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When we say "e-book readers," we're now really referring to three classes of products: black-and-white e-ink readers ($80 to $150); 7-inch color LCD media tablets ($200 to $250); and full-size color tablets like the iPad (most $400 and above). The market has consolidated around a handful of major players: Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble are the leaders, with Kobo, Samsung, Sony, and a host of Android tablet manufacturers bringing up the rear.
Choosing among those three categories of readers is the dilemma facing any shopper today. But don't worry; CNET's here to help. If you're an experienced shopper, you can jump straight to our current recommendations -- or check our lists of top e-book readers and top tablets. And, if you're just trying to decide between a Kindle Fire and a Nook Tablet, check out Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: How to choose. But if you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, read on to consult this quick guide, which boils the purchase decision down to seven questions:
1. Reader vs. tablet: Do you want more than just reading?
Start by asking yourself what you're really looking for. Do you just want to read books? How about magazines and newspapers? What about browsing the Web? Want to add multimedia to the mix -- music, audiobooks, or video? Are you a Netflix junkie? Do you need Flash support? E-mail and messaging? Gaming?
Products like the Nook Tablet (left) and Kindle Fire split the difference between e-reader and tablet.
(Credit:
CNET/Sarah Tew )
If you want more functionality and a color screen, you'll need to step up to a tablet. High-end full-size (10-inch screen) tablets like the iPad 2 (the 16GB version is still on the market), the third-generation iPad, or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are much more versatile than e-ink readers, and they can replace a laptop for some tasks. But they'll cost you upwards of $400 or more to start.
But there's a growing class of smaller tablets that split the difference between e-ink readers and full-size tablets. The Nook Color blazed the trail in 2010, and has since been joined by the Nook Tablet and the Amazon Kindle Fire. In addition to working as e-readers, these 7-inch color LCD tablets utilize customized versions of the Android operating system to deliver a growing variety of media, productivity, and entertainment apps. Most significantly, these products are priced from $199 (or even less if you opt for the Nook Color, which is still on the market).
The potential drawback of the Amazon and Barnes & Noble models is that they have stripped-down hardware (no Bluetooth, no cameras, no GPS) and offer a "curated" version of Android -- a custom app store that's actually a subset of the real Google Play, with access to thousands fewer apps. But "real" 7-inch Android tablets are getting cheaper all the time. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, for instance, offers very few feature compromises, runs the latest Android 4.0 operating system, and costs just $249. And, like all Android tablets, that will still allow you to access Amazon and Barnes & Noble e-books through their respective apps.
Best basic e-book readers: Amazon Kindle ($79, no touch screen), Amazon Kindle Touch ($99 to $189, with touch screen), Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch ($99, touch screen), Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight ($139, with self-illuminating touch screen)
Best reading tablets for under $200: Amazon Kindle Fire, Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet
Best all-around full-featured reading tablets: Apple iPad (third-gen) ($499 and up), Apple iPad 2 ($399), Asus Transformer Pad TF300, ($399, 32GB, keyboard dock option), Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 ($249 and up)
2. How large of a screen (and weight) do you want?
Even if you plan to never leave home with your e-book reader, you should consider its size before buying one. Since you hold the device in front of you whenever you want to read, the weight and size is a critical issue.
The smallest and lightest dedicated e-book reader that we can recommend is the entry-level 2011 Kindle. Unlike the step-up Kindle Touch model, the baseline Kindle includes neither a touch screen nor any audio features. However, the trade-off is that you get the lightest e-book reader currently on the market -- just under 6 ounces.
Touch-screen models all weigh a tad more. The 2011 Kobo weighs a bit less than 7.1 ounces. The Nook Simple Touch, meanwhile, tips the scales at a very portable 7.5 ounces -- more than a third lighter than the original -- while the newer GlowLight Nook is even lighter, at just under 7 ounces. The aforementioned Kindle Touch weighs 7.5 to 7.8 ounces, depending if you go with the Wi-Fi or 3G model. But even with cases, all of these 6-inch e-ink models are light enough to hold for extended reading sessions without tiring.
With their color screens and beefier batteries, the 7-inch tablets are heavier than their e-ink counterparts. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is 12.2 ounces, and the weights tick up from there. The Nook Tablet weighs 14.1 ounces, the Kindle Fire weighs 14.6 ounces, and the Nook Color is almost a full pound (15.8 ounces). To put that into perspective: the 10-inch Apple iPad 2 weighs 1.33 to 1.35 pounds (21.3 to 21.6 ounces -- the heavier one is the 3G model), but it has twice the screen area of the 7-inchers. (The third-generation (2012) iPad is a tad heavier -- 1.44 to 1.46 pounds.) That's why many people pick up a 7-inch tablet and say, "This is heavier than I expected."
