i dont see why fitting an entire page on the screen is necessary.
I usually use landscape mode and type with my thumbs.
I can type faster than on a physical keyboard.
I type all my posts on my mini.
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iPad or Android tablets just for reading
- Thread starter Bromio
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I usually use landscape mode and type with my thumbs.
I can type faster than on a physical keyboard.
I type all my posts on my mini.
A proper reading experience requires fitting the entire page on the screen for me.
I think there must be a trade-off: maybe a 12" tablet is better for PDF reading, but it's also less portable and convenient for epub reading, for what it seems the best choice is 7" o 8". So, around 10" is probably an eclectic solution for me.
With size fixed, my question is more related with characteristics aspect ratio, screen quality and, of course, software.
A 10.5" Samsung may have a bit bigger diagonal than a 9.7" iPad, but it is 16:9.
Even a 12" Samsung is not much wider (portrait) than a 9.7" iPad.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is perfect in terms of portability because it's even lighter than iPad Air, but a 12" Samsung is heavier for me (I've held it). In fact, I'm considering the 10.5" or the iPad Air.
I believe 2560x1600 WQXGA is a 16:10 format as Samsung prefers that aspect ratio on their tablets.
iPad Mini (first gen) is excellent for reading and surfing. Perfect size and pretty reasonable in price in these days too as compared to the newer iPads.
OK, I actually didn't bother to check if it was 16:9 or 16:10. It is the only 12" available.
I haven't seen them in person or done the math, but I imagine a 10.5" Samsung would be narrower (portrait) than a 9.7" iPad, so I would prefer the iPad.
It might also happen that the iPad IPS is better for reading than the S AMOLED (haven't checked).
I've seen the Tab S 8.4 at BB the week they were released, the 10.5 wasn't on display. Let me tell you the the Tab S display is downright gorgeous. I have never seen a display that beautiful. The text on that screen was so sharp and clear. If I had not purchased a Galaxy Tab 4 several weeks earlier, I would have bought a Tab S.
Yes, I heard people saying it's beautiful, but without any mention about text.
I actually want a 12" Note S, but given that Samsung prices fall significantly with time, I did not want to wait any longer to pay full price for it, and decided to make do with a great deal that popped up temporarily for the 12" Tab. I can hold until it gets massively discounted and hand this one down then.
Groupon is/was selling the 12.2 Pro not S for (Samsung Refurb) $399
I got it NEW from the best online store here (in Europe) for $440 without any such tricks.
I would also suggest an iPad ONLY because you have an iMac. If you utilize iCloud or any Apple services, you'll be glad you got an iPad. I have both an iPhone and iPad because I already had a MacBook. When I got an iPad, e-reading was the main reason I got it but I went with the iPad because I had a Mac already. If I hadn't, I probably would have gotten a Kindle or any tablet that offered the Kindle App. Because of my Mac and iCloud, my iPad has become much more than just my e-reader and I use it a lot more than I thought I would when I bought it.
I'd recommend an app 'Marvin' for the iPad - much better for reading due to customization of background colours (and font colours) and adjustment of margins.
If you use an IPad Air you can use Marvin in landscape in two column mode and adjust the column widths to your liking, while enjoying the larger screen for PDF viewing. Marvin can be set to automatically go into two column in landscape, and can set custom brightness for Marvin - again, making reading on an LCD screen much better than usual and not too far off eink.
If you use an IPad Air you can use Marvin in landscape in two column mode and adjust the column widths to your liking, while enjoying the larger screen for PDF viewing. Marvin can be set to automatically go into two column in landscape, and can set custom brightness for Marvin - again, making reading on an LCD screen much better than usual and not too far off eink.
After reading all your comments, I've gone to my near shopping center and I've been playing with Samsumg Galaxy Tab S and iPad Air.
The former's screen (10.5") is indeed gorgeous. I've never seen something equal. Impressive. I also have to say that this screen quality is especially noticeable when the tablet plays the example videos. I suppose reading wouldn't be so visually shocking or might be even inconvenient.
Unfortunately I couldn't use Google Play Books, because it needs a Google account to work. However, following your indications, I've concluded both Samsung and iPad Air are good choices for reading.
My iMac is not compatible with AirDrop, but I'm Calendar, Notes and Reminds user, as well as Keychain via iCloud. I also use Pages. Anyway, I guess I could do all this things through Google ecosystem.
