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So I was looking for a tablet for me to use as a PDF reader for book and for browsing the web.
The first one that came to mind was the iPad 2 which I know is great at it.
Then I thought of this one, but I remembered reading that because it's shape is a little more rectangular than it feels a bit heavier to hold in portrait mode.
Please comment on this statement
So my actual question is:
How good is this as a browsing / reading device? (how is the amazon kindle app on it?)
Is it worth getting over an iPad 2 as a reading / browsing device?
Thank you
matanc1 said:
So I was looking for a tablet for me to use as a PDF reader for book and for browsing the web.
The first one that came to mind was the iPad 2 which I know is great at it.
Then I thought of this one, but I remembered reading that because it's shape is a little more rectangular than it feels a bit heavier to hold in portrait mode.
Please comment on this statement
So my actual question is:
How good is this as a browsing / reading device? (how is the amazon kindle app on it?)
Is it worth getting over an iPad 2 as a reading / browsing device?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How good is it? That's kind of a personal opinion. I'm enjoying it a lot for browsing and reading. Still searching out the best browser, they all have plus/minuses, but the experience itself is fine. Aldiko reader is good, very readable in both orientations. I find portrait has too much text per screen, doesn't quite give you the 'book' feel, but that's a personal quibble.
I'll always say anything is worth getting over an ipad But I definitely think this is worth it. The form factor just seems to make more sense on the tab, plus I can actually hold it with one hand, which I can't with the ipad (for more than a couple minutes anyway).
If you're really just looking for basic reading/surfing, you could consider something like the nook color, just as a though. But I'm really enjoying my tab, and looking forward to seeing what the dev's here can get out of it!
edit: clicked thanks by accident...
I have a kindle for reading, and nothing comes close to it for every day reading, especially sunlight and ease of viewing, battery life, etc. If you want an eReader, get a kindle, lol. If you want a multimedia device that does apps, videos, music, and videos... then a Galaxy tab is the way to go.
iPad is designed for 5 year old or a 95 year old to pick up and figure out. That's great, but the downside is with that comes a dumbed down OS in line with that. People like android because if they want to change the way the icons are laid out on the screen they can.
Check out Google Books and Kindle for Android Tablet, both are great options for someone wanting to use the tablet as a book. However, nothing is going to compare to the pure reading experience of a Kindle....
... but a Galaxy tab is waaaay more fun.
And PS - iPad sux... u can't even view flash, lol... how you going to browse the web without flash? Might as well go back to dialup internet and a VCR. hah
bella92108 said:
I have a kindle for reading, and nothing comes close to it for every day reading, especially sunlight and ease of viewing, battery life, etc. If you want an eReader, get a kindle, lol. If you want a multimedia device that does apps, videos, music, and videos... then a Galaxy tab is the way to go.
iPad is designed for 5 year old or a 95 year old to pick up and figure out. That's great, but the downside is with that comes a dumbed down OS in line with that. People like android because if they want to change the way the icons are laid out on the screen they can.
Check out Google Books and Kindle for Android Tablet, both are great options for someone wanting to use the tablet as a book. However, nothing is going to compare to the pure reading experience of a Kindle....
... but a Galaxy tab is waaaay more fun.
And PS - iPad sux... u can't even view flash, lol... how you going to browse the web without flash? Might as well go back to dialup internet and a VCR. hah
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The flash is the main reason why I'm asking.
But again, I'm looking mainly for PDF files which I want to read(which I've found from using eReaders that they have a problem displaying PDFs with pictures) and for browing (which I think both the android and the iPad will do fine except that the iPad doesn't have flash).
But once again, no one really answered my question about reading on it:
I want to know if it'll be uncomfortable reading on it (if my hand will start hurting after 10 min of holding it).
Another thing, does it get warm?
matanc1 said:
The flash is the main reason why I'm asking.
But again, I'm looking mainly for PDF files which I want to read(which I've found from using eReaders that they have a problem displaying PDFs with pictures) and for browing (which I think both the android and the iPad will do fine except that the iPad doesn't have flash).
But once again, no one really answered my question about reading on it:
I want to know if it'll be uncomfortable reading on it (if my hand will start hurting after 10 min of holding it).
Another thing, does it get warm?
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Click to collapse
Regarding PDF, you can install native Adobe Acrobat Reader on Android, so you can actually read (and edit even) as indented... so not sure what the remaining concern is. Seems like you're trying to come up with excuses not to get it. Yeah eReaders have issues with PDF, but eReaders don't have Adobe's Acrobat PDF Reader installed, hehe.
Regarding comfort, that's not really a question someone can answer. Many people say getting tattoos aren't uncomfortable, but many would disagree. I think if it hurts to hold a 1 pound object, then you'll have to stick to books under about 300 pages anyhow, so it's somewhat a moot point, hehe.
You can always try, and if you don't like, return or sell online. It's not really something someone can answer for you, since it's a personal issue that varries from person to person. My Kindle weighs about 1.8th of a pound and it is still uncomfortable to hold for extended periods... so I just hold it on the desk or airline tray table, or whatever... it's not a big deal.... with any device.
No it does not get warm.
I reviewed a bunch of reader apps on the GT10.1. I looked at FBReader, Moon+ reader, Nook, Kindle, Google Books, Alkido and a couple of others.
