Nook vs Kindle vs iPad

[Ned]

If you want the versatility of a tablet without the expense, and already own a Nook Color, here's a new option.  You can have both in the one device.

 

[Jeff Brown]

Since my earlier post my wife has bought me the Samsung Tab miniature tablet.  It is very similar in dimensions to her Kindle, a bit thicker but all screen with a touch keyboard.  The kindle app works wonderfully and I believe she paid 319 for it from Amazon.  I see people with the large 10" tablets and it just seems too big for the format, I wanted something small enough to be easily carried.  Heck 10" is a small laptop, you might as well have a keyboard if that's what you want.

 

[Lowell]

I finally learned how to download books from the library to my nook.  It has worked so well, m y wife went and bought one too.  I think we have downloaded about 30 free books so far.  They stay on the nook for 14 days and then disappear.  And I can reserve them just like a regular book.  When a reserved book becomes available, the library sends me an email and then I have 2 days to download it.

 

[John From Detroit]

I have a friend who just traded her Kindle in on a NOOK,,, URL for article posted in HER forum (She is now D-BOSS in one of the forums I help moderate back on community.you know the rest.)

 

[Tony_Alberta]

I really, really like my new Kobo Touch.  Touch screen.  Fast.  It does have a built in web browser but that's not what it's designed for.  Works just fine with my library's DRM books.

And $130 in the USA.

 

[Chet18013]

I've used my daughter's Kindle and I have the iPad2. I like them both for books, however the iPad's ability to do much more than just be a book reader hooked me. Viewing and creating photo albums on the iPad alone should be a deal breaker, but it's email, music, and just plain "neat" factor as well as the 1000's of apps should make it the choice.

The 10 hour+ battery life is indeed real for the iPad. It is no good for bright sunlight, thought. I use my iPad for books about 60% of the time it's on.  When there's WiFi or cell signal available, I hardly ever use the computer for email checks. The iPad is just to easy and fast for this.

BTW, the iPad will allow you to read books in any file type that may be exclusive to other readers, ie, Kindle, etc.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We've had a Motorola Xoom for 3 months now and it has a real 10 hour battery life as well. It's heavier than a Kindle or Nook, but the screen is a glorious 10" color and the capabilities are far beyond a dedicated book reader.  It also makes a terrific camera and picture viewer, including video.  I have the Kindle, Nook and Google ebook readers installed, so can use books from any source. And pdf files too. Pretty much worthless in bright sun, though.

 

[FrankNSharon]

iPad, because you KNOW you want to -

 

[Tony_Alberta]

The Kobo and other similar black and white eInk readers, work very well in sunlight.

 

[Ned]

Any screen that uses reflective ink, like eInk, works well in direct sunlight.  Backlit displays, as in tablets, netbooks and notebooks, are usable only when shaded.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The tradeoff between e-ink and backlit displays is "works in sunlight" vs color.  For most  books, black and white is fine, so e-ink is great for readers. Not so good for other applications, or for children's books (photos and color) or reference books/manuals that have color coded diagrams and pictures. You have to prioritize what you want to do.

 

[holleydays]

We only have experience with the 3rd generation Kindle.  The following sites offer quite a bit of free e-books.  For both sites, make sure they really are $0.00.  We have bought a few books intentionally.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text
(for top 100 free sellers; right side of the site)

http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle%20freebie?ref_=tag_dpp_cust_itdp_t&store=1
(Scroll down to recently added, and recently tagged)

 

[mrschwarz]

We looked at a number of readers. Not only did I look at the hardware, I looked at the business model, too. Amazon was way too restrictive. If I want to upload my own book to a Kindle I have to do it through them.

We finally settled on Nook Colors. A little modifications turned them into a reader that would work with B&N, Amazon, and others. It makes a handy little tablet, too.

And, they are easy to read for hours at a time, even in bright sunlight. YMMV.

 

[Ned]

You don't have to upload ebooks through Amazon.  I upload ebooks constantly via the USB connection.  Very few of my ebooks are from Amazon, most are from the many free ebook sites.  Get the MOBI or PRC format files and just copy them over to the Kindle.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You can read a Color Nook in direct sunlight??? That's a backlit screen, just like a laptop.

 

[mrschwarz]

You can read a Color Nook in direct sunlight??? That's a backlit screen, just like a laptop.

Normally, I use the reader in 'night' mode (white type on black background). When in bright sunlight, I switch to day mode (the opposite) and turn the brightness up all the way. Other than the glare reflecting off the screen if it's aimed at a just the wrong angle, I don't have any trouble reading it. If I don't turn it down when I go back inside, it can be blinding, though.

I can read my phone and laptop in direct sunlight, too. They are all back lit. I don't think back lit means that you cannot see it. It's all a function of how brightly back lit it is.