Tag Archives: e readers

Barnes and Noble’s Galaxy Tab E Nook is yet another tablet for readers

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If you're a fan of Barnes & Noble's Nook line of e-readers and tablets, there's a new option to tempt you this fall. The Galaxy Tab E Nook is a 9.6-inch slate that offers all of the perks of the bookseller's digital library in a Samsung package...

How E-Readers are Changing the Online Education World

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Kindle Paperwhite 2013

Technology is constantly molding the world around you – and education is no different. Here are six ways how E-Readers are changing the online education world.

E-Readers Save Students Money

Image via Flickr by epSos .de

It costs students an average of $1,168 a year to carry around over-sized textbooks and related materials, according to the Huffington Post. Compare that to the price of a Kindle at $139.

While there’s a lot to consider when buying an E-Reader, such as finding the service that has the type of textbooks you’re looking for, E-readers like the Kindle offer much less impact on your wallet than paper textbooks. The books themselves are also much cheaper, with some eBooks boasting 20 to 30 percent or more in savings.

Apps Make E-Readers Easy to Use

Technology makes life easier, and that’s exactly what mobile apps do for students. CourseSmart’s app isn’t only free, but it gives students access to more than 90 percent of higher education texts in North America, which adds up to 60 percent savings when compared to brand new hardcover textbooks.

It also offers instantaneous downloads, and there’s no need to take any trips to the post office when a class is finished. And don’t forget that an E-Reader weighs a fraction of a textbook, yet can hold thousands of pages of information and more than 1,500 eBooks.

Students can Take Online Classes On the Go

There are more nontraditional students going to college these days, creating a rise in demand for education. And with 7.1 million students taking at least one online class — many times while still maintaining a full-time job — time can run a little scarce.

E-readers are taken on the go, have Wi-Fi capabilities, and aren’t as bulky as text books. Students can take their classes anywhere: on the job, at home, or on the bus to school.

Teachers Love Them

Many universities are incorporating eBooks into the curriculum, with some offering degrees completely online. Monash University ranked in the top 1 percent of world universities according to the 2013-2014 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Monash University is known as a supporter of digital learning materials such as E-Readers and tablet computers. It has brought the world closer together by offering online college master degrees for more than 280,000 alumni who have utilized technology to earn their degrees.

E-Readers are More Eco-Friendly

Image via Flickr by epSos.de

There’s no concrete proof that E-Readers or physical textbooks have either environmental benefits or drawbacks. However, it’s easy to discern that E-Readers are more eco-friendly because they use less raw materials, such as paper and ink distribution.

Amazon was the first to report that eBooks outsold traditional books in 2011, where the online retail sold 105 eBooks for every 100 physical books. And eBook sales have continued to rise since then. E-Readers are only getting better with more memory capacity, clearer pictures, and color screens. It might not be long before students in every classroom have an E-Reader in the palm of their hands.

Getting a degree online or in the classroom has never been easier than with the help of E-Readers, tablets, and eBooks. The students that use leading technology of today will be the innovators of tomorrow.

Amazon’s next-gen Kindle Paperwhite reportedly arriving in Q2 with a sharper screen, lighter design

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Amazon's next-gen Kindle Paperwhite reportedly arriving in Q2 with a sharper screen, lighter design

Amazon only just released a new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader two months ago, but we're already hearing rumors that a newer model is on the way. According to a new report from TechCrunch, the new version, to be released in early Q2 of next year, will boast a sharper 300-pixel-per-inch screen, allowing it to better compete with models like the Kobo Aura, which has a 265-ppi screen. (Not that Kobo's represents much of a threat to Amazon's book-selling empire.) Also it's worth noting that E Ink makes the displays for basically all these e-readers, so it seems unlikely that Amazon would hold an exclusive on a 300-ppi panel -- at least not for long.

