Tablet recommendation for student ~$200

  • Replies:8
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 5, 2014, 7:29:42 PM via Website

Hello everyone,

I'm an Engineering college student and thought it's time to get a tablet for my studies and reading - I have a lot of ebooks so one of the most important things for me would be to read my PDF's. I went to a tech store and played around with some tablets and I found that the default viewers don't rescale the text (I understand this is called text reflow?) - so it seems like using qPDF or ezPDF (https://www.nextpit.com/en/android/forum/thread/457228/ezPDF-Reader-1-8-2-1) should take