Database Users

Might be gifting the Archos 101

We are considering getting my Mother in Law something like this for her birthday. She reads alot, so the Kindle came to mind. After she saw one, she didn't seem too pleased with the lack of color. I know, other models are out there that have color, but do they really compare with the versatility of an Android device? I own an Android phone (rooted of course) and am pushing it to the limits. I'm never going to buy an iPad or iPhone. Android has more to offer.
Since she would be using this for reading, I'll start with questions for that use. How big are books in terms of Mb? Not War and Peace, just the typical novel. What is the popular app for reading? Does Kindle dominate or is there another?
I have read that the Android Market app can be installed. I prefer that, as that is what I am using on my HTC device. Is the installation just a matter of copying over the .apk and installing it using a file manager? Is there a file manager app already installed? Is the AppsLib app as reliable as the Android Market?
I know that this device doesn't have GPS, but with that processor, it can run Google Earth. Does Google Earth require internet to get directions?
Is there a calendar that syncs with google calendar and facebook?
I'm doing so much research on this gift idea, I think I want to give my wife one! (Though I might wait for HTC to produce one with Sense - I'm one of THOSE people.)
Anyone using Tasker on this device?
I'm not even a noob yet, don't flame me for asking the obvious.

duckredbeard said:
We are considering getting my Mother in Law something like this for her birthday. She reads alot, so the Kindle came to mind. After she saw one, she didn't seem too pleased with the lack of color. I know, other models are out there that have color, but do they really compare with the versatility of an Android device? I own an Android phone (rooted of course) and am pushing it to the limits. I'm never going to buy an iPad or iPhone. Android has more to offer.
Since she would be using this for reading, I'll start with questions for that use. How big are books in terms of Mb? Not War and Peace, just the typical novel. What is the popular app for reading? Does Kindle dominate or is there another?
I have read that the Android Market app can be installed. I prefer that, as that is what I am using on my HTC device. Is the installation just a matter of copying over the .apk and installing it using a file manager? Is there a file manager app already installed? Is the AppsLib app as reliable as the Android Market?
I know that this device doesn't have GPS, but with that processor, it can run Google Earth. Does Google Earth require internet to get directions?
Is there a calendar that syncs with google calendar and facebook?
I'm doing so much research on this gift idea, I think I want to give my wife one! (Though I might wait for HTC to produce one with Sense - I'm one of THOSE people.)
Anyone using Tasker on this device?
I'm not even a noob yet, don't flame me for asking the obvious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the Kindle app for reading ebooks but some people prefer programs that allow for epub books which allow you to check books out from the library. I have just gotten used to the Kindle. A book is typically less than a megabyte so you don't have to worry about the size. I was just looking at Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars which is a collection of 4 novellas (probably the same as a large novel) and it is 878 Kb. Kindle (and probably others) allow you to sync your devices which I love so I can read on the train and then later in the day pull my phone out and continue at the same point while I wait in line somewhere.
Installing the market and other gapps is as simple as installing an apk. There are a couple of additional steps to take to make sure all the apps appear but it is nothing more than stopping the service on the device through application manager.
I use appslib sometimes to look for optimized apps for tablet and it seems like it works more or less like the official market just with fewer apps.
Once you install the google apps on the device, the calendar will automatically sync with google calendar. As a matter of fact I think the calendar IS google calendar. It can also sync with an exchange calendar and email for work.
The normal Android facebook app works without a hitch and gives the ability to sync contacts from facebook.
You might also want to consider the Nook Color or the Archos 70 if you are looking for a device that will primarily be used as an ereader. The Nook Color is rooted and people have been raving about the performance of the device once rooted. I love my Archos 70. I think the 7 inch devices are far superior to reading than the 10 inch devices like the 101 and the iPad (which I thought was way too heavy).

Good info, thanks. The only reason I was considering the 101 is for size, the one getting this device will be 70. Bigger is more visible, right? Hmm...maybe the number 70 is relevant.
My last Intruder was a Grumman A-6E.

I want to buy the 101 to read a lot of .pdf ebooks.
Why shouldn't the 101 be better than the 70? The larger screen must be easier to read! ... ?

cybercrash said:
I want to buy the 101 to read a lot of .pdf ebooks.
Why shouldn't the 101 be better than the 70? The larger screen must be easier to read! ... ?
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Click to collapse
To be honest, I haven't used the 101 but I have used an iPad and I thought it was too heavy to hold in one hand like a book for more than a couple of minutes. It is just a personal preference.

richdaley said:
To be honest, I haven't used the 101 but I have used an iPad and I thought it was too heavy to hold in one hand like a book for more than a couple of minutes. It is just a personal preference.
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I use the 101 to read both epubs (using Nook reader software) as well as pdfs. No issues so far, I like the resolution and that I can increase font sizes to make life easier. Also on the Nook app, you can change the background color to make it non-white so that it is easier on the eyes. Weight-wise, its ok for 30-45 mins, after that I have to set it down on my lap or put it on its stand for 10-15 mins before I pick it up again. While I could hold it in my hands for a couple of hours, I dont see reading on the 101 as a form of exercise, so I dont bother with more than 30-45 mins.