My favorite is Nook. I base that on:
1) integrated shopping experience. Some of the other readers, like FBReader, and I think Moon+ required to you download a book somehow, then put it on your SD card, etc. Or the shopping experience sucked. Kindle/google/nook all had a good in-app shopping experience
2) The page turn. This might not be your highest priority, but I found the page turn experience to be very important to me. Google books and Nook both have a 3d page turn that I liked. nooks is slightly better because it reacts in a more realistic way.
3) Notes/highlighting/bookmarks. Nook wins out over google books.
bella92108 said:
Regarding PDF, you can install native Adobe Acrobat Reader on Android, so you can actually read (and edit even) as indented... so not sure what the remaining concern is. Seems like you're trying to come up with excuses not to get it. Yeah eReaders have issues with PDF, but eReaders don't have Adobe's Acrobat PDF Reader installed, hehe.
Regarding comfort, that's not really a question someone can answer. Many people say getting tattoos aren't uncomfortable, but many would disagree. I think if it hurts to hold a 1 pound object, then you'll have to stick to books under about 300 pages anyhow, so it's somewhat a moot point, hehe.
You can always try, and if you don't like, return or sell online. It's not really something someone can answer for you, since it's a personal issue that varries from person to person. My Kindle weighs about 1.8th of a pound and it is still uncomfortable to hold for extended periods... so I just hold it on the desk or airline tray table, or whatever... it's not a big deal.... with any device.
No it does not get warm.
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Click to collapse
Thing is, I don't live in the U.S. I can't buy it and return it.
So I can either go with the iPad 2 or the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
The software isn't an issue (there are tons of PDF reading / editing apps on the market). I'm just asking for someone to compare it to the iPad 2 from the design point of view (mostly putting the focus on holding it for an extended period of time).
In other words:
Does it do a better job of reading / browsing than the iPad 2 (in the non software sense)
matanc1 said:
Does it do a better job of reading / browsing than the iPad 2 (in the non software sense)
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Click to collapse
Browsing I think will be a little better on the 10.1 based on the Flash issue. I haven't used an ipad for internet browsing but I would imagine that would get a little annoying.
Reading is six in one hand half dozen in the other. I think the aspect ratio of the ipad was designed with reading in portrait orientation in mind. That being said, you should be able to read text larger on the screen (in portrait orientation) before having to scroll left and right to see the beginning and end of the lines respectively. That's not to say that this is a major issue on the 10.1, but if your eyes require larger text it may be a problem.
Both the iPad2 and 10.1 are incredibly thin, light devices. I don't really think holding one over the other will cause significant arm strain. you could go into a store and try holding each for 10 minutes. Considering you're willing to drop $500 on something, you should definitely be sure.
Tab is lighter, and IMHO, more comfortable to hold than the iPad2 (a few of my co-workers have iPad's)
The screen resolution is higher on the Tab, it is easier on my eyes (your eyes might react differently), and my co-workers agree for the most part.
lqaddict said:
Tab is lighter, and IMHO, more comfortable to hold than the iPad2 (a few of my co-workers have iPad's)
The screen resolution is higher on the Tab, it is easier on my eyes (your eyes might react differently), and my co-workers agree for the most part.
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So the galaxy screen's width being smaller would be a problem if I wanted to read on it in book like font sizes without having to scroll to the sides all the time?
One more thing: Is it hard reading in landscape mode then?
Do the kindle / nook readers have that option?
matanc1 said:
So the galaxy screen's width being smaller would be a problem if I wanted to read on it in book like font sizes without having to scroll to the sides all the time?
One more thing: Is it hard reading in landscape mode then?
Do the kindle / nook readers have that option?
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Click to collapse
Just looking at one of the default books that comes on it, it looked fine portrait orientation. The text displayed larger than typically print text without having to scroll left and right. Like I said though, its worth a hands on test for yourself.
I'm sure kindle and nook have landscape options, especially on a tablet. I've been reading a technical text book (with exercises to follow along with) in landscape mode for the most part, however, I'm using whatever is the default pdf reader.
nook works in landscape mode, as does aldiko. I've been reading on it the past couple nights in both orientations and it's fine.
The resolution definitely makes a difference reading - on the ipad, text at my preferred size always looked slightly blurry, just enough to be annoying.
matanc1 said:
So the galaxy screen's width being smaller would be a problem if I wanted to read on it in book like font sizes without having to scroll to the sides all the time?
One more thing: Is it hard reading in landscape mode then?
Do the kindle / nook readers have that option?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope you don't need to scroll left/right in portrait mode, it scales the text to fit the screen width.
No issues using Google Books or Kindle app in landscape or portrait - I do prefer portrait for reading, but landscape for browsing.
matanc1 said:
Thing is, I don't live in the U.S. I can't buy it and return it.
So I can either go with the iPad 2 or the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
The software isn't an issue (there are tons of PDF reading / editing apps on the market). I'm just asking for someone to compare it to the iPad 2 from the design point of view (mostly putting the focus on holding it for an extended period of time).
In other words:
Does it do a better job of reading / browsing than the iPad 2 (in the non software sense)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always been down the middle. I suppose I can give honest feedback as I owned iPad 1, and got rid of it because it was too heavy and cumbersome to hold, then I got iPad 2 because in order for iPad 1 to be useful I had to jailbreak it, then on iPad 2 there's no jailbreak available (yet). even so, the screen quality on iPad 2 is so bad... so grainy, you can see every pixel. Then I got the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and it's neat being able to customize, widgets, flash etc. Where it falls short is media.... it's a pain in the ass a) finding a media file that will actually play without having to convert 10x, and b) managing a sync between device and computer... so for me that's where iPad wins... their sync management is just great.
