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2014-2015: Best tablet specs for ebook reading
Innuendo:
One interesting factor which most people would never think about, but has a great influence on the experience IMO, is aspect ratio. The iPad's slightly wider aspect ratio is a lot better for reading.-Vurbal (December 15, 2014, 11:16 AM)
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I don't know about that. I've tried reading on tablets with a 4:3 aspect ratio and find them to be unwieldy. Novels, magazines, comic books, graphic novels,etc. are not 4:3 so you're either going to have edges cut off or wasted space on the screen.
When you're dealing with smaller tablets, there are at least 1 or 2 decent Android options with the same size and shape as the iPad Mini. However, I'm not aware of any larger tablets comparable to the regular iPad.
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There are tons of Android tablets with a 4:3 aspect ratio. You need look no farther than the Nexus 9 and if it's too expensive there are countless no-name Android tablets sporting that aspect ratio.
For me, though, 16:10 is best...of course what's best for me is not necessarily what's best for you. At least with Android you have the choice to buy the tablet with the specs you wish.
For those who are of the same mind as me, I'd recommend looking at the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro line of tablets. 16:10 aspect ratio in your choice of 8.4", 10.1", and 12" sizes. All three sport a 2,560x1,600 resolution with an IPS screen. 2.3 GHz SnapDragon Processor.
If one is looking for something smaller, there's the Kindle Fire HDX 7 with a 1,920x1,200 resolution, IPS screen, and 2.2 GHz SnapDragon CPU but it's locked down pretty hard by Amazon. For someone wanting a more Android-like experience I'm really impressed with the 7" Asus ME572C same resolution and screen as the HDX 7, but with a 1.83 GHz Intel Moorefield CPU. Some say it's what the next Nexus 7 would have been if Google had continued that direction. Comparing the Kindle and the ME572C, color seems to be a bit more rich and vibrant on the Asus.
xtabber:
I shouldn't just say that I'm looking for a tablet for e-book reading. What I should say is that I'm looking for a tablet to read full-page-at-a-time textbooks and 8.x5x11 pdf journal articles.
But I am interested in a device for reading pdf papers which can show and let you comfortably read a page at a time from a pdf article, without scrolling.
-mouser (November 25, 2014, 04:34 PM)
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For your stated purpose, the Lenovo Tab 2 Pro is probably the best device available at this time, although for some of the reasons in this review, it would not be my ideal general purpose Android tablet.
Innuendo:
For your stated purpose, the Lenovo Tab 2 Pro is probably the best device available at this time, although for some of the reasons in this review, it would not be my ideal general purpose Android tablet.
-xtabber (December 15, 2014, 07:39 PM)
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You were complaining about your Nexus 10 weighing twice as much as your Nexus 7. This Lenovo device weighs three times as much. At over two pounds I don't think a person will want to hold it for lengthy periods of time.
I'd like to see them release a version of this without the projector and sound system. That would shave off some weight.
xtabber:
As I said, this would not be my ideal general purpose Android tablet, but for the stated purpose, you won't find anything that provides more bang for the buck, at least as of this writing. And at two pounds, it still weighs less than most textbooks.
BTW, for $100 more, you can get a Windows version of this tablet which is slightly heavier but has better battery life, and an HDMI out instead of the built-in projector. If you are going to be using it mostly for working with pdf files, that might be an even better choice.
elvisbrown:
Well I have to take exception to your statement that e-ink is dead!
It is not dead and is not even unwell, not even a headache. I think maybe you confuse the sheer number of tablets around now with the number of e-ink devices? Besides that, e-ink devices do one thing really well and that is provide a light weight platform for reading books.
Tablets by comparison can read books but also do everything that any laptop can do (pretty much) so from a design and usability perspective e-ink devices focus 100% of their design and usability on reading books compared to a tablet where book reading is maybe 5% of their design and usability.
Ask anyone who reads regularly on devices how comfortable it is to read on an iPad or similar? They are heavy when compared to a Kindle or Kobo (I have an iPad, a Kindle and a Kobo so I know what I am talking about). Tablet screens produce glare when compared to said e-ink devices and are not good for the eyes when used at the distance most people read at.
I could go on but I think I have made my point. Ask on any of the book reading forums like Goodreads or Booklikes about which devices are preferred and I do not think you will find that tablets outrank Kindles?
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