I've got 2 primary uses for this device
1) standard reader ( I convert alot of files to read on cheap LCD ereader I'd like to upgrade ). I read every night in bed - mostly Calibre converted to epub doc's. Some of the content is not worthy of formatting to epub b/c of graphics - tables - so I have to read that on printed paper when the lights are on.
2) Browser / .pdf reader. - Currently I have no ability to do this besides desktop. I'd like my content to be a little more portable - so I can read it on the go.
I really like the 7" form - for epub - but never tried reading off a 10" device.
My main question - is how is this 10" form factor as an e-reader - say lying in bed - or on a couch. I'm not worried about the portability of the 2 sizes - mainly whether or not - the 10" form is cumbersome as being too large to hold as a reader ( too heavy / bulkly )?
My gut says it'll be fine - but would like some reassurances from those who have used this size as a reader for a period of time.
Thanks
I love it, but it's really what you like. Go to best buy and try out reading a chapter.
I have the original Nook as my first e-reader and now I use the Transformer. It's a bit heavy while reading in bed and holding it..BUT I prefer it over the Nook as an e-reader for the following reasons:
1. TF has backlight
2. I can read PDF's and not worry about converting them.
3. I can surf the web and do other good stuff on a whim while reading.
It can be a bit heavy with one hand or if you don't have a stand. I haven't tried any other reader. I usually get my reading from Kindle app and I am happy with it. I also love it because I can play music while reading.
I much prefer my Color Nook. 7 inches is the sweet spot for readers.
I also have a nook (bw) and have tried the nook color.
The backlight cannot be dimmed nearly as much as the nook color for night reading. Aldiko at least has a night reading mode but it is still too bright for total darkness.
Most have light bleeding which is annoying especially for night reading.
Need two hands to hold (1.5lb).
I find the nook color a bit heavy for single handed reading.
Nook for android has color which is nice for magazines and has nice two page landscape view.
Landscape and portrait reading modes
Battery life should exceed nook color.
It is 150ppi vs 170ppi higher quality screen for nook color and the difference is noticeable.
It is highly reflective.
It handles pdf files quite well (adobe reader has reflow option and pinch to zoom) definitely preferable for technical pdf files over nook color.
I started reading on Palm Pilots years ago and always wanted a larger screen. I've also owned several eInk readers which are the best, IMO, for novels. I've read on a 7" Android screen (Galaxy TAB) and liked that but I love the 10" screen for reading at home. Fewer page turns and great reading apps are available. The one included with the TF allows you to read 2 pages in landscape mode and you can set it up to recognize your Adobe ID so your encrypted ePubs will be readable without resorting to removing the DRM. You could also use your Nook reading app or one of many others available.
If you work with PDFs, they are better on a 10" screen.
I have no light bleed (and many others don't either) and read in night mode all the time with no issues. My OG Droid has far more light bleed than my TF.
The larger form factor takes a hit when it comes to portability but using the Kindle app on my phone allows me to continue reading the same book on the go.
I also carry a nook color and my TF in the bag and prefer to read on the nc in the subway due to the weight and size.
I mainly use my TF as a reader. Here are my thoughts:
1. It's perfect for reading PDFs. Especially for PDFs with a lot of graphs, tables, equations etc, because zooming and panning and page turning are so fluid. Try Repligo for non-scanned PDFs, use ezPDF for scanned PDFs.
2. It's good for reading text heavy documents too. But in that case, a Kindle will be enough.
3. It's very good for normal web browsing and looking up stuff. You cannot do that with Eink.
4. You won't feel comfortable holding the TF for a long time. I just put it in the keyboard dock to free my hands, which is perfect for me.
I have an original Nook 3G, and have found myself using the TF more often everywhere except in the direct sunlight. It's particularly better for annotations.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
I personally love reading in landscape with two pages side-by-side, and a 10" screen is great for this. Unfortunately, the Kindle app doesn't support this feature yet -- it just uses the whole width of the screen to display one page (kind of silly, and tiring on the eyes).
The Google Books app does put two pages side-by-side in landscape, but unfortunately its catalog of books is significantly smaller in my experience.
I believe the 7" form is still the best for reading. Period. It's quite uncomfortable to use the TF for reading in bed. Got a Galaxy Tab for my sister and now I don't want to let it go ;P Thankfully I have a Nook color coming Perfect for reading books and manga (yes!).
I use the Nook app to sideload epubs. It's my favourite reader, very smooth animation. The TF is still a much better tablet and RSS reader of course
mlpjunior said:
I personally love reading in landscape with two pages side-by-side, and a 10" screen is great for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. The Nook app supports this, and ePub, so that's what I use 99% of the time. I mainly read in bed, so I prop the TF up on my stomach to read, the weight doesn't really bother me in that case. Reading in portrait on a 10" tablet just feels ... odd.
From what I understand, most LCD / IPS type computer screens are bad for nighttime reading if that's your thing. There have been studies that back-lit displays in general, unlike the Kindle "e-paper" surface, can be bad on the eyes and can cause insomnia by inhibiting the release of melatonin.
If reading is your primary objective, I'd suggest sticking with an e-reader personally.
javroch said:
From what I understand, most LCD / IPS type computer screens are bad for nighttime reading if that's your thing. There have been studies that back-lit displays in general, unlike the Kindle "e-paper" surface, can be bad on the eyes and can cause insomnia by inhibiting the release of melatonin.
If reading is your primary objective, I'd suggest sticking with an e-reader personally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true. I should have added in my earlier note that I also use my Nook 3G for reading before falling asleep. And the Nook app's great syncing capability is perfect all around.
wynand32 said:
Very true. I should have added in my earlier note that I also use my Nook 3G for reading before falling asleep. And the Nook app's great syncing capability is perfect all around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LCD reading is fine for night reading. I use one right now - and it's great not to have to worry about lamp - or switches before turning over for the night's sleep.
I can read longer on my eink sony ereader without fatigue. Lcd backlit tends to make your eyes blurry afterwards
Sent from my Transformer TF101
frosty5689 said:
I can read longer on my eink sony ereader without fatigue. Lcd backlit tends to make your eyes blurry afterwards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true, and it's also just more of a chemical thing supposedly at least. Apparently most forms of artificial light inhibit the release of melatonin to some degree, which makes it harder to sleep at night. whereas e-paper surfaces tend to reflect the light already present in the environment, from what I understand, and it's obviously not as strong as a back-lit LCD.
I only use my Transformer for PDFs and anything graphics-heavy, thanks to the screen size. 7" devices will always be more comfortable, I use my Kindle when I don't need the above.
Hi Nook-Color,
I personally went from a nook color to the transformer and I found that the size of your reader really depends on your reading habits.
I Personally read a lot of engineering papers (with lots of equations and such), magazines and comics. I have to keep the screen full size for the papers because whenever there's a text reflow, it really messes them up.