Additionally, TechCrunch claims the new Paperwhite will have a lighter design that mimics the new Kindle Fire HDX tablets, with chamfered edges, a rear power button and a glass screen that sits flush with the bezels. The device is also rumored to have haptic feedback along the edges, which will give vibrating feedback when you do things like move to the next page. There's no big software update planned, apparently, although Amazon is said to be working on a new custom font that's more conducive to marathon reading sessions. We suppose if this report is true, all will be revealed over the coming months -- hopefully those of you who just bought a new Paperwhite won't be too cheesed off by the timing.

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Source: TechCrunch

Kobo Arc 10HD review: $400 is a lot to spend on a ‘tablet for readers’

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Kobo Arc 10HD review: $400 is a lot to spend on a 'tablet for readers'

A tablet for readers has always been a tricky proposition. For starters, the manufacturers that have attempted to create such a thing also make dedicated e-readers -- devices with longer battery life and screens designed to make text look as much like print as possible. Barnes & Noble has given the category a shot with its Nook Tablets, though there are lingering questions as to whether that line will even survive. Amazon, meanwhile, has gone the opposite route, with reading representing just one of many features. Kobo's latest readers see the company doubling down on reading, with a trio of tablets built around a reading core.

The Arc 10HD is the top-of-the-line model, a slate that doesn't skimp on the specs (or price, for that matter, at $400). Most notably, it maintains a clear focus, promising to be (in Kobo's own PR speak) "the best 10-inch HD tablet for readers." For Kobo, that means loading up on book-centric features, including one that turns off all of those tablety distractions so you can just read. What, precisely, does it mean to be "the best 10-inch HD tablet for readers"? Does Kobo even deserve that distinction? Most importantly, is it a category within a category that really needs to exist in the first place?

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Engadget’s 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: E-readers

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Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month.

Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide Ereaders

Weighing your e-reader options isn't as difficult as, say, deciding on a new smartphone. There are fewer models to sift through, for one, and your allegiance to Amazon or B&N could further narrow things down. Still, you have a range of options in every camp -- from barebones devices meant for reading and nothing else to full-fledged tablets with the higher-end specs to match. Below, we make the case for some of our top picks.

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Hands-on with Goodreads for Kindle Paperwhite

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Hands-on with Goodreads for Kindle Paperwhite

Exactly a day after gracing the Fire line, Amazon-owned Goodreads has arrived on the Paperwhite -- if you're willing to take a little initiative and download yourself, that is. And in all honesty, this was the upgrade we've been waiting for since the acquisition was first announced. It's nice functionality to have on the Fire, certainly, and folks who own multiple Kindle devices will appreciate being able to use it across the tablets and readers, but the addition of social reading means a lot more on e-readers, where things tend to be a lot more locked down, due to hardware limitations. Overall, we were a bit underwhelmed by the implementation on the HDX. With a few exceptions, Goodreads feels more like an app than an integral part of the ecosystem. Given that the Paperwhite offers a less open platform, however, we had higher hopes for the e-reader.

And indeed, once installed, Goodreads is front and center -- well, slightly to the right of center, added to the homepage toolbar, sandwiched between search and settings. If you've already tied your Amazon account to the social network -- as we did with yesterday's Fire update -- you should be good to go. Tap the "g " icon, and you'll bring up the Goodreads app, which has been styled to match the rest of the Paperwhite UI. The app's front page shows you updates across your network, including ratings and who wants to read what. From there, you can like and comment on statuses and mark those titles and "Read" or "Want to Read." Up top, the My Shelves link lets you see your own collection. From that page, you can also click through to add books from your Amazon library, a nice way of back filling all the electronic and physical books that you've read over the years. It's the next best thing to inviting people over to your place to see your real life bookshelf.

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Delta and JetBlue to Allow Electronics Devices In Flights

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Delta and JetBlue have taken the initiative first by letting their travelers use e-readers, iPods and tablets. The passengers will be free to use these electronic gadgets during take-off and landing...