Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: I Want To Read More. Should I Get an eBook Reader Or a Tablet?
gspec writes "I read less and less nowadays, but I realize I need to get back into my old reading habit. Would getting an ebook reader or a tablet help me to enjoy reading more? Would you recommend one over the other? A little relevant background about me: I probably can spare two hours a day to read. I do not travel a lot. I am not a fast reader; if I force myself, I could probably finish a standard length novel in a week. English is my second language, so a built-in dictionary would be nice. I enjoy Netflix, and I have bought many computer/technical eBooks from O'Reilly for reference. I have many technical reference PDFs. I have 300-400 bucks to spare for this. I'd like to hear opinions based on your knowledge and experience on reading using ebook readers/tablets."
I got an kindle dx which was terrible for pdfs, my main interest. Now I have an iPad and use goodreader and it is awesome.
If you get an iPad, and you're not disciplined, you'll find yourself doing everything else but reading books because it's really nice to use. Ebook readers with browsers or application support are still pretty limited.
Why not both? You can easily buy two tablets for $300-400. One e-ink device @ $100 and one tablet @$200-300
I prefer the Kindle because it doesn't have a backlight. I find it tires my eyes much less, like reading a regular book. Try one of each and see which one works out better for you.
The have a wide selection, great price, and 2 weeks to read it.
Right now I have a Kindle Keyboard. The screen may be too small if you read books with a lot of diagrams or illustrations. The Kindle DX would be better in this regards, but it is a tad spendy.
Regardless of what you get, I'd recommend Calibre for managing your library, and I would strongly suggest checking out your local library system's ebook lending. It is extremely convenient to be able to borrow books at any hour of the day or night. If you have access to different library systems, check out the ebook lending offers at each - sometimes one system will have a wider selection.
I would recommend eInk. Less eye-strain. Less battery drain (weeks between charges). And seems to work great in strong sunlight or other adverse conditions.
/.?
Tablets are multi-media devices. They do it all. eInk based e-readers are just for books and they do it exceptionally.
PS - The text on this page is insanely small and CTRL+ won't fix it. What the hell
The answer depends on a few different things. One, how durable a device do you need? Most e-readers are a bit tougher. Two, where will you be reading? If you expect a lot of outdoors reading, definitely go with the e-reader...otherwise, it won't matter. Three, how much use do you have for a tablet's functions? Tablets can do more than e-readers. Battery life: the nod goes to e-readers. Versatilty: tablets win. Up to you...
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
If you're reading fiction, get a Kindle or other e-ink device, because these guys have the advantage of being lightweight, have long battery lives, and "disappear" when you're reading. You just read and read and can enjoy yourself.
If you're reading non-fiction, especially non-fiction with charts, graphs, and the like, get a tablet. They support more advanced features with ePub.
Finally, the device in many cases also ties you into a store. If you're just interested in loading up your own PDFs, you have free reign to select any tablet. If you want to read books from the iBookstore, you have to go with the iPad. If you like the Kindle store or the Nook store, you can choose most tablets OR their own tablet offering.
Like 75-100 books. Do you really need an e-reader just to read? Plus many e-books are overpriced, where used books only cost 1 penny plus shipping.
If it were me I'd buy the cheaper e-book available which is the Kindle for $79. I wouldn't go spending hundreds of dollars on a device.
My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
All depends on exactly what you want to do with it.
If you just want to read books then get an ebook reader - despite what everyone may say you cannot compare an tablet to an e-ink screen.
E-ink is so easy on the eyes, and feels like reading a book.
Plus they're light, and just the right size.
If you want to use any other feature that are tablet specific (and you can't do on your smartphone (if you have one)) - then a tablet all the way.
I had this same problem. I *love* to read, but I was hardly reading anything.
Then my wife got me a Nook Color. And it's awesome
- Decent price
- B&N reader (very good!)
- on-line dictionary (English is my 3rd language)
- I can read ePubs and PDFs fine
- New Nook Color has Netflix
- Rooteable and good Nook Rooter community
- B&N has free ebooks every week
- If you root it, you can install Kindle Android App
- MicroSD slot
- Decent battery life
- Not awful reading outside
- I can read at night
- (...)
So in those last 2 years I've read a lot, a little bit during lunch and some week-end marathons when wife is at work.
All in all, I love it and give it my OpKool Seal of Approval.
--- Peace!