Magazines and comics are much nicer on a larger screen.
I find that I do not read text heavy content like novels, so a bigger screen is a must. If your reading contents are mainly text, you'll be better off with a smaller reader.
As for handling, it's no Kindle DX or nook color, as it's much heavier, but i've gotten used to it. I tend to rest my tablets on my stomach when im in bed (really helps with the weight). It's close to the weight of an average Tom Clancy novel, so it's not like you can complain much if that's your primary reading material).
Reading on a couch is also about the same, you'll most likely have to start resting it on an armrest or your leg (if you have a recliner) for long periods.
You'll also have to stay away from any bright lights or a window in the background as the screen is a mirror and will make reading difficult.
The back is also a bit slippery, as it doesn't have the nice rubber back of the nook color so it does get tiring when gripping it. But a silicon case will definitely help (if/when one ever comes out).
Other than that, having a big screen to read is just nice, especially for graphic intensive media.
hope this helps.
Related
I bought a g tablet. I feel close to it given I put in more than 30 hours going through different beta versions of alternate roms trying to get things the way they should be since out of the box it was a piece of crap. Being in canada I had driven to nearest Sears in US to Purchase it. Before the screen calibration fix I had essentially given up the inability to type properly and the horrible viewing angles and Sd card woes had me looking elsewhere.
Having tried the more expensive Galaxy Tab and finding it laggy and flash video unviewble, I decided I needed a Tegra based device. I also felt for my needs 7 inches might be better as I find typing in landscape mode hard with a 10 incher(hmm weird genital reference there LOL). I also feel that for my needs (book reading, surfing video watching, the odd game, and quick reference use) that the smaller form fact might be better given it is lighter and more portable (can fit in coat pocket....)
Heard about the ELocity and saw it available for 100$ less than what ipaid for g tab. so ordered it to my Brother's in Florida as will be there next week. It is already there waiting for me.
Of course since ordering it not having given the g tab back yet I have it working the way I want minus the screen viewing angles which I hate as I cant type on it when lounging unless holding it awkwardly in landscape mode using my thumbs.
Seems the Elocity has much better screen in terms of viewing angles.While lower res, the DPI is in fact the same and conforms to the Android OS max resolution of 800x480 so I suspect most apps will look correct on it. It also appears to come rooted out of the box. The UI layer on it is fast and responsive and flash is there to start. So for those considering a g tablet and don't want to muck around it works much better out of the box.
Seems it is not perfect yet and suffers many of the same issues the G tablet did:
Like the gtablet there is no official android market
Wifi for some seems to not wake up with the device from sleep
Angry birds won't run
All of the above from what I have read seem to be related to drivers and tegra 2 not having the best or newest ones out of the box.
Elocity says a fix is coming on december 24th (wonder if this is similar to what was done by Roebeet et al. with TNT light and Vega N with the performance upgrades form experimental diver pack)
Multitouch which is supposed to be 1+1 (which I believe is what the gtab is) doesn't seem to be enabled properly and is only emulated in software, and as of yet, not very well.
Seems from some things discovered on a different thread that this might be a 2 point multitouch after all.
For some reason there is no Elocity forum yet which I think could impede people coming on and helping development on it (Notion Ink Adam has a forum though there is no device in the wild for another month at least). I suspect given these are both Tegra 2 devices that there might be some parallel things to help.
for more info and possible help either for you to give or get the biggest thread going is:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=872299
One professional view just out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CvY8jzyCWI
One XDA member first look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6foXW1zizM
Canadoc,
I appreciate the info and your review.
I have to say, though, that I will not buy a 7" tablet. It's just too small. Without any references to ages or disabilities or the like, it is my opinion a lot of people are being foolish trying to do at a minimum "notebook" tasks on tiny tablets or cell phones.
I have a plain old regular cell phone. I do my tablet stuff on my G-Tablet. I do my work stuff on my Vaio 16". And if I want to watch a movie I sit down in front of my 52" home theatre and really enjoy the picture and sound.
Perhaps I owe you an apology for posting this here, but it does strike me that it's silly to use stuff the wrong way. I'll concede I might watch a movie on my G-Tablet if I were in a pinch somewhere. But I don't want to live on a cell phone screen.
Best wishes and Merry Christmas.
Rev
I disagree think that a 10 inch tablet is too closeninsize and portability night as well justbuse laptop. Phone is too small to really enjoy reading surfing and viewing. 7 inch is a sweetspot. I own an ipad. I don't use it much because there is little I use it for that my MacBook can't do abdtyping etc is better.
Typing on-the-job gtab now is bad. Too hard to 2 finger type given the wide screen and too many errors otherwise. 7 inch easy totype large enough and ideal form factor to read etc.
G tablet not good enough for notebook tasks. A notebook is. Icing need my tablet tomake a real document I haves a problem. Would rather plug ina small KB if I need to but thenmight as well just have laptop
Canadoc said:
G tablet not good enough for notebook tasks. A notebook is. Icing need my tablet to make a real document I haves a problem. Would rather plug ina small KB if I need to but thenmight as well just have laptop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two different devices:
1. Tablet for best portability, web, Flash, media and some gaming.
2. Netbook or lappy for PC-type tasks and heavier gaming.
The trade-off is convenience and portability. A passively cooled tablet lasts over three times longer than a typical net book and way over that for laptops.
I have an M11X, which kicks all netbooks and most laptops butts. Collecting dust since having the G. No windows baggage is very nice.
Still use it for heavy gaming, but everything else is covered by the G. I use my company Thinkpad for work stuff.
Quick comment and a question.
Touch screen is 1 point. Last that I got from the 20 page thread was 1 point touch, gTab is two.
How's the real battery life? It's my second favorite thing about the gTab, the first being it's incredible speed, but I just so much more like 7" form factor.
Not sure bout battery life, but given the smaller screen 7 vs 10 inch, the 3000mamp battery vs the 3650 of the gatb I am not expecting a huge difference.
Gtab is two yes. There has been no conclusive proof yet if the 1 touch is a hardware issue or software firmware than can be changed. It is referred to as a 1+1 touch which means the screen must be registering another touch. If it can do that, then I would think it can be revised in software......Thus far google maps which requires multipoint doesn't work on gtab. Accelerometer on Gtab is meesed up so games depending on it dont work right. Fring doesn't work on gtab......
Well if you want 1 device to do it all yes a bigger screen tablet is the way to go. But then you have something that is a compromise at everyhting.
Not great for productivity short of bringing another keyboard and with less than full capable office type apps.
Not great for portability given the almost laptops dimensions
(10 inch netbook or 11 inch macbook air are no bigger except thickness and have real keyboard and u dont deal with the awful screen of the viewosnic. As an owner I can't use the viewsonic for anything that I cant do looking face on which makes typing hard on the screen).
