I am thinking about getting a Tablet, the problem is which one and why, the more I look the more questions I have.

What I want is something that I can hook up with Amazon, I know they own the Kindle but is that the best choice and will other tablets work with Amazon and their deals?

Do you need to have a WiFi4 what ever connection? can't you use your pc and down load from it to your Tablet?

I spend half my time reading which is why I am looking at a tablet, right now I set at the PC an read, I would like it better to be sitting in my recliner.

When I started this search I was thinking a black and white 7in job, now I am looking at something much larger and in color with all the apps and stuff that I have no idea why I need them.

So there it is - Tell me something I don't know.

Thanks,

River

My IPAD will not connect to my MacBook Pro because the Macbook is six years old and has too little memory.

Yes you have to get a plan like a cellphone to use the internet on it unless you have a wifi or some bluetooth hub in your house. I have none and my IPAD is exactly a portable thing that I have to wire into my computer to transfer things. Not hard but cumbersome...

(The keyboard is tight for my fingers and I'm pretty agile as a typist when I get inspired in a story. But then, I can adapt to most keyboards including this pile of shit computer that needs replacin' because the "t" key and the "u" key and the "right arrow" key are screwed up. To get back to the point, the keyboard is tight at 3/4's size...)

I don't know much about Kindles. They look good. I just read good things about the paperwhite screen being spectacularly easy to read.

I have "Kindle for Macbook" on my computer to read kindle books. I like it. Lots of cheaper books on KINDLE. There is also a lending library to use like a library.

Look in the specs for if they are 3g or 4g -- like I know what that means (HA, not a clue!)

If you're doing mostly Amazon stuff, the Kindle Fire, will probably be fine. Yes, you do need WiFi. Although you might be able to transfer files from your computer to the tablet, it's absolutely worth having WiFi for the convenience it gives you. A WiFi router, if you don't have one, isn't terribly expensive, and what's nicest about a tablet is the ability to connect to the Internet when you want to download books or movies, to get online, etc. I can't imagine not having WiFi at home.

I don't remember the last time I bought a physical book, magazine, or newspaper. I read them all on a tablet. I have both the Ipad and the Kindle Fire (the older one). Both are good. I mostly use the IPad - you can get Kindle apps on it and download your Kindle books to it.

The 7" Kindle Fire is smaller, easier to carry, and cheaper, and if you're mainly reading ebooks, it's great for that. I hate reading books on a computer, but I love reading them on a tablet. I like movies a little better on the bigger IPad screen. I play almost all the video games I play on the IPad. If all you're doing is reading books, the new Paper white Kindles is probably the best for that, but I would suggest buying the Kindle Fire, which is about the same price. You can do so much more on it. For your first tablet, the Kindle Fire, considering you want access to Amazon, is probably the best choice. Definitely get WiFi, though. Trying to get by without it, even if you could, would be too much hassle.

I used to take a laptop with me when I traveled, but now, I just take my IPad, unless I'm looking to do some Photoshop stuff. I can do most everything on my IPad.

At home, even though my computer is on, I'll usually pick up my IPad and use it. I'm a big fan of tablets.

You can purchase an IPad with a 3G/4G connection, but getting access will cost bucks, $25-$30 a month. You can usually find free WiFi when you're out and about, at Starbucks and in many stores for instance. I got 3G on my first IPad, the original IPad, but I didn't get in on my latest IPad. WiFi only works fine. Although I have a portable hotspot device, I'm seldom forced to use it. If I need a WiFi connection, I can usually find a Starbucks, store, or local mall, where I can find it.

Although I can connect my tablets to my computer, I don't remember the last time I needed to do it.

I do have a modem that allows WiFi, so I guess that is my solution, I already have it, duh.

Sense my last post I have been looking at the Kindle fire for 299 and I think for what I want it will give me everything, movies and books.

I hate reading paperbacks, but an actual hard bound book is wonderful to read, it does not have the same feel when reading on my PC, but I can adjust the print. I have looked at a couple tablets and I really like them it has that hardbound book feel.

Thank you both for your input, more welcome as I learn more about this the more I like it, now to come up with the $500 to get it going.

details.

River

I know it may seem like a bad word, BlackBerry, but that is what I use. It is a 7 inch unit. Full color HD screen. You can get it with either built in Internet, for which you pay a fee, or you can get the wi-fi version I have. I use the wi-fi in my house, at coffee shops, or in airports. Any ebook it can download, and I use a free app to open them. Kindle, Kobo, Amazon, even iTunes.