There's no guarantee that getting an electronic tool will make reading more interesting or fun for you. The main advantage of an ebook reader like Kindle is that you can read it outside in the sunlight, if that fits better with your lifestyle. A tablet provide its own light, so you can read in the dark and not bother roommates. I personally prefer the tablet (Nexus 7 for me), since I can do a great deal of other stuff on it when I'm not reading. I spend probably half my tablet time reading, and the other half web-surfing or writing. I plan to watch movies and read books on it the next time I fly. It's handy because I can copy and paste from what I'm reading into what I'm writing.
My wife has a Kindle and a Nexus 7 -- she no longer uses the Kindle. It'll be gifted to a niece, probably.
Get both. A $70-$120 dollar e-reader and a $330 to $280 tablet. e-Readers are bad for surfing the web or any interactive work, they are also bad for any graphical reading. Tablets are bad for long-term reading, both in strain on the eyes and they tend to go to sleep before wordy pages can be read, not to mention who wants to recharge multiple times to finish a book, and are worthless in sunlight, and Tablets are heavy.
I have a Second-gen Kobo I got on sale as Borders was going out of business. And, I have a HP Touchpad I bought as HP discontinued the product line. Together they cost less than $350. Watch for a sale, the previous generation devices can always be found cheap.
Both the tablet and e-Reader grew on me and I reach for each at different times. I keep both with me almost all of the time. My certification/professional work all ends up on the Tablet for the graphics. O'Reilly publishes their e-books without DRM, so I can put books on both and use whichever works best in a given situation. I wasn't too sure about the e-Reader until I went on a trip without it, I was miserable in an 8-hour layover without it. The Tablet I liked immediately, and have it dual booting between WebOS and Android. The E-Reader ends up with most fiction and non-technical non-fiction, I have downloaded about as many Gutenberg Press books as for pay books off of O'reilly, Google, and Kobobooks. I spend about an hour with each device EACH day. I also have learned to build my own Android APPs and ePub books, not that difficult.
Here's to losing my Karma Bonus again....
A Kindle will allow you to read books using e-ink, which will be easier on your eyes. The Nexus 7 will provide you with PDF and ePub support, as well as more purchasing options.
Even together, they will both be cheaper than an iPad.
THE HONOUR OF THE KNIGHTS - CC Licensed Sci-Fi Novel
You'll fart around and waste time on the internet with a tablet.
At least, that's what I'd probably do...
To a Lisp hacker, XML is S-expressions in drag.
I used to think I'd always use the Kindle (3) over my ipadRetina because of 2 things:
1) weight
2) backlit screen
since I got a nexus7, I've changed my mind.
i use the kindle app as well as collections (the google book app)
the weight problem is obviously solved,
and I think the "backlit screen" problem is mitigated by fewer pixel i guess.. i don't get eye fatigue when staring at the nexus (white text black background, lowest brightness setting).
it even comes with a $25 credit so you can get a few books from google. $250 is right in your range, you could buy a ton of books with the change.
i like jellybean more than i thought i would, the nexus is a solid offering and it can do a hell of a lot more (quite capably).
if you have amazon prime, there are a few perks available to kindle hardware owners... unless you really need/want a specific ereader characteristic (battery life, outdoor use, "free" networking) a tablet is the way to go (7" that is, at least for me)
If an iPad is on his radar at all, he might be well-advised to wait until at least September 12th, since that's when rumors are currently pointing to an Apple product announcement taking place, with an iPad mini being rumored. It's possible that may either be more to his liking or else may trigger price drops on the rest of the line.
Otherwise, I agree. An iPad 2 is in his budget, handles Netflix beautifully, and does great with colors, diagrams, PDFs, etc..
That's not a good way of looking at it. ebook readers are much, much better for reading (easier to read off of is the main advantage, but not having to constantly re-charge is also a huge advantage, as is being able to fit it in a pocket). If you plan to read a lot, I just don't think a tablet is an acceptable substitute.
If you're not a heavy reader and but want to have the capability in case the mood ever strikes you, then reading a book on a tablet is fine.
It's almost a moot point, since a kindle is just $80.
Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
When I read for pleasure, I used a Sony 505, and, before that, a COOL-ER reader. Each had its flaws, but, for the simple act of displaying a page in an easy-on-the-eye manner, they were streets ahead of the iPad. They are different things, for sure — I'm happy with my iPad for annotating my reading, as I tend to read mostly academic works now, and, when I do read for pleasure, I use the iPad, simply because it's with me, and the best book is the one I have to hand. But if I were looking for something to read for pleasure, I'd go for eInk, whether a Kindle or something else.
