Nook vs Kindle vs iPad?

M

Moving Target

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Anyone use these to buy and read digitized books who could lend some opinions or explain some of the differences?

Thanks!
 
I had looked into the Nook and Kindle, and recently got the Kindle 3 with 3G. I felt the Nook was a worthy competitor but decided to go with the Kindle. I never considered the iPad as the price was way out of line for what I wanted.

I just downloaded an incredible number of old science fiction books and short stories from the free or minimally priced Amazon collections. I am also posting free or low-cost classics to my wish list for further thought.

Reading is easier than a paper book: for the first time in years, I don't need reading glasses. The number of books available on this small device could fill a wall of bookcases. And I get free 3G for email and internet along with it.

We had a recent thread about this: e-books surpass hard-cover on Amazon
 
thanks, esav. I've been reluctant to pick one up simply because I enjoy the act of reading a physical book so much, but given the sheer number of otherwise unavailable books and the amount of space saved, I just might have to pick one up. have to discuss it with the mrs. and see what she says.
 
Esav, how do you get email and Internet on your Kindle? Can you access the Internet/email directly from the device or do you have to tether it to another device?

Just curious. I'm teetering on getting either an iPad or Kindle. I have literally so many books in my home now I'm running out of storage room. But unfortunately the older wilderness books I read, many are not electronic yet.
 
I have a Kobo.

I think it all comes down to which one you like more and how many bells and whistles you want. I wanted "just" a reader, no intrest in 3G, email or any or that. The Kobo fit the bill.

It is prolly the best thing I have bought for myself in years...
 
I have the Kindle (not the lastest flavor), and its fine and works like you expect. But the "processor", if thats what you call it, is very slow. It will get locked up if you don't exist correctly. Turning the voice on and off is sluggish, and internet is slow and not easy to use IMO. For reading books, its good, which is the primary thing you do with it. It downloads a book in one minute. But from a tech perspective, it just seems like a dinosaur because its so slow and rudimentary. Expect it to do its primary function (e-books) nicely. But the other stuff is not so good. JMO.
 
I have handled the Nook and ipad. The nook was easy to read but the touch screen was finicky at best. One moment it would barely respond the next minute it was overly sensitive. That was a while back and they may have fixed it by now but it put me off the device. The ipad has a clean crisp display but I would not consider it any more of an e-book reader than any other sort of computer. I think it fits in the hierarchy somewhere in between a laptop and a netbook. A good computer on the go as long as you don't need to type allot. If I had to pick an e-book reader now I would probably put the Kindle first. It has a true keyboard and many other attractive features.
 
I recently listened to a radio segment on the use of these devices in the classroom; as downloaded texts would be cheaper (and easier to carry around).
The Kindle didn't work too well, due to the slowness issues powernoodle mentions.

They have had better luck with the iPad.

I recently got a iPod, and with iBooks (free) installed it makes a pretty good reader. Sure, it's small, but held sideways you get a decent font-size display and it's very simple to use.
Also, if one is into downloading from....Alternative sources.....it's a snap to synch this material in iTunes and transfer it to your iPod.

I did have a book which came in PDF form on my computer, and that didn't work too well. It won't size to the screen, and you're stuck with constantly moving the display. If there's a way to size PDFs to the iPod, I don't know it.
 
If you are buying it to read books, get the Kindle. It has a very pleasing display and a fantastic interface for reading. As long as you do not expect web and email to be primary functions, then you will be happy. My Kindle weighs less than a single book that it replaces and you can read with one hand (I am lazy).

Web and email are there, but they are not great. If you just want basic functions, it is fine, but it has a display that takes a second or so to refresh, so you obviously won't get video, flash, or anything like that. Email is a little better since it is just text. The best thing about both is that everyone I have talked to that has used theirs internationally says that it works everywhere, assuming that you have one of the global versions, of course.
 