Battery life? macbook air superior than the g tablet. Netbook with high cap battery still same price as gtab and gives 6+ hours of pc use with wifi on
Canadoc said:
Well if you want 1 device to do it all yes a bigger screen tablet is the way to go. But then you have something that is a compromise at everyhting.
Not great for productivity short of bringing another keyboard and with less than full capable office type apps.
Not great for portability given the almost laptops dimensions
(10 inch netbook or 11 inch macbook air are no bigger except thickness and have real keyboard and u dont deal with the awful screen of the viewosnic. As an owner I can't use the viewsonic for anything that I cant do looking face on which makes typing hard on the screen).
Battery life? macbook air superior than the g tablet. Netbook with high cap battery still same price as gtab and gives 6+ hours of pc use with wifi on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note: I'm posting this to share my own user experience. YMMV.
(1) I agree that the viewing angle is less than ideal. Most of the time I pop it up using an inexpensive stand; it actually works better for my neck (really !).
(2) Re onscreen keyboard: I have had no trouble in portrait mode (using better keyboard). In landscape mode the TNT split keyboard actually works surprisingly well (after one-time calibration).
(3) 10" is defintely not as portable as 7". OTOH: a lot of times I use the gtab to read technical documents (pdf), and 7" simply does not work -- in portrait mode the text & equations are too small, and in landscape you can read just a few lines at a time. With 10" the whole page shows up in the same font size as the printed version.
I do agree that 10" is a bit unwieldy; I've come to the conclusion that an 8", 1024x764 is the perfect size for a ebook tablet (HD movie fans would disagree).
(4) I have my gtab for over a month. With wifi on, and a mix of mp3/web browsing/ebook reading/youtube/AB, I've been getting about 8 hours pretty much every time.
case-sensitive said:
Note: I'm posting this to share my own user experience. YMMV.
(1) I agree that the viewing angle is less than ideal. Most of the time I pop it up using an inexpensive stand; it actually works better for my neck (really !).
(2) Re onscreen keyboard: I have had no trouble in portrait mode (using better keyboard). In landscape mode the TNT split keyboard actually works surprisingly well (after one-time calibration).
(3) 10" is defintely not as portable as 7". OTOH: a lot of times I use the gtab to read technical documents (pdf), and 7" simply does not work -- in portrait mode the text & equations are too small, and in landscape you can read just a few lines at a time. With 10" the whole page shows up in the same font size as the printed version.
I do agree that 10" is a bit unwieldy; I've come to the conclusion that an 8", 1024x764 is the perfect size for a ebook tablet (HD movie fans would disagree).
(4) I have my gtab for over a month. With wifi on, and a mix of mp3/web browsing/ebook reading/youtube/AB, I've been getting about 8 hours pretty much every time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't get me wrong I currently own a gtab and do see the merit in it and if it had a better screen I would probably have kept it.
But the thing is for thos people not willing to mod their device (95% of buying public) the g tab is a device that will be promptly returned.
Viewing angle is very bad, UI is not great though improving with today's firmware. Promised Flash which is probably reason many buy it over ipad, is missing in action (and with it pulled of the Vega might not be around for a while).
Also the touchscreen without running calibration ini file on a rooted machine leaves a lot to be desired. The stock tablet (as well as custom roms before trying the calibration trick) would not register many presses on the letter a the soft home button as well as the return and L key. This in fact was what prompted me to order the elocity tablet as I was more than frustrated typing on the G. Of course I discovered the calibration trick only after my elocity order shipped out.
As for using a stand, that would be fine if I used my tablet sitting at a table or desk. I say most of my use is sitting on a couch or in bed with it held up in my hands on my chest or sitting in my lap. Often the ideal angle to type at is one that tilts the screen to where I can't view the keyboard buttons well especially the darker android keyboard. The width of the device in landscape makes it hard to thumb type. Portrait is fine but the tablet, for me is too long and does not balance well in the hand at that angle. Also the bad viewing angle in portrait mode is so bad that I get a polarizing effect; the left eye sees a brighter or darker image than the right. Pictures and especially dark backgrounds look very bad. TO make it even viewable I have to watch the screen tilted about 2-3 inches. This is the deal breaker for me.
The size is good if you want full size viewing of some things but if i wa slooking at a technical manual and had to put the tablet down to read it while i worked with my 2 hands i wouldnt be able to read it.....
If i need to work on something important I will just use my laptop. This is not a laptop replacement for me.
Frankly after using the ipad for a while i would say if it could rn flash it would kill everything out there and still already does for user experience and can be had for 399 at tj maxx and marshall so not even so expensive any more.
But, I want this to watch websites that have videos/movies in flash
Hello all,
Apologies if this has already been answered already, but I am VERY tempted by the G-Tablet. LOVE the idea of sticking the customs ROMS on there.
I understand that the ROMS are by no means perfect, and I am fine with that. They are ever evolving and I am fine with changing ROMS now and again and trying out new things.
The only thing that has prevented me from making the purchase is the negative reviews of the screen that I have heard - particularly in portrait mode.
Is it really THAT bad? What is it like in portrait? And landscape?
Does anyone have any video or pictures or links to show what the screen looks like, particularly in portrait mode and in landscape too?
Should the screen be the thing that prevents me from buying it? Is it that much of a deal breaker?
Any video, comments or pictures would be greatly appreciated.
I really want to jump on the G-Tablet band wagon, but if the screen is that bad then I guess I will hold off.
Thanks in advance.
I use mine for, among other things, reading digital magazines and comics. In portrait mode the screen is pretty bad and has a 3D sort of effect at certain angles. In landscape mode it looks best when you're viewing it straight on and as your angle gets higher it looks lighter in color, the lower your angle the darker it gets. But I read everything in landscape mode anyway so this doesn't bother me.
For me even with the screen issue, using VEGAn rom beta 5.1, I love this tablet. It's something that I have been enjoying for over a month now rather than other folks "waiting" for something better and not having a tablet at all.
I also have an iPad (company issued) which I hardly ever even turn on (only when I want to keep my little kids busy with the Netflix app).
Once you experience the freedom and the fantastic custom roms our xda folks cook up I'm sure you'll fall in love with this tablet too. With all of the folks that complain about the screen in these forums, almost all of them have still kept their gTabs. That should tell you something.
Search youtube and there's a video showing the gtablets viewing angles. To me its not a deal breaker. I mostly use the tab in ladscape mode even while I'm ereading. Portrait mode is ok but its not a dealbreaker either. I think the tab is fairly price with what you get.
I loathe the screen.
If you happen to have a netbook, there's an easy way to replicate the GTab experience for reading comics or magazines. Just run an app on your netbook to open up the graphic, then flip it 90 degrees (so that it's in portrait) and look at the viewing angles. Notice, in particular, the significant changes if you tilt it slightly to the right or left. That's exactly what happens on the Gtab. On my Mini10v, you have to flip it 90 degrees counter-clockwise, so that the keyboard is on the right side.