But at the end of the day, Galaxy tab wins by a decent margin because it's open... I can put my icons where I want, customize the hell out of it, and don't have to live within the confines of "take it or leave it" when it comes to the way I use it. It's just so nice to be able to go away for the weekend and just take a tablet knowing it'll handle any website I can throw at it. Ipad I couldn't even use some travel websites because of the flash issue.... that and their multitasking was a joke.
I use tthe GT10.1 and the nook app, I have not tried the ipad but reading on the tab is great in either orientation. With the nook app you can adjust font size easily so should be fine for any age of eyes in any orientation.
Good luck
Hi
I am confused...
I just spent a day with the iPad2 and a Galaxy Tab (the first edition) have to say I was very impressed with reading PDF books from the iPad but not so much from the Galaxy which is running 2.2
I am Android through and through and want to stick with an Android but want the experience I had with the iPad2 when it comes to reading ebooks from it.
I have been looking around and the Asus Transformer looks impressive with a decent price.... I also know it has Honeycomb as I understand its more tailored for tablets than the previous versions and the experience is far better. Much better than what I have used with 2.2. One thing from my research that lets Android down is there are not many apps which are tablet ready but slowly this will come.... That's not too much of an issue for me as my primary use will be ebook reading and internet use.
I dont see the point in buying just an ebook reader, for a few extra hundred I can get something which will offer a lot more and features that I would make use off.
If anyone uses the transformer as a book reader. What are you thoughts?? Is the experience good. I held one the other day in a shop and it felt initially quite bulky but I suppose I could get used to that....
Thanks
I bought the transformer to use it as an ebook reader, and i can tell you its really good.
there are some very nice ebook reading programs like the stock mylibrary which is basically like iBooks, and there is aldiko which i highly reccomand, because you can set text size, color and marging and page color etc. to make the reading comfortable.
i read a few books from it and with the right brightness/color setting it wont hurt your eyes too much or something like this. the text is crisp and nice and reading is in general a pleasant experience from the transformer screen.
I've been using the kindle reader. Great for reading 4 books so far. And quick to get new books. Have it on my desire HD too so I can put the eee pad down go out and read a few pages while out and about.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
I agree im currently writing an ebook and tested out various formats on various apps on the TF overall quite a good experience when reading
I settled on Moon+ reader, so far I have had no issues.
If you want to read e-books, then do not buy this product. IPS panel is not intended for reading but the comic is a nice read. If you want to read, then buy an electronic book reader.
Try for example, to read for several hours on a computer screen. It is not easy (eyes will to hurt).
It's definitely nice as a book reader. I finished the entire Storm of Swords book on this one,so I can vouch for its useability
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Truthfully it is not a great ereader. The form factor is good for magazine and PDF but not for books. Also very reflective in bright light and not dim enough in darkness.
What was wrong with original galaxy tab?
My nook color is my default reader over my transformer as its screen while same tech has higher contrast less glare and can get it darker for night reading.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
Count me in the group confirming that it's great for eBooks. I use Google's own Books app, and am currently reading my fourth entire novel on the Transformer. The screen dims enough to be comfortable for me even with white pages in a completely dark room, but is bright enough to read basically anywhere I'd be comfortable trying to read in the first place. No, it's not *quite* as easy on the eye as a dedicated reader, but it also does a whole hell of a lot more, and frankly the page-turning motion in Google's app makes it feel more like a book than the dedicated readers do to me.
Just so you know I've got enough experience to know what I'm talking about, here's what I've read on the Transformer, in order. They're all paperback versions, based on the ISBN numbers. All of these were read for the first time, so I didn't skim them, I read them properly:
* Terry Jones: Douglas Adams' Starship Titanic (257 pages, I'm an old-school Douglas Adams fan who finally decided I should give the novelization of his game a try.)
* Tom Clancy: The Hunt for Red October (499 pages, been meaning to read Clancy for years and never got around to it. Was happy with my first eBook experience, so gave it a try.)
* Tom Clancy: Red Storm Rising (637 pages, liked my first Clancy experience, so stuck with it.)
* Tom Clancy: Patriot Games (518 pages, I'm currently about 200 pages in, accounting for the differences in page numbering because the books reflow to fit the screen orientation / selected font size and spacing.)
So in total, I've read almost 1,600 paperback pages on the Transformer since May 4th -- and all of the Clancy was within the last month (I was on an overseas vacation for the Jones book, so read it much more slowly.) That means I average about 50 paperback pages per day on the Transformer since returning from my trip, which I couldn't do if it wasn't comfortable.
I thought it may help what my usage will be for reading books on a Transformer.
I am an IT professional and do a lot of self training reading IT reference books (majority in PDF form) and I use a my PC to actually do the tasks mentioned in the book.
if you can imagine I will have the transformer on stand of some sort and will referring back and forth to the transformer for reading the book or notes....
Does that make sense??
I don't intend to be reading novels but mainly for research and training guides..and this won't be on a daily basis either..
Thanks
PatrikSelin said:
If you want to read e-books, then do not buy this product. IPS panel is not intended for reading but the comic is a nice read. If you want to read, then buy an electronic book reader.