I've recently been considering an e-book aswell. The only one I have looked at is the Sony E-reader. A very nice set up as well. Kindle has just recently offered online services here in Canada, so i'm going to guess they my grab most of the market here. Has anyone used both the Sony and Kindle, if so which one of the two would you recommed?
 
swmbo & her sister both have nooks and are very happy with them.
 
The Kindle 3 is not sluggish at all on reading books. Unlike an iPad or monitor, the Kindle excels in natural light.

Email and web are rudimentary, but available. The connection is also free.
 
I have tried all three. The iPad is NOT a book reader. The backlit display is hard on the eyes and reading for a couple hours can be painful. But the iPad is a lot of other things, so if you are looking for a super thin computer it may work for you.

I did not care at all for the Nook. I tried it for a day and did not care for the setup nor the button placement.

The Kindle is by far my favorite. I have now read 47 books on it. It also has the ability to connect to any webpage (though when you are not surfing I recommend keeping the wireless off as it eats up the considerable battery life). And free 3G for life is the greatest thing ever. Totally worth the extra 50 bucks. It is great for going to newsites or wikipedia or even map/direction sites, but that is definitely not its main function.

When I read a book on the Kindle it feels like I am reading a paperback. And since my digital library is currently at 27000 books, I have already saved a ton of money on books.

Edit: I would also like to add that difference between the Kindle 2 and the Kindle 3 is staggering. If you have not tried the new Kindle yet because of the slow performance of the Kindle 2, try it out.
 
ah - wish I had heard of the kindle 3 before buying the nook -- sounds like a MUCH better product.
 
+1 on Kindle 3.
I am an avid reader and also travel a lot, so having the ability to carry literally dozens of books in a package the size of a single thin paperback book is amazing.
Great battery life, easy to read display (adjustable for larger fonts if you like) a huge list of titles from Amazon, both free and paid, 3G topups available from nearly anywhere in the world, what's not to like?

I have a smartphone also, so I am not interested in the Kindle's ability to supply email or web browsing.
It's firstly and foremost a dedicated e-book reader, and in my opinion is the pick of the bunch currently available.

Other devices like iPods and iPads work, but not nearly as well for books.
 
ednemo said:
I have tried all three. The iPad is NOT a book reader. The backlit display is hard on the eyes and reading for a couple hours can be painful.
Click to expand...
I think this may be a personal issue, as I have read books for extended periods on my iPhone (which has the same sort of backlit, color display as the iPad, only smaller) with no eye strain at all.

One ergonomic issue I do have with the iPad as a reading device is that it is a bit heavy, and would be rather tiresome to hold for extended periods. This would probably come down to how you read, of course. If you lay it on a table or on your lap, its not an issue. If like me you hold your reader up, it could cause a bit of hand strain after prolonged reading sessions.
 
mdauben said:
I think this may be a personal issue, as I have read books for extended periods on my iPhone (which has the same sort of backlit, color display as the iPad, only smaller) with no eye strain at all.

One ergonomic issue I do have with the iPad as a reading device is that it is a bit heavy, and would be rather tiresome to hold for extended periods. This would probably come down to how you read, of course. If you lay it on a table or on your lap, its not an issue. If like me you hold your reader up, it could cause a bit of hand strain after prolonged reading sessions.
Click to expand...

I know the eyestrain from backlit display is not just me, but it probably isn't everybody either. Definitely give it a shot if you think the iPad is what you are looking for. I for one work on computers all day everyday, so after 8 hours of constant PC watching followed by whatever I am doing at home on the PC probably makes me a bit more sensitive than most.
 
Another fan of the Kindle 3 with WiFi. Just the right size. I also occasionally read books on my iPod Touch. Some see a downside of the Kindle is you need an external light to read in the dark. No such issue with the iPad. Someone mentioned you can change the font on the iPad to white on a black background. Now, if they just made an iPad the size of the Kindle 3...well, I can dream.
 
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