I actually think a netbook is slightly better because the refresh is 60 Hz, whereas the refresh on the Gtab is (we think) 50 Hz.
gogorman said:
Hello all,
Apologies if this has already been answered already, but I am VERY tempted by the G-Tablet. LOVE the idea of sticking the customs ROMS on there.
I understand that the ROMS are by no means perfect, and I am fine with that. They are ever evolving and I am fine with changing ROMS now and again and trying out new things.
The only thing that has prevented me from making the purchase is the negative reviews of the screen that I have heard - particularly in portrait mode.
Is it really THAT bad? What is it like in portrait? And landscape?
Does anyone have any video or pictures or links to show what the screen looks like, particularly in portrait mode and in landscape too?
Should the screen be the thing that prevents me from buying it? Is it that much of a deal breaker?
Any video, comments or pictures would be greatly appreciated.
I really want to jump on the G-Tablet band wagon, but if the screen is that bad then I guess I will hold off.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most people are simply comparing the G Tablet screen to the typical smartphone screen or iPad.
Personally, I dont THINK the screen is meant to be used in portrait mode for anything more than looking at apps and reading. For THOSE uses, it is fine (imho). You can read ebooks, comics, even websites with it as well as use most apps. It tickles your eyes (some people say it hurts theirs) if you try to use it with low on screen light things like gaming and watching movies...but I find it more similar to my eyes trying to adjust to 3D, it doesn't hurt but you can tell it's not going to work for very long because it feels awkward. I don't wear glasses.
The angles also aren't great compared to a cell/smartphone. I don't have a problem with this because I look at it head on, and when I put it on it's stand, I angle it at around 90-100 degrees, the same as my notebook and it looks fine.
Just keep in mind that the screen is comparable to a netbook/notebook, in which case you wouldn't be flipping that on the side to look at anything, nor would you be looking at it comfortably at extreme angles.
Forget sitting in your chair and glancing at it on a desk, that won't work. Nor picking it up and holding it at anything close to 180 degrees in your hand (like you MAY hold your cell). Think of it as a touchscreen netbook without a keyboard and you'll find it to be perfectly acceptable (I think).
Should the screen prevent you from buying it? That's hard to say. I don't think it's a deal breaker by any means (otherwise I would have returned mine), but that is in my opinion, and this sort of thing is really up to the user/buyer to decide. I wouldn't spend $100 more for a "better" screen, so automatically this may be a defining factor between the types of buyers we are.
The angles are NOT good, however when I'm actually actively using I never notice how bad they are as I'm looking directly at the screen and not from an angle. I've even used as an ereader in portrait mode and have not had problems. i.e. I really only notice it when I have it ont he table or desktop and check to see how flash progress, etc. is going and even then I can usually make out the important bits as it seems to be only colors for me that appear washed out while black and white show up as usual -> mostly text which is what I want to see anyways...
I've had mine since the monday before Thanksgiving. I'm keeping it because a) there's nothing else as good/fast/powerful out ATM, b) Notion Ink seemed kind of hazy and I'd like to see how long that they survive, etc.
Try an Office Depot or something and see if they have an actual demo unit. Staples HAD demo units, but Sears just had a mockup...
(I've also had/have an Augen Gentouch78, Pandigital Novel(white), Nook Color, and gTablet. The NC screen is much better, but again I don't notice the viewing angle unless I'm specifically looking for that as I'm always looking directly at the screen when actively using... caveat: I don't watch videos generally, so maybe this is where it becomes important to some people... better screens are always nice though, and I lust after the PixelQi'ed Notion Ink Adam for outdoor/sunny use... but not @ $500 and their uncertain future...)
[EDIT]
Forgot to mention, but when I used it as an ereader I was holding it in portrait orientation which is how I prefer to orient devices when using them as a reader, assuming that they even support landscape mode to begin with. I'm using my NC purely as a reader ATM since it's batt runtime isn't all that long v. the gTab, and my crappy 128MB uSD wasn't able to boot the unit, and I just don't feel like manually rooting it which is no big deal ATM as I'm mainly using it as a reader. When it gets warmer I'll change my mind I'm sure and it'll be serving more portable tablet duties as well as reading... just have to order some 8GB class 6 uSDHC cards now... already ordered case for NC which I have yet to do for gTab, but I want to buy a bluetooth GPS/logger before anything else ATM, which is looking to cost more than I expected for such a simplistic device(no display, just couple LEDs, GPS chipset(MTK v2 3329), and some memory & storage)...
[/EDIT]
I've had mine for about a month now and I am currently 200 pages into "Teach Yourself Electronics and Electricity"
I read it in both portrait and landscape mode and the angles aren't too bad.
I wouldn't jump out and use it in landscape mode permanently or anything, but I can live with them.
Compared to an iPad, Galaxy Tab and the B&N Nook Color, the screen is very sensitive to the vertical viewing angle (in landscape mode), with solarization effects kicking in once you are off-axis.
This is a netbook screen as mentioned above.
If you are using the tablet in landscape mode and holding it in your hand, then you can adjust easily and automatically to make sure the viewing angle is optimal.
The screen is bright and the colors are vibrant. I enjoy using my tab this way as a couch-based internet/video terminal. The experience can be as good as the iPad (with the benefit of added flash).
However, when held vertically, depending on which way is up, the viewing angle sensitivity can be so great that each eye sees different levels of solarization - giving a subjective effect similar to that from red/green 3D specs...
Also, the solarization effect is not symmetrical when you look at the screen from above/below the viewing axis, with the screen giving acceptable-ish results if looked-at from above, but miserable results from below. Thus the device seems to be optimized for use on a stand/dock sat on a table and viewed from above. (This seems consistent with the original TnT console UI mode).
This all sounds terrible, and the screen definitely IS now the weakest part of the package - but despite that, the overall experience of the Gtablet is VERY enjoyable - just check out the forums.
Accordingly, the screen cannot be THAT bad...
You really need to see one in action and decide for yourself. It is VERY subjective....
Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!
I use (as do many) TNT lite. It's based on the stock Veiwsonic but It is worlds better than stock. TNT lite development is very active.
I haven't but you can try them all.
gogorman said:
Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are two "good" (i.e. well supported, active user community) ROMs right now - TNT Lite and Vegan ROM. Both have significant user communities here at XDA numbering in the many thousands. Personally, I think Vegan ROM is the fastest, smoothest experience currently on the G Tablet. It has a few bugs (mostly the media issues on the external SD card - if you don't have one or don't use it much for that this is not an issue). TNT Lite is just a stripped down, sped up, much improved version of the stock ROM that came with the device. But still not quite as lightweight or zippy as Vegan in my opinion. CyanogenMod 6.x seems to be less supported right now, because most of the work is going into making CyanogenMod 7 work properly.
