Ereader; Kindle, Android, Or ? In Thailand

[ding]

I'll need text books to homeschool our kid. Text books in English are too expensive there, so we'll need an eRaeder of some type.

What's best is Thailand?

An all-in-one capable device is good too, if eBooks are cheap and available.

[REM]

I use the Kindle, it's great for books, but once input into the Kindle, the format can get a little messed up, and you can't do a lot with it. If it's for kids, something like an iPad might be better. You can use their book store, plus all the Kindle books, and do a lot more with it.

[ding]

I use the Kindle, it's great for books, but once input into the Kindle, the format can get a little messed up, and you can't do a lot with it. If it's for kids, something like an iPad might be better. You can use their book store, plus all the Kindle books, and do a lot more with it.

Thanks REM, the iPad looks more versatile.

[ELCata]

I've just got the new 'Kindle 3'. Very good for the kindle format, but although it handles every PDF I've thrown at it, most can't even be read in landscape mode unless they have a large native font size. The WI-FI is excellent, but I chose to buy the non-3G one as the experimental browser is really too basic. 3G coverage is wide in Thailand & remember it's free, so if you have the cash maybe consider the 3G in case of a browser update later.

Edit: The battery life is awesome, as the e-ink technology means that it only uses power when the page changes!

Why not consider a vanilla laptop? This would be ideal for PDFs & you can also read Kindle books on it, or go for the iPad if you're cash rich.

Edited February 13, 2011 by ElCata

[trd]

I've just got the new 'Kindle 3'. Very good for the kindle format, but although it handles every PDF I've thrown at it, most can't even be read in landscape mode unless they have a large native font size. The WI-FI is excellent, but I chose to buy the non-3G one as the experimental browser is really too basic. 3G coverage is wide in Thailand & remember it's free, so if you have the cash maybe consider the 3G in case of a browser update later.

Edit: The battery life is awesome, as the e-ink technology means that it only uses power when the page changes!

Why not consider a vanilla laptop? This would be ideal for PDFs & you can also read Kindle books on it, or go for the iPad if you're cash rich.

I always convert pdf's I want to read on my kindle to mobipocket format using the free Mobipocket reader. That way the text is formatted and word wrapped to the screen.

[Jingthing]

Is it really easy enough on the eyes to read a book for hours on a small laptop or even an Ipad? I haven't tried it, so that's why I'm asking.

[TheLaughingMan]

The ipad is awesome for reading books and comics and magazines, its truly a pleasure and most importantly it is super easy to download whatever you want and if not the proper format there are free converters that are simple to use. HOWEVER, if you plan on reading outside on the beach in the bright direct sun... the ipad sucks. It will glare.

[endure]

Anyone with an ebook reader needs Calibre http://calibre-ebook.com/

[MJP]

.

Edited February 13, 2011 by MJP

[MJP]

I think you can't beat a good netbook. Can't see the value in iPad's, weird things in my opinion, what are they for? Kindles seem to be limited to being a pdf reader.

A netbook with the dual core Intel Atom N550 or D525 chip, 2GB DDR3 RAM, Intel 3150 graphics accelerator and whatever sized hard drive (320GB is typical, although a 128GB SSD would be good). Run Windows XP SP3 with a few free bits like TuneXP and a good system cleaner like Glary Utilities or Wise Registry and Wise Disk Cleaner, also Auslogics defrag. Use Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials, this provides adequate internet security without consuming system resources unlike heavy cumbersome security applications. For the browser I recommend Chrome or Opera.

This will run like a normal laptop with regards to Microsoft Office and internet browsing. Plays videos no problem although HD 1080p can be a struggle.

Edited February 13, 2011 by MJP

[TheLaughingMan]

What are the ipads for lol? Why dont you use one and find out. I do ALL my work on my ipad, at first I was doing 50/50 pc and ipad but after a while I realised I could do almost everything on the simpler and handier ipad so now I just work on the ipad. But like I said, they glare something fierce in the sun.

CALIBRE is the free pc program I use to convert my books from pretty much any format to be used in the ipad, its really a great program. Adds a nice full colour book cover too so my book collection in my ipad looks fantastic.

[keeniau96]

The Kindle 3 is superb for reading ebooks. Good for extended (3+ hours, even more) reading, and in bright light eg. outside in the sun, on the beach. Lightweight so can comfortably hold overhead in one hand while reading (try this with any other). Amazon has huge book catalog, easily accessible in Thailand. Also thousands of free books on the internet (Project Gutenberg, others).