Thanks for your opinion,
right now I have to read a lot of .pdf and I choose to read it white on black background. This seems to be the most relaxing way of reading for me.
So it's good to know that nook reader will support this as well.
I guess I still have to think about buying the archos 101.

I got my wife the 70 instead of a Kindle or Nook Color given the ease of loading market and the Nook Color root was not done yet. she uses the Kindle, Nook, Aldiko, google ebooks on it and likes it a lot. the loading of market and flash took like 5 minutes then other than GPS you have a fully capable Android tablet. Her calendar syncs with her phone (via gmail) and contacts all imported from gmail/phone as well. I can't speak for the size weight of the 101, but she has no issues reading for hours at night (white text/black background) with the 70.

I bought the 101 also and love it. Just like my EVO phone and like you said other than GPS. I play my scrabble game Word Feud on it. I've read about Kindle and Nook so you just get the apps on the Archos and read the books through the App. Sounds Cool! I recommend the Archos. I 101 is so lite and I don't have to worry about dragging my heavy laptop anymore. I have my contacts and my calendar on there as well. I use this business calendar I just found in the market place and I just now put it on my tablet. A few things messed up my tablet and didn't work and I had to reset it a couple times but now it's all good. Google Voice Search didnt work for me but I use it mostly on my phone to call places. My phones not rooted I know nothing about rooting but I would love to be able to tether my Archos from my EVO but I don't think I can without being rooted. my next to read up on rooting your phone. LOL!
minterbartolo said:
I got my wife the 70 instead of a Kindle or Nook Color given the ease of loading market and the Nook Color root was not done yet. she uses the Kindle, Nook, Aldiko, google ebooks on it and likes it a lot. the loading of market and flash took like 5 minutes then other than GPS you have a fully capable Android tablet. Her calendar syncs with her phone (via gmail) and contacts all imported from gmail/phone as well. I can't speak for the size weight of the 101, but she has no issues reading for hours at night (white text/black background) with the 70.
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Click to collapse

I LOVE my rooted EVO - that's what got me hooked to android os. I got an Archos 101 2 days ago and haven't really had a chance to play with it yet. I originally wanted a tablet to use as an ereader (I'm physically disabled and all the typical reading devices are not accessible), but now that I've experienced the os I definitely plan to use it for a lot more than just reading!
Here's a question for you developers out there. Is there a way to use it as a giant phone if it's tethered to my Evo? The reason I ask is because my power wheelchair has bluetooth built in and can operate as a mouse (which is how I'll use my tablet). The rom I have on my phone currently doesn't have the mouse functionality, but I really like the rom. I use android screencast currently to operate my phone, but that's dependent on it being plugged into a PC. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

Iconia as an eReader

Anyone here use the Iconia as an eReader (among other things)? I was thinking of getting the Nook Color since I need a reader, but since with the Target deal this is only 50 dollars more expensive, the Iconia suddenly became tempting. I'm worried about the size and weight though. Is it easy to read for 1-2 hours straight? I tried one at BB and after 15-20 minutes it was still OK, but I wonder if it isn't too heavy/awkward to read on.
Please post your experiences about using eReaders on the Iconia

I've read a couple of books on mine, they were purchased through google market and read with google books. I enjoyed using it this way and will do so in the future. As far as weight goes, the tab isn't any heavier than a good sized hard back book. I use the acer cover which has a built in stand so that helps with the weight as well.
The big question is how your eyes hold up to the lcd screen. The eink displays cause much less eye strain and are fully viewable in sunlight, the tabs screen will definitely give some eye strain if used for hours on end, and will be less visible in sun light.
Edit: the nook color is an lcd screen as well.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

harveydent said:
Anyone here use the Iconia as an eReader (among other things)? I was thinking of getting the Nook Color since I need a reader, but since with the Target deal this is only 50 dollars more expensive, the Iconia suddenly became tempting. I'm worried about the size and weight though. Is it easy to read for 1-2 hours straight? I tried one at BB and after 15-20 minutes it was still OK, but I wonder if it isn't too heavy/awkward to read on.
Please post your experiences about using eReaders on the Iconia
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That's WHOLLY dependant on personal taste. I do not find it too heavy even for 4-5 hour reading session, I often have such streaks when I'm reading stuff, but I also know many other people who would find to bit too heavy.
One thing that would make it better as primarily an eReader though would be non-slippery back, like for example gluing a really thin sheet of porous gum on it. It might not look as fancy, but it would be much easier to hold even with one hand.

Dusto79 said:
and will be less visible in sun light.
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From my experience it's wholly unusable in sun light.

Thanks for the replies!
The sunlight glare isn't a concern since ALL LCD tablets have that problem, to varying degrees.
How does it handle pdfs? And any good ereader apps aside from the Amazon/Nook/Google apps?

harveydent said:
How does it handle pdfs? And any good ereader apps aside from the Amazon/Nook/Google apps?
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There's plenty of software for reading PDFs, just try them all and choose the one you like the best
Can't help you with ereader apps though, I don't use those. I am 100% PDF.

