HiddenJewel Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 The time has come that we need to purchase an e-reader. But I get so overwhelmed on which one to get. We mostly read PDFs. Wi-fi is sufficient although we don't even need that. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eReader-eBook-Reader-e-Reader-Special-Offers/dp/B0051QVESA/ref=amb_link_359624142_2?ie=UTF8&nav_sdd=aps&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=080PC2FRAR524DW4G92Y&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1348324942&pf_rd_i=507846 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eReader-eBook-Reader-e-Reader-Special-Offers/dp/B0051QVESA/ref=amb_link_359624142_2?ie=UTF8&nav_sdd=aps&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=080PC2FRAR524DW4G92Y&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1348324942&pf_rd_i=507846 :D My concern with a Kindle is the specialized format required. I really don't want to have to email all my PDFs but would rather drag and drop. But my concern may just be because I don't know how smoothly it all works. Also, does the Kindle handle old scanned books well? What else can the Kindle do beside books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 You can drag and drop PDFs into a Kindle, I do it all the time. The files it supports include "Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 You can drag and drop PDFs into a Kindle, I do it all the time. The files it supports include "Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion." Thanks. So I wonder why the descriptions all talk about having to email the PDFs? Is it a USB connection that allow the drag and drop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Can you do web searching on the Kindle as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 We have Nooks here, and are happy with them. One dd is starting to study for the GRE, and she has a study book (pdf) on her Nook so she can easily carry it around with her. All you do is drag and drop the pdf from your computer onto the Nook. It is easy. I have pdf copies of a magazine on mine. Just like the Nook has different ereaders (Nook Color, Nook Tablet and Nook Simple Touch), the Kindle has different ereaders. Each has some different abilities, so it depends on what you want to do. You pay more for an ereader that is color than for a black and white ereader. If you just want to read books, then the black and white Nook Simple Touch is excellent, and other people like the basic Kindle. If you want to read magazines or watch movies, then you need the Nook or Kindle that is color. You just need to decide how you want to use it, then look at the specific features Kindle and Nook offer that meet those needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) Can you do web searching on the Kindle as well? Yes, but it is very basic. The drag and drop is via USB, correct. Edited February 29, 2012 by tntgoodwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 :grouphug: Yes, but it is very basic. The drag and drop is via USB, correct. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Jewel, I've just gone through this same thing and was undecided just like you are. I was adamant that I only wanted a reader. I was set in stone. Got to the store, started really thinking long term about it, and walked out with a Kindle fire. Okay, now for it to get a little weird....we use the reader as a transport and cleaning issue. I've been known to drag around a full size suitcase of our own personal books to the library (yes, the kind on wheels) - the problem was that workbooks, very specific texts, texts I wanted to mark up and draw in, plus a fullsize laptop with a 17 inch screen...getting the picture here? Then I'd find that the library didn't have what I wanted, but it was out there on the net for free, but that meant I needed to have the screen down and a ridiculous amount of tabs open while studying something. We are heavy users of documentaries as well, so again, notetaking, books and movies all at once is a problem. So now what we do is to use the Kindle as a player and set it between the two laptops, so we have virtually 3 screens of information plus books splayed out and this is SO much better. Not to mention the available functions of the kindle to highlight, search, do quick definitions of words if it's just being independently used. She (daughter) has with her at all times a tool to use - and the kindle can operate multiple screens and tabs. I have a huge stack of paperback/hardcovers I can part with now, and that's just plain cool - they are all on the kindle - and the kindle also has commentary features you can hook up with online which is pretty neat. The battery life of a color vs. a black / white is really not a big deal for me. I sat in bed with it the other day for about 7 hours watching documentaries, I had no issues with "heat" or such. I also bought a splitter for it so we could use two pairs of headphones together if we use it at the library for audio books or netflix and we can use it side by side then as a tool. The web screen does adjust orientation, so you can have it vertical or horizontal- that's handy, and for myself personally, what the kindle has done for me is to SLOW me down. I'm a very fast reader, and in academic type texts, for me, this is a big pain in the neck- I somehow seem to stumble and choke. The kindle I can set the font to a large size and it's virtually a notecard size bite of information which I can really concentrate on. I do know that as a vocabulary understanding tool our unit is getting a major workout without any prompting from me. If she hits an unfamiliar word, she just taps and the dictionary comes up, and if that's not enough, she heads over to Wickepedia for a general definition and backstory. Now all these things we can do on the net independently without the kindle, but it is the portability of the thing that is really wonderful. When I was in the store trying it out, I was sold the second I saw a map in black and white vs. color. My only displeasure with the Kindle is that it is difficult to organize the main screen of it "the carousel" - and I'm sure there is a workaround on that, but I've not yet discovered it. We did purchase a sheet of gorilla glass for it and an extended warranty considering how rough the kid might be on it, I was unsure. It does pick up quite easily extra wi-fi, and the ordering is super fast as well if you are browsing on the Amazon site. My only cardinal rule is that I keep the shopping feature turned off, because it's basically a live credit card in my mind, and I only order at home on a secured network. I probably wouldn't do that in a public space. Good luck with your decision, it's a doozy. I'm glad I changed my mind, it's a wonderful gadget so far. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Jewel, I've just gone through this same thing and was undecided just like you are. I was adamant that I only wanted a reader. I was set in stone. Got to the store, started really thinking long term about it, and walked out with a Kindle fire. Okay, now for it to get a little weird....we use the reader as a transport and cleaning issue. I've been known to drag around a full size suitcase of our own personal books to the library (yes, the kind on wheels) - the problem was that workbooks, very specific texts, texts I wanted to mark up and draw in, plus a fullsize laptop with a 17 inch screen...getting the picture here? Then I'd find that the library didn't have what I wanted, but it was out there on the net for free, but that meant I needed to have the screen down and a ridiculous amount of tabs open while studying something. We are heavy users of documentaries as well, so again, notetaking, books and movies all at once is a problem. So now what we do is to use the Kindle as a player and set it between the two laptops, so we have virtually 3 screens of information plus books splayed out and this is SO much better. Not to mention the available functions of the kindle to highlight, search, do quick definitions of words if it's just being independently used. She (daughter) has with her at all times a tool to use - and the kindle can operate multiple screens and tabs. I have a huge stack of paperback/hardcovers I can part with now, and that's just plain cool - they are all on the kindle - and the kindle also has commentary features you can hook up with online which is pretty neat. The battery life of a color vs. a black / white is really not a big deal for me. I sat in bed with it the other day for about 7 hours watching documentaries, I had no issues with "heat" or such. I also bought a splitter for it so we could use two pairs of headphones together if we use it at the library for audio books or netflix and we can use it side by side then as a tool. The web screen does adjust orientation, so you can have it vertical or horizontal- that's handy, and for myself personally, what the kindle has done for me is to SLOW me down. I'm a very fast reader, and in academic type texts, for me, this is a big pain in the neck- I somehow seem to stumble and choke. The kindle I can set the font to a large size and it's virtually a notecard size bite of information which I can really concentrate on. I do know that as a vocabulary understanding tool our unit is getting a major workout without any prompting from me. If she hits an unfamiliar word, she just taps and the dictionary comes up, and if that's not enough, she heads over to Wickepedia for a general definition and backstory. Now all these things we can do on the net independently without the kindle, but it is the portability of the thing that is really wonderful. When I was in the store trying it out, I was sold the second I saw a map in black and white vs. color. My only displeasure with the Kindle is that it is difficult to organize the main screen of it "the carousel" - and I'm sure there is a workaround on that, but I've not yet discovered it. We did purchase a sheet of gorilla glass for it and an extended warranty considering how rough the kid might be on it, I was unsure. It does pick up quite easily extra wi-fi, and the ordering is super fast as well if you are browsing on the Amazon site. My only cardinal rule is that I keep the shopping feature turned off, because it's basically a live credit card in my mind, and I only order at home on a secured network. I probably wouldn't do that in a public space. Good luck with your decision, it's a doozy. I'm glad I changed my mind, it's a wonderful gadget so far. :) Thanks for sharing. I know we would use more features than reading if it was available. We currently have an iPad that I won in a contest. So we have one portable device that has a lot of features already. But now I am doing math with both my little ones on the iPad and my dd16 uses it for a lot as well. So we are overlapping way too much in its use. Thus the need for another portable device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Ah, screen size might make a difference then, I think the Kindle Fire is about 7 inches and the black and white are 6 inches. Depending on who uses it, eyestrain and fine motor control might come into play in your choice then? Good luck! And congrats on winning the Ipad, that's really cool. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Ah, screen size might make a difference then, I think the Kindle Fire is about 7 inches and the black and white are 6 inches. Depending on who uses it, eyestrain and fine motor control might come into play in your choice then? Good luck! And congrats on winning the Ipad, that's really cool. :D Thanks. I was pretty stoked to win it. There is no way we could have purchased one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 We have a Kindle Touch which has been awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm really happy with my Kindle Touch. In fact, I just bought one for my husband for his birthday (ssshhh!). Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Nook SimpleTouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Have you looked at refurbished iPads? They have first generation models on the apple website for $299 that come with the same warranty as a brand new one. We have purchashed two refurbished (one for dh and one for my mom) and there was absolutely no difference between them and the brand new one I bought when I didn't know any better. If you already have one device and plan to use it mostly for reading you can probably get away with the first generation with 16gb. The primary difference between the iPad and iPad2 is that the ipad2 has a camera. I think if you are used to the iPad the screen size on the kindle or nook could be a problem. Also, because of the licensing structure on iPad apps it makes sense to share apps between the two devices instead of having to buy android apps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Have you looked at refurbished iPads? They have first generation models on the apple website for $299 that come with the same warranty as a brand new one. We have purchashed two refurbished (one for dh and one for my mom) and there was absolutely no difference between them and the brand new one I bought when I didn't know any better. If you already have one device and plan to use it mostly for reading you can probably get away with the first generation with 16gb. The primary difference between the iPad and iPad2 is that the ipad2 has a camera. I think if you are used to the iPad the screen size on the kindle or nook could be a problem. Also, because of the licensing structure on iPad apps it makes sense to share apps between the two devices instead of having to buy android apps. Thanks. That is definitely something to consider. Our iPad is a 1st generation 16gb and we use it a lot and that will only increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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