tablets

[meganbmoore]

 I'm looking into getting a tablet.  I'll mostly be using it to read manga (I can read manga on my kindle, but I want a larger screen) and then for netflix/crunchyroll/amazon prime when traveling.


Any recommendations?

Comments

[starlady]

I really like my iPad as a manga reader and as a portable video player. Buying them refurbished from the Apple Store on apple.com can save a chunk of change.

[meganbmoore]

Yeah, I was actually looking at the ipad mini while out today and thinking that it looked to be just the right size for what I wanted, but that it was too costly. I shall investigate!

[telophase]

For that combo of things, I'd suggest the iPad also. But bear in mind that I don't have any experience with tablets other than the iPad. And any manga site that uses Flash won't work on it.

If you'll be putting video on it (not just streaming), then you'll want to get as much memory as you can afford.

[telophase]

Also, if you go for a refurbished iPad, make sure it can handle iOS7 and that it's got a retina display, since you want a alrger, clearer screen for small text and subtitles. (I'd sell you our iPad 1, but you reeeaaaaally don't want it for what you're doing. Really.)

[meganbmoore]

Ah, good to know. (Right now even the refurbished ones are a bit much, but I'll watch them, thanks.)

[oyceter]

I've heard from some ereader review sites (can't find the link right now, sigh) that the Nook HD+ is a pretty good deal right now if you don't care about the book ecosystem—I personally don't, since I sideload everything via Calibre, but YMMV. Also, they just added Google Play, so it should be good for most Android apps. Downsides are that B&N is veering close to obsolete.

kate_nepveu really likes the Nexus 7, and pretty much everyone I know has said the screen there is the best. The 7" screen is probably fine for manga (my 6.8" Kobo Aura HD screen is a little small but definitely readable), but it does make reading US comics a little difficult. I also don't know if Google is releasing an update to Nexus 7 with the upcoming holiday season (and therefore discount the old model), but it's probably good to wait a week or so, since the deals will probably be much better.

Buzz around the new Kindle Fires have also been good, although a lot of that is tied to Amazon's ecosystem, which I don't care about, so I haven't paid as much attention as to hardware specs and stuff.

[meganbmoore]

Yeah, I'm hoping to find good deals during the holiday sales. otherwise, i'll have to wait for tax refund when I have a little more leeway.

I have been looking into the kindle fires, but mostly because I'm used to kindle.

I'll keep an eye on the Nexus 7, as it seems likely to end up in my range.

[oyceter]

Also, I don't know how much this matters to you, but I think there are several Android devices (pretty sure the Nexus devices, not sure about others) with better screen resolution than Apple's Retina screen. I do think that helps a lot when you're reading things that are scrunched down a bit, such as comics on a 7" tablet. That said, I was completely baffled by Android the first time I tried to get around it. YMMV!

[meganbmoore]

I've had the android system for my phone for a couple years now, so hopefully I'll be ok if I go with that. (had an optimus, just got a motorola)

[oyceter]

Link spammage!

Good EReader is the blog that I check that posts reviews of ereaders but also videos comparing two ereaders, which I find helpful.

Also, looks like Nook HD is currently on sale at Groupon for $99, and I saw the HD+ going for $129, though I can't find it right now... sometimes you have to browse through all their stuff b/c it doesn't show up on search, GRRRR.

(Sorry for all the commenting!! Have just been dreaming of tablet for comics reading and therefore collecting info even if I never end up purchasing...)

[meganbmoore]

OMG. *will now stare in longing for the rest of the day as she dithers*

[chaila]

I've heard from some ereader review sites (can't find the link right now, sigh) that the Nook HD+ is a pretty good deal right now if you don't care about the book ecosystem—I personally don't, since I sideload everything via Calibre, but YMMV. Also, they just added Google Play, so it should be good for most Android apps.

+10. I recently did a ton of research and ended up buying a Nook HD+ based mostly on reviews like the ones here and here (this one is not entirely accurate; B&N is still making the tablets, I believe, at least for now). It comes in a 9 inch version and a 7 in version. I got it primarily because: 1) I wanted a 9 inch screen, rather than 7 inch, b/c yay nice big screen, and; 2) I did NOT want to spend the money on the Nexus 10 or iPad, which were the only other tablets with a comparable screen size and were so. damn. expensive. The Nook was like 1/3 of the price of the other two. But if you want a 7 inch screen, this price differential is probably not as much of an issue.

I use mine mostly to read comics (it is my Diana tablet, to be honest), watch Netflix/Hulu, and watch vids and downloaded TV files, and it's been great for me. I don't use the B&N purchasing system AT ALL, but you don't have to now that it's compatible with Google Play.

[pleonasm]

I know you're a Kindle user so this might not be of use to you, but my wife has a Nook HD and loves it; it's the perfect size for browsing and watching stuff, and it's way cheaper than any kind of iPad. I'm looking at getting the 9" one and it starts in the $160s iirc.

[meganbmoore]

I use kindle, but I'm not opposed to nook. I'll keep an eye on them.