End of an era: Bye bye, iPad

[thistlechaser]

I finally did it. For a couple of years now, I've been thinking about replacing my iPad with a Kindle. I do very little with it other than read (and using the Kindle app, no less), and while there's nothing wrong with the pad when I use it at home, it's too big for sticking into my purse and easy carrying.

Sadly, a few months ago I bought the cheapest Kindle, thinking I'd use it only when I was going out. Unfortunately it doesn't have a touchscreen and is a pain in the ass to use, so I've only used it once or twice and don't want to continue using it.

Still, I'm the cheap frugal type, and if something isn't broken, I don't want to replace it. I paid a lot of money for that pad! Wondering if I misremembered how much I paid for it, I looked it up. Almost exactly four years ago (May 13th, 2010) I bought it for "$700 and change". (First gen iPad, thus the price.) I thought I had paid a thousand for it, so I guess $700 is better. Four years is a lot of use out of something, especially since I use it multiple times a day, right?

The new Kindle, with case, is $170. ($150 + darned $20 of taxes! Drives me insane, all this debate about online stores not having to charge tax, I've ALWAYS had to pay them!) I went with the Paperwhite instead of the Fire because I don't need another tablet -- if I want to use one, I'll still have my iPad.

It looks like the features will be better, which was the tipping point. The Kindle app only shows you the first two lines from the dictionary when you tap on a word -- the Kindle itself shows you the whole page and gives you the option to check the wiki as well. Even more handy, it tracks the words you look up and sets up flashcards so you can make sure you remember them later.

I got the version with "special offers" (ads) to save $20, only because reports I've read said they're very unobtrusive. I hope that was the right decision.

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this, but I love my Paperwhite to little pieces. eInk, but it has sidelighting (rather than the iPad and other tablets' backlighting) to allow it to be read in the dark or the full noon of a glaring sun. It's the invention/product that finally got me to try out an eReader, and although I still appreciate my filled-to-the-brim bookcases, I'm buying most of my books in eBook format nowadays.

I can't speak about the obstrusiveness or unobstrusiveness of the ads, though, as I opted to pony up a little more upfront to get the ad-less version.

I hope you enjoy yours!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yep! I remember you mentioned that, and I thought about it when I was sitting on the Amazon page debating clicking or not.

Supposedly the ads (which are only special offers from Amazon) show only on the screensaver and on the 'home' page (where you pick the book you want to read), they don't show when you're reading. I actually kind of like seeing Amazon offers, since I do so much of my shopping through them, so I'm kind of okay with it. I hope I don't end up kicking myself over it, but I figured saving $20 would make up a little of the $60 or so I paid for the El Cheapo version that I bought previously and now don't want to use.

Thanks! I hope I do, too!

[tersa.livejournal.com]

That doesn't sound so bad then.

Not that I likely have to ask ;), but post your review of the Paperwhite once you've had a chance to play with it.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! You know me too well. I'll post a review for sure! :)

[hamsterwoman]

Welcome to Kindle ownership! I bought mine (3G keyboard, 'cos I didn't want a touchscreen) 2.5 years ago, and have been very happy with it -- it's super-light and the screen is very easy on the eyes, and I love the bookmarking, search, and dictionary features.

I have the kind without ads, but my mother's has the ads, and I think they are unobtrusive -- the non-special-offers Kindle cycles through some "screensavers" when it's off, and I've stopped noticing them at all, so I imagine it'll be the same with the ads.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I didn't even think about the improvements in eyestrain. I've been getting strain/headaches lately, hopefully the Kindle will help reduce them.

That's what I figured as well. I do so much of my shopping on Amazon that I'm sort of okay with seeing offers, and I was betting that soon enough they'll just fade into background noise anyway.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

I didn't even think about the improvements in eyestrain. I've been getting strain/headaches lately, hopefully the Kindle will help reduce them.

eInk is supposed to be better for that than backlit screens, so fingers crossed it does help!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Great! Sometimes I read less than I'd like just to go a little easier on my old eyes. Hopefully I can stop doing that. I'm behind on making my 50 books/year challenge!

[bacchuslives.livejournal.com]

I've got an early kindle fire. I like it well enough, apple does have broader app support though. I'm still not going with an iPad though. what I can't do with my kindle, I can usually do on my iPhone :)

Totally can't beat the kindle paperwhite just as an e-reader!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend an ipad for most anyone. Nowadays there's too much that does the same thing better. Back when I got it though, it was a new and special toy. :)

[kelen.livejournal.com]

I don't have anything against datapads, but I haven't even considered one because if I pay for a book I want to own it. Kindle doesn't let you do that. :( Heard too many horror stories about people's whole collections being taken away because of stupid things, and they never get anything back.

I'm getting old, aren't I? ;)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Your library can be downloaded to your own machine (though I'm a slacker and haven't done that yet). Computer, ereader, pad, whichever or all of them. :)

I know the old feeling though! :)

[kelen.livejournal.com]

Are you sure? Everything I've read and heard says you aren't allowed to download from the Kindle. Would be nice to be wrong though.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure, yeah. When I move a new file to my ipad, I work in a Windows folder-like setup. I can move things into it, so I would assume I could move it out as well. I should test it next time.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

Heh, that is kind of funny. You are moving to a smaller format, and I moved to a larger one...I love my Samsung tablet. But then, I carry around a massive bag of holding so tossing one more thing in there is no big deal.

I never thought I would give up on paper books, but it has been a long time since I bought one. E books are just so much more convenient.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I love ebooks so much. The idea of being able to bring every single book with me wherever I go! (Nevermind I never read more than one at a time...)

I do still like my iPad, but 99% of what I do on it is read, the other 1% is to look up a word I've read or something about the author, so I think a dedicated ereader is right for me.

I could see how a tablet would be handy for you though, since you go off on long car trips and such. I'm the opposite -- I'm rarely away from my computer for more than an hour at a time (grocery shopping or whatever). So I don't need the net function of it (and have my phone of I did).

What an age we live in, huh? So many options from computers all the way down to phones.

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I was given an old-fashioned Kindle for my birthday two or three years ago. I manage quite well with it.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ah good! I think if I hadn't started with an iPad, I would have liked it better. I was used to bells and whistles, so it was hard to change to one without even a touchscreen.

[kishenehn.livejournal.com]

Kindles? They still make those? :-p

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Haha don't say that! I hope to get many years of use out of this one.

[spike7451.livejournal.com]

I'm just about to replace my Kindle and have been debating whether to get n iPad instead, the reverse of you. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! I do still like my iPad, it just doesn't fit for what I need it for. If you do get one, I hope you enjoy it! I'll be interested to hear. :)