I have done extensive reading on my desktop, laptop, netbook and tablet; the Kindle is far better than any of these. The other one to consider is the Nook color e-reader because it can also serve as good Android tablet (google for the how-to).

[Darrel]

There are over 50 non-Apple products due out in the first 3 months of 2011 that will do everything the iPad does, and more, for less money and without the need to sign away your soul to Apple. I would recommend getting one of those, especially one of the ones that will be running Android 3.0 as these will be compatible with just about everything anyone could possibly want to do with them.

Apple products, as always, run on a very closed platform the use of which usually involves paying quite large sums of money to Apple, often in hidden form as commission and kickbacks. I do not see any advantage in this, except for Apple.

That issue aside, the e-ink reader in the Kindle style is much easier on the eye (and the battery) than the backlit OLED or LCD screen of the iPad or other tablet device. But of course they are also much more limited in what they can do.

I would get an Android 3 tablet, every time, for the low cost and all-round compatibility.

[ELCata]

I've just got the new 'Kindle 3'. Very good for the kindle format, but although it handles every PDF I've thrown at it, most can't even be read in landscape mode unless they have a large native font size. The WI-FI is excellent, but I chose to buy the non-3G one as the experimental browser is really too basic. 3G coverage is wide in Thailand & remember it's free, so if you have the cash maybe consider the 3G in case of a browser update later.

Edit: The battery life is awesome, as the e-ink technology means that it only uses power when the page changes!

Why not consider a vanilla laptop? This would be ideal for PDFs & you can also read Kindle books on it, or go for the iPad if you're cash rich.

I always convert pdf's I want to read on my kindle to mobipocket format using the free Mobipocket reader. That way the text is formatted and word wrapped to the screen.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

I've had some success converting my numerous LIT files to PDF with 'Auto Kindle eBook Converter', although a few times the pages have been knocked out of kilter.

[MJP]

There are over 50 non-Apple products due out in the first 3 months of 2011 that will do everything the iPad does, and more, for less money and without the need to sign away your soul to Apple. I would recommend getting one of those, especially one of the ones that will be running Android 3.0 as these will be compatible with just about everything anyone could possibly want to do with them.

Apple products, as always, run on a very closed platform the use of which usually involves paying quite large sums of money to Apple, often in hidden form as commission and kickbacks. I do not see any advantage in this, except for Apple.

That issue aside, the e-ink reader in the Kindle style is much easier on the eye (and the battery) than the backlit OLED or LCD screen of the iPad or other tablet device. But of course they are also much more limited in what they can do.

I would get an Android 3 tablet, every time, for the low cost and all-round compatibility.

I still don't understand these tablet things. Where's the keyboard?

Please, would someone please explain this iPad concept and what it's for, because I simply don't get it.

[Darrel]

Some of the new ones coming out do have a fold-out keyboard but normally the keboard just pops up on the touch screen when required. It is NOT a "proper" keyboard, of course. Imagine a very large smartphone and that is more or less what a tablet device like the iPad is. Being larger it is much less fiddly to use and is easier to see.

No one would ever use a tablet to write a novel or do data entry or any other serious computer work, but they can be handy devices for normal emailing, viewing photos, playing back music via headphones or built-in speakers, viewing video either streamed or stored on the device, web surfing, youtube, online banking, shopping, BBC iplayer, games, reading e-books on the train or at the beach, reading the daily paper, watching the news, internet radio or Spotify etc. etc.

[MJP]

Some of the new ones coming out do have a fold-out keyboard but normally the keboard just pops up on the touch screen when required. It is NOT a "proper" keyboard, of course. Imagine a very large smartphone and that is more or less what a tablet device like the iPad is. Being larger it is much less fiddly to use and is easier to see.

No one would ever use a tablet to write a novel or do data entry or any other serious computer work, but they can be handy devices for normal emailing, viewing photos, playing back music via headphones or built-in speakers, viewing video either streamed or stored on the device, web surfing, youtube, online banking, shopping, BBC iplayer, games, reading e-books on the train or at the beach, reading the daily paper, watching the news, internet radio or Spotify etc. etc.

Thanks for the warning, I'll stick with these N550 and up netbooks for less than half the price.