It really depends on what you are planing on reading. If it's mostly text based stuff (novels, etc.), an eInk display is the hands down winner. Once you start tossing PDFs and CBRs into the mix then a color LCD tablet becomes a better option.

I have both so I'll chime in.
If you're purchasing a LED Ebook reader then go for Iconia.
But if you're looking for an eInk display then go for it. The battery on Iconia is awsome but even a great battery can't compare to an eInk display.
The other thing is reading in sunlight and eye strain. I love both my ebook and Iconia but I mostly read books on ebook.
Edit: I forgot to mention. If you're into comics or anything that has lots of pictures than stick to a tablet.

I sold my Nook color after I got the a500. I find reading on either to be about the same - however web browsing is much better on the Acer. At first I didn't know if I would like the side by side view while holding the Acer in landscape but it quickly grew on me. I agree if you are considering LCD get the Acer - if you like eink don't consider the Acer.

I have an Iconia and a Kindle3.
While I can read on my tab, the kindle provides a much better reading experience for me. I do get eye strain from my tab in about an hours time- I read on the eink display without any strain at all for hours. The difference is all about the lcd vs. eink. I personally, never considered the weight of either an issue. I must be the only one that rests their book/tab/reader on something while they read our use it. If I read in bed I stand the reader upon my chest. If I'm surfing the internet I rest the tab up on my lap while on the sofa or on the table while sitting. Weight is not an issue for me either way. Ultimately I use the tab for recreational purposes (email, internet, games) and the reader to read. I wouldn't want to give either up.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

I've been using mine to read books on Nook and also Moon+ Reader. It works pretty well, just a tad on the heavy side for me.

Google jetbook lite if you want something portable and 100% readable under full sunlight. I've been using this for years. Works great. The best part of this is it reads just about every ebook format under the sun. Even the highly priced kindle can't do this.

Eye Strain
I can tolerate reading on my Iconia, but I do not like the glare from room lights when I read at night. Weight is not an issue. E books are great. I may eventually buy a Nook or kindle with e ink. However, tablets can do so much more than e readers. I have no regrets about my Iconia purchase.

I have used this, a nook color and a sony reader (eink). I prefer this to the other two. I do a lot for my reading in low light situations, so the eink is kind of a pain in this situation since it needs an external light. The nook color is nice for reading, but I don't like it as much for web and tablet functions. The only reason I still keep the nc around is android can't support nook kids books yet.
I usually use the nook app to read books and get them from barnes and noble. Bn gives away a free book every Friday. And I've been reading a lot of them.
The weight has not been a big issue for me.
Hope this helped
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

harveydent said:
Thanks for the replies!
And any good ereader apps aside from the Amazon/Nook/Google apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FBReader is my personal fav + Calibre on the PC to do conversions to epub.

I have an original nook (eink, preiously had a sony ebook) and an iconia. I find the eink displays superior to the iconia for reading ebook formatted files made to reflow, and makes for easier reading in general. The tablet is superior for most pdfs, largely owing t the screen size (as most pdfs as formatted for 8.5"x11").

I had question regarding this actually. I'm trying to collate all the ebooks ive downloaded from various sources into one app I can use for reading (i was thinking lumiread). I was wondering if there is a way to do this for books downloaded from the borders australia android app. specifically, in which directory would the books be located so I can read them in lumiread

holdup said:
I had question regarding this actually. I'm trying to collate all the ebooks ive downloaded from various sources into one app I can use for reading (i was thinking lumiread). I was wondering if there is a way to do this for books downloaded from the borders australia android app. specifically, in which directory would the books be located so I can read them in lumiread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe lumiread is one of the readers that lets you go into settings and choose what folders to scan for ebooks, AND you can exclude folders, which is really nice.
In terms of features and how they perform, Lumiread is one of my favorite readers.
Nook would be #2 and Kindle #3.
They all are similar. Lumiread has the eye candy presentation of your "books" on shelves like the ipad, but that's all personal taste of course.
To answer the ops question, its a great ereader. Eink is still better for strictly reading ebooks at long sessions, but the iconia is a great option if you are looking for an LCD device. I find the trade off between weight a very viable option because of everything else it can do.
Acer is coming out with a 7" tablet soon, so if weight is a HUGE factor for you, you could go for that. If you go with a Kindle, you are stuck with Amazon books only tho, you can't sideload books yourself.
There are also some great news reader apps on Android and they make magazines and newspapers unbelievably AWESOME if you are looking for other things to read.
Hope all this helps. I have about 200 books on mine.