Oh, and I'd make sure I had DeDRM and Calibre installed, to ensure that I can read any book I purchase on any software client I like :)
First, the hardware:
E-ink reader: Cheaper, lighter, better battery life, sunlight readable.
Tablet: Much more versatile, backlit, more expensive.
For travelling/commuting users, the hardware characteristics of the e-ink devices are pretty compelling. Sunlight readable, cheap enough that losing/breaking/having one stolen isn't the end of the world, and can last (literally) weeks on a charge.
For less mobile purposes, though, it matters rather less. Tablets aren't exactly laborious to carry, and they last long enough.
Given that your question is "I want to read more", I'd be concerned about the psychological and attention aspects of the device. A tablet, aside from the suckitude of a software keyboard, is a portal to the Internet, man's greatest corrupter and destroyer, It That Hungers For Free Time, devourer of souls. This definitely has its perks; but your odds of doing more serious reading are not among them.
E-ink devices, by contrast, frequently have wifi and may have some sort of rudimentary browser; but are largely too limited to muster any real distraction. You may put it down; but you won't just close the book and start tossing angry birds. That would make them my recommendation.
Unfortunately, there is a slight wrinkle: PDF support. PDFs tend to reflow/resize poorly(though this can vary by source, 'PDF' is a monstrously complex beast, and can mean almost anything from slightly overwrought plaintext to some seriously indigestable monstrosities that are virtually impossible to view in anything other than the intended size and layout), which makes them a bit tricky on e-ink screens(since the slower refresh rates discourage lots of zooming/scrolling). Tablets are often a better option there. Either category should support all reasonably common etext formats; but epubs and their ilk are much better behaved on more limited devices.
But really -- hear me out. I found myself in the same position, having once been a voracious reader to not reading books at all. And I found that when I did make a conscious effort to start reading books again, I would finish a book and then take some time to start another, up to a year - or worse, start reading a book I really did not like, *cough*Crytonomicon*cough* which would stop me from reading all together for a period because I felt obligated to finish something that I really, really hated reading and would never actually get around to finishing.
What did get me "reading" again on a regular basis was audio books. It seems that it wasn't so much my lack of interest in reading, but my lack of ability to make time for reading and that the pace of my life is much more condensed than it was in my early 20s. So audiobooks fit in with my schedule better, I can listen to them while driving, while eating or while working and have averaged about 4 books a month. And since it was much less effort of my time, I found that I could even make it through books I found I HATED such as Bleak House (sorry Dickens -- that was a long-winded turd), if only because it didn't take physical effort of actually reading the book and feeling I was wasting my time. Audiobooks are not dumbed down and while being read to you, they require your mind to provide the mental imagery and are every bit as cerebral as a paper or digital book. And often times they have well known actors such as Tim Curry, or even Samuel L Jackson doing the narration, which adds it's own element to the book.
So you might want to ask if it's rally a factor of being able to make time and how busy your schedule is, and if it is pretty busy to the point of being unable to keep a constant commitment to a couple hours a day for reading, you might want to head over to Audible and give audio books a go.
If you want to read more go get some dead tree books for free (library/friends) or cheap (swap meets, garage sales, used book stores) and save your money.
If you want something JUST to read go for an ebook reader for the longer life.
If you want a justification to get a tablet, just admit it to yourself that you want to play angry birds or use/try other apps and buy one.
Would getting an ebook reader or a tablet help me to enjoy reading more?
No, they will make it easier to carry around a large bunch of books you might want to read, but they don't make reading any funner (it will be a word if you use it enough). Tablet vs eBook doesn't matter. If you truly want it for reading and not social media/videos, pick something with an e-ink display. If you're a slow reader, text-to-speech is a very nice feature. I use it all the time on my standard Kindle.
You want an e-ink display.
You want good battery life.
You don't need much storage (books are at most a few MBs each).
You want something that you don't notice while carrying.
You'll want to use the free open source Calibre to manage your eBooks. I hate it's slow and annoying interface, but it's by far the best at what it does.
However, eBook readers are poor for PDFs.