Try for example, to read for several hours on a computer screen. It is not easy (eyes will to hurt).
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Click to collapse
I think this is a bit misleading. ANY device with any kind of LCD panel won't be as comfortable for longer reading sessions as an e-Ink reader. It also won't be as good in direct sunlight. That's not an indictment of the TF itself, which is excellent as an ebook reader compared with other tablets of similar size (and the few ounces difference of, say, the iPad 2 or GT 10.1 won't stop one from wanting to prop it on something after awhile).
I have a Nook 3G reader, and I do prefer to read on it for longer sessions and when I have sufficient light (because of course it has no backlighting). I also use the Nook for reading late at night, because theory says it's best to avoid emissive screens like tablets, notebooks, TVs, etc. right before going to sleep.
Another good use for the TF is if you're reading books that you need to annotate. Works great in the Nook app (and Kindle, for that matter), and notes and highlights sync to other devices.
So, in short, the TF's as good as any other 10.1" or so tablet, and better than a few because the IPS screen allows for more flexible viewing angles.
ranjb said:
if you can imagine I will have the transformer on stand of some sort and will referring back and forth to the transformer for reading the book or notes....
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Click to collapse
Ah! Pretty much the perfect way to use the TF as an ereader. I wanted to point out what size of books you would be holding with different devices, but if the plan isn't to actually hold the TF.... well, awesome
Still, I took a picture:
http://i54.tinypic.com/210f4hu.jpg
Those are a 2nd generation Kindle, a 7" Galaxy Tab, and obviously a Transformer. The books behind have (roughly) the same weight as the device in front of them. There is an audio cd to compare size. The Kindle is 294 grams, the Galaxy Tab 382 and the Asus 695.
That said, the Kindle sucks for anything that isn't an ebook, especially PDFs
For novels eink readers are your best bet. For graphic novels or textbook you can't go wrong with a tablet. It should be worth noting eink readers of 5in and bigger can be used to read black and white comic by using epubbuilder and importing each image as a standalone chapter in epub format.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
frosty5689 said:
It should be worth noting eink readers of 5in and bigger can be used to read black and white comic by using epubbuilder and importing each image as a standalone chapter in epub format.
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Didn't know that. However, this is what i know http://foosoft.net/mangle/ the Kindle can read images and that software is made for the exact purpose of optimizing them so to read manga/comics very easily.
Still, the Kindle is a trainwreck with PDFs that aren't just an image or just text, so it dosen't really help the OP.
I spent about six hours yesterday reading a book using the kindle app and I was pretty pleased with it.
Canadoc said:
not dim enough in darkness.
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I use Screen Filter to make my screen dimmer when reading in darkness.
ranjb said:
I am an IT professional and do a lot of self training reading IT reference books (majority in PDF form) and I use a my PC to actually do the tasks mentioned in the book.
if you can imagine I will have the transformer on stand of some sort and will referring back and forth to the transformer for reading the book or notes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say it'd be great for that. Adobe's PDF viewer is free and fast / stable for me, if you're working on a PC LCD then having a similar tech on the tablet would be a positive advantage (set similar brightness and your eyes don't need to adjust looking back and forth, unlike an eReader screen). Only potential issue is reflections from bright office lights, depending on the environment where you're planning to use it, although if you have a good adjustable stand you can affix the tab to, that's easily solved (and if I can use the tab outdoors in bright ambient light, which I can, I'm sure anything indoors is workable.)
It's great for reading books, Kindle app is the same as on iPad. Brightness can be dim enough to not affect wife sleeping next to me, especially on Sepia background.
All ebook readers on the iPad are available for Andriod, just pick one you like. Due to competing formats, you may end up with three ore more, depending where you buy books or download epubs/pdfs.
The only thing I would ever replace this with is a Kindle DX, but who wants to pay that much for a tech toy that does only one thing? For the same price, I have a full blown tablet running Andriod OS.
It of course will not be as easy on the eyes as e-ink technology, nor look good in bright sunlight. Then again, who reads in bright sun? That's why we have trees!
Are you an eBook reader user? Did you find GT 10.1 a good replacement to your eBook reader? Thanks in advance!
It's good for reading with all lights off. But it won't last as long and hurts your eyes (so you won't read too long). If you're reading outside, forget about it. eInk devices still beats any other display technology for outside reading.
The Kindle app and MoonReader+ have both been great. I have read about 15 books on my Galaxy tab in the last few months. I've never used a Kindle or eInk reader, so I can't compare -- but I know that the Galaxy tab works pretty well for my reading habits, and I've never had a problem with eyestrain. I have my MoonReader+ pretty well tweaked so that it's comfortable for long periods of reading without trouble.
I use RepliGo Reader for Android and I'm quite happy. I have a big collection of pdf files and I can easily annotate them, add boomarks etc. In fact that's why I bought galaxy tab!
I have a kindle 3g reader and it is wayyyyyy better reader than a tablet. Especially outdoors, it works perfectly. Any tablet including my 10.1 is not a replacement for a dedicated e-reader.
For my purposes (reading in bed after my wife has gone to sleep) it's been awesome. I can prop it up on the bedstand and read for as long as I want and it works great (turn it to the lowest brightness and make it white type on black background). I think a kindle would be nicer during the day, but if you want to read without a light on it can't be beat. One other thing to consider: if your thumb is on the screen while you're reading you need to move it before you change the page. That gets annoying; not sure if any of the touchscreen readers can do better. Kind of shocking they didn't work that into the kindle app....