[TheLaughingMan]

I type very fast on the onscreen keyboard of the ipad, do all my work on it including writing long projects. However, I did land up buying the sweet apple bluetooth keyboard for long jobs, its a nice super slim keyboard that fits alongside the ipad easily. It does make writing long projects a bit easier because I can prop up the ipad as a screen and lean back and type normally instead of having to be close to the ipad to touch the screen for typing. Point is with the bluetooth keyboard it is possible to do serious data entry.

This is what the ipad does:

photo editing (not as good as a high end pc program but suitable for my needs)

video editing (not as good as a high end pc program)

excel

word

powerpoint

art/drawing

comic/magazine/ebook reader **

web browser (touch screen web browsing actually is nicer than mouse) **

video player **

photo viewer **

game platform **

email **

notes/tasks/calendar/schedule **

** = does exceptionally well

The document apps (excel word etc) are all really easy to use, I can whip up a professional looking document in minutes.

There are thousands of apps that do just about everything (financial, productivity etc... if a pc can do it youll probably find an app for it)

The main advantage of the ipad is its portability and ease of use, its a mini pc for dummies. I can literally work standing up on the bts. But I wouldnt think of using it outside under the direct sun, too much glare. But I personally cant think of a reason Id need a device of any kind under the sun so its not a problem for me.

[Darrel]

I would agree that a touch-screen is very well suited to web-browsing and viewing/listening to video/audio. However for everything else I could not envisage using anything other than a decent 3-button mouse and proper keyboard, and some sort of drawing tool.

Above all, the iPad screen is just too dam_n small to do any proper work on. I use a 23in screen and sometimes wish it was bigger, or that I was using two of them.

I have never tried to install any real software (as opposed to "apps") onto a tablet: mostly because all my real software is for Windows only and I have never used a Windows 7 tablet. I suspect that the processor on most tablets couldnt handle it anyway. iPad is of course out of the question for me as it is totally incompatible with all my stuff.

So for me all these tablet devices are only really suitable for domestic day to day use or simple jobs/note taking on the move, and not for what I would call "work". Some of the newer ones have USB sockets and video outputs suitable for large screens, and these might be more interesting. In fact I already use my laptop like this with a large external screen and extra keyboard and mouse, so in that respect the tablet would be similar. It would have to have a very powerful processor though and I'm not sure how many of them do.

[TheLaughingMan]

Ya Ive got a 26 inch monitor and I love working on that. But for working WHILE WALKING or moving around from place to place, sitting on the train.. nothing will beat the ipad. But no it wont have your absolute favorite windows program on it, which is why I converted completely to ipad apps for all my work needs, but if I was editing video for a commercial movie realease I would not be working on the ipad... it depends how severe your work needs are. If not too severe you can get away with doing everything on the ipad.

[Jingthing]

Relevant to the questionable utility of tablets --

http://www.slate.com/id/2285434/

I Hate My iPad

Can my tablet-loving Slate colleagues convince me I didn't just waste $600?

I admit that I bought my iPad for the wrong reasons. I got one because it seemed like everyone I knew had gotten one for Christmas and, well, I felt left out. I didn't think about how it would fit in with the gadgets I already owned (laptop, Kindle, iPhone), and I didn't borrow a friend's and take it on a test drive. Now I just feel annoyed, having spent $600 on a device that hasn't done anything to improve my life. A salad spinner would have been a better investment, and I don't even eat that much salad.

Edited February 19, 2011 by Jingthing

[bangkockney]

Don't you have any concern about having your child read material off a computer screen continually?

Computers are great tools but should never replace books imo.

[TheLaughingMan]

Don't you have any concern about having your child read material off a computer screen continually?

Computers are great tools but should never replace books imo.

No offence old timer but its 2011 now, I havent picked up a paper copy of any book in years. I assure you, soon no one will be using paper copies, why on earth would they? What is it about the screen reading you think is bad other than a sentimental reason?

[Jingthing]

Don't you have any concern about having your child read material off a computer screen continually?

Computers are great tools but should never replace books imo.

No offence old timer but its 2011 now, I havent picked up a paper copy of any book in years. I assure you, soon no one will be using paper copies, why on earth would they? What is it about the screen reading you think is bad other than a sentimental reason?

Paper books aren't going anywhere. Did TV kill radio?

[kpmsprtd]

For my style of study, nothing works better than paper books. Come to think of it, for my style of pleasure reading, nothing works better than paper books... But I admit that textbook pricing is a worldwide rip-off of the highest order. If e-readers can allow one to purchase textbooks cheaper, then good for e-readers.

[MJP]

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