In a few weeks time, Vegan should be ported over to running on top of CyanogenMod 7. And in a few weeks time, hopefully, CyanogenMod 7 itself will be stable and awesome. There's a lot of great development activity going on right now, so stay tuned.
Loved android hated the screen!!
Having owned both a gtab and an iPad I have to say that in the end the screen quality killed owning the gtab for me. The viewing angles make it impossible to lay the gtab on a table like I can do with my iPad. I hate the locked down nature of the iPad and wanted to love the gtab but in the end I couldn't justify owning a device that frustrated me that much. I look forward to the next batch of honeycomb tablets and anticipate purchasing one. (lol that the iPad autocorrect capitalizes the word iPad properly)
gogorman said:
Well I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
Managed to find one at a Sears Outlet 2 hours away for $296 total.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The next question is: Which ROM do I put on there? I know that each of them have their own pro's and con's but is there one I should put on there to start with to see how it goes (when initially replacing the Tap'n'Tap UI)? Is one more stable or feature packed than another?
Again, any input would be GREAT!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll refer you to this thread where it's being discussed.
I never went to Vegan out of fear of the install somehow borking the tablet. I really can't bother with all that NVflash nor partitioning nonsense. CWM is as deep as I every want to go and so far between stock, tnt lite and cyanogen that's all I've ever had to do...load cwm, wipe data and cache, wipe dalvik and slap on a new/different ROM.
Speed means nothing to me if there are any frustrating or super noticeable, "get in your way" bugs, and from what I saw of TnT lite 4.1 it had nothing super noticeable and didn't lack any features I want/needed...in fact, nothing 'broke' in TnT lite 4.1 which is why that's what I recommend over all others.
Just remember to always, no matter what....wipe your cache and data. Many users will tell you it's not necessary but believe me when I say, it's better to do that than end up with some magic number or uid error because I've read about very bad experiences from people who just try to upgrade to a different OS. Some of these incessant errors seem to require APX mode or full re-flashes back to original - doesn't sound good, does it?
I may be spared out of being thorough or just dumb luck (knock on wood!!!!), but the fact is I've been spared.
I would recommend in addition to getting input from people in this and the other "what ROM is best" thread, to go read through the various ROM threads themselves. Check youtube to see how the various ROMs look and check screenshots, stuff like that to see what you may light.
Lastly, if you plan to try "on" different ones, I recommend Appbrain to help you get apps back on your tablet in an efficient manner, as long as you have access to the 'proper' market.
Appbrain allows you to sync your apps to a server, from there you can manipulate them - hard to explain but try it and see. And if a ROM causes Appbrain to ID the tab as something different every time, you can simply copy your app list to everything it uses. Appbrain simply checks your tab for what you have/don't have and looks up the apps 1 by 1 in the market, allowing you to install the newest versions possible till you're back in business.
A secondary backup method is to instruct Astro to backup your apps, then you save the folder with those apps to your SD card or your PC so you can sideload them manually when you're done swapping the OS.
Good Luck!
Hey man! This thread inspired me to make a video about! I had a lot of questions that no one seemed to answer in the videos they posted, so I figured I'd add to the community! Hope it helps some people out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO1XyVK6cms
Colleague of mine asked me about E-readers as Nook or Kindle.
He wants to get one for his wife, but does not like the screen size.
If I remember correctly I read somewhere that G-tab can be used as an E-reader.
Tried to search the forum but didn't come with any answers.
If anyone using G-tab as a reader, could you please let me know if there is some specific app that can be installed on G-tab to use Amazone or Barns$Nobel.
Greatly appreciated.
I have used Barnes & Noble Nook eReader application, Amazon's Kindle eReader, and the Google eReader and all worked great for me. I'm settling into my favorite being the Google reader because it syncs what I'm reading across multiple devices. That works well for me because I tend to read on my Motorola Droid X phone sometimes and on the GTab other times. The Google eReader keeps my place no matter how many times I switch devices.
These eReader programs are all free so you might want to check first for the price of the ebooks. I found B&N to be most expensive but not by too much. Google and Amazon are about the same and pretty cheap, cheaper than buying paperbacks.
Good luck.
Kindle. Kobo. Barnes and Noble. Google Books. All of them work; all of them are on the market - and on the Viewsonic Favorites page if you're still on stock.
I'll add that I've used Kindle app with about 20 books on this tablet and had no issues whatsoever.
btw, I think the screen for the gtablet would kinda suck for an e-reader. Bad angle and because the home buttons aren't lit, you need a light on.
if you have one already, lots of options. But if you are looking for a new tablet. I would go color nook, or spend a bit more and go with a xoom or wait for a few weeks for the a few others coming out.
Moon reader is my favorite.
Not sure if it's relevant, but the reading app Aldiko has direct access to numerous free (public domain) book catalogs. It's super-easy to download and then read them in the app.
Lilwolf2000 said:
btw, I think the screen for the gtablet would kinda suck for an e-reader. Bad angle and because the home buttons aren't lit, you need a light on.
if you have one already, lots of options. But if you are looking for a new tablet. I would go color nook, or spend a bit more and go with a xoom or wait for a few weeks for the a few others coming out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As he said, it is quite hard to read. I have serious back injuries and at times have to lie on my sides with pillows between my legs and such. With my new tablet, I can lay it flat on the bed near my head and read it no problem. I'd guess maybe at a 50 degree angle to my eyes. With the gtab I'd have to wedge a piece of cloth under the far side of it to bring it up to a smaller angle. It's not impossible to use, you're just going to be more limited where you can place or hold it and still see it.
Yeah, gTab is a pain to use as an eReader in bed. I eventually just had it propped up on my bed in my M1 case, and read laying on my side. Reading on my back, with gTab propped on my chest didn't work so well, as any slight tilt made things tough on the eyeballs.
I use the Nook app, which should also sync across devices. They just released an update yesterday which makes it more tablet friendly. it is pretty nice.
No worry about the buttons, really, as you can swipe to turn pages. I don't do a lot of reading in bed, so the angles don't both me.
Pretty sure they all do that (Google Books, Nook and Kindle), sync across multiple devices.
I have all installed but primarily use the Kindle app and I know it keeps my place when I read something on my PC, then later go to read it on my Droid or Gtablet.....and then back to the PC. It's always putting me where I last was no matter which device I am now using.
MSU_Sparty said:
I have used Barnes & Noble Nook eReader application, Amazon's Kindle eReader, and the Google eReader and all worked great for me. I'm settling into my favorite being the Google reader because it syncs what I'm reading across multiple devices. That works well for me because I tend to read on my Motorola Droid X phone sometimes and on the GTab other times. The Google eReader keeps my place no matter how many times I switch devices.
These eReader programs are all free so you might want to check first for the price of the ebooks. I found B&N to be most expensive but not by too much. Google and Amazon are about the same and pretty cheap, cheaper than buying paperbacks.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I highly recommend http://www.smashwords.com/ to buy your ebooks. You don't have to deal with all the drm crap. When you buy your ebook, it's really your ebook. You don't have to jump through hoops to read your own goddamn book.
