Best tablet for reading eBooks

[skippymac]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to get my Mum a 7" tablet for christmas this year and until now was planning on the iPad mini.

It looks like it might be a little more expensive than I had hoped (although obviously no one knows for sure).

Anyway the potential high price got me thinking "Why haven't I even considered an android tablet?"

So I was just wondering what the Android tablet experience is like?

Here are the main things she'll be using it for (in descending order of importance):
- Reading eBooks
- Playing sudoku
- Browsing the internet
- Might be able to convince her to use it to listen to music/the radio!

Anyway I'd just like a few opinions on what android is like for these tasks, specifically eBooks.

Also, what is the whole android experience like? My only android device has been a low end phone running 2.2 so I have no experience of android now!

A big issue is ease of use/intuitiveness. I feel like mum would pick up all she needed to know about iOS fairly easily, and fixes for most problems will just be a trip to the apple store away at worst! With android is there much technical stuff that needs to be done, how is the UI/usability? easy to pick up for let's say not a very technically minded person? What about getting content? I believe apple would be easy as she'd only need one account for apps/books/music. What would android be like for this?

Finally, if you do recommend android, which would be better, nexus 7 or kindle fire HD?

Thanks and sorry for the essay!

 

[tbayrgs]

I really like my Nexus 7--complete flexibility to make it work however I'd like. That being said, I really wouldn't recommend it for the less tech minded individual (i.e. I wouldn't get it for my mom). If it's really only going to be used for consumption if media, I'd suggest either iOS or a Kindle Fire (any model). Both will allow one stop shopping for content and offer a simple user interface. If price wasn't an issue I'd go with an iPad as it would allow consumption of media from more sources (Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble), at least here in the US, but it looks like it's going to be quite a bit more expensive. Considering how you describe it'll be used, I think a Kindle Fire would work out just fine.

 

[MRU]

Kindle Fire HD (for simplicity and music/radio and ebooks)

Boils down to PPI. IF apple release an iPad mini with a retina display, then it will be the best for ebooks. If however as we suspect its 1024x768then the Kindle Fire HD is probably the way to go, especially for ease of use and putting ebooks onto the device, the Kindle is ideal for that task.

Simple games like Sodoku also available on the Amazon App Marketplace.

 

[skippymac]

I'd suggest either iOS or a Kindle Fire (any model).

Boils down to PPI. IF apple release an iPad mini with a retina display, then it will be the best for ebooks. If however as we suspect its 1024x768then the Kindle Fire HD is probably the way to go, especially for ease of use and putting ebooks onto the device, the Kindle is ideal for that task.

Simple games like Sodoku also available on the Amazon App Marketplace.

Thanks guys, looks like it's between the iPad and Fire. I've got a while to decide obviously so I'll see what the iPad mini turns out to be like and decide then

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Something else I was going to ask:

Does either tablet (fire or iPad) take a lot of setting up, especially regarding connecting to a computer, or are they largely computer independent?

My parents have an iMac so would a fire be particularly less compatible or would it not be a problem? (Btw it's unlikely mum'll want to use iCloud or any of those features)

 

[SpyderBite]

I'd go with a Fire and add Amazon Prime to it for all the free content.

 

[MRU]

I'd go with a Fire and add Amazon Prime to it for all the free content.

Not sure Amazon prime is available outside of USA..

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Thanks guys, looks like it's between the iPad and Fire. I've got a while to decide obviously so I'll see what the iPad mini turns out to be like and decide then

----------

Something else I was going to ask:

Does either tablet (fire or iPad) take a lot of setting up, especially regarding connecting to a computer, or are they largely computer independent?

My parents have an iMac so would a fire be particularly less compatible or would it not be a problem? (Btw it's unlikely mum'll want to use iCloud or any of those features)

The fire would be pretty much independent of your mac other than to drag and drop their music onto it should they wish.