I bought a tablet computer a few weeks ago (Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1), and I've had some time to get used to it.* FYI, I didn't buy the iPad because it had fewer features and (big for me) I was not interested in getting locked into Apple's "walled garden."
Here are a few notes:
* Damn. The price has dropped by $28 (6 percent) in the last month.
** I bought End of Abundance to make it easier to get it again from Amazon; I am pleased to see that the hyperlinks work as advertised, although it's annoying that the format doesn't look right unless you page fwd/page back so the Kindle can catch up, but that's typical with HTMP rendering. I was annoyed to find that hyperlinks do not work with Adobe reader for the PDF version of the book; I bought EZPDF Reader so that hyperlinks work but that program -- like Acrobat does not allow me to display 2-up pages. Any ideas there?
** Yes, I am thinking more about how to market TEoA via Kindle...
Here are a few notes:
- There's the awkward process of figuring out how to balance your "digital life" among several devices (I have a laptop, iPhone, iPod Nano and now this tablet). Looks like I am using the tablet more for casual internet browsing and emails and -- very important -- reading (more below).
- Android apps are definitely lagging Apple apps. I need to sideload my Economist (via Calibre, a free eBook program) and can't get the New Yorker. That said, I can't say I am really suffering from a "lack of apps."
- Reading on a tablet is no big deal. The Kindle is lighter to hold and has a longer battery life (30 days vs 3 days?), and the tablet has some problems with glare in the sun. I'd be happier with a lighter tablet, but it's a WHOLE computer with a bigger screen, so that's a tradeoff I am willing to make.
- Reading: I just downloaded about 30 free books.** The number of free, but good, books -- combined with "loaning" Kindle books --- means that I could probably read for free for the next few years (or decades). Ease of access (free, plus instant download) means that a lot of people are going to be reading these books.*** Writing and publication are definitely going in the same direction as music (and film). Awesome for consumers, tricky for producers.
- Size matters! This tablet is much easier to carry around, throw on the bed, etc. I can see taking it to conference, etc. instead of a laptop.
- I am starting to understand more about "the cloud" -- I've uploaded most of my music (via google music) from my laptop. I already use (and LOVE) Dropbox, so I can see a time when we will have most of our data stored and sync'd in the cloud. Security is not so much of a worry to me (hacked passwords are a bigger problem).
* Damn. The price has dropped by $28 (6 percent) in the last month.
** I bought End of Abundance to make it easier to get it again from Amazon; I am pleased to see that the hyperlinks work as advertised, although it's annoying that the format doesn't look right unless you page fwd/page back so the Kindle can catch up, but that's typical with HTMP rendering. I was annoyed to find that hyperlinks do not work with Adobe reader for the PDF version of the book; I bought EZPDF Reader so that hyperlinks work but that program -- like Acrobat does not allow me to display 2-up pages. Any ideas there?
** Yes, I am thinking more about how to market TEoA via Kindle...
2 comments:
I don't own a cell phone, a laptop, a tablet or any of those other gizmos that are weighing you down. I have a desktop computer and a telephone and people can reach me when I'm ready for them to, instead of intruding on my days.
"hacked passwords are a bigger problem"
Perhaps you should look at last pass (lastpass.com).
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