My wife wants an e-reader. We were looking at the $99 nook simple touch or $79 kindle. However then she though it would be nice to be able to check her gmail account. Would the $169 nook color be able to do this? Can I load any android app on it? Are there better/cheaper e-reader/tablets for reading and gmail. Loading android apps would be nice, but not a requirement. I just think it would be cool to load up the mythtv remote app on it to control the tv.
basic e-reader or all out tablet?
- Thread starter CU
- Start date
Both the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire will do everything she wants, but I wouldn't recommend doing actual reading on a backlit panel. For reading you're definitely going to want to stick to E-ink, at least in my opinion.
For straight up reading I recommend the Nook Simple Touch. They've coming out with a lit version in the next month or so, too.
For straight up reading I recommend the Nook Simple Touch. They've coming out with a lit version in the next month or so, too.
It will be used mostly for reading. After doing a little research it seems the kindle has an experimental browser that may work with gmail. Has anyone here tried it? Does the nook simple touch have something similar?
Why do you recommend the Nook Simple Touch over the Kindle? Also assuming you can read an old fashioned paper book in low light at night, can you also read e-ink at that same light level. Or does e-ink require more ambient light?
I examined both before buying my Nook Simple Touch and found its ergonomics to be superior. It has a soft, almost rubbery feel to it, and the contours of the back of the device make it feel nice in the hand. Its supported formats are also more conducive to my preferred method of syncing my library (Calibre).
I'm sure you can't go wrong with either, but the Nook was definitely my preference.
gorcorps
aka Brandon
- Jul 18, 2004
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They're pretty similar, so it's just a matter of taste. I personally like the Nook side because it has better file compatibility. It also has nice physical buttons on both sides of the display and I believe the Kindle touch version is touch screen page flip only. If you have an Amazon prime account then you can read more free e-books on the Kindle, but there are quite a few free books for both sides. They're usually pretty similar to each other in features too, so if one has something you like but it's not your brand of choice it's usually just a waiting game. Amazon had a touch Kindle quite soon after B&N had theirs, and word on the street is there will be a backlit e-ink Kindle not long after B&N releases theirs (May 1st)
Get an e-ink device, Kindle or Nook. With a tablet you'll be putting apps on it between the both of you, and it'll likely end up being a facebook/email/web/casual gaming and sometimes reading device. So what I'm suggesting is save $$$ and get a device you know you'll be reading on.
To crappy and slow to read a few and make short replies? For longer replies I would think our old netbook would beat any tablet.
Scout80
Member
- Mar 13, 2012
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I bought a Kindle Touch a couple months ago and would highly recommend one for someone who wants to do a lot of reading. The eink is much easier on the eyes than looking at an LCD. Also I only to have charged it about once a month and it isn't tiring to hold for hours reading at a time.
The experimental browser is pretty slow. Its usable but barely.
The experimental browser is pretty slow. Its usable but barely.
Ravynmagi
Diamond Member
- Jun 16, 2007
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He was being very kind when he said "kinda crap". It's absolute crap. To me it seems highly unlikely you'd want to use that thing for Gmail. I'd actually be shocked if it worked with Gmail at all, but it might.
You should have zero expectations of the built in browser. It's kinda fun to use it once or twice and be amazed at surfing the web on an e-ink display, then you'll probably never use it again because it's so freaking slow and messy looking.
Regarding the original question though. Is the email really so vital to access on a reader that you'd give up the benefits of e-ink for it?
The e-ink device is going to be a lot more compact, thinner, and lighter, than a 7 inch LCD tablet. It's going to have a battery that lasts weeks between charging.
for reading, the nook and kindle perform pretty much equally on this front.
if you want to extend the reader to do stuff like do light web browsing and reading emails, i'd go with the nook simple touch because you can root it and use it as a more traditional android tablet. the touch screen scrolling is pretty choppy, but i think some smart devs at XDA have figured out how to make the screen scroll smoothly (albeit at the expense of battery life)
if you want to extend the reader to do stuff like do light web browsing and reading emails, i'd go with the nook simple touch because you can root it and use it as a more traditional android tablet. the touch screen scrolling is pretty choppy, but i think some smart devs at XDA have figured out how to make the screen scroll smoothly (albeit at the expense of battery life)
jhansman
Platinum Member
- Feb 5, 2004
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I play with my mother-in-law's Kindle Fire from time to time, just to see if it appeals to me or if I'd need more. Truth is, all I'd use it for is reading, maybe music. For those, it's great. If I needed more (web browsing, productivity apps, movie watching), I probably get a Galaxy 8.9".
