kindle paperwhite, are they worth buying as well as buying a tablet

acon2119

Hi
Kindle paperwhite: is it worth buying one or are they over rated. Are they great or not?

L1011

They aren't tablets. Its an ereader. Only any good for reading books on.

acon2119

MYOB wrote: »

They aren't tablets. Its an ereader. Only any good for reading books on.

Thanks but I know what they are. I meant that are they worth buying in addition to a tablet.

L1011

acon2119 wrote: »

Thanks but I know what they are. I meant that are they worth buying in addition to a tablet.

Probably not. Do you read a lot, and more importantly, in the bath?

Orion

I have both a paperwhite and a tablet. I wouldn't use the tablet for books tbh. So it's a yes from me.

Kevin!

acon2119 wrote: »

Thanks but I know what they are. I meant that are they worth buying in addition to a tablet.

Definitely if you read alot. The kindle has an e-ink display which is less harsh on the eyes, while a tablet has an LCD which is tiring after a while.

Battery life on the kindle is also ridiculous, measured in weeks not hours

jimgoose

acon2119 wrote: »

Thanks but I know what they are. I meant that are they worth buying in addition to a tablet.

I have an original American-spec Kindle that was given to me as a present in 2009, with functioning WhisperNet and the whole lot. It is a wonderful bit of kit, and although I have the Kindle app on my Galaxy S4 it is the actual Kindle machine I usually use for ereading. Having said that, if I had an Android tablet to run the Kindle app on, I don't think I'd buy a Kindle device.

comongethappy

Kindle Paperwhite is the single invention ever.

Fact.

WeHaveToGoBack

comongethappy wrote: »

Kindle Paperwhite is the single invention ever.

Fact.

I can think of other inventions so you are incorrect haha

comongethappy

WeHaveToGoBack wrote: »

I can think of other inventions so you are incorrect haha

I can also think of other inventions.

All were mere foreplay toward the invention of the Kindle.

Orion

Orion wrote: »

I have both a paperwhite and a tablet. I wouldn't use the tablet for books tbh. So it's a yes from me.

I can't agree with this enough. I love my tablet, but it's the paperwhite for reading all the way. It's much easier on the eyes, the battery life is fantastic, and it's lighter and easier to hold in one hand for long periods.

It's well worth buying both if you're a regular reader. I don't know anyone who's regretted buying a kindle, particularly the newer Paperwhite models. If you can afford it, it's a huge improvement on the grayscale one.

Tokyo

I had both, managed to crack my eReader and will buy one again ASAP. You *can* use a tablet as an eReader, but (a) it strains the eyes far more and (b) you can't even remotely compare battery life on them - my old eReader would go weeks between charges, which was a big deal when I was traveling and couldn't access power all the time. So yes from me for having a separate eReader.

Long Gone

mike_ie wrote: »

I had both, managed to crack my eReader and will buy one again ASAP. You *can* use a tablet as an eReader, but (a) it strains the eyes far more and (b) you can't even remotely compare battery life on them - my old eReader would go weeks between charges, which was a big deal when I was traveling and couldn't access power all the time. So yes from me for having a separate eReader.

How can you use an Android tablet as an eReader ? Is there an app you can download somewhere ? I have loads of ebooks in Kindle format but no idea how I can read them on my Google Nexus......

stinkle

I have both, the battery life on the kindle is excellent. I once forgot to bring it with me midway through a great book and was able to continue to read it using the kindle app on my tablet, but there was no contest - tablet is much better for reading.

jimgoose

Long Gone wrote: »

How can you use an Android tablet as an eReader ? Is there an app you can download somewhere ? I have loads of ebooks in Kindle format but no idea how I can read them on my Google Nexus......

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.kindle&hl=en

Long Gone

Long Gone wrote: »

How can you use an Android tablet as an eReader ? Is there an app you can download somewhere ? I have loads of ebooks in Kindle format but no idea how I can read them on my Google Nexus......