I would consider, though, getting a smaller and lighter 7" if reading would be your primary use. The 10" screen is good for a lot of stuff but holding it up can get a bit uncomfortable after a bit. But don't even think of any of the other 10" android tablets. They're all too heavy with sharp edges to be comfortable to hold (sharp edges is why I'm not going to get the transformer prime).
slack04 said:
I would consider, though, getting a smaller and lighter 7" if reading would be your primary use. The 10" screen is good for a lot of stuff but holding it up can get a bit uncomfortable after a bit.
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Definitely agree with this. I had the 10.1 for months and rarely read on it because it's just too big for that purpose. I read less and less with each passing day/week, so I ultimately just sold it and bought the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus when it came out. now I'm back to reading all the time because the 7" size is just much more convenient and comfortable to use when reading. The LCD doesn't bother me at all...so the eInk isn't that desirable to me (wife has a Nook touch so I've seen it in action).
If you want to read any kind of science textbook, the Tab 10.1 wins hands down.
I've got a Kindle WiFi (sometimes called a Kindle 3) that I bought in 2010 on launch day. Haven't used it since September of last year, after I bought my original 7" Galaxy Tab, and then my 10.1.
I really don't like e-ink anywhere but outdoors, and even then, the refresh rate is problematic for me, as is the very limited functionality of dedicated e-book readers. The only thing I truly appreciated about the Kindle 3 was the battery life.
I have the Nook Simple Touch and read all my books on it. I have the Nook software on my GT 10.1 and have never read a book with it. I can read using my Nook for hours. No way could I even think about that with the GT 10.1...
FBreader on night mode works great for all my epubs. I've probably read fifty books on my 10.1 in the six months I've owned it. Totally amazing for reading. The only downside is that the gumdrop case I use for ruggedness does make it about as heavy as a Xoom. Also, Perfect Viewer and Manga Watch cover my comic needs.
I don't think the 10.1 is a good size for ebooks, unless you plan to read full-sized PDF documents (textbook, magazines, and reference material). That said, ereader apps like Kindle, Moon+ Reader, Aldiko, etc. help a lot because you can adjust background colors and fonts to suit your needs. I personally prefer using my 7 inch tablet for ereading due to its lighter weight. Another thing you should consider is screen glare - tablets, unlike ereaders, generally have reflective glass surfaces that causes eyestrain. I minimize this by adjusting screen angles and background color (sepia/brownish backgrounds help a lot in this regard). Hope this helps.
giltwist said:
FBreader on night mode works great for all my epubs. I've probably read fifty books on my 10.1 in the six months I've owned it. Totally amazing for reading. The only downside is that the gumdrop case I use for ruggedness does make it about as heavy as a Xoom. Also, Perfect Viewer and Manga Watch cover my comic needs.
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You are the best!
As many of us, I was very interesting on this thread due to Alterbridge trouble to include into Overcome.
I've tried moon+ and aldico, but I wasn't 100% satisfied!
FBreader is exacly what I was looking for!
Thank you.
If you read in a normally lit area with not too much glare, and turn the brightness down a bit you can probably read for a pretty long time. Keep in mind that the tab is not meant to be an e-reader, it's more of an all-round entertainment solution.
I acually started reading again. I had a Nook Color but only used it as a cheap tablet. Now I own a galaxy tab 8.9 (which i think it's much better than the 10.1 for books and magazines) and I'm using it to read in the subway. I like the form factor, the screen is great and I can read full colored comics and magazines.
Basically if I was you I would think like this:
If you're a heavy book reader go for a dedicated device (like the nook touch or the kindle touch). The screens on those devices are great and battery lasts for at least a month.
If you don't read as many books (like I do) but also enjoy comics, magazines, videos, internet and games then go for a tablet, a real one, not the half baked kindle fire or nook tablet.
alot of my friends ask this... if you only intend to read books then go w/ a kindle... its easy on the eyes, battery life is superb, cheap, very light.
but if you plan to do anything else or see yourself doing something else, go w/ a tablet. then you have the questions of what size and what not...
There r no apps that satisfied me more than samsung default eBook
I know it's not quite an ebook, but Droid Comic Viewer works great on the tab for reading graphic novels!
The size and aspect ratio in portrait orientation are perfect!
I have tried a lot of different ereader apps, and my favourite is the Mantano reader free (available in the market ). The UI is optimized for tablets as well as supporting adobe drm, epub and PDF.
my only problem with GT 10.1 is the battery life and finger print. its a good ebook reader as it is. Default app... have read 15+ books after 2 mths of owning the tab.
Planning on either getting the N7 or the ipad3 real soon but I'm really hesitant because of the better screen of the ipad. I'm getting a tablet mainly for light sufring, music, media and comic book reading.
Does anyone use their N7 for comics? What app do you use for CBR files? How's the screen and hows the usability and feel of reading from a much smaller screen? I'm guessing it can get annoying to read from such a small device because you'd constantly have to flick around just to read.
I'm all for the N7 but the only thing that's holding me back is that beautiful screen and itunes mp3 integration which is the best! Although I hate having to convert videos just to view them on my device.
I use ComicRack on my Nexus 7.
