Need advice on a tablet like device....

[The Poojer]

for my parents. Nook vs Tablet vs Kindle vs iPad.

 

Basically they want something smaller than a laptop to read books, newspapers and to check in online when on the road. I would imagine the iPad and Tablet maybe more than they really need.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[stevestojan]

The iPad mini (or iPad Air as I believe it will be called) is to be announced this week - rumored to be in the $329 range you might want to wait for that. If they want to also "check in online" an e-reader is no good. I personally love my iPad (using it to type this now) and do use it for both newspaper and books. The "reading on a screen" has never been an issue for me.

[Fezmid]

for my parents. Nook vs Tablet vs Kindle vs iPad.

 

Basically they want something smaller than a laptop to read books, newspapers and to check in online when on the road. I would imagine the iPad and Tablet maybe more than they really need.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

If their main concern is reading books, get a regular Kindle. If they want to check in online when on the road, then go with the Kindle Fire since it's designed to be a reader first and a tablet second. Web browsing and such works great on the Fire, but the main design revolves around books. My wife uses her Fire for reading books and magazines on a daily basis. Like you said, an iPad or standard Android tablet would be overkill. You'd want this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GGCAVM/ref=gw_c1_4gfam2_kt?ie=UTF8&nav_sdd=aps&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1130STW8XKANC1TVADX0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1404643762&pf_rd_i=507846

 

Or if you want it a little bigger, this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GFRB9E/ref=fs_j

 

The Color Nook is probably ok too, but I prefer shopping at Amazon over B&N.

[JoeFerguson]

for my parents. Nook vs Tablet vs Kindle vs iPad.

 

Basically they want something smaller than a laptop to read books, newspapers and to check in online when on the road. I would imagine the iPad and Tablet maybe more than they really need.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

Never thought I'd be drinking the Apple Kool-Aid like this, but I say go iPad. We bought a Kindle Fire for my father-in-law and he hasn't really made the transition. He's happy to borrow my iPad, however.

[Fezmid]

Never thought I'd be drinking the Apple Kool-Aid like this, but I say go iPad. We bought a Kindle Fire for my father-in-law and he hasn't really made the transition. He's happy to borrow my iPad, however.

For reading?

[The Poojer]

please...like i am going to take advice from you!!!!

 

If their main concern is reading books, get a regular Kindle. If they want to check in online when on the road, then go with the Kindle Fire since it's designed to be a reader first and a tablet second. Web browsing and such works great on the Fire, but the main design revolves around books. My wife uses her Fire for reading books and magazines on a daily basis. Like you said, an iPad or standard Android tablet would be overkill. You'd want this:

http://www.amazon.co...&pf_rd_i=507846

 

Or if you want it a little bigger, this:

http://www.amazon.co...GFRB9E/ref=fs_j

 

The Color Nook is probably ok too, but I prefer shopping at Amazon over B&N.

[UConn James]

My father uses the iPad. And in case you're not gauging the affect of that statement... my father, the !@#$ing DINOSAUR uses the iPad!!!!

 

My brother got a Nook b/c it was cheaper. The thing's a POS and the GUI is terrible. Again, MY FATHER(!) checks his email, marvels at the maps that he can zoom in and out on and even use as a GPS (even tho his nickname with us is "Rand McNally"), goes right in and opens up Netflix and plays a movie on the iPad. He can barely turn the Nook on before throwing it against my brother's sofa.

 

It doesn't play Flash. That's the biggest knock I have. And, well, it costs more, at least at start-up. But I'll tell ya, I have a notebook and I literally haven't turned it on in two weeks.

[Fezmid]

please...like i am going to take advice from you!!!!

 

My father uses the iPad. And in case you're not gauging the affect of that statement... my father, the !@#$ing DINOSAUR uses the iPad!!!!

 

My brother got a Nook b/c it was cheaper. The thing's a POS and the GUI is terrible. Again, MY FATHER(!) checks his email, marvels at the maps that he can zoom in and out on and even use as a GPS (even tho his nickname with us is "Rand McNally"), goes right in and opens up Netflix and plays a movie on the iPad. He can barely turn the Nook on before throwing it against my brother's sofa.

 

It doesn't play Flash. That's the biggest knock I have. And, well, it costs more, at least at start-up. But I'll tell ya, I have a notebook and I literally haven't turned it on in two weeks.

Yeah, the Nook sucks for maps... It's primary design is for reading, just like the Kindle Fire. Pooj said his parents primarily want to read. I haven't seen the Nook interface, but the Kindle Fire is MADE for reading first and foremost. If mapping is important, then the Fire (and Nook) isn't a great option - the Fire doesn't have a GPS!

[MDH]

I have both an iPad and a regular kindle. The kindle is far, far superior for reading books and newspapers. The iPad is far, far superior for surfing the web (and reading comic books, which my son loves.)

 

That beings said the iPad does books better than the kindle does the web. The iPad also, obviously, has the advantage of apps so it's the more well rounded device but it's nowhere near as good for reading (and it's way more expensive.). It all depends on what's more important to the user.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, the Nook sucks for maps... It's primary design is for reading, just like the Kindle Fire. Pooj said his parents primarily want to read. I haven't seen the Nook interface, but the Kindle Fire is MADE for reading first and foremost. If mapping is important, then the Fire (and Nook) isn't a great option - the Fire doesn't have a GPS!

