning to make sense, and it's sounding as though I will be getting some type of tablet. I don't think it sounds like much of a steep learning curve for what I want to use it for. And I agree, games I play on PC or PS3!
This will mainly be surfing/reading. I think I'll try to get to a store where I can see hopefully a couple of these beside each other and do some comparison. After that it's just a learning curve and seeing just how different it is on my eyes. If brightness/contrast can be manipulated favorably, I'm thinking it's just a matter of which tablet, and likely PB unless a great deal comes in the next month [which is why I wanted to learn about these now].

I can't thank you enough for your patience and kindness...

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

a.) You can't directly download the Android apps to the PlayBook (to my knowledge). You have to go through your PC/Mac.
You connect you PlayBook via USB to the PC/MAc. Then you use some kind of explorer and send the file from the PC/Mac to the PlayBook. It's installed automatically on the PlayBook. The Android files are downloaded on your PC/Mac. You don't have to manipulate them, use them exactly as downloaded.

Huh. I thought that you had to download the PlayBook SDK (software development kit) and use that to convert the Android .APK into a BlackBerry .BAR file in order for it to work?

I guess, it's mainly high-end games, that will push the tablets to their limits. There are some impressive games for iOS and Android, you won't find on PlayBook for example.
But personally, I still have to say: I never would play a high-end game on a touchscreen unit. I'd always prefer physical controllers such as PS3 or XBOX do offer. And from your description I didn't deem games that important.

Eh. It has Angry Birds. That's more than enough. ;P (well, except for Angry Birds Star Wars, which is sad-making)

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Huh. I thought that you had to download the PlayBook SDK (software development kit) and use that to convert the Android .APK into a BlackBerry .BAR file in order for it to work?

You can do so. But you don't have to.
Most of the apps you can download already prepared for using on PlayBook.
I didn't want to make it over-complicated. But of course you're right. And with your description, one actually can use 99% of the Android apps on PlayBook.

Prepared apps for example from here: http://forums.crackberry.com/android...aybook-702858/

[JD Gumby]

Yeah, the GoodEReader app store. Not so good.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by JD Gumby

Yeah, the GoodEReader app store. Not so good.

Tons of other sources as well.
There are lots of links on Crackberry.

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Of course. That's why I chose the example of a 720p video.
If you use a 1080p video on such relatively small displays, in my opinion and to my eyes, the difference is something like "great" vs. "phantastic".

Yes but that makes a difference everywhere, if the pixels are there, the UI will use them. That will make text, among other things a lot sharper.

[rhari79]

Adding to mgmueller's comments on Playbook:

BookReader is getting very good. Supports a ton of formats now.
And its just a dollar i think. The Dev also responds well.

Apart from this, there's PlayEpub, kobo etc.,
Not a great many count-wise, but how many is required to read?

Other reasons:
1. Pretty good selection of Games. This tablet is powerful. So lots of Games from EA etc., Pretty good price too; also BB sometimes pushes out freebies of some major games.
2. Awesome Sound and video. can play lot of formats by default.

Personally i wont let this tablet go; also waiting for the awesome BB10!
At its price, its a good buy for the rainy day. Using the Qnx OS alone is eye-opening.

Reasons not to get it:
its quite heavy. More heavier/beefier than Kindle fire.