It is very easy to connect to the computer. You can Internet surf, watch videos, etcetera. I am using it this moment to write this.

I have it set up to get all my emails. It has a very good app store. I had an iPad, but barely used the thing. It was difficult to get it to work with my other devices.

I have only one complaint about the BlackBerry Playbook, and that is, there is no app to let me watch Netflix on it. Other than that, it is completely superior to the iPad in every way. The smaller size means I can take it more places. It has a better camera. It has better audio, and it more easily connects to wireless printers. If I had a phone with bluetooth, I wouldn't even need the Internet version. It could use the bluetooth to connect to my phone, and I would have full access.

Decently equipped models sell for around $200 to $300. Cheap and powerful. Though only 7 inch. If you have really bad eyes it could be a problem. Oddly, though smaller, I find it easier to type on the BlackBerry over the iPad. The iPad was a bit cumbersome.

Just my experience.

Oh. One more thing. The autocorrect function on both has been a real headache.

Ok, size is a factor here. Me, I have one of the 7" tablets. Love that size. It's big enough to read on, big enough to enjoy a movie, and small enough to fit in a pocket still. Best of all, it didn't cost anywhere near $500. Cost about half that, actually. And while I like the Kindle Fire, the purist in me believes in going for the pure Android experience whenever possible. So, personally I recommend going for the Nexus 7, straight from Google. Runs a pure version of Jelly Bean (the most current version of Android), runs everything in the Google Play store, and it should run anything from Amazon as well.

Google's just about to come out with a new 32gb version of the Nexus 7, actually, which should be retailing for about $250. That would be the model I would go for. I like having my tablet be a little more 'open'.

A few points. If you are heavily invested in the Apple/iTunes world, than your only real choice is the iPad, but it will cost you. Otherwise your only real option is an android tablet. (WebOS is dead and Blackberry is nearly comatose, but you might find a great deal on them, which if you want it mainly for reading and media consumption, and don't care about apps could be fine) If you don't demand that your toys be the absolutely latest and hottest technology, you can save a metric shitload of money by buying last year's technology just before next year's comes out. Between now and the first of the year all the major player are introducing hot new hardware, and most are dumping last years inventory at fire sale prices. If you watch the daily deals sites, .Woot.com, CNET's daily Cheapskate, 1 Sale A Day etc, you will see tablets that were selling for $4-700 a few months ago are now selling for under $200. I would skip the cellular connection feature. It demands a data plan w/ a monthly payment, and you can usually find a wifi hotspots. Or if you have a smartphone it may be able to function as a wifi hotspot.

I use the Kindle program constantly, but given the choice I would almost always prefer a real book. The pagination on the Kindle does not match that of the original book, which renders the index almost useless, which can make finding things a chore. The price for bestsellers on the Kindle is exorbitant, but you can get older stuff cheap, and most stuff out of copyright you can find for free either from Amazon or Project Guttenburg.

Transward

Thanks guys,

I think you have convinced me that the Nexus 7 is a much better product then the Kindle however I have a big concern over the size of the screen, as I am going blind I wonder if I will be able to read the text, but the only way to know for sure is to go look.

I have also been convinced that I don't want ice cream but what I really want is jelly beans, what am I talking about????? the only thing I know for sure is that I am now hungry.

River

Riverwind (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:55 am Thanks guys,

I think you have convinced me that the Nexus 7 is a much better product then the Kindle however I have a big concern over the size of the screen, as I am going blind I wonder if I will be able to read the text, but the only way to know for sure is to go look.

I have also been convinced that I don't want ice cream but what I really want is jelly beans, what am I talking about????? the only thing I know for sure is that I am now hungry.

River

You can set the text size in the Kindle app on any of them. The main difference in the size of the tablet would be how much would be on one page, with more text on the page of a larger screen. In any case, you can make the text large enough to read whether you have a 7" screen or a 10" screen.

I'll take an e-book over a physical book anytime. With Kindle, I can start a book on one device and have it automatically sync to where I left off, if I switch to reading it on a different device. Also, there are enough free books available that you would never run out of them. I've found out-of-print books on Kindle I couldn't find anywhere else. Also, if I want to read a book, I can download and read it NOW. I don't have to look for it in a store. I often buy Kindle books for my grand daughter. It emails a link to her, and she can download them right away.