I am able to read comics in portrait mode without having to zoom in. The 1280x800 resolution is high enough for text to be displayed clearly. I don't need to zoom in and out.
The new iPad is still better for comics though. Reading comics on the Nexus 7 isn't bad, but sometimes you want a bigger screen (since comic text can be pretty small).
I'm pretty much using the N7 for email, texting and reading books and comics. I find that it works fine as a comic reader. After trying different comic apps, I've settled on two.
Comics by Comixology
This is great for buying and viewing comics. The guided view is superb. Try it out. They offer free comics so you'll be able to see how it works. I do still buy comics to offset all the ones that I download for free.
Perfect Viewer
This is the one I use for my cbr/cbz files. It works great and has a nice bookshelf feature to easily keep track of your comics and what's been read. There's plenty of customization available but not so much that it's overkill. I prefer reading in landscape with comic scaled to width. Tap the right side to scroll down a configurable amount. If you're at the bottom of the page it goes to the next page.
i love my nexus 7 for reading manga. it's great. i've always used jj comic viewer. 7 inch screen is way more convenient than 10. i can fit it in every single pair of pants pockets. i usually read them in landscape mode so you have to navigate your finger up and down to see the whole page, but it really isn't that bad. you just start from the top of the page and work your way down. it's what you would do anyways. potrait mode works too, but it gets kinda small. i think its perfect.
It's actually very good for comics.
http://www.techhive.com/article/2000315/what-s-the-best-way-to-read-comics-on-your-nexus-7.html
I found the screen way too small for comic reading, but that is just personal preference. I couldn't condone the price of the Ipad3 for what I use tablets for so I got the Asus TF300. It is great, a lot of great development going on, and great screen for comics.
I personally use manga watcher app for my manga needs. I think the n7 is a perfect size for manga. The reason being, the n7's screen size is pretty close to your average takobon volume, whereas American comics tend to be printed on bigger paper size.
I don't really read American comics that much, so I can't really comment much about it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Makaijin said:
I personally use manga watcher app for my manga needs. I think the n7 is a perfect size for manga. The reason being, the n7's screen size is pretty close to your average takobon volume, whereas American comics tend to be printed on bigger paper size.
I don't really read American comics that much, so I can't really comment much about it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
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Thanks guys! You have a new convert! I'm getting my unit tonight and hopefully it doesnt come with issues!
My mate is on the stand-up circuit and he loves his.
I don't read comics on mine but I do subscribe to Wired! Magazine and read that. It's a little small when showing the full page on screen so you have to zoom in to read, then zoom out to turn the page. I'm used to reading it on an iPad so it took a little getting used to but it's not a huge problem.
I tried Perfect Viewer, but the user interface is too ... ugly. And it's quite annoying to have to click every time to go to next page.
Did you try "Challenger comics viewer" ?
It's a FREE comics viewer available on Android Market (no ads).
You don't have to click to go to next page, all pages are automatically loaded.
Try it in landscape mode, it's really awesome !
It support local files (cbr/cbz/pdf/jpg/png) and network files (Samba/CIFS/Webdav/Ftp/SFtp).
I also tried Comicrack, it's quite OK but you still have to click to go to next page.
Use "Challenger comics viewer" and you will be addict ! Really !
Here is a short video of "Challenger comics viewer" :
I bought my one just for reading comics and web/gaming,
Comicrack is a must have,
Comic reader mobi is also alright and work well
Hello
My academic friends use Ipads with retina screens for reading PDF journal articles and ebooks. They rave on about how great the screen is and the annotating apps the ipad has. Though I'm no apple-fanboy and don't want be made a prisoner!
When the Note 10.1 with a wacom stylus appeared I thought at last! Though will the screen res be good enough for reading pdf articles for many hours? I would want to avoid zooming in/out. When in a shop while the screen looks fine, it's difficult to know what it will feel like after long term use. When I look at an ipad I can see a difference in how smaller fonts are displayed more sharply, though I don't know if it will really matter (less tired eyes/much easier to read?).
I know this can be subjective and personal (my eyesight is fine for reading), but if anyone has used the 10.1 for long periods of reading, I'd be really interested in hearing about your experience how it feels, (and esp if you've used an Ipad 3/4 too!).
[EDIT:] I will be using it for annotating PDFs too
Thanks
I use the note 10.1 for reading a lot, and have no problems reading for longer periods.
My brother has an ipad 3 retina, and while that screen is sharper, the difference is not that big.
If you want to annotate pdfs, the s-pen is waaaaay more accurate then any capacitative pen.
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Note is better becoz of the pen.. it helps not only in annotating but clipping parts of the notes too..
I consistently get around 10hrs of screen on time when reading pdf 's ..
YOu should check out the premium features that are possible with s-pen..
Screen is fine. You should get the note because of the pen. I have replaced pen and paper as a physics/ math student.
No problems with the note. I hate capacitive stylii that you have to use with most tablets, including the Ipads. I suspect the features of your note, if you buy one, will make your Ipad toting friens jealous.
In terms of eye comfort, nothing beats e-ink.
The paper like display technology requires no blacklight, and thus is far less straining for your eyes.
But a 10" e-ink device is expensive.
sublimerocks13 said:
Screen is fine. You should get the note because of the pen.