Besides the iPad, other 10-inch models include the e-ink Kindle DX, the Asus Transformer Pad TF300, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (or similar Android models). All of them weigh between 1.2 and 1.4 pounds.
Remember, all e-book readers let you adjust the font size of the content you're reading, so even a small screen can display much larger type than you're used to seeing in a book, magazine, or newspaper. In other words, a smaller screen does not mean you need to sacrifice text readability. However, small screens often make magazine and PDFs look cramped, since they're generally designed with large print sizes in mind.
Beyond the preference of the screen, the weight is often a bigger issue. Unlike a laptop, which sits on a table or in your lap while in use, you'll be actively holding these readers or tablets aloft. For long reading sessions -- say, more than 45 minutes or so -- many users will find that their fingers and arms becoming strained.
Finally, remember that if you add a case or a screen cover to your reader or tablet of choice, it's going to add some weight as well.
Lightest e-book readers: Amazon Kindle, Kobo eReader Touch Edition, Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight, Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch, Amazon Kindle Touch
Mid-size readers/tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet, Amazon Kindle Fire, Nook Color,
Large-screen readers/tablets: Amazon Kindle DX, Apple iPad (third-gen), Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Asus Transformer Pad TF300
3. What are your screen preferences: E-ink or color LCD?
E-ink: As close as you'll get to a printed page
Dedicated e-book readers, such as the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and Sony Reader, use an e-ink screen. However, e-ink screens have some drawbacks: they're black and white, and the pages don't refresh as quickly as those on an LCD do. However, they do an excellent job of reproducing the look of printed paper. Also, you can read e-ink readers in direct sunlight, which is something you can't do on an LCD screen (a fact Amazon is keen to point out in its advertising).
Previously, the biggest drawback for e-ink screens was that they were not self-illuminating (unlike LCDs, which are backlit by definition). But that's now changed with the release of the Simple Touch with GlowLight, which uses a unique side-lighting technology to illuminate the e-ink screen for reading in dark environments. It costs $40 more than its non-illuminated counterpart, but that's actually cheaper than the $60 Kindle covers that include built-in lights (which add considerable bulk): Lighted Cover for Kindle ($60); Lighted Cover for Kindle Touch ($60).
The "Pearl" screen by E Ink is now standard on all major e-ink readers. So, whether you're getting the Nook or Kobo or Sony Reader or Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen. (Whether that changes later in 2012 remains to be seen.)
Many users of e-ink readers dislike the refresh flashing that occurs between page turns. While those flashes still exist, user settings now allow them to happen once every five to six page turns, rather than every time a page is refreshed. Also, page turns on the latest e-ink screens are notably faster than on previous years' models.
LCD: Bright, backlit -- and potentially tiring
Color LCD screens found on all tablets (including the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire) are bright, colorful, beautiful displays. But those advantages have trade-offs. The reflective screens on LCD tablets make it hard to read in bright light, and many people find that the backlight tires their eyes over long reading sessions.
New for 2012 is the Retina Screen of the third-generation iPad. At 2,048x1,536 pixels, it's far and away the best-looking LCD screen out there, and arguably the best experience for reading text on a backlit screen. But as great as it looks, it's still LCD -- and still suffers from the issues mentioned above.
LCD readers are prone to glare.
All tablets (iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, etc.) have touch screens, as do all current models of major brand e-ink readers -- except the entry-level $79 Kindle. Most users will find the touch screen to be the most natural way to interact with a device. That said, if you're only interested in reading -- without taking notes, tweeting, or doing other text input -- that supercheap, superlight Kindle may well be all you need.
How to choose
So, which screen is better for reading: e-ink or LCD? We can't answer that question for you. (See "LCD vs. e-ink: The eyestrain debate".) If you don't have a problem staring at your laptop or LCD monitor screen for hours on end -- or if you enjoy reading in low light without an external light source -- you'll probably like an LCD screen. Likewise, if you enjoy reading Web sites, magazines, and newspapers, and if you want support for interactive children's books, you'll want to go with color. However, if you prefer the look of newsprint or if you enjoy reading outside, an e-ink display is your friend. And if you like reading in bed, the Nook GlowLight may well be your ideal solution.