If you can't handle carrying around a small book and reading that, getting a tablet or eBook read won't make you read books. Getting a Kindle has made me listen to books. I listen to them while doing things around the apartment, traveling on a bus, and whenever I have +10m of nothing to do and don't want to simply relax. But I still don't read more.
Eh, this is a no-brainer. The Kindle (not Fire, the regular with the e-ink screen) has been the best think that has ever happened to my reading habits.
Both me and my wife read a lot. While I don't mind reading the odd pdf on my (portrait-mode) LCD screen, I prefer the actual books since they are both portable and mainly much more relaxing to the eye. My wife cannot read on an LCD for more than an hour or so, so her only choice was books. That is until I bought her a Kindle Keyboard to try out. Well, let's just say that after a couple of weeks I got one for myself as well. While we have built a decent "paper" book library over the years (well over 1000 books), I now prefer to read the ebook versions - easier to carry, as relaxing to read, easier to hold, better night light, built in dictionary. Ok, I cheat a little - if I already own the book I download the kindle version without buying it again, but overall Amazon makes it amazingly easy to buy books instantly no matter where you are in the world.
Overall, a tablet seems kind of useless to me for reading books. During the day, it is as tiring as a good monitor. Which for some people like me it is not that tiring, but it never compares to the relaxed reading that an e-ink screen offers you (and then there are people who get quickly tired with any LCD). During the night you would think that the LCD would have an advantage, but to me when the environment is dark that is exactly when the LCD becomes too tiring, probably because my iris is not closed enough due to the ambient darkness. A good light with the Kindle (e.g. the Kandle) is much more relaxing. Then we go to battery power - for a tablet it is measured in hours, for an e-ink reader it is measured in MONTHS (provided you don't leave your wireless on of course), if you can't imagine how important a difference that makes let me assure you it is a huge disadvantage of the tablet. One last thing is that a lot of people don't like the touch interface for their e-reader and that includes devices like Kindle Touch along with Tablets. The reason is that you don't want to accidentally switch a page while you are re-arranging your hold on the device and also it is tiring to do gestures when you do want to switch to the next page.
Anyway, if it is not clear I am trying to say that a modern e-ink reader will actually improve your reading experience compared to traditional books making your read more in the end (at least in my and my wife's case), when a tablet is a device that among other things can let your read books, but makes a rather awkward substitute of the traditional book. I talked mostly about Kindle because I usually buy from Amazon anyway, plus I am a huge fan of free worldwide 3G access - but the rest of the points apply to any current e-ink based device.
Obviously there are some limitations - pdfs don't work that well, you have to wait for the next generation if you expect color etc. But you asked about reading more.
Also I am sure a lot of people will be adamant that e.g. an Apple tablet is as relaxing to read as admiring the landscape in the countryside (I mean - it's like a RETINA screen man, it's made for your eyes by Steve himself), but, yeah, you could try reading a few hours on a Tablet and on an e-ink and judge by yourself.
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
1. They're easier on the eyes.
2. They retain their resale value; trying to resell an ebook ranges from hard to impossible.
3. They never crash.
4. They work even when you're out of battery power.
5. If you drop them, the book (and 500 others) doesn't instantly become completely useless.
6. You're not beholden to any particular supplier.
7. Neither Apple nor Amazon can remove the book from your house if they decide that releasing it was a mistake.
8. They look great on shelves.
9. They provide insulation in the winter.
10. You don't have to turn the book off for takeoffs and landings.
Of course, I'm hardly a neutral observer. On the other hand, I do take my own advice.
Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)
http://www.lawrenceperson.com/
If yo read it, then your desire to read has come back. If you don't finish it then you're really just kidding yourself - so no amount of technology will re-kindle (groan, no pun intended) your earlier love of reading. Either you want to read, in which case yo will, or you don't. Simply buying a new toy won't kickstart it. But I reckon you already knew that.
politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
I also have both, and my take is somewhat different.
People have different levels of tolerance for backlight. If I'm not outside (and I read indoors most of the time), I like the large screen and format of the "new iPad" (why the heck they didn't call it the iPad 3 is beyond me...). I prefer the true "black on white" appearance, and color is a big plus with some material. The iPad has plenty of battery life in general. Of course the other factor that's nice about the iPad is that it's useful for a whole lot of things beyond just reading - though its price reflects that as well.