It sounds like a plan, but if you are a hard core reader its not a good one
Yes of course there are some fantastic apps out there for reading via the iconia, and they look (and sound) fantastic, but at the end of the day the iconia or any other tablet is NOT an ereader.
As for the nook, again it is abit in-between, with that colour screen etc.
In short, I have a kindle. It looks rubbish, is grey scale and can do nothin but show text!
But thers's the trick. Read inside or outside, it is light, you can put your own downloaded books on to it, there is a hack to put your own cover/screen/personalise it. It is very light, can play mp3 externally or via headphones while you read and off-course last but not least - 30 days of CONTINUOUS READING without recharge!!! Now that is an ereader right there.
A kindle and a samsung galacy 10.1 (or an iconia wearing galaxy brains rom) and you are good to go.
Now you can show your missus this post and you will have a good excuse to let her know that you actually need both
Enjoy
MJ-12

MJ-12 said:
and can do nothin but show text!
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That's something why I could never use one of those devices: I read a lot of technical books that require the ability to show images. Oh, and yes, I do read comics and manga too

Why do you want to root your Nook Touch?

Just bought Nook Touch myself. Still have rooted CM7 Nook Color but wanted a simpler, distraction-free book reader and the promotion price at B&N was unbeatable (well, as I've also learned Best Buy has even better deal for the same price but with AC adapter and 2GB card thrown in).
I am usually, root first, think second kind of guy, but with Nook Touch I really want a reader-centric experience and I am happy that, B&N delivers here. Gone are Sudoku and Chess, gone is music player (and speaker in general). What's left is one of the best e-Ink screens in the business and super light, very responsive book reader.
So what drives you guys to root this thing? It will never hold a candle to true tablet even after CM7 port. The videos that I've seen so far of the rooted Nook Touches are borderline pathetic in how bad the experience is. Besides the geeky 'look what I can do' kind of stuff, nothing has any application in day to day experience. Yes, I would be able to load Aldiko and, my personal favorite, Moon+ reader on this device but why? To enable landscape orientation and night mode? They are not needed on the device that is so light and requires external source of light anyway. For any real application besides readers, the screen refresh rate is non-usable and will never be.
I must be missing something...

Well, let me see:
Live sync of books and files with dropbox and dropsync, amazon books with kindle, coolreader for even more format support (or any other as moon reader), better pdf support with ezPDF Reader (or any other free or not pdf app), overdrive for public ebooks, Mango manga reader for online manga and or mangawhat and Perfect Viewer for photos or cbr, etc files, rss feeds, light internet with opera mini or mobile, and many other things...... even light old games as chess or 4 in line or card games are playable. Modifying fonts, adding new ones, I don't know XD, many things are possible with this device.
Of course this isn't a tablet, it's an ereader, for reading, but rooting just makes it expand where other ereaders cant go, and of course brake its own limitations for example, why the hell didn't they add landscape mode? Now you can use it.
Usb audio will also come when usb hostmode is finished, after the kernel is properly built
So why rooting?
Well, if the limitations of the device are tolerable for you, and you wont do any manga, or other format reading, dont root.
If you want to expand its operability, root, and of course you havent got to play angry birds (nobody does).

What ed said. I just like having a single e-ink reader that can handle so many different ereading platforms.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium

I rooted it to use the dictionaries I needed with the fora dictionary app or colordict
I'm french so it's a revolution for me to be able to read an english book with the dictionary I chose, just selecting the word :O
I learnt so much English with my android devices,
But the eink quality of reading and battery life with the freedom and the possibilities of android is just awesome!
Sent from my GT-P1010

Out of curiosity, how do color comic books look on this thing? Let's say the latest issue of Superman in cbr or cbz format? Sometimes the text in the bubbles can be tough to read. My understanding is that the new Nook ST doesn't have multi-touch. Does that make contant zooming in/out painful?

viniosity said:
Out of curiosity, how do color comic books look on this thing? Let's say the latest issue of Superman in cbr or cbz format? Sometimes the text in the bubbles can be tough to read. My understanding is that the new Nook ST doesn't have multi-touch. Does that make contant zooming in/out painful?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For comics its best to use Perfect viewer, if you know the layout and config it correctly there is no problem for zooming
I find coloured comics easy to read, other people may differ, they just appear as normal b/w ones.
https://androidmarket.googleusercon...et/com.rookiestudio.perfectviewer/ss-480-3-12

IMO, CoolReader is hands-down the best eBook reading software I have used. It works fantastically on the nook touch after root and gives the option to set the book's cover as your standby screen (instead of dead authors, etc). Aside from the few other apps I use, I would do it just for this.

One word: Calibre recipes auto-downloaded synced with dropbox, one touch sync to Nook Simple Touch with Dropsync.
Every morning I can hit that button and have ePub versions of my blogs, newpapers, etc. automatically downloaded to my Nook. Awesome.
You're right - I don't see much use in some of the traditional Android apps that you would use on a regular screen... the occasional IMDB lookup with that app and wikipedia lookup with the Opera browser also come in handy...
But mainly Calibre Recipes with dropsync.

Wow, Calibre looks really cool. Can you go into a bit more detail on how you use it with dropbox? Is it just that you set the default Library to your dropbox folder or is it something more?

