e-books and e-readers: post here

haven

Expedition Leader
Barnes and Noble is planning to lower the price of its least expensive e-reader to $99, down from $139 today. The Nook Simple Touch v. 1.1 will include a software update that provides faster page turns and new display technology to improve sharpness of text. The Simple Touch uses a six inch grey scale e-Ink display that is readable in direct sunlight.

Competitor Amazon offers a similar size Kindle reader for $99, but it displays ads that appear when the screen saver kicks in. The ad-free version costs $139.
 

FurthurOnTheFly

Glamping Society
Are you freaking kidding me??? I just broke down and bought the damn nook simple touch 2 weeks ago!! ARRGGGG!!!!!!!!!!! :mixed-smiley-030:
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Today is announcement day for the new $250 Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet. Many tech blogs have posted comparisons between the Nook Tablet and the Kindle Fire. Most reviewers highlight the Nook Tablet's faster processor, more memory, and (most likely) higher potential for hacking to load the full, unadulterated Android OS. The Kindle Fire has a $50 cheaper price, and is backed by Amazon's delivery systems for apps, digital content, and cloud storage.

The Gizmodo folks made the most interesting point: While both Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet run custom versions of Android, the Fire's version is faster and more fluid in operation. So the Nook Tablet's advantage in faster processor speed is largely moot. So it looks like the advantage goes to the Kindle Fire for everyone except the hacker types who are trying to find the cheapest fully featured Android machine.

The Gizmodo review is here. See paragraph five for the notes about UI performance. http://gizmodo.com/5857041/nook-tablet-vs-kindle-fire-the-differences-add-up
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Kindle Fire reviews

Review samples of the Kindle Fire tablet were sent to the usual blog and tech columnists, and their impressions are starting to surface. Here's a summary
http://liliputing.com/2011/11/amazon-kindle-fire-review-roundup.html

Several reviews say that the Fire lacks the speed and polish of the $350+ tablets. The good news is that the issues identified are primarily software-related, so the Fire will get better as the software is updated.

Now we're waiting to see if Barnes and Noble's Nook Tablet is any more successful with their custom version of Android.
 

Scott Brady

Founder
The ExPo staff likes the Kindle so far. Here is a quick and dirty review: iPad vs. iPhone vs. Fire
Kindle_Fire%206.jpeg
 

haven

Expedition Leader
A couple of newspapers have experimented with a subscription model that provides an e-reader tablet as part of the subscription price. The tablets offered have been inexpensive no-name e-readers.

Now Barnes and Noble is picking up the idea. If you sign up for a 1 year subscription to the NY Times, you can have a Nook Simple Touch (a $99 value) for free. Or you can purchase a Nook Color (normally $199) for $99. The newspaper subscription costs $240 a year, so this is a deal only if you were planning to subscribe anyway.

More interesting is B&N's offer of $50 off the price of the Nook Tablet (regularly $250) if you sign up for a one year subscription to People Magazine ($10 a month).

I can imagine a plan where B&N or Amazon create a credit system that gives you credits when you subscribe to the "magazine offer of the week.". The credits could be used to buy other subscriptions, or get discounts on the purchase of a tablet. It would be like a frequent flyer benefit.
 

Fireman78

Expedition Leader
Only problem with getting my wife a Kindle Fire for Xmas is... both my daughters and myself all want one! Best....toy ....ever, and we all fight over it. My wife just found out something totally awesome with the Fire. Renting FOR FREE EBooks from the local library.. all you need is WiFi in the house and a library card!!
 
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BigSwede

The Credible Hulk
There is an awesome ebook management program available free online called "Calibre". I have used it to convert a number of documents for viewing on my Kindle. It is very easy to use for a computer dummy like me.
 

Corey

OverCamping Specialist
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-A...pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1343125342&pf_rd_i=507846

I just placed my order for the Kindle Fire, I will have it Thursday.
Some try to compare it to an iPad, it is not an iPad, nor does it compete with it.

Lots of info on the device at the above link.

I also finally joined the Cloud :D
I setup my Droid Bionic yesterday via Amazon's MP3 player, and I have Cloud access now via Amazon to store my own music uploaded my home PC, or to store Amazon purchased MP3s and movies.

Tried it out at home, and now the 13 Alice Cooper (showing my age here :D ) MP3s I bought yesterday show up in the Cloud on my Droid, on my work PC, and of course on my hard drive at home.
The Amazon music shows up under My Documents/My Music/Amazon/name of artist folder, pretty cool, and also my iTunes opened up at home and imported the new purchased tunes into my iTunes library.
Brilliant :D
 

Corey

OverCamping Specialist
I will have to post a pic later comparing the screen of my Droid verses the Kindle Fire.
Text is still garbled in the navbars with the Droid Bionics (just this forum only), but it looks perfect on my Kindle Fire.
The Kindle is to big to hold in my hand and type on it like a smart phone, so I have to rest this on my lap and type on it.

I am hoping the Fire II will have HDMI and Bluetooth.
The former for TV out, and the latter for my Sony Bluetooth headphones for music on this.

When I turned it on yesterday, it greeted me by my name.
Amazon programs them with your account info, pretty cool.
All of my Android apps I got via the Amazon App Storre for my Droid Bionics were waiting in the Cloud for transfer to my Kindle, so I take it the Kindle is Android based.

Sent from my Kindle Fire.
 

haven

Expedition Leader
The Next Big Thing for e-readers appears to be front-lighting for the inexpensive models. Today, the Kindle and Nook e-readers use an LCD panel that is reflective. So the e-reader is fully usable in bright light, even direct sunlight. In a darkened room, however, they don't work at all. The addition of front-lighting makes the e-reader a better bedtime companion. The front-lighting works like a flashlight, too, helping you find your way to the bathroom in the dark.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Touch with Glowlight (that's a mouthful!) is first out of the gate, offering a front-lit 6 inch screen for $139. The new model delivers a month of reading, if you use the front light for 30 minutes a day. Amazon is working on a similar model, but no details have been announced.

Here's an article with photos of the new Nook

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/12/nook-simple-touch-with-glowlight-hands-on/
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
Now that looks pretty cool. I'd like to go with a thinner, lighter case than the Kindle leatherette case with the slide out LED.
 

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