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Question of the Day: What's the most interesting small town you've visited in South Africa?
e Reader advice
- Thread starter silkman
- Start date
Ive just got an Asus Transformer - just the tablet - and I think its brilliant!!
It comes set up with both Kindle and Aldiko e-reader apps so it reads pretty much everything.
I havent tried 3g browsing yet but browsing at home via wireless is a pleasure.
Edit - there is of course a newer model being launched this year - so it may be better to wait for this.
It comes set up with both Kindle and Aldiko e-reader apps so it reads pretty much everything.
I havent tried 3g browsing yet but browsing at home via wireless is a pleasure.
Edit - there is of course a newer model being launched this year - so it may be better to wait for this.
There are really two option here, and the correct one depends on where her priorities lie.
If reading novels/text only books is most important, then going with an e-ink reader, such as the Kindle, is the only way to go. It's just so easy on the eyes for extended reading sessions. Graphics and browsing do suck on it however.
OTOH if reading magazines and PDF's plus surfing is more important than the odd novel than you have to go the LCD tablet way, Android or iOS, take your pick.
By your last sentence it seems her priorities are the latter, so then it's just a matter of which tablet, size, and importantly, budget. Just don't expect to read endless novels without severe eye strain.
If reading novels/text only books is most important, then going with an e-ink reader, such as the Kindle, is the only way to go. It's just so easy on the eyes for extended reading sessions. Graphics and browsing do suck on it however.
OTOH if reading magazines and PDF's plus surfing is more important than the odd novel than you have to go the LCD tablet way, Android or iOS, take your pick.
By your last sentence it seems her priorities are the latter, so then it's just a matter of which tablet, size, and importantly, budget. Just don't expect to read endless novels without severe eye strain.
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bullzeye.za
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As far as a dedicated e-reader goes, there's nothing out there to match the kindle.
I'd get it from the amazon.com store, usually arrives within 5~ days, have ordered four through them without an issue.
I'd suggest taking a look at the lighted leather covers as well, so that she can read with the lights off.
I'd get it from the amazon.com store, usually arrives within 5~ days, have ordered four through them without an issue.
I'd suggest taking a look at the lighted leather covers as well, so that she can read with the lights off.
PsyWulf
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Kindle,the e-ink is the best thing since sliced bread. Get the keyboard+3g for basic browsing and webmail email
+1 for the Kindle 3g Keyboard
I can't say enough good things about it really. Amazon's service is dazzlingly good, books are usually 50% less on Amazon than anywhere here (except 2nd hand shops obviously), Reading on the thing is fantastic, it's just the right size & weight, page turn buttons are in the right place for one handed reading, left or right, the e-ink looks as close to a real book as you can get and the battery lasts forever. Can carry on about it too.
Oh, and Free.Global (almost).Internet.
I can't say enough good things about it really. Amazon's service is dazzlingly good, books are usually 50% less on Amazon than anywhere here (except 2nd hand shops obviously), Reading on the thing is fantastic, it's just the right size & weight, page turn buttons are in the right place for one handed reading, left or right, the e-ink looks as close to a real book as you can get and the battery lasts forever. Can carry on about it too.
Oh, and Free.Global (almost).Internet.
F
Fudzy
Guest
Would be leaninig towards a Kindle/e-ink tablet if she's going to be using it for an extended amount of time. My wife used her P7000 Galaxy Tab to read but she's stopped now cos the LCD was hurting her eyes.
cerebus
Honorary Master
Just get her a kindle. Make things simple for yourself.
Gadget Man
Senior Member
I have a Kindle 3G and an iPad. Apart from the backlight on the iPad, it is just impractical to read a full book using the iPad especially if you are an avid reader. After a while the iPad's weight becomes noticeable.
The Kindle is great as an e-reader. But that's what it is an e-reader and not a tablet that does other things well.
The iPad is a tablet and a part time reader doing a multitude of things and not specialising on one thing.
I would recommend a Kindle if you are a big reader.
The Kindle is great as an e-reader. But that's what it is an e-reader and not a tablet that does other things well.