If they are Kindle books bought from Amazon, simply download the Kindle app from Play and sign into your Amazon account and they'll be automatically added. If they're Kindle books sourced elsewhere, download the app, sign into your account, and sideload the books directly to your tablet or email them to your Kindle (not Amazon) account.

orchidsrpretty

Yeah you can download numerous e reader apps on android that can read all formats, moonreader or akido are two that spring to mind.

I have a tablet and a e reader. Would not try to read a book on the tablet, would drive me mad.

srsly78

I use my 2013 nexus 7 as an ereader (with aldiko app). No eye strain, works fine. Would never bother with one of those kindle yokes.

silvervixen84

I bought a new Nook for half the price of a new Kindle, rooted it, and put the kindle app on it. Works great for me.

osarusan

Is there anything to be said for an actual book and some good old ludic reading?

willabur

I love mine, great battery life vs that of a tablet.
Had a tablet, which broke and I never bothered replacing it as anything I did on it I can do on my phone. I know if something happened my kindle paperwhite tho I would replace it right away

bearhugs

I have a tablet, and I was completely against getting a Kindle at first. Got a Kindle paperwhite about a year and a half ago and I absolutely love it. I have read a little on my tablet with the Kindle app but it's very harsh on your eyes after a while and the glare is awful. For me it's absolutely worth having the two.

srsly78

All you people complaining about eyestrain etc should just get a better tablet. I notice a big difference between the old nexus 7 and the 2013 version. Brighter screen, higher res etc.

BeerWolf

OP, have you ever used a kindle before...?

That's like comparing an apple to an animal - they're completely different things...

Great thing about kindles, zero strain on the eyes due to a backlight... you read it like a regular book. They got an incredibly long battery life, it uses minimal power to change the page, then it's off again. What stays on screen stays there indefinitely til you want to change it.

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

All you people complaining about eyestrain etc should just get a better tablet. I notice a big difference between the old nexus 7 and the 2013 version. Brighter screen, higher res etc.

A dedicated reading device is always going to be easier to read on than a tablet. I've new Nexus and a Paperwhite, I use the Paperwhite for reading all the time. The tablet doesn't compare.

srsly78

That's just your opinion, not everyone has a problem with reading off screens - so please don't generalise. Same goes for pc monitors, some people complain about eyestrain, some don't. I'm short-sighted and wear contact lenses, working in front of a monitor usually. No problems with reading off a tablet, been doing it for years.

bearhugs

srsly78 wrote: »

All you people complaining about eyestrain etc should just get a better tablet. I notice a big difference between the old nexus 7 and the 2013 version. Brighter screen, higher res etc.

I don't think it's about a better tablet. Have you used the Paperwhite? It's a completely different experience reading the e-ink to a computer screen. There's no shine at all it's a matte surface.

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

That's just your opinion, not everyone has a problem with reading off screens - so please don't generalise. Same goes for pc monitors, some people complain about eyestrain, some don't. I'm short-sighted and wear contact lenses, working in front of a monitor usually. No problems with reading off a tablet, been doing it for years.

Try a Paperwhite for a while, you'll see the difference.

srsly78

bearhugs wrote: »

I don't think it's about a better tablet. Have you used the Paperwhite? It's a completely different experience reading the e-ink to a computer screen. There's no shine at all it's a matte surface.

I also don't notice this much mentioned screen glare.

How is the paperwhite different from older e-ink screens? Just because it's white?

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

I also don't notice this much mentioned screen glare.

How is the paperwhite different from older e-ink screens? Just because it's white?

It's brighter, and it can be adjusted up or down for the light conditions. The screen is matt and the text crisper than on the older grey models. It also means you can read in bed without a beside light on or a clip on light, as needed on the older model. It's also lighter and a touch screen, unlike the older model where there were page turn and other buttons.

Cool Mo D

srsly78 wrote: »

I also don't notice this much mentioned screen glare.

How is the paperwhite different from older e-ink screens? Just because it's white?

Because it's got a backlight. And eReaders are just so much more pleasant than an LCD screen it's amazing. Modern eReaders are as easy on the eyes as reading an actual book.

srsly78

There is much debate over the backlight topic, many people have no problem with them. In some articles Ophthalmologists say it makes no difference: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/lcd-vs-e-ink-the-eyestrain-debate

With old screens it was the flicker that would cause eyestrain, not the light itself - but this doesn't even apply to modern ones.