What about reading and simple edition of documents? I use Pages in my Mac. Is there such a powerful counterpart in Android tablets? (As I said before, this won't be my main occupation, but it seems any tablet behaves good enough for reading objectives).
The former's screen (10.5") is indeed gorgeous. I've never seen something equal. Impressive. I also have to say that this screen quality is especially noticeable when the tablet plays the example videos. I suppose reading wouldn't be so visually shocking or might be even inconvenient.
Unfortunately I couldn't use Google Play Books, because it needs a Google account to work. However, following your indications, I've concluded both Samsung and iPad Air are good choices for reading.
My iMac is not compatible with AirDrop, but I'm Calendar, Notes and Reminds user, as well as Keychain via iCloud. I also use Pages. Anyway, I guess I could do all this things through Google ecosystem.
What about reading and simple edition of documents? I use Pages in my Mac. Is there such a powerful counterpart in Android tablets? (As I said before, this won't be my main occupation, but it seems any tablet behaves good enough for reading objectives).
I prefer the iPad for my reading experience, though if you're just going to use it as a reader, I'd also recommend you look into the Kindle Paper white as an option
Oops, never mind on the kindle recommendation.
Oops, never mind on the kindle recommendation.
I've never used Android so can't comment on whether they have as good a document editor as iOS, but syncing between iPad and Mac on Pages is very smooth, and I love it. You basically have a single copy of your document in iCloud that you can access from either device, and you don't have to think about which version is which. I love it.
I never found this to be the case. I read a lot of electrical schematics in PDF format and much prefer them on a 9.7" screen at 4:3 then 10.1 at 16:9. Never tried 12" so that might be better but at 16:9 vertical (9:16) everything is waaayyy to small, horizontal (16:9) requires too much scrolling up and down.
I wouldn't see them being much better on a 12" screen because even on my 27" iMac I'm using a 4:3ish window to view them which is certainly wider them the 12" tab held vertically.
Thank you everybody!
I think now I have enough information to buy my tablet rightly. I've concluded that both iPad and Android tablets are perfectly valid and superb for reading in the way I want, whether it's ebooks, PDFs or even Word (Pages) documents.
Though there are exceptions, most of you say that iPad aspect ratio is better for reading. The LCD IPS screen is also convenient. I guess 16:9 and AMOLED tablets are excellent for other kind of uses, like playing videos.
I'll probably acquire an iPad Air, although, of course, I will go to the store and, eventually, I'll decide in situ. However, your opinions have been very helpful.
Thanks.
I think now I have enough information to buy my tablet rightly. I've concluded that both iPad and Android tablets are perfectly valid and superb for reading in the way I want, whether it's ebooks, PDFs or even Word (Pages) documents.
Though there are exceptions, most of you say that iPad aspect ratio is better for reading. The LCD IPS screen is also convenient. I guess 16:9 and AMOLED tablets are excellent for other kind of uses, like playing videos.
I'll probably acquire an iPad Air, although, of course, I will go to the store and, eventually, I'll decide in situ. However, your opinions have been very helpful.
Thanks.
Seeing as you have a mac, syncing will be a pain with a Samsung, just been there with a S5. You will have to use android transfer which is Ok but not like iTunes/icloud/iphoto. You don't want to put Kies on your mac its a nightmare.
There is a few issues with the S tablets and they will drop in price quick, so re sale will be crap as Samsung make so many tablets.
Forget the mini unless it is just for ebooks, too small and the colours are not as good as the Air.
You will have to do a lot of mucking around to get a Samsung anything lag free and smooth.
I played with one the other day and going from it to a Air was like chalk and cheese.
The 8.4 interests me but wouldn't have one as my only tablet.
I have a 10.1" 16:10 Android tablet. For reading letter or A4 sized PDF in fullscreen portrait, the iPad's 9.7" 4:3 screen is much better suited for the task.
That said, letterboxing on HD videos on the iPad is pretty awful so for that, I prefer to use my Android tablets.
In terms of reading apps, there are very good options on both iOS and Android. The usual Kindle, Nook and Kobo are available on both platforms and the apps work pretty much the same on either. There's the excellent GoodReader (pdf) and Marvin (epub) on iOS. On Android, there's ezPDF (pdf) and Moon+ (epub). Mantano (pdf & epub) is apparently available on both platforms. Mantano is my preferred epub reader on Android. However, I haven't tried the iOS version yet (primarily because I just learned of its availability quite recently).