Whether you're checking your preference for e-ink versus LCD or touch screen versus keyboard controls, we'd strongly recommend that you try a few devices before you buy one. You'll find most major e-book readers (Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, Apple iPads, Android tablets) under one roof at your local Best Buy; iPads can be found at Apple Stores, of course, and all flavors of Nooks are on display at your local Barnes & Noble store.
Best e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Touch, Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch, Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight
Best LCD readers/tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet, Amazon Kindle Fire, Apple iPad (third-gen), Apple iPad 2, or any good tablet
4. Do you need always-on wireless data?
When buying many tablets and some e-book readers, you'll need to make a choice between two versions: the Wi-Fi model or the 3G/4G version. In other words: do you want the more affordable Wi-Fi model (which requires you to be near a Wi-Fi hot spot to download books or access the Internet), or do you prefer to pay a premium -- via a higher up-front price and/or a monthly bill -- to add 3G access on a cellular wireless network?
If you're primarily interested in reading books, you're probably going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You only need Wi-Fi access when you're buying new books. (E-book files are stored on the device -- once downloaded, Internet access isn't necessary.) So, if you're a voracious reader, you can (for instance) buy a bunch of books, toggle off your Wi-Fi, and work your way through them at your leisure. In fact, many users keep the wireless on their readers switched off most of the time since it significantly boosts battery life.
If you're using your hardware to access anything besides e-books -- magazine or newspaper subscriptions, e-mail, the Web, apps, and so forth -- ubiquitous wireless access becomes more important. Still, if you're using the reader/tablet primarily at home, Wi-Fi will probably remain sufficient.
If you're a power user or frequent traveler, opting for a 3G or 4G product is worth considering.
The current Nook Simple Touch, Nook Tablet, Kindle Fire, and Kobo models are only available in Wi-Fi versions. Amazon offers two versions of the Kindle Touch with 3G wireless (using AT&T's cellular network). The wireless is free, but it's limited to shopping for new books and downloading new issues of magazines and newspapers -- don't expect to be surfing the Web and watching video, even if that was pleasant on those e-ink screens (it's not).
Tablets, of course, offer a much wider array of media options -- and, as a result, cellular (3G or 4G) data access is much more tempting. Many Android tablets are available in carrier-specific versions with terms similar to that of smartphones: you get a discount on the hardware, but you'll need to sign up for a two-year contract with beefy monthly bills. (Most Android tablets now also offer contract-free Wi-Fi-only versions.)
On the iPad, there are now two cellular options: the 3G iPad 2 (16GB only) or the 4G third-generation iPad. (Both are available on Verizon or AT&T.) In addition to paying a $130 premium over the Wi-Fi-only counterpart for each, you'll pay a monthly fee to the wireless provider, but it's a prepaid monthly service, not a long-term contract; in other words, you can cancel or restart any time, without paying an expensive early-termination fee. (Annoyingly, a recurring $35 activation fee may apply if you start and top the service, though.)
Ironically, the Kindle Fire offers no 3G version. With its reliance on "cloud" entertainment options -- streaming video and audio from the Amazon online store -- it's a curious omission. (That said, some -- but not all -- videos can be downloaded and stored on the Fire for offline viewing.)
Is broadband wireless a must-have? That's a question you'll need to answer. Just remember that -- with more phones offering Wi-Fi hot-spot functionality and establishments such as Starbucks offering free Wi-Fi -- there are plenty of ways to get seamless online coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support built-in.
Best Wi-Fi e-ink readers: Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch, Amazon Kindle Touch
Best Wi-Fi tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet, Amazon Kindle Fire, Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi), Asus Transformer Pad TF300, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0
Best 3G e-ink reader: Amazon Kindle Touch (3G/Wi-Fi): With Special Offers; Without Special Offers
Best 3G/4G tablets: Apple iPad third-generation (4G/Wi-Fi): Verzion or AT&T; Apple iPad 2 (3G/Wi-Fi): Verizon or AT&T
5. Apps vs. hardware: Which reading platform offers the most flexibility?
One of the advantages of having your reading collection "in the cloud" is that you can access your books on multiple devices, though some e-book vendors offer better cross-platform support than others do.
This is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the e-book stores can be available on different devices, including (in the case of Apple) those of rival e-book publishers -- the e-book equivalent of buying a can of Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20009738-1/kindle-vs-nook-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/