The tablets clearly win in many areas, more pixels means crisper text, color images etc. It all comes back to this backlight issue.

SoulTrader

Have a tablet and a paperwhite. Definitely recommend the paperwhite for reading. The price is well worth it too, in my opinion.

I don't even read that much but it's great to have the paperwhite.

bearhugs

srsly78 wrote: »

There is much debate over the backlight topic, many people have no problem with them. In some articles Ophthalmologists say it makes no difference: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/lcd-vs-e-ink-the-eyestrain-debate

With old screens it was the flicker that would cause eyestrain, not the light itself - but this doesn't even apply to modern ones.

The OP asked for opinions, and yours just seems to differ from most others who have posted here. They have also used both the Paperwhite and a tablet. You don't mention that you have used a Paperwhite before. It's just very different to a traditional screen and much easier to read on. You're completely entitled to your own opinion, but you're in the minority.

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

There is much debate over the backlight topic, many people have no problem with them. In some articles Ophthalmologists say it makes no difference: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/lcd-vs-e-ink-the-eyestrain-debate

With old screens it was the flicker that would cause eyestrain, not the light itself - but this doesn't even apply to modern ones.

The tablets clearly win in many areas, more pixels means crisper text, color images etc. It all comes back to this backlight issue.

Anyone I know with both expresses a preference for the Paperwhite. You really need to try it for a while before you dismiss it out of hand.

srsly78

I used the older kindles, the paperwhite just seems to be a brighter version of them. I will try one out if I can borrow one, will it load non-amazon ebooks? If not then this would be a problem.

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

I used the older kindles, the paperwhite just seems to be a brighter version of them. I will try one out if I can borrow one, will it load non-amazon ebooks? If not then this would be a problem.

Convert them to kindle format first. You can mail them with 'convert' in the subject line to your Kindle (NOT amazon) account that will be in the 'settings' menu of the Kindle and they will be stored in the cloud and show up on your Kindle like any Amazon bought book will. Or you can convert them to Kindle format using Calibre book management free software and sideload them to the Kindle. It's very easy.

snollup

I have one of the original basic Kindles & love it. One thing I really like is that there is no web or apps to distract you from reading.

srsly78

bearhugs wrote: »

The OP asked for opinions, and yours just seems to differ from most others who have posted here. They have also used both the Paperwhite and a tablet. You don't mention that you have used a Paperwhite before. It's just very different to a traditional screen and much easier to read on. You're completely entitled to your own opinion, but you're in the minority.

As are you, but it's not a democracy. There is a lot of rubbish info around - like with the backlight causing eyestrain thing. Can you present any evidence to back this up, or is it all based on "feeling"?

Kash

I have both, and if you read a lot, I would totally recommend one.

I don't know a single bibliophile who has been disappointed by their reader.
And I was always part of the 'but i like holding a real book' brigade.

I used to have the older version of the kindle and it is almost as good, but it is a bit like reading a really old book, the text and the paper are closer in colour than you would ideally like. The paperwhite is like reading a new book, perfectly clear. The light in it is fully adjustable (i keep it off during the day for the most part) but is super handy at night, particularly if you have an other half who wants you to turn off your bedside lamp before you are finished your chapter!

Kash

Kash wrote: »

I don't know a single bibliophile who has been disappointed by their reader.
And I was always part of the 'but i like holding a real book' brigade.

I resisted buying one for years because I was a 'real book' person. I still buy books that I want to collect, but 99% of reading is on the Paperwhite. It's amazing how quickly you convert to it, I'm evangelical about the convenience now.

Especially when you're going on holidays.

The One Doctor

I don't like the Paperwhite, it's too expensive. The standard Kindle is perfect.

bearhugs

srsly78 wrote: »

As are you, but it's not a democracy. There is a lot of rubbish info around - like with the backlight causing eyestrain thing. Can you present any evidence to back this up, or is it all based on "feeling"?