 

Personally I think the fire sucks for reading. The regular kindle is the much better device for reading as it pretty accurately replicates reading text on a real page and isn't back lit. The fire is better for web browsing but if someone wants a reading device you can't beat the regular kindle.

[Acantha]

for my parents. Nook vs Tablet vs Kindle vs iPad.

 

Basically they want something smaller than a laptop to read books, newspapers and to check in online when on the road. I would imagine the iPad and Tablet maybe more than they really need.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I would say a Kindle (regular, not Fire) and a smartphone for online check-ins (I'm assuming just email and Facebook type stuff).

If reading really is the primary, Kindle is the way to go. Stay the hell away from the nook.

[Offside Number 76]

Part of it may depend on their level of tech sophistication. My parents, who are not tech sophisticated, and worked their entire careers without computers, do very well with their iPads because Apple has iPads so locked down that it's tough to screw them up. I don't know that they would have an easy time with the freedom that comes with the Android OS.

 

For reading, my father greatly prefers his kindle.

[The Poojer]

like i told my dad, consider the ipad as an all-in-one....reader/web/camera/smartphone(?), they have a regular cell phone, they don't do facebook. He did ask about a camera, i believe the kindle fire has camera(front facing?). if he wants another laptop, i will steer him toward an ipad, if he wants it primarily for reading/email...i will steer him towards kindle...

 

is that fairly reasonable?

[Fezmid]

Part of it may depend on their level of tech sophistication. My parents, who are not tech sophisticated, and worked their entire careers without computers, do very well with their iPads because Apple has iPads so locked down that it's tough to screw them up. I don't know that they would have an easy time with the freedom that comes with the Android OS.

The Kindle Fire is locked down as well.

[JimBob2232]

If truly the only purpose is to read...go for a kindle or a nook.

 

But if you Might like to access the Internet or check email or anything other than reading, the iPad is the hands down winner. You can also get the kindle and nook apps for the iPad.

 

Although, one warning, as awesome as ebooks are (btw ebooks auto corrected to Ebola! Ha!) you will likely miss the "feel" and "smell" of a real book.

[Chilly]

for my parents. Nook vs Tablet vs Kindle vs iPad.

 

Basically they want something smaller than a laptop to read books, newspapers and to check in online when on the road. I would imagine the iPad and Tablet maybe more than they really need.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'd think about a Nexus 7. $199 for the device, it's a full tablet so you can use it like a tablet, and I really love Google Play Books (if you like Amazon better, can always install the Kindle app too, but I like the Play Books experience better).

 

It's cheap, full functional as a tablet, and a great device.

Edited October 21, 2012 by BlueFire

[Fezmid]

I'd think about a Nexus 7. $199 for the device, it's a full tablet so you can use it like a tablet, and I really love Google Play Books (if you like Amazon better, can always install the Kindle app too, but I like the Play Books experience better).

 

It's cheap, full functional as a tablet, and a great device.

A coworker has the Nexus 7 and loves it - I don't know what he uses it for though.

 

The other thing to think about in the iPad vs Kindle Fire vs Kindle reader is whether your dad likes to read in bed. If so, the iPad might be too large and heavy; you'd want either the Kindle reader or a smaller tablet like the Fire or Nexus.

[UConn James]

like i told my dad, consider the ipad as an all-in-one....reader/web/camera/smartphone(?), they have a regular cell phone, they don't do facebook. He did ask about a camera, i believe the kindle fire has camera(front facing?). if he wants another laptop, i will steer him toward an ipad, if he wants it primarily for reading/email...i will steer him towards kindle...

 

is that fairly reasonable?

 

Well, the stevestojNny thing would be to get a reader-oriented one and then when they get comfortable with it, they're like, "Wouldn't it be great if it also had good Internet, camera, etc. It's cheaper to buy the one thing that can do multiple functions --- even if it's not used to full capacity --- rather than get all these things separately a little down the road. Definitely less clutter and makes life a little easier too.

 

I wasn't impressed by the camera on the Nook. I dunno about the Fire. But the iPad's is great and has the retina display. Can be used as a digital photo display up the mantel, even. At the rate it uses electricity with just 10w (about 41 cents per year if you do a full charge every day. Which even as a heavy user, I don't).

 

Use it to watch movies while washing the dishes, as a recipe reader while cooking, as a music player around the house, an alarm clock with an RSS feed as a free app.... It's all the ways that you don't know how they would want to use it with all the features it has & how it will be supported going forward with both updates and apps.

 

And Fez, I use it to read in bed. It's fine. But even so, might be interested in the iPad Mini in that case. I haven't seen a price point for that yet....

[ajzepp]

I like my Kindle Fire (I dont use it for reading, though) for the money, but I'm itching for an iPad cause it seems like every time I find a cool app on my iPhone it's not available on the Kindle. I know it can be rigged up to access the android marketplace or whatever, but I'm not that sophisticated. I got my first exposure to an iPad the other day at a local stereo shop and it was thoroughly impressive.