I've rooted mine so I don't have to convert Kindle books, nor plug it into my computer to add books, or even to get books from the library using Overdrive. I've read a few Manga and other graphic novels on the device, its meh for that. Colours are so important, I feel like I'm robbing the artist by only seeing the work in greyscale.
I've done a few videos showing it off, here's a general one. If you're interested in what Manga looks like with the Mango reader, I have a video for that
http://youtu.be/mnfqD1lqL9g

i don't have an android phone so this allowed me to play with android for the 1st time.
It also help me sell the ipad2 that felt like a toy.
i wanted control. in addition to the reasons above there's rss feed reader and readitlater that i use to read this forum sometimes.
What i really want is a phone with eink display....
I admit the unique applications of a rooted eink android are not massive but for me my eyes find eink a lot easier to read.
The nook has tide me over delayed the upgrade cycle to a galaxy. This way i can wait until smart phones have 3 days battery life or eink like display i'm waiting for.
i also got ms word read/write support if i need it plus excel. With all this i should be able to carry the nook with all my docs.
guitar_east said:
I've rooted mine so I don't have to convert Kindle books, nor plug it into my computer to add books, or even to get books from the library using Overdrive. I've read a few Manga and other graphic novels on the device, its meh for that. Colours are so important, I feel like I'm robbing the artist by only seeing the work in greyscale.
I've done a few videos showing it off, here's a general one. If you're interested in what Manga looks like with the Mango reader, I have a video for that
[url
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Click to collapse

Why I wanted to root my Nook touch.
A minor bit of thread necromancy here, reaching back to last month.
My top 5 reasons for rooting the nook touch were:
A PDF viewer with zoom and graphics only modes for non-OCR or poorly OCR'd books.
Dropbox sync.
Word, Excel, and PPt viewers.
.chm file viewers
Renaming files from 02658x42.doc to "Widget Technical reference manual".
Since I've done it, I also got the following working and love it even more.
Offline Wikipedia a la WikiReader.
Mobile boarding passes.
Sudoku.
Password Protection.
Standby display text "This nook belongs to <name>. Please call her at <number> and return it for a non-trivial reward, gratitude, and karma."
Thanks everyone for making the nook touch even more awesome.
On a grossly unrelated note, +1 the xdadevelopers noob video. That was great.

The reasons for rooting my nook:
A better pdf reader
cbz,cbr support
Docs support
ICS keyboard

Really? The battery-life and eInk quality improves when rooted?
Hey, I am pretty much satisfied with what the nook touch does, but then I would like whatever it does to be done better
And since reading eBooks is all that I want to do in the nook, I am REALLY interested with the possibility of improving the battery life and especially the eInk quality... Also I HATE the Marriam Webster dictionary that comes with the stock nook.
Can you quickly point me in the right direction for a better eInk display profile and replacing stock with the kindle Oxford dictionary without adversely affecting the battery life?
Please any help is appreciated
stockhomer said:
I rooted it to use the dictionaries I needed with the fora dictionary app or colordict
I'm french so it's a revolution for me to be able to read an english book with the dictionary I chose, just selecting the word :O
I learnt so much English with my android devices,
But the eink quality of reading and battery life with the freedom and the possibilities of android is just awesome!
Sent from my GT-P1010
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Reasons I rooted:
[*]Just for the heck of it
[*]Dropbox sync
[*]Being allowed to use it during school (Me: "It's essentially a book." Teacher: "ok")
[*]To become part of a great community which is XDA

brendan10211 said:
[*]Being allowed to use it during school (Me: "It's essentially a book." Teacher: "ok")
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LMAO, best way to pass exams XD!!!!!!! that made my day xD

darkguy2008 said:
LMAO, best way to pass exams XD!!!!!!! that made my day xD
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Most teachers wouldn't allow a book during an exam, so that means no nook during exams.

notriddle said:
Most teachers wouldn't allow a book during an exam, so that means no nook during exams.
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Click to collapse
That's true, but it depends on where do you live and your skillz. Back in HS I used to bring one of those small memory-storing devices and it passed as a calculator, so...

Here in the US we would never be allowed to have a nook near us during the exam. But it is a great way to play sudoku and such.

brendan10211 said:
Here in the US we would never be allowed to have a nook near us during the exam. But it is a great way to play sudoku and such.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, but if only they would trust us enough to let us read AFTER we finished the final exams. They make us wait until after EVERYONE in the room finishes, and there's always that one person that either fails miserably, or just checks it over and over again until the teacher tells him to stop. /facepalm

[Q] Shoud I buy Kindle Fire?

I am planning to pick up KF but I am debating if 512MB RAM compare to 1GB (Nook Tablet) will be enough.
KF will be used for browsing internet, light gaming and web streaming (not movies). It will be rooted and replaced with custom ROM (ICS) eventually.
I owned Nook Color running CM7 nightly right now and trying to avoid having two look a like device.
Do you think 512MB will be sufficient for KF to operate smoothly?