TheKaz said:
I use the Nook app, which should also sync across devices. They just released an update yesterday which makes it more tablet friendly. it is pretty nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The new Nook app is great. I really like the magazine option. It's kind of awkward to read some of them due to having to magnify a bit, but still cool.
Perhaps not the best e-reader
I bought a gTablet for my mom. It's working out well for her, but I don't think I'd recommend it as an e-reader. Besides the poor viewing angles, it's a bit "heavy" at 1.8 pounds. Not something many would feel comfortable holding with one hand, etc.
I don't have a problem using the G Tab as an ebook reader. The app I like is Moon+Reader Pro, it will do Text to Speech and it will link up to Calibre network.
You can use more than one reading app
Maybe it makes sense to have most of your content for one app because it makes it easier to find content, but keep in mind you can have more than one reading app on a device.
FIY Kindle APP also lets you use content on more than one device i.e. I have the same content on my PC and my Kindle. I would definitely say the Kindle's screen is not too small to read on, but to each their own. Also, you can kind eBooks on other sites, paid or free.
If you want a tablet and your wife wants an e-Reader, by all means get a tablet. If you're not thinking of buying both then you're probably (like me) on a budget, so maybe the Nook Color would fit the bill. It's marketed as an e-reader so it would be an easy sell to the wife, you can dual-boot so you can add roms without messing up your wife's reading experience, it's cheap at $250; and since it's android, you can add other e-reader apps.
I managed to grab an almost-new Galaxy Tab off Craigslist for $250 today to replace my gf's busted Sony Pocket Reader. Figured I could just get her another reader, or something that does a hell of a lot more. The GT is really nice, perfect size and weight for reading, very solidly built too with a great screen, might be a better fit for an eReader.
One of the reasons I bought this was to use as an e-reader and it fails miserably. The screen is just terrible for it, especially in portrait mode.
I decided to buy a kindle and it is much better and doesn't give you "black dots" in your eyes when you read it before bed.
I know it is possible, but imo it is very unpleasant to use this device as an e-reader.
Tester30 said:
Colleague of mine asked me about E-readers as Nook or Kindle.
He wants to get one for his wife, but does not like the screen size.
If I remember correctly I read somewhere that G-tab can be used as an E-reader.
Tried to search the forum but didn't come with any answers.
If anyone using G-tab as a reader, could you please let me know if there is some specific app that can be installed on G-tab to use Amazone or Barns$Nobel.
Greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just about any mainstream device can be an ereader, since it's just software. Google Books, Nook, and Kindle apps on Android (or iOS) will give you full access to those bookstores.
I read mostly in the Kindle app, and frankly reading on an iPhone4 is more pleasant than reading on the g-tab. The screen sucks (which, hopefully you really understand by now, because when we say it sucks we mean it really really sucks) and it's uncomfortable to hold for extended periods of time, and it weighs a ton compared to a dedicated reader, or even to a 7" tablet.
Battery life is acceptable (but nothing like a kindle) and it's not horrible for reading in the dark, while seated with a desklike surface in front of you. Basically, you can use it as a reader if you're going to have it with you anyway, but buying it as a reader first and foremost wouldn't be my first choice. Or my second.
There was some weird voice in my head when I saw the new Nexus 7 (2nd gen) coming out: "buy it, you need it, you want it, you deserve a new toy". I have a few friends that were really happy with the 1st gen Nexus 7, so I was tempted to buy the 1st Nexus7, but didn't.
I should have really thought it through before buying the 2nd gen Nexus7. After having it for 4 months I concluded that the only reason to have it is if you like games.
Downsides and reasons I decided to sell:
- portability. Even thou its portable enough, i found that my old HTC Desire Z has the same functionality and use as the Nexus7 for daily tasks, plus also offers the portability of fitting into a pocket without tearing it.
- no vibro. I am used to have tactile feedback when writing messages, getting alerts and such
- no 3G/4G LTE The whole thing about the tablet is using it to consume stuff online and the 3g version costs 50-100 pounds extra. That's unfair
- influences to play games. Having something as powerful as it and not playing games seems like a waste of money and the crisp clear screen
Why would I want something as powerful as the Nexus 7 just to check my email, read news, e-books and the like? I can read mail and news on my phone and read books on my Kindle.
Don't get me wrong, the Nexus worked really smoothly and with just an occasional hiccup. But before getting it I would look at girls in public transport awkwardly and sometimes even get enough balls to actually say "hi" to them instead of turning my eyes red in that 7 inch, 50Hz shining light-bulb that seems to exploit my brains psychological fallacy to stay "on top" of (not important) news, games and apps.
I decided to get a Asus EEE for work and learning, Linux my Kindle and read PDF's on it (the battery holds in the count of weeks not days) and use my phone for android and stuff on the go.
After I built a desktop just for gaming I replaced my laptop with an ASUS Transformer - it's lighter, the battery lasts longer and I like it a lot better than a netbook. I still use my e-ink Kindle because I much prefer reading books on e-ink. My phone is pocket sized but isn't the best when I'd rather have a keyboard to type with.
For me, this is what works. It's all about arranging the tools in your life to work best for YOU.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
There is nothing better than hardware keyboard and mouse in notebook or PC. In most cases tablets are running Android, so they can't run programs like PowerPoint or Excel.
I use it mostly for watching videos... Works great for that purpose. Still prefer reading on my kindle though. Also browsing the web is a little easier on the larger screen.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
- no 3G/4G LTE The whole thing about the tablet is using it to consume stuff online and the 3g version costs 50-100 pounds extra. That's unfair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about tethering then?
I wanted to buy tablet for myself for few times, but i dont see point now with my phone. Almost all that i can on tablet, i also can on my phone. And for some serious work i need keyboard and thats that. My wet dream is ultrabook but i cant justify cost
Pennycake said:
After I built a desktop just for gaming I replaced my laptop with an ASUS Transformer - it's lighter, the battery lasts longer and I like it a lot better than a netbook. I still use my e-ink Kindle because I much prefer reading books on e-ink. My phone is pocket sized but isn't the best when I'd rather have a keyboard to type with.
For me, this is what works. It's all about arranging the tools in your life to work best for YOU.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Transformer is only called tablet, but it is much more
A tablet has no advantages.
1) The main thing I use my Galaxy Tab 3 for is reading e-books.
It's pretty cool having a portable library where you can change the text size and color (red is easier on my eyes).
I really like to read, both fiction and non-fiction, and a phone is too small for that, even my Nexus 5, it's just too small. 7" is perfect for reading, as is 10"
2) Also, I have taken some vacations this year, and took a bunch of pictures that my family wants to see. Very easy to just bring a tablet if a family member is in the hospital (I have such a person) or if I go somewhere else, and I can show them come pics and videos right on the 10" tablet.