My wife is a power reader, one or two books a day on weekends, and she is a LONG time user of hand helds (Palm). We did a lot of research, tried many devices and talked to friends with various devices.
Eink was rejected, its fine if you have light, but too often my wife likes to read without a light, and much prefers a backlite display.
Nook vs Kindle took longer to decide, but in the end she was firm on her choice of the Nook Tablet.
Initially we were thinking almost 100% ereader use, but from day one she was playing with the Nook and trying various options, and so far is liking Netflix and Pandora, as well as a few games. She is very happy with the Nook Tablet, but I am NOT happy with some of the proprietary items like the non standard USB that requires a Barnes and Noble cable, AND chargers, or the way some various playing well with others is blocked.
BEWARE of Bejeweled, DRM requires a constant wifi connection, you can't play it in the car, on a plane, etc. totally Fubar useless.
Eink was rejected, its fine if you have light, but too often my wife likes to read without a light, and much prefers a backlite display.
Nook vs Kindle took longer to decide, but in the end she was firm on her choice of the Nook Tablet.
Initially we were thinking almost 100% ereader use, but from day one she was playing with the Nook and trying various options, and so far is liking Netflix and Pandora, as well as a few games. She is very happy with the Nook Tablet, but I am NOT happy with some of the proprietary items like the non standard USB that requires a Barnes and Noble cable, AND chargers, or the way some various playing well with others is blocked.
BEWARE of Bejeweled, DRM requires a constant wifi connection, you can't play it in the car, on a plane, etc. totally Fubar useless.
gorcorps
aka Brandon
- Jul 18, 2004
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In case you didn't already see from this thread, e-ink displays with built in light are right around the corner (just a week or so out). Sounds like you don't need it now, but it's something to think of in the future or for others.
bigrash
Lifer
- Feb 20, 2001
- 17,648
- 28
- 91
I have the Kindle Fire and my wife has the Nook Simple Touch. If this device will be used for mainly reading books, then get an e-ink reader like the Simple Touch. If you want to be able to go online, play games, etc then get a device like the Kindle Fire. I love the Fire and have rooted it to Android ICS and it works very nicely. However, I prefer reading books on the simple touch.
Ravynmagi
Diamond Member
- Jun 16, 2007
- 3,102
- 24
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Regarding the lack of back lighting. For me I find that being able to read my Kindle eink in direct sunlight or outdoors to be much more valuable to me. And I can usually find a light source nearby when it's dark (we've managed to for a few thousand years I think). And I think my parents at some point may have told me not to read in the dark anyway. 
Zaap
Diamond Member
- Jun 12, 2008
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I actually love reading in the dark with my Nook Tablet, so long as the text is inverted (white on black) and the backlight is dimmed nearly all the way. Works perfectly and isn't the least bit stressful on my eyes. I'm sure it's not for everyone though.
I have such a growing collection of ebooks now that I'm looking into getting an e-ink reader as well for the daylight hours. I'll have to see which I like using better, the Simple Touch or Kindle.
I have such a growing collection of ebooks now that I'm looking into getting an e-ink reader as well for the daylight hours. I'll have to see which I like using better, the Simple Touch or Kindle.
gorcorps
aka Brandon
- Jul 18, 2004
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Does the nook tablet has white on totally black? I have the Nook Color and best I can get is white on dark grey, but I'd rather have black.
gorcorps
aka Brandon
- Jul 18, 2004
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Yes I'm running NC stock because it did text resizing, reformatting etc better than anything else I tried (which included Aldiko). It's also dog slow and makes the entire Android experience awful, so I went back to stock. I'm sure the tablet is better, but the original Nook Color made for a terrible tablet. I don't know how anybody used it as one for long.
Scout80
Member
- Mar 13, 2012
- 80
- 0
- 0
I can say that it work with gmail. it also works with this forum.
Posted from my kindle.
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