I never mentioned eyestrain. I just said there was a shine off the tablet screen that you don't get with the paperwhite. The backlight referred to by someone else is on the Paperwhite and doesn't cause eyestrain. It means you can sit in the sun for example and read with no glare. This wouldn't happen with a tablet. I don't think there's a need for evidence, I don't need to go googling research about eyestrain to give my opinion.

Meirleach

srsly78 wrote: »

There is much debate over the backlight topic, many people have no problem with them. In some articles Ophthalmologists say it makes no difference: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/lcd-vs-e-ink-the-eyestrain-debate

With old screens it was the flicker that would cause eyestrain, not the light itself - but this doesn't even apply to modern ones.

The tablets clearly win in many areas, more pixels means crisper text, color images etc. It all comes back to this backlight issue.

Modern displays with PWM backlights do have flicker.
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1362457985

There's also the issue of the blue light emitted from tablets/monitors/certain lightbulbs causing insomnia. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-08/news/ct-met-night-light-sleep-20120708_1_blue-light-bright-light-steven-lockley

I've only recently gotten an ebook reader myself. Prices finally dropped enough to justify getting a single use device, and from my own experience it's much much easier on my eyes than reading on a computer screen or tablet.

Although it was a Kobo I bought and the light on that can be entirely turned off. Iirc the paperwhite can only be turned to a very low light level and not off.

Canis Lupus

I've a kindle and the app on a smartphone. I do most of my reading on the phone tbh. I used the kindle itself when I was travelling and away from electricity for long periods of time and having to only charge it once a month or so was amazing.

FloatingVoter

I have an iPad that I mainly use as a reader. The kindle does me for when the tablet is charging.
Don't ask where the books come from.

Long Gone

Candie wrote: »

If they are Kindle books bought from Amazon, simply download the Kindle app from Play and sign into your Amazon account and they'll be automatically added. If they're Kindle books sourced elsewhere, download the app, sign into your account, and sideload the books directly to your tablet or email them to your Kindle (not Amazon) account.

Thanks ! They're Kindle books (.mobi) given to me on an external hard drive.

I'll download an ebook reader from Google play and then try to figure out how to get the ebook files onto my Nexus. Nor sure if I will have to e-mail them to say hotmail and then open on the Nexus ? I've never downloaded anything onto my Nexus from an external device before....

Primus Pilus

A kindle paperwhite is like a specific tool and not swiss army knife (ie tablet). It rocks if you like reading digital books, the battery last forever, doesn't get heavy like a tablet does and it's easier to read for long periods of time. If you can afford to buy a purpose specific e-reader, you won't go wrong.

bmwguy

If you have the kindle app on your phone or tablet I suggest going into the settings and changing the page colour to one not as harsh on the eyes as white. There are a few options in there. Mine is currently Sepia I find it good.

mickstupp

I use a tablet for PDFs (among other things). I go through a lot of them that need annotation and it's handy for that. No need to print reams of stuff either. But for pure reading it's a world of difference for me using a Paperwhite. I don't get the same sting and sharp pain in the eyes after a bunch of hours. And it doesn't give me migraines after prolonged use. The light from a paperwhite is not the same sort of light from a tablet. And e-ink is awesome, the clarity is great. I used an iPad mini retina for a while and that too was no comparison to the paperwhite. Very different reading experience.

I think for the original poster, it might depend on how long you intend reading each day. If it's only a bit, and you have a tablet, then a paperwhite may not be any use to you. But if your daily or weekly reading time is much more (e.g. mine's 4-6 hours per day, due to a long commute) then hands down the paperwhite in my opinion. You might find, like I did, that after a very short time using a Kindle of any sort, your reading habits change and you end up doing it a lot more anyway. I think it's a great device and even though I have a tablet, if my paperwhite broke I'd have to get down to the shops straight away for another one.

matrim

I have both and the paperwhite is much better for reading over long periods. Plus with the extended battery life you don't have to worry about being near a plug after a few hours.

One really nice feature of the kindle is the page sync between the app on your phone and your kindle.

You can be at home reading on your kindle and get to page 200. Then if you're out and have some free time but don't have your kindle, open the amazon app on your phone and it automatically goes to your last read page.Read a few pages, and go home and they your kindle will sync to the last read page on your phone.