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At 147 PPI the Note's display isn't going to win any awards. In its favor, it's bright, has good contrast, and vibrant colors. On text you'll notice the lack of resolution. The smaller the text the more you'll notice. You won't notice it on pics and video but that's not what you're asking. To me, the additional features of the Note make living with 147 PPI acceptable. But it doesn't make me like it when compared to 1080P+ tablets. I'd strongly suggest you go play with one and get a PDF loaded on it that's similar to what you'll likely be using. You can either download it from somewhere or sneak in your own microSD. Make sure the brightness is set to what you'll mostly use as the higher the brightness the more pixelated text looks. I wouldn't trade my Note for anything other than a Note with a FHD display so I'm by no means bashing it. But the display is what it is.
I'm a physics grad student so I use the Note for reading and taking notes daily. It doesn't strain my eyes or anything, and I think it has better contrast and brightness than my previous tablet (it certainly feels that way). Of course, I don't read with my tablet 5 inches from my face (okay, I do, but only when I reddit; I read from a reasonable distance when I'm reading actual documents) so I don't know if the resolution might bother you.
As for annotating PDFs, the Apple store supposedly has better apps for that, but then you'll be forced to used either your finger or the capacitative stylus. Having tried to taking notes with a cap. stylus on my previous tablet (the asus transformer), I can definitively say that using the wacom stylus on the Note is a complete game-changer in that sense. The best cap. stylus I used was the Adonit Jot Pro, and even that one was complete and utter crap compared to using the Note stylus.
So basically, I'd say that if your only use of a tablet was to read PDFs, you might be better off with the newest iPad or one of the e-ink readers because it will either have better resolution or e-ink is supposed to be easier to read on. Otherwise, if you think you might want to mark up some PDFs or maybe do some note-taking, your best choice at this moment would be this Galaxy Note tablet.
I do not yet have a Note. I will be getting one and am not particularly worried.
For 10 years I used a CRT monitor was at a resolution close to the Note. I read more from paper books but that was before e-books existed as such. Still I did read a lot.
Since then I have been reading from a 1440x900 27" monitor. The lions share of my reading has been from that monitor. Fiction, technical stuff, web pages( news). There is no reason to believe that the Note will be too low a resolution for me, and I am in my low 50s, a time when eyesight starts going.
Let me also note that technical devices always involve tradeoffs. A car might have a lot fo horsepower, but at the expense of gas mileage. A larger TV draws more power. The SPen being "a real pen" needs more CPU power, it needs more RAM, so does a retina display. To have both, you are going to need a tablet that cost $1500. Your choice, but to me the better control of a pen over what is a "prosthetic finger" is worth it.
As a final note, I would observe that the resolution of a Note is sufficient to read for long hours, but you can be distracted by it. However if you are distracted, it's because you want to be distracted and if the Note doesn't do it, something else will.
nomadic11 said:
Hello
My academic friends use Ipads with retina screens for reading PDF journal articles and ebooks. They rave on about how great the screen is and the annotating apps the ipad has. Though I'm no apple-fanboy and don't want be made a prisoner!
When the Note 10.1 with a wacom stylus appeared I thought at last! Though will the screen res be good enough for reading pdf articles for many hours? I would want to avoid zooming in/out. When in a shop while the screen looks fine, it's difficult to know what it will feel like after long term use. When I look at an ipad I can see a difference in how smaller fonts are displayed more sharply, though I don't know if it will really matter (less tired eyes/much easier to read?).
I know this can be subjective and personal (my eyesight is fine for reading), but if anyone has used the 10.1 for long periods of reading, I'd be really interested in hearing about your experience how it feels, (and esp if you've used an Ipad 3/4 too!).
Thanks
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get a real ereader (e-ink) if you dont need colors. You are going to kill your eyes if you read on the Note 10.1 for hours.
This one has a 9.7" screen: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wirele...UTF8&qid=1358916393&sr=8-4&keywords=kindle+dx
Im not an apple fan at all. Having said that i gave serious consideration to the pad before getting my note 10.1. The reason I went for the note was simply this. Productivity! I read a lot and want to be able to mark up effortlessly and clip things etc. Last night i clipped a part from a video & posted it on FB (it converts into a still but gives you some idea of the power). Multiscreen, an excellent pen - Snote (which i love) an excellent tool. The versatility and productivity capabilities of the note helped make my mind up. I did notice the difference between displays. productivity won the day for me.
On the pleasure side you cant beat playing a video while surfing/playing a game like angry birds at the same time.
Battery life is also very good - im not a heavy user as yet - im still learning all about this note :good:!
If you are just going to read - get the ipad. If you just want to surf the net & read PDF's and respond to an email - juts get the ipda. If you want more productivity then get the note.
I haven't been disappointed.
The note has a choice of 3 default screen settings, Dynamic, Normal, and Cinema. Most people forget this fact, but it makes a BIG difference when using it for various different things.
I've said this before, but most stores which sell BOTH usually have the Note screen set to the worst possible setting for its environment. Bear this in mind when testing in store.
Hi
Just to say a big thanks to those of you who replied in this thread. All your feedback has been really useful! I plan to go to a shop to check things out further.
cheers
Just played around with a friends ipad 4. Although the screed was very slightly clearer it was only noticeable on specific web pages when zoomed in all the way. Way closer than you would have it for reading. He was more impressed with my notes color reproduction than I was with his retina screen.
So yes I noticed a difference but only in situations that were not consistent with real world use.