I also like the Kindle Touch, and it is the clear winner for outdoor reading. The battery life is great. I really, really wish that the screen was much closer to looking like paper. I'm not a fan of the "black on gray" look at all. It's acceptable, but that's all. Other than that, the Kindle Touch is a great value and certainly works "well enough".
Galileo: "The Earth revolves around the Sun!"
Score: -1 100% Flamebait
Never had a Kindle, but I've been very satisfied with my Nook (although I'm surprised there's no cell-enabled simple touch..)
There have been some incredible improvements in both Nook and Kindle devices (and their prices) over the last few years, which I can only attribute to a price war between Amazon and B&N, although Amazon has a huge branding advantage because they also sell everything. Since we all benefit from the competition, I would would like to urge people to keep the competition going by considering buying a device from someone other than the #1 seller.
However, if the #1 seller really is the best choice for you.. it would be sub-optimal for you to buy anything else, so I only urge people to try to ignore the brand names when evaluating the various devices.
That said, I don't think we're ever going to see a Readius, though.
Can you be Even More Awesome?!
...and spend the rest on actual content via the Kindle, Nook and Play Store apps, among others. I've been really happy with mine over the past two months: The bezel widths are just about perfect for reading with one hand if I make an "L" with my thumb and index finger and use the other three fingers to brace the back, very similar to how I'm accustomed to holding paperback books. It's light enough that my arm doesn't get tired. Battery life is good. In terms of bang for the buck, you could do far, far worse.
Posterity, my posterior.
I think this is a case that can be covered by Betteridge's Law of Headlines:
"Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word 'no'".
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
Back-lighting. These should be ideal for reading in bed, but because they also need a lamp turned on I might as well stay with a book. I'd assumed that the screen would illuminate itself somehow for reading after dark.
Check into the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight. I haven't used it myself (it was announced a week or two after I bought the Simple Touch). Reviews generally praise it. In practice it's probably similar to a back-light, and it can be turned on and off, and I believe I've read the brightness is adjustable.
Page turns - maybe these were older models, but it drove me crazy that every page turn required a blank of the screen followed by a redraw of the new page.
I have an older reader (Boox) which has the screen issue you're referring to. My Simple Touch does a black screen fill every six page turns, but it's quite fast, and may be more tolerable. (The Simple Touch has an eInk Pearl display, a Kindle or other reader with the same display probably rate of screen refresh and speed.)
Lack of touch screen I'm used to swiping my phone screen - the "dead" screen on the e-readers drove me insane - always hunting for the darned page turn button, or cursoring through (not very well designed) menus.
The Simple Touch uses a touch screen (alongside page-turn buttons). I don't know if any Kindles do. (As much as I like Amazon, I went the Nook route due to epub support, so I'm not familiar with the latest Kindle releases.)
All in all it seemed to me that each of the e-readers seemed primitive compared to my Nexus S.
I've never used a smartphone, and I've only handled a tablet long enough to set one up for someone else, so I can't compare the reading experience with them. I do find eInk easier on my eyes. (Computer monitors are better for skimming than reading for me.)
The Simple Touch does have issues where the touch screen doesn't seem to be calibrated well enough, and where tapping on the screen to bring up the dictionary doesn't do anything. It's by no means perfect.
On the vendor tie-in part, I do buy books through Barnes & Noble, but I strip the DRM off before loading them onto the Nook, which makes them essentially non-vendor books as far as the Nook is concerned. However, that's not the same as library loans. I've never looked into library loan support for the Nook, so I can't comment on that one.
I would strongly suggest checking out your local library system's ebook lending.
Second that. Check your library's website for info. Lots of good books available this way. In the state where I live (Oregon) all the local libraries have formed a consortium for making ebooks available to their patrons.
Even if your local library doesn't have this, check out libraries in neighboring communities. Residence requirements for library cards tend to be rather lax.
Public libraries have an impressive set of online resources. In particular, there's often access to the Oxford English Dictionary, which is simply the most comprehensive dictionary in existence.
Back ontopic: for reading library books, the Kindle is a little less desirable than other readers. Kindle is the only popular reader that doesn't open ePub/Adobe format. Usually a book is available in both formats, but with ePub you just have to download a file directly, whereas Kindle books require a couple of extra steps on Amazon.com.
It works for me. Carrying around both an e-ink reader and a cheaper larger Android tablet allows you to use the tablet to take notes without screen swapping. When used in combination with a Bluetooth keyboard & folio stands I find it far more productive than lugging around a laptop.