It runs fine for me, doing pretty much the same as what you want to use it for.
I hit some lag once in a while, but overall, I do like it - so long as I do NOT keep comparing it to my wifes iPad.
Chris

I bought mine for web browsing, reading magazines and checking Facebook. So far, I am nothing less than pleased. It performs well, even when playing YouTube and Flash videos.
For the price, it's a winner, provided you don't expect it to perform like high-end Android devices or an iPad.

I bought both from Best Buy and used them for a little while before deciding which one to return. The difference in RAM was probably the biggest concern for me and the main reason I considered the Nook Tablet despite it costing $50 more.
In practice, I saw no difference in performance between the two. The only other big thing steering a lot of people toward the Nook is the microSD slot. If that isn't a concern then the Kindle Fire is fine. If you really want lots of local storage then the Nook is the only way to go.
Me, I listen to music through Pandora and I don't watch movies on the tablet, so local storage doesn't concern me. Thus I went with the cheaper Kindle Fire.

If you're wanting to do much outside of what comes with it and you're not too knowledgeable on how to fix things in unorthodox ways and think you'll be posting soon in the unbricking thread, I would find a more forgiving tablet to work with. The time you'll save on not having to fix things will offset any additional cost.
Disclaimer: I own 2 HP touchpads and no Kindle Fire.

Well I don't agree with yareally who has apparently not touched one yet.
I have 2, or more accurately, My wife has one and I have one.
Hers is stock... she loves it. Watches netflix, amazon prime and a number of books. works for her daily with no issues.
I got mine after I got her hers. Really didn't plan on getting one myself, however, I started playing with it and got the bug to see what it could do. $124 was too inexpensive to not.
Mine is rooted though I am still using the stock ROM as I am waiting for a proven recovery before trying something else. I am now using ADW, have the Android market, Google apps including Gmap and can even get GPS if i want to go to the trouble. etc... I use it a bit at work as well, Exchange email via Touchdown, Evernote, and lots of usable webapp browsing.
Like any device or smart phone, if you do dumb things, you get dumb results, but if you are careful and follow instructions well.. should be a fun device to play with.

krelvinaz said:
Well I don't agree with yareally who has apparently not touched one yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may not have touched one, but I've helped probably 70+ users with one directly to unbrick it and countless others that followed the guide I helped to start
Ironically, neither I or my friend that started the thread with me own a kindle fire, but it hasn't prevented us for knowing more about it than most.
I don't have to touch it to know how it works. I can do that quite well using adb shell remotely. Fancy user interfaces mean nothing. It's what is under the hood that matters.
Quite a few screwed it up installing cm7 as well.
Compared to other tablets, I have seen way more people screw their fire up without a way to get back out of it without spoon feeding directions to (including at times, going on teamviewer with them).

I think it is cool you have helped, especially that many people. Perhaps, the price point makes it too simple for people to dive in without bothering to understand what they are doing or reading the large red text warning them. (hence my comment about doing dumb things).
The lack of having a full recovery yet is perhaps also a stumbling block, but apparently that will be remedied soon.

krelvinaz said:
The lack of having a full recovery yet is perhaps also a stumbling block, but apparently that will be remedied soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think once that happens, lots of the headaches will be a thing of the past as well.

Yeah, I think people bricking their Fire speaks more toward impatient people than any failings of the Fire. Anyone trying to install a custom rom at this point with anything other than above average skills needs to take a step back IMO.
Sent from my BAMForever Thunderbolt

The 512MB RAM has not been a limitation for anything I've done with it, and that's *with* all the Amazon crap running at the same time, I've not disabled any of the services.
I think the micro SD card on the Nook would be a nice addition, but not sure it's $50 nice, considering how easy it is to stream to the Fire. If you needed to store your movies locally maybe.

animez said:
Yeah, I think people bricking their Fire speaks more toward impatient people than any failings of the Fire. Anyone trying to install a custom rom at this point with anything other than above average skills needs to take a step back IMO.
Sent from my BAMForever Thunderbolt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm an above average user, and even I'm not crazy enough to mess with it too much right now! There are some amazing things going on in the Dev forum, and I really look forward to CM9 on my Fire.
I have 2 as well, and I'm more than happy with the speed/function even using stock kernel/ROM (albeit with a different launcher). The price point for this device was too hard to ignore. It's not in the same league as an iPad or Galaxy Tab, but I didn't buy it thinking it was.

Yeah with Go Launcher instead of that bookshelf, this is a superb bargain. Remember Amazon is basically selling these at cost to funnel people in to their store.

Thanks for the reply guys.
Only fools compare $199 KF to $499 Ipad.
Storage does not concern me, I just want a device that running smoothly for flash streaming and hackable
I have made up my mind, I am getting KF.

denoxster said:
I am planning to pick up KF but I am debating if 512MB RAM compare to 1GB (Nook Tablet) will be enough.
KF will be used for browsing internet, light gaming and web streaming (not movies). It will be rooted and replaced with custom ROM (ICS) eventually.
I owned Nook Color running CM7 nightly right now and trying to avoid having two look a like device.
Do you think 512MB will be sufficient for KF to operate smoothly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
512 appears to be just fine.
I'd recommend putting Dolphin HD on for browsing. I haven't had an issue with streaming video from Amazon, Netflix, Crackle or Epic. No problems with games, so far. Currently have over 100 apps installed.
I do use an app to control too many apps starting automatically (Startup Cleaner), as it seems to help performance.