The iPad is a tablet and a part time reader doing a multitude of things and not specialising on one thing.
I would recommend a Kindle if you are a big reader.
How is the internet free?
I've read that I shouldn't get the Kindle Fire is it true you can't use it in SA yet?
You don't pay anything for the 3G via the Kindle, Amazon pays. AFAIK the Fire is a tablet, so has an LCD screen.
cerebus
Honorary Master
I have a Kindle Fire. It's fine, great value for the specs it offers. But yes in SA it takes some workarounds to make it usable.
Roxi_B4b3
Senior Member
I don't know about the Kindle fire, it's just a low spec Android tablet. I'm also pretty sure the 3g on that is limited to Amazon & Wikipedia. The Kindle Keyboard 3G isn't restricted partly because of the nature of the display, it's only suited for basic stuff, it's not a super experience surfing on it, but it's fine for basic usage. I *think* the Keyboard is the only unrestricted one, the new touch is also Amazon & Wikipedia only.
It's a shining star if you're on holiday, you can store a couple of guidebooks, all your other books, etc. and get basic internet to check your mail, banking, whatever.
I really hope some hacker doesn't figure out how to turn it into a wifi hotspot and Amazon lock everything down because some idjits start using it to dl gigs of porn & torrents. (If they haven't already figured it out.)
It's a shining star if you're on holiday, you can store a couple of guidebooks, all your other books, etc. and get basic internet to check your mail, banking, whatever.
I really hope some hacker doesn't figure out how to turn it into a wifi hotspot and Amazon lock everything down because some idjits start using it to dl gigs of porn & torrents. (If they haven't already figured it out.)
cerebus
Honorary Master
The Kindle Fire is pretty well specced for the price - $200 for a dual core IPS 7" Android tablet with 8gb storage. Yea it is really just another Android tablet but it's a great deal.
AfricanTech
Honorary Master
Amazing innit! All the choice and the choices. I use a Kindle, my spouse reads on iPad (doesn't like the experience on Kindle).
Agree with the others, since you already have tablet (and that's not working for her), the Kindle is your best bet.
Agree with the others, since you already have tablet (and that's not working for her), the Kindle is your best bet.
Terencek
Expert Member
There's a danger of confusing the OP because of the new 'flavours' of Kindle.
The Kindle Fire is not an ereader; it is a backlit-LCD tablet which can also be used for reading ebooks -- but it's not as easy on the eyes if you just want to read because of the laptop-type screen, and has enormously shorter battery life than the Kindle ereaders which can run for weeks on a charge.
The original Kindle Keyboard (previously known as the Kindle 3) is the one displayed most often now in Incredible Deception, with the full keypad under the screen. Used in South Africa or many other countries, it offers free internet access for life with some restrictions (no streaming audio or video, no flash, no non-Amazon downloads). Great for travellers who just want to check web-based email or odd sites while travelling without carrying a full netbook or similar, because it's free and does not involve roaming or signing up.
The Kindle or Kindle Touch are the new, smaller, lighter, cheaper models just out -- BUT the free lifetime internet has been cut down substantially to allow access to only Amazon or Wikipedia and a few other sites.
The Kindle Fire is not an ereader; it is a backlit-LCD tablet which can also be used for reading ebooks -- but it's not as easy on the eyes if you just want to read because of the laptop-type screen, and has enormously shorter battery life than the Kindle ereaders which can run for weeks on a charge.
The original Kindle Keyboard (previously known as the Kindle 3) is the one displayed most often now in Incredible Deception, with the full keypad under the screen. Used in South Africa or many other countries, it offers free internet access for life with some restrictions (no streaming audio or video, no flash, no non-Amazon downloads). Great for travellers who just want to check web-based email or odd sites while travelling without carrying a full netbook or similar, because it's free and does not involve roaming or signing up.
The Kindle or Kindle Touch are the new, smaller, lighter, cheaper models just out -- BUT the free lifetime internet has been cut down substantially to allow access to only Amazon or Wikipedia and a few other sites.
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