Actually, it's free for the Kindle: http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/6444281/Tea_Obreht_-_The_Tigers_Wife_
If you feel bad about this, remember that evil book publishers are making money off the artists, and therefore stealing is fine. There's a million other pro-piracy arguments on Slashdot just choose a few favorites.
Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
I know I'm in the minority here--particularly on Slashdot, I'm sure--but I absolutely hate books.
Before getting my kindle, I read only while in high school and college, and only during class. After graduating, I read almost nothing. Since getting my kindle, I read on my commutes, and even take out time to read when I'm at home and could be on the Internet or playing a game.
Books are bulky. It's a pain to keep your place. The feel of the paper in paperback books gives me goosebumps. I find the smell of books unpleasant. You have to hold the books open, making reading one-handed challenging (a necessity on subways, and also helpful for reading in bed). Holding books open is particularly annoying at the start and end of the book, when the two halves are quite lopsided.
Like I said, I know I'm in the minority, but as far as I'm concerned books are almost singularly unsuitable as a medium for recreational reading.
Why does everyone here want/recommend an idevice? I thought slashdot was a little more enlightened than this, and an ipad2? The screen resolution's not all that special at reading range and it's too large, what about the lovely nexus7, high res screen, good size for reading, cheap, or if you must get a 10" device how about the asus transformer 101, pad only since you want it primarily for reading, refurbished for ~$200.
If all you want is to READ, then any e-ink device is much better than any tablet. First, because of the display and second because they are much LIGHTER than tablets. When I want to read in bed, I can comfortably hold my Kindle with one hand over my hand while lying on my back and use the thumb to page up/down. If you'd try the same with an ipad, you'd get muscle cramps within a few minutes. E-ink readers are built specifically for reading and do that exceptionally well - display, battery life, size/weight are all much much better than on any tablet. Tablets are built for so many more functions than only reading (video, games, surfing, ...) that if all you want is read e-books, they are too expensive and too big.
Only situation where I could accept choosing a tablet over an e-ink reader is if you mainly read pdf files which are heavy on colour photos/diagrams, because the b/w e-ink displays suck at those.
If you're reading non-fiction, especially non-fiction with charts, graphs, and the like, get a tablet. They support more advanced features with ePub.
All the major e-ink readers support epub.
If you need to read charts and graphs and large tables, your best bet is an iPad because of the high resolution, color display. The Kindle DX is one of the few large-scale eInk devices and it suffers from issues with PDFs and hasn't been refreshed software-wise in quite some time. The other large eReaders are basically DoA or vaporware...the Illiad large eReader goes through its battery in a matter of hours (defacto lifetime in eReaders is a week or two, sometimes more.)
Other than that, I agree that books without charts/graphs/large tables are best read on a small eInk device. I love my Nook Simple Touch (do not get the lighted version unless you NEED to read in the dark. The screen doesn't take scrapes and bumps and bruises as well; they show up as lighted-up areas. The non-light-up version's screen is very strong and has stood up to a year+ of being in a compartment in my bag. You can also root the Simple Touch and run all sorts of Android apps on it...including the Kindle app, and several free eReader applications like Moon+.
Please help metamoderate.
Skim don't read then. Because this is what listening to audiobooks while driving, cooking, running on a threadmill or making love means. You're not paying as much attention as when you're reading with two eyes focused on the page or eInk screen. Granted nobody can concentrate with 100% focus, reading a book the normal way is still a more mentally intense activity than presumably "listening" WHILE doing something else. This is besides the fact that reading even without skimming is still faster than listening to an audibook at 2x speed.
I have nothing against audiobooks. But using audiobooks in the manner you describe is no different from playing music while you exercise or do some boring office work. It helps to distract you from the pain or drudgery of your other activity.
If you find it hard to read a book, I can only suggest reading in spurts THEN doing something else, reading a few pages at a time if a chapter is too long. Or you can reverse the focus, and take reading breaks the way some people take smoking or Facebook breaks.