Update:
After owning KF for a couple of month, I can tell you that I am pretty happy with my purchase.
Now my KF running CM9 ICS
Thank you guys.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using xda premium

Go for it
i bought mine because of the price and i liked the way it looked, so far i have rooted it and it still runs perfectly. So far the only difference i see between this and the ipad is the size and the camera. Its pretty darn fast and when its rooted you can customize almost every aspect about it.

The Nook and Eink are dead!

Barnes & Noble has decimated their Nook development group.
Their latest endeavor, the white Nook Glow is a mish-mash of old and new software.
It appears that they've dropped the other two Eink models.
I do not ever expect to see any further updates or developments from B&N.
Eink has always played their cards close to their chest.
They have always presented their products as OEM, that is for manufacturers only.
To get the most out of devices with Eink displays application developers must also have a good understanding of Eink.
Just go to the Eink website, there is no useful information available.
A visit to Eink Developer Center shows just one kit for development of tiny readouts, not full displays.

I am not sure that I agree eInk is dead. I think it will have a niche market out there for a while. I am one of those people who really don't like reading on a back lit screen for any length of time. Perhaps it is due to my job where I stare at back lit LCD monitors all day long. In any case, I want to read on an eInk screen, not a back lit LCD. Until someone develops another tech to take to place of eInk, there will be people like me looking for eInk devices.
As for the eInk Nooks. They are dead. The future of eInk devices is high resolution 1024 x 768 capacitive touchscreen like the Kindle Paperwhite or the newly introduced Tolino Vision from Germany.

Hmm, that new Tolino looks interesting.
Still, I wouldn't say that 600 x 800 vs 768 x 1024 is the biggest deal for me.
The screen resolution is adequate for my eyes.
That it's the Carta display, whiter and faster would be some incentive.
A faster processor, more RAM and a more recent Android would be a win.
Of course I like eInk, I just think with prices being more than an LCD tablet it will remain a niche market.

It is my impression, from what I have read, the the extra resolution is somewhat necessary to make up for the extra layer needed for the capatitive touch screen. I agree that the 800 x 600 on a Nook with an IR touch screen is plenty good enough for these 50+ year old eyes.

No, E-Ink isn't dead. I have had a NST and I've been very satisfied with it as an e-reader. It's still easier on the eyes than even the best backlit display. My hope has been that someone might develop an E-Ink tablet not only for reading books but also for other text-intensive apps. Check out meetearl.com, for one interesting possibility. In the meantime, some folks have figured out that the Kobo line and the Tolino line are very similar in hardware. Long story short, I now have a Kobo Aura HD running Gingerbread from a microSD card. And it's not too bad at all. I don't use it for games or video, but it works well for the apps I've wanted to run on an E-Ink display. Gingerbread is old now, but significantly better than Eclair. The folks at Earl plan to use KitKat. It's still in development. No, E-Ink isn't dead yet!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I will have to admit that I bought a Nexus 7 tablet (1st gen, 32G) because my NST was less than completely adequate for some things. However, now, months later, I still find myself using the NST for almost all my reading. It is lighter, and easier on the eyes than the Nexus.
Dead? Maybe, but you can have mine when you pry my cold dead fingers off of it!
MildBill

All the black eInk Nooks have disappeared from the Barnes & Noble website.
You can only find them on places like eBay now.
I'm not sure about the brick-and-mortar stores, I'll have to check.
I am interested in how the Tolino will work out.
There is this video (in German): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SulHahVHxIE
It doesn't really look impressively better.
I spend 99% of my time doing straight reading and my NST works as least as well as that.

eInk devices are going to be primarily for those who (like myself) like dedicated devices. I want my camera to take pictures, I want my phone to make phone calls, I want my eReader to read, and I use a tablet for other media (video / web / music). I believe that there will always be a market for such devices, whether that market is sufficiently lucrative for products to be developed and sold is another question.

We have an NST and a new Kobo Aura HD. I did all my serious reading on my NST. It's still one of the best eReaders out there. If the NST ran a newer version of Android, I would have looked no further. But, I wanted to be able to read books and articles from a few other apps on an E-Ink eReader, apps which won't work on Android 2.1. When I learned that the Kobo eReaders are very similar to the Tolino line, and that someone found a way to run the Tolino Shine's ROM from a microSD card on a Kobo Aura HD, I became very interested. I went and did it. The Tolino ROM works fairly well on the Kobo. The Kobo reader has some good features, like Pocket integration. If you put the NST and the Kobo side by side, you can see the improved resolution on the Kobo. But I still prefer the way the NST formats and presents ePub eBooks. I hope I'm wrong, but it seems like B&N is bailing out of the eReader business. That would be sad indeed if it is true.
Sent from my Kobo Aura HD running Gingerbread