3) Work. Some of us work in fields where we would like to show pictures of things we sell or explain things to customers, and this comes in handy as a tool.
4) Games. I play chess and checkers on the 10" tablet sometimes and it's pretty fun. Some games really shine on a bigger screen.
Now what I find ridiculous, and I have seen this recently at a concert and at the zoo, is people taking pictures with their tablets, namely iPads. It's pretty crazy that you brought a tablet to that venue, and you're using it as a camera?
Really don't get that.
Lamalord2 said:
A tablet has no advantages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SIZE. Bigger than a phone, smaller than a laptop.
I ordered the Tab S as a replacement for my Kindle Paperwhite. Although the price difference is nontrivial, I realized a tablet would probably make a better e-reader for me than the Paperwhite does. So after a lot of research and comparison, I decided the Tab S (while not-cheap) is the overall best tablet out at the present moment.
Most of the covers I've looked at are foldable and thus seem to be aimed at those who would want to prop the tablet up on a flat surface at varying angles. But I see myself laying on the couch, or curled up in bed sideways.
I like the case that I have on my Paperwhite (I attached it because I'm not allowed to link). It distinctly makes it more book-like to hold. I'm not one of those purists that I feels the need to imitate the book-reading experience, but it does seem to be fairly ergonomic. I'm worried about the "flaps" of the Tab S cases I've seen making it difficult to hold in the same way, which I feel like is something I've experienced with iPad covers of a similar design.
I'm not necessarily looking for a replica of the aforementioned cover. I guess I'd like to hear from people who have a case and if they feel that it's comfortable for the kind of horizontal e-reading that I'm describing, or what other options there might be.
I guess I'm talking to myself here, but for now I'm going with the "FYY® Ultra Slim Magnetic Smart Cover Case" that I found on Amazon.
It's under $6, which actually kind of worries me, but it looks like what I would want.
I considered the official Samsung case, but I like the design of this more -- being book-like but also having viewing angles, and not leaving the bezel exposed -- and it's significantly cheaper. It's not that the Samsung case is expensive, I just don't see how the price is justified for what you get. I've seen it for as low as $45, but I feel like $30 is the most I'd ever spend on it, and even that's a stretch.
At least with this one, if it turns out to be junk, I only lost $6. I'll probably go for the Samsung cover if this doesn't work out.
Self-replying again. (The reason I bother is so maybe people Googling something on this topic will find my posts.)
This is a pretty good case. It's aesthetically pleasing, minus the FYY logo on the front. I like that it protects the bezel and has a magnetic closure.
The solid front cover makes it more book-like to hold, but you can still prop the tablet up at 3 different viewing angles.
It looks and feels somewhat cheap in the hands, but at the price point $6 there's not a lot of room to complain.
Sadly, the tablet being somewhat tall, holding it one-handed from the bottom of the cover is kind of awkward. Due to the weight and height of the tablet, he only thing stopping it from doing a backflip out of my hand is my thumb holding it down. This puts a lot of stress on one's thumb and would probably contribute to fatigue over time. Additionally, given the fairly small bezel, you don't have a lot of room to put your thumb to begin with. This is something that one doesn't experience with the Kindle Paperwhite, since it's lighter, more square, and has a huge bezel (probably intentionally).
My biggest problems with the Kindle Paperwhite were that it supports limited formats (no epub support??? come the heck on), taking notes with it sucks due to the screen's low sensitivity and responsiveness, and I feel limited to using the Kindle store. The lack of formats makes it feel like. So I wanted something that would allow me to use any format or any vendor, as well as take notes with whichever keyboard I choose, on a display that is visually responsive. I factored weight into my decision.
I knew the Tab S would be heavier but I didn't think it would be too heavy. I'm imagining how painful it would be if I were reading while on my back and accidentally dropped the tablet on my face. The Tab S is also the lightest and thinnest tablet of its size. In fact, the Nexus 7 is 1g heavier. So it doesn't really get much lighter than this. A 7in tablet might have better weight distribution for the purpose of reading though.
The Kindle software on Android is great, though (and if it wasn't, I can always use Google Play Books) which is how my tablet-search started.
All in all I think this experiment shows the Tab S is not for me.
I'm using the book cover as I like the option of a stand for videos. When holding in portrait you can fold back the magnetic part of the flap and then hold like a book. It is nice and firm just like the paperwhite cover.
There's also the simple cover if you don't need the angled stand.
Leonart said:
Self-replying again. (The reason I bother is so maybe people Googling something on this topic will find my posts.)
This is a pretty good case. It's aesthetically pleasing, minus the FYY logo on the front. I like that it protects the bezel and has a magnetic closure.
The solid front cover makes it more book-like to hold, but you can still prop the tablet up at 3 different viewing angles.
It looks and feels somewhat cheap in the hands, but at the price point $6 there's not a lot of room to complain.
Sadly, the tablet being somewhat tall, holding it one-handed from the bottom of the cover is kind of awkward. Due to the weight and height of the tablet, he only thing stopping it from doing a backflip out of my hand is my thumb holding it down. This puts a lot of stress on one's thumb and would probably contribute to fatigue over time. Additionally, given the fairly small bezel, you don't have a lot of room to put your thumb to begin with. This is something that one doesn't experience with the Kindle Paperwhite, since it's lighter, more square, and has a huge bezel (probably intentionally).
My biggest problems with the Kindle Paperwhite were that it supports limited formats (no epub support??? come the heck on), taking notes with it sucks due to the screen's low sensitivity and responsiveness, and I feel limited to using the Kindle store. The lack of formats makes it feel like. So I wanted something that would allow me to use any format or any vendor, as well as take notes with whichever keyboard I choose, on a display that is visually responsive. I factored weight into my decision.
I knew the Tab S would be heavier but I didn't think it would be too heavy. I'm imagining how painful it would be if I were reading while on my back and accidentally dropped the tablet on my face. The Tab S is also the lightest and thinnest tablet of its size. In fact, the Nexus 7 is 1g heavier. So it doesn't really get much lighter than this. A 7in tablet might have better weight distribution for the purpose of reading though.
The Kindle software on Android is great, though (and if it wasn't, I can always use Google Play Books) which is how my tablet-search started.
All in all I think this experiment shows the Tab S is not for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I share your concerns...have you taken a look at the just announced Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact? It's an 8 inch tablet and weighs 270 grams....(not sure, but the wifi-only version might even be just 260 grams). Besides, the Huawei MediaPad X1 is a very competent 7 incher that weighs 239 grams, although not sure if it's simple to grab one of those.
guga124 said:
I share your concerns...have you taking a look at the just announced Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact? It's an 8 inch tablet and weighs 270 grams....(not sure, but the wifi-only version might even be just 260 grams). Besides, the Huawei MediaPad X1 is a very competent 7 incher that weighs 239 grams, although not sure if it's simple to grab one of those.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sad thing is I don't think any tablet can manage to be as light as the Kindle Paperwhite, which weighs 170g. I will check out those devices, though; thanks for your suggestions.