I'll join the E-Ink choir... I read *a lot*, and a 6" E-Ink device really can't be beat for reading novels. I have a Sony reader, and it's just about perfect for its designed purpose, I hear good things about the later Kindle E-Ink models as well. No eye stress, ridiculous battery capacity, and it's very handy for carrying around. PDFs can be somewhat cumbersome on it if they're not designed for a relatively small screen reader, but it works great for reference PDFs if you mainly use it for lookup. PDFs often have substantial margins as they're primarily designed for printing, make sure that you crop yours for use on a reader (goes for tablets as well). Mind you, E-Ink readers are single-purpose devices, but for extended, continuous reading it really beats the pants off any backlit device. Some will advice you to just get a tablet and turn the brightness down, I personally disagree, the reading comfort is in no way comparable. A tablet with the brightness turned all the way up *can*, however, double as a reading light in a pinch :)
If you are determined to read mainly PDFs a tablet might be the way to go, although you're somewhat limiting yourself in that case. PDF is good for fixed layout, but it basically sucks for novels.
I would advice you to get the free library software Calibre, and deDRM all books you buy. I also convert everything to epub for guaranteed forward compatibility. DRM stripping is automatic and completely painless, google "apprentice alf" to obtain the necessary Calibre plugins. That way you're vendor-independent, and don't have to rely on drm-servers which will surely not exist indefinitely. There are also a great selection of classics and a few contemporary novels available for free, and not all classics are heavy. Look into Wodehouse or any number of turn-of-the-century mystery/crime authors for light, free reads. I buy a lot of books as well, and rarely pay more than about $8 for a book, often far less. I won't get into any piracy debate, I really don't care, but I personally find that legally obtained books are very affordable and painless to use when stripped of DRM.
As for rediscovering the delight of reading: focus on light, enjoyable novels for starters, and don't force yourself to read. I see that you plan to set aside a fixed amount of time for reading, but never do it as a "chore". Take a break if you get tired or don't feel like reading. I very rarely abandon a book, but don't be afraid to jump ship if you don't enjoy a particular work. Your reading speed will pick up fairly quickly, and you will probably find that you read even more as you get into the habit. If you travel, reading is a great way to while away the hours on each stretch. Digital reading also lends itself well to "reading of opportunity", I always carry my reader in my pocket and whip it out whenever I have five minutes of dead time.
Finally, good luck, there are innumerable tales, settings, and good times awaiting you :)
Are you a grammar Nazi? I'm trying to improve my English; please correct my errors!
Yes.
I picked up a Nexus 7 when it came out. We have iPads (specifically the iPad 2 at work) but I found them too heavy for extended use (both browsing and reading.)
I stopped reading books more than a decade ago, short of tech manuals. I hated dealing with the books themselves (like storing them and donating etc.)
So far I've read two books in the weeks after I got the tablet, going to start the third soon. This is more reading than I've done in the last ten years. I love it so far, no dealing with the physical books themselves.
I honestly didn't think I'd use it for reading books at all, just using it for browsing the web and typing responses like this one. Its not bad for reading at all.
Because right now he is doing what you demand: He's researching the topic. He had probably waded already through a bunch of specs and documentations and explaining the differences between LCD and eInk, and now he is here to collect reports of personal experience. If you don't want to share yours, so be it.
I prefer the eInk based eReaders right now. Setting them to landscape mode lets me read PDFs just fine, it's always two screens per page. And for normal eBooks they are marvellous, for the reasons stated above: You can read them at the pool or in bed, they are easy to read, and you can carry a whole bookshelf worth of books within 170 g of hardware. The battery stays longer than a whole vacation. As long as you use it solely as a book reader, the space limits of a few GBytes like the Kindle has, are no problem - one GByte of text equals to about 500,000 pages, and there are enough tools to manage an off-reader library of books if the need arises.
I don't. For anything but photo books, I can't find a compelling reason to use paper books. Less comfortable to flip, much heavier, harder to read at odd angles, can't be operated with just one hand, etc. Not only that, but I have to handle all my books: store, transport, clean, etc. If I can get rid of the bookshelves I have when I buy a flat, it will save me thousands of dollars in real estate (not kidding, literally thousands of dollars).
Tablets offer too many distractions. Every time the e-mail dings, your attention is drawn away from reading. I have an iPad and love it, but my Kindle has become my primary reading device.
photosMy Photostream
How about this, buy both. I read PDFs and color text books on a tablet (iPad) and I'll read linear content (novels) on the iPad if it's the only thing I have with me. But I far prefer linear content on an e-ink ereader. It's much nicer on the eyes and the battery lasts a really long time.
If the budget restricts, pick one - tablet is more flexible, but not as enjoyable to read on (in my opinion), or ereader if you like to read linear content like novels, linear non-fiction, etc.