Renate NST said:
Barnes & Noble has decimated their Nook development group.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Source?

http://www.geekwire.com/2014/layoffs-hit-barnes-nobles-nook-division/
http://www.businessinsider.com/barnes-and-noble-hardware-engineering-staff-2014-2
http://www.techspot.com/news/55625-...arnes-nobles-nook-engineering-department.html
http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/end-in-sight-for-nook-following-job-cuts-138724

Renate NST said:
http://www.geekwire.com/2014/layoffs-hit-barnes-nobles-nook-division/
http://www.businessinsider.com/barnes-and-noble-hardware-engineering-staff-2014-2
http://www.techspot.com/news/55625-...arnes-nobles-nook-engineering-department.html
http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/end-in-sight-for-nook-following-job-cuts-138724
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!

New Sony Dpt-S1, 13" reader looks like intersting use of Eink technology. But screen refresh still looks better on Nst with fastmode/norefresh
and PocketBook Cad reader, strong specifications like for eink
13",1 Ghz dual core, android 4.0, 2gb ram...

The take-up probably would have been far quicker had ereaders been cheaper. I'm guessing the biggest cost of an ereader is the eink display itself? Is it really that much more complex in it's design than an lcd that prices seem to be high for most ereaders (i know the technology is different, i mean the manufacturing process costs)? Most people would opt for a tablet as you can get really good ones with beautiful screens (Nook HD for example) for less than the price of a new Kindle, Kobo etc and you can do SO much more than just reading. Yeh, ereaders are easier on the eyes, but i doubt most tablet owners care about that when you add all the other functions of a tablet.
I think ereaders will always continue to exist, and i think as more and more people start using their tablets for reading entire books as opposed to just websites, articles, magazines etc, they're going to look to something that's easier on the eyes and ereaders will always be an excellent option, especially if more less restrictive ones come out that allow you to sync other files as well very easily without having to root them and install apps like dropbox, airdroid etc yourself. Kobo's Pocket for example is a great addition, but far more options to the user would be better, such as choosing which article sync app you wanted, Pocket, Readability, InstaPaper etc. Sync apps should also be the norm such as options to choose between Dropbox, gdrive, etc as well as maybe a basic browser like Opera Mini (mini so you get basic text versions of sites rather than the full sites that ereaders struggle with and output ugly results.
What i'd really like to see is great tablets with all their power, but with the addition of an eink display attached to the back Yeh, it's going to be thicker and slightly heavier but i think it could work. Similar to to Yotaphone, but not as rubbish as the Yotaphone (i read really bad reviews), instead, the eink side would work the same as any other touch screen ereader. You can even have a cover that flips over to cover the backside so only the screen you're looking at is exposed so if you put it down you don't have to worry about scratches. The implementation could be so much easier as well, instead of trying to figure about how you get the image on the eink side (a problem Yota did not fix well), you could just mirror the tablet side exactly, so there's no additional complex software conversions to do, that way if you want to end your web browsing session on your tablet and read a book, just open your ereader app, flip your tablet and read on you eink side and flip pages the way you already do on an ereader via touch.
If i had the money and the know how i would be designing a Tablet/Ereader hybrid like that myself. Had this idea for a long time, but never understood why someone didn't do it (other than the cost). I'm sure there are reasons that others will point out maybe, but i'd much rather buy a Tablet/Ereader hydrid long before i buy the failed SmartPhone/ereader hybrid as the latter is pointless, reading on a small phone even if it is eink is still difficult and makes you strain your eyes.

I think the Nook Simple Touch is really the optimal format in many ways.
6" is a good size for reading reflowable text.
It's not that great for page formatted (i.e. PDF).
It's too bad that B&N cut so many corners.
Not all the delay can be blamed on the eInk itself.
The processor is slow and there isn't a lot of RAM.
It would have been nice if they had gotten the Jorjin chip with Bluetooth.
I can compare navigation speed on large documents using the same reader app (i.e. my new app) on my Nook and my old disused Kyocera Rise cell phone.
The Nook shows as pretty slow.

I agree, it is sad that B&N ruined the Nook e-inks.
Was never (and am still not) a fan of Amazon devices.
E-ink devices are still evolving.
My next e-ink device is getting closer to release. http://www.meetearl.com/
Being full Android KitKat device, it has the options I want and a few extra.

I am not really sure if e-ink is going in or out.
I see contradicting moves out there:
- Best Buy has eliminated all e-ink readers from their (brick and mortar) stores. I went to three of them this past week and only Kindle Paperwhite is present. Their explanation: tablets are replacing them.
- hower: one can see bigger e-ink readers being released, which also have more of their Android base exposed: Onyx Boox M96M Zeus, ICARUS eXceL 9.7". It seems that those producers of ereaders that still want to be in the market add features so that they bring the feature convergence on their side.
I personally love the e-ink displays and would very much like to have a modern phone/tablet using it. Keeping my fingers crossed !