Then we were both taking notes me with spen and he with capacitive stylus and there was no comparisson. Spen was so much better. It was like I had a ballpoint and he had a dull crayon
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
The note is definitely the best device if you want to read and annotate PDFs. The spen is way better than any capacitive stylus. If you just want to read ebooks though, go with an eink device.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 09:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------
Riki1kenobi said:
The note has a choice of 3 default screen settings, Dynamic, Normal, and Cinema. Most people forget this fact, but it makes a BIG difference when using it for various different things.
I've said this before, but most stores which sell BOTH usually have the Note screen set to the worst possible setting for its environment. Bear this in mind when testing in store.
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What mode is best for reading PDFs and Web surfing?
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BarryH_GEG said:
At 147 PPI the Note's display isn't going to win any awards. In its favor, it's bright, has good contrast, and vibrant colors. On text you'll notice the lack of resolution. The smaller the text the more you'll notice. You won't notice it on pics and video but that's not what you're asking. To me, the additional features of the Note make living with 147 PPI acceptable. But it doesn't make me like it when compared to 1080P+ tablets. I'd strongly suggest you go play with one and get a PDF loaded on it that's similar to what you'll likely be using. You can either download it from somewhere or sneak in your own microSD. Make sure the brightness is set to what you'll mostly use as the higher the brightness the more pixelated text looks. I wouldn't trade my Note for anything other than a Note with a FHD display so I'm by no means bashing it. But the display is what it is.
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I got a chance to compare the Note 10.1 with an Ipad 4 for reading a pdf file. I used a typical academic journal article (Times font, so bit more difficult to display). In portrait, the Note struggled to display the file clearly, because of the relatively small font size - it wasn't comfortably readable; in landscape it was better, though not perfect. In comparison, the Ipad retina screen displayed the pdf almost like it was in print. In portrait while font was still smallish, it was quite readable, and in landscape it was perfect. The Ipad won hands down (and I really did not want it to!)
Though for annotating, the Note blew me away with its handwriting recognition. My writing is so bad, sometimes I have trouble reading it, yet the Note was really impressive. There's no question that it can be productive. I've used a few windows tablets and felt it was on par with them in terms of handwriting recognition (and without any training too!)
Yet, I'm in a dilemma, wanting the razor sharpness of an Ipad (esp. with its 4:3 ratio) and the annotating capabilities of the Note
nomadic11 said:
Yet, I'm in a dilemma, wanting the razor sharpness of an Ipad (esp. with its 4:3 ratio) and the annotating capabilities of the Note
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People dont realise that using something like spen will limit increasing the resolution of screens..
I have both an Ipad 3 and the Note 10.1. The only thing the Ipad does better is small text that I need eyeglasses to see. If you might be looking VERY closely at fine text, then yes, the ipad is sharper. Annotating the Note wins hands down, not even close. Reading Ebooks, the Note wins hands down. Perhaps some people need e-ink readers, i am not one of them. I find the Note far more pleasant and less tiring to read than an e-ink reader. I do a lot of reading or hours on end...
You do have to adjust the backlight to get the best light for your environment. I use Cool Reader because it is so easy to adjust the backlight. Just swipe your finger up or down the left edge of the screen. The Nook and Kindle apps require you to go into the menu to change brightness. I end up using the wrong brightness with those apps. That does tire my eyes quickly. With Cool Reader I end up adjusting the backlight automatically without even thinking about it. That's probably one big reason I don't get tired eyes like others have reported.
Nakel said:
I have both an Ipad 3 and the Note 10.1. The only thing the Ipad does better is small text that I need eyeglasses to see. If you might be looking VERY closely at fine text, then yes, the ipad is sharper. Annotating the Note wins hands down, not even close. Reading Ebooks, the Note wins hands down. Perhaps some people need e-ink readers, i am not one of them. I find the Note far more pleasant and less tiring to read than an e-ink reader. I do a lot of reading or hours on end...
You do have to adjust the backlight to get the best light for your environment. I use Cool Reader because it is so easy to adjust the backlight. Just swipe your finger up or down the left edge of the screen. The Nook and Kindle apps require you to go into the menu to change brightness. I end up using the wrong brightness with those apps. That does tire my eyes quickly. With Cool Reader I end up adjusting the backlight automatically without even thinking about it. That's probably one big reason I don't get tired eyes like others have reported.
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Well, to be fair, the Note doesn't do a good job showing the small numbers like exponents or side notes in scholarly articles, but zoom or landscape nullifies that for me. I'd rather waste a little more time zooming in on small spots than lose the s-pen though.
dtziheucdavis said:
The note is definitely the best device if you want to read and annotate PDFs. The spen is way better than any capacitive stylus. If you just want to read ebooks though, go with an eink device.
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---------- Post added at 09:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------
What mode is best for reading PDFs and Web surfing?
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
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It really depends on the situation. For low light scenarios I use movie as it yellows the screen a bit and increase the brightness level a touch. But most of the time I use normal. On the odd occasion where I have been outdoors, Dynamic and full brightness allows the screen to be clearly readable.
All this hooha over the iPad screen is overplayed. I will leave this artice I read a while back which explains exactly why you are being conned into believing something that simply isn't true. http:// http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/10/3226295/news-flash-surface-pro-has-a-better-retina-display-than-the-ipad
The screen on the Note 10.1 is a 1280 x 800 HD screen and IF it was made by Apple would be classed as a Retina display!