Comments on: A tablet buyer thinking guide

By: AidanPB

AidanPB — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:39:42 +0000

Yeah, I own an iPhone 4S, and while it’s *beautiful*, and I love Apple’s larger-scale computers, I would (if I were in the market for a tablet) hesitate long enough to examine my options before going for an iPad. It’s not the content walls that bug me, but the application walls. I don’t appreciate being told that I can’t use any program I please on hardware that allegedly belongs to me.

By: Geert

Geert — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:47:41 +0000

The new Nook HD and HD+ tablets have no memory restriction for sideloaded content, and you can of course also add an micro sd-card.

By: Frank Lowney

Frank Lowney — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:47:50 +0000

I agree with Jessica’s line of thinking. It doesn’t seem accurate to tie the closed garden concept to any tablet hardware. It’s the DRM that closes the garden and necessitates different eReaders. On iOS, you may have several of these closed gardens (Kindle, Nook, etc.) and a couple of open gardens (unencumbered eBooks readable on almost any eReader and via the web as in Ibis Reader).
The storage factor is another questionable criterion. With iCloud for iOS, Calibre’s built-in eBook server and the WWW (think Internet Archive, Feedbooks, etc.), one can access a sizable eBook collection without futzing around with highly loose-able cards and chips.

By: Jessica "JBaby" Moss

Jessica "JBaby" Moss — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:42:30 +0000

Apple is a walled garden. The iBookstore is the most closed of any closed store. I never shop there. I love the iBooks app though. However, iOS is the most open walled garden. You have access to every major closed store via each store’s app without having to do any hardwork. No one else is that open. Android doesn’t have a monopoly on side-loading. I’m an iOS user and 99% of my ereading is done via side-loading. I almost always chose DRM free ePub. I’m very picky about how my library is set up so Calibre has been a godsend. I have 3 easy ways of side-loading my content.

1: I can have Calibre send books directly to iTunes. Then I can sync.
2: I can download books direct to my devices via Mobile Safari from Calibre’s content server if I’m not near my computer or I’m away from home.
3: If I buy a new book from an open store such Smashwords or Robot Trading company I can just download the book directly like in scenario 2.

Capabilities are far more in important than price for me. I’m a cheapskate, but I’m also a believer in the ‘You get what you pay for’ philosophy. I’d rather not have any device at all than to have one that will give me more hassles than enjoyment. Some, but not all, tablets just plain suck.

I aways choose the 3G/4G model iPad. It’s just more convienient. I don’t want to carry or charge an extra device. As for size, until last Tuesday, I would have said go big or go home. But after a hands on with the mini I found it to be very nice. But I have a physical disability so I can’t hold any device that’s bigger than my iPhone for any longer than carrying it from one room to another. The mini would be easier, but I’d still need my PadPivot stand. At that point I might as well stick with the full-size iPad. With that said I would’ve walked out of Sam’s Club with the mini if it had a Retina display.

Chris, you should check out the PadPivot. I think you can still get the old version at BestBuy for under $10. http://www.padpivot.com

By: Paul StJohn Mackintosh

Paul StJohn Mackintosh — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:20:01 +0000

Convenience in sideloading content is one issue for me – one that tilts me to Android every time. Sure, these days most non-DRM files can be downloaded straight from the cloud to your machine. But I want a completely accessible file system where I can copy and shift around things as I like, and one that doesn’t require me to carry around a special USB cable to link to other machines. Android tablets win out on this. Apple’s closed file system is an obnoxious instance of DRM within the OS, putting companies’ interests before those of consumers. Oh, and not to mention sticking to your own proprietory connector to reap fat licensing fees.

For size, 7″ is the way to go for an ereader. 10″ is just too big for most people to carry for the extended time you need to read books. If you want primarily to play games or watch videos, then the tradeoff may be different.

Budget is really becoming a key issue, though. I mean, why pay more for less? That’s the question the Nexus 7 is posing to tablet lovers everywhere. Unless you really need a feature that the Nexus 7 doesn’t have (size, SD card, back camera, etc), it’s the obvious choice.

[reasonably] happy Nexus 7 owner here.