Ask Slashdot: I Want To Read More. Should I Get an eBook Reader Or a Tablet? 415
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."
If you have 300-400... (Score:5, Insightful)
how about a library card? (Score:5, Insightful)
The have a wide selection, great price, and 2 weeks to read it.
Re:Ebook reader (Score:4, Insightful)
i don't know. i bought an ipad 2 expecting to do everything else and ended up reading more than anything
300-400 dollars buys a lot of paper books (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
E-ink reader here (Score:2, Insightful)
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.
You'll read with an e-reader (Score:5, Insightful)
You'll fart around and waste time on the internet with a tablet.
At least, that's what I'd probably do...
Reading is so over rated (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Get a library card (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Tablet (Score:2, Insightful)
If you want an inexpensive reader, pick up a google nexus 7 with 8 mb.
You Should Buy First Edition Hardback Books (Score:5, Insightful)
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 [lawrenceperson.com]. On the other hand, I do take my own advice [lawrenceperson.com].
A simple test: just buy a paperback (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Ebook reader (Score:4, Insightful)
At that price there's still plenty left over for a 16gb Google Nexus 7. Quad core tegra 3 and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with 16gb for $249.
Under $300 he'll have a great ebook reader and a great tablet.
Re:I had this issue (Score:4, Insightful)
I've had no end of problems converting PDFs to EPUB with Calibre, for my rooted Nook Color. Though to be fair, few of the other programs I've tried did any better. I finally broke down and bought EzPDF to read them (this was when it was still $0.99. I wouldn't recommend it at the current price). By replacing the horrible BN reader with FBReaderJ for epubs and EzPDF or Adobe (or whatever one you prefer) It does all right. Much better than stock, and it beats messing around with the wonky PDF-EPUB conversions...
Re:I still read books (Score:4, Insightful)
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).