Tablet Advice

[SmartKit]

Kindle touch screen $119. Not that a touch screen is needed at all for a proper e-reader experience - $69 Kindle. (probably a R1,000 to land in SA) Copy to Calibre, book yours forever. Wifi - ditto. SD - wtf do you want to do with that?

Whoever wrote that article is an idiot. Comparing to a R2,499 Kindle? Cheapest Kindle R1,499? Nonsense, I've landed Kindles here for just over R1,000. Kobo taking 50% of SA market? He must be smoking something.

The new Kobo Touch definitely seems an improvement on previous models though.

Sounds like an Apple fan: "What do you want to do with USB 3.0?". That is not an answer, I'm sorry.

As for your $199 Kindle: imports attract VAT, shipping and duties; nevermind cost and effort. I can walk into Pick 'n Pay today and leave with an eReader.

Furthermore, the Kobo Touch comparison was to the R1,999 Kindle Touch, not the cheap R1,499 - which is, yes, twice the price.

 

[SmartKit]

I would say it is a horses-for-courses situation... Or in this case "student for courses."

The need would be for a versatile unit that can help fill the gaps for student needs.

Both Android and iPad will be able to fill the basic reading, browsing & researching needs with the appropriate ebook reading apps.

However I think that a Tablet device that can also be used for note-taking will be much more beneficial.. Like the Samsung Note 10.1 coupled with the Lecture Notes App.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acadoid.lecturenotes&hl=en

The ebook reader debate sort of fades here due to versatility, but I can add that both Kindle and Kobo are excellent readers... I have both.

Kobo is more versatile as it reads PDF, MOBI & ePubs.
Just couple it with Calibre.

Quality differences are not noticible.

I have a tablet, which is great for note taking, ezines, movies, music, etc. But the thing is damn heavy, that is the biggest benefit of an e-ink reader, it's light enough to hold like a book!

 

[Hamster]

I was under the impression eReaders were dying out. Regardless, an eReader is not what a student wants. He needs a tablet that can do everything those eReaders are doing plus note taking apps, mind maps etc.

 

[SmartKit]

I was under the impression eReaders were dying out. Regardless, an eReader is not what a student wants. He needs a tablet that can do everything those eReaders are doing plus note taking apps, mind maps etc.

As I said, much lighter than a tablet, which is nice for holding when reading

 

[Hamster]

As I said, much lighter than a tablet, which is nice for holding when reading

Not so nice for doing anything except reading though?

 

[bwana]

As I said, much lighter than a tablet, which is nice for holding when reading

The difference in weight between a kindle and an iPad mini is minimal.

 

[SmartKit]

Not so nice for doing anything except reading though?

True, true. But the lack of back lighting is a bonus, for me. I stare at screens all day, reading gives my eyes a break.

 

[SmartKit]

The difference in weight between a kindle and an iPad mini is minimal.

170g versus 312g is a massive difference - especially when you're holding it for hours on end.

 

[Hamster]

170g versus 312g is a massive difference - especially when you're holding it for hours on end.

Go to gym

 

[Sarcasm]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I will go have a look at the nexus 7 and the iPad mini. I just like the idea of android having an open file system so I can plonk whatever I want on there without the need for iTunes or such.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

That is the one major letdown with the iPad, needing iTunes to get your media on to it, but for the high quality content you get, I'd say its worth it.

 

[Ghost02]

Sorry for slight hogging but has anyone found it remotely possible to read pdf magazines on the nexus 7?

 

[Dion Disco]

Found Mantano Reader to be the best PDF reader on my Nexus 7 - super responsive and nice layout options for reading magazines - also read Mobi & Epub formats

 

[cerebus]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I will go have a look at the nexus 7 and the iPad mini. I just like the idea of android having an open file system so I can plonk whatever I want on there without the need for iTunes or such.

There's pluses and minuses to having an open file system. One minus for me on the SGS is that every time I want to send a message or make a call, or anything where there is more than one possible application to manage it, I have to go through an additional selection step: -> whatsapp or message -> always or just this once -> send message. The minus of a closed system, of course, is having to duplicate files on applications if you want the option of using them for more than 1 purpose.