I also think weight distribution is playing a role. Because the Tab S is so tall and skinny, it wants to tip out of your hand when holding it from the bottom. The Kindle Paperwhite display is almost 4:3 where as the Tab is 16:10. Since the Paperwhite device is closer to square, I believe that the weight is more evenly distributed in the palm of your hand. But it's also not as big or heavy overall, so that probably plays a more important role.
I have the book cove from samsaung and it is great based on quality and different angles it offers.
But I have a question for you all, How are you holding the tablet in portrait mode.. I always have my palm pressing the back or multitask button.. IT is such a ache..
Any suggestion please how to hold or avoid such issues while being comfortable.
Any app to disable those buttons etc..
Leonart said:
I ordered the Tab S as a replacement for my Kindle Paperwhite. Although the price difference is nontrivial, I realized a tablet would probably make a better e-reader for me than the Paperwhite does. So after a lot of research and comparison, I decided the Tab S (while not-cheap) is the overall best tablet out at the present moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Leonart,
why are you replacing the Paperwhite?
I do own them both.. but I would never replace the comfort of reading on the paperwhite (or any self illuminating e-ink readers).
I love the SuperAMOLED screen on the tab S but it performs poorly in bright sun light compared to the e-ink screen.
Anyway I do own the 10.5 version and I agree that it would be impossible to use it in bed to read ebooks.
Cheers
dREI
drei666 said:
Hi Leonart,
why are you replacing the Paperwhite?
I do own them both.. but I would never replace the comfort of reading on the paperwhite (or any self illuminating e-ink readers).
I love the SuperAMOLED screen on the tab S but it performs poorly in bright sun light compared to the e-ink screen.
Anyway I do own the 10.5 version and I agree that it would be impossible to use it in bed to read ebooks.
Cheers
dREI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's several things I dislike about the Paperwhite. It's great for reading, but all of the functions around reading aren't that great in my opinion.
One thing that I hate trying to do with the Paperwhite is take notes. On a tablet, I can swipe, and the keyboard is responsive, and it's learned words in my personal vocabulary, and so on. On the Paperwhite, the keyboard and display is not as responsive, I have to type each letter, the screen sensitivity isn't amazing, and I just find typing on it to be a chore.
The other thing that bugs me is it doesn't support epub, which is just absurd. I know I can do a conversion in Calibre, but I also shouldn't have to. Google Play Books, Nook, iBooks, all support epub. And they should, it's an open format.
Overall, the Kindle isn't very friendly to books acquired outside of the Kindle store. For example, if I upload an epub to Google Play books, I can access that book from any device. Also, if I take notes in that book on the Kindle, those notes aren't synced. Google Play Books will also sync my notes across to devices, even with books that I uploaded instead of bought.
Sometimes the Kindle version of a book is inferior to the versions from other stores. For example, a book I just finished had an irregularly sized right margin on the Kindle store, so the entire book was off-center. This is something that a person less OCD than I could probably just ignore, but the same book on Google Play Books didn't have this problem. So I ended up buying it from there.
There's also PDF support, which the Android version of Kindle has but the eReader obviously doesn't. I don't want to read PDF if I can avoid it, but for certain books, you can't avoid it.
Overall, a tablet gives me more options on where I get my books and how I read them. I can get them from Google Play Books, Amazon, Nook, or any other merchant. Taking notes, highlighting, looking up words or locations, is much easier, and more responsive and interactive. I can use the full Android Goodreads app rather than the severely stripped down version on the Paperwhite, or, hell, I can just go to goodreads.com in the browser.
The Paperwhite's main advantages over a tablet are that it's extremely light, a perfect size of reading, has a long battery life, and is readable in all lighting conditions, and is cheaper than just about any decent/current tablet. But I feel like I'm locked into Kindle's ecosystem, which makes the Paperwhite feel more like a $120 cable box than an eReader in its own right. The lack of epub support in the year 2014 is the biggest indication that they really want you to buy all your books from the Kindle store...I don't like that. A tablet has its own drawbacks, like weight, but it's much more versatile.
I guess it depends on what's important to you.
Leonart said:
There's several things I dislike about the Paperwhite. It's great for reading, but all of the functions around reading aren't that great in my opinion.
One thing that I hate trying to do with the Paperwhite is take notes. On a tablet, I can swipe, and the keyboard is responsive, and it's learned words in my personal vocabulary, and so on. On the Paperwhite, the keyboard and display is not as responsive, I have to type each letter, the screen sensitivity isn't amazing, and I just find typing on it to be a chore.
The other thing that bugs me is it doesn't support epub, which is just absurd. I know I can do a conversion in Calibre, but I also shouldn't have to. Google Play Books, Nook, iBooks, all support epub. And they should, it's an open format.
Overall, the Kindle isn't very friendly to books acquired outside of the Kindle store. For example, if I upload an epub to Google Play books, I can access that book from any device. Also, if I take notes in that book on the Kindle, those notes aren't synced. Google Play Books will also sync my notes across to devices, even with books that I uploaded instead of bought.
Sometimes the Kindle version of a book is inferior to the versions from other stores. For example, a book I just finished had an irregularly sized right margin on the Kindle store, so the entire book was off-center. This is something that a person less OCD than I could probably just ignore, but the same book on Google Play Books didn't have this problem. So I ended up buying it from there.
There's also PDF support, which the Android version of Kindle has but the eReader obviously doesn't. I don't want to read PDF if I can avoid it, but for certain books, you can't avoid it.
Overall, a tablet gives me more options on where I get my books and how I read them. I can get them from Google Play Books, Amazon, Nook, or any other merchant. Taking notes, highlighting, looking up words or locations, is much easier, and more responsive and interactive. I can use the full Android Goodreads app rather than the severely stripped down version on the Paperwhite, or, hell, I can just go to goodreads.com in the browser.
The Paperwhite's main advantages over a tablet are that it's extremely light, a perfect size of reading, has a long battery life, and is readable in all lighting conditions, and is cheaper than just about any decent/current tablet. But I feel like I'm locked into Kindle's ecosystem, which makes the Paperwhite feel more like a $120 cable box than an eReader in its own right. The lack of epub support in the year 2014 is the biggest indication that they really want you to buy all your books from the Kindle store...I don't like that. A tablet has its own drawbacks, like weight, but it's much more versatile.
I guess it depends on what's important to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, my needs are quite different.. i do not take notes and i rarely use the search function.
I do rely on Calibre for my format conversion, as I mostly own only epub files, like the rest of the world. ..
I know, it is a pain. .. but I did a jailbreak and now I work almost entirely with kindle collections created in Calibre.
I almost read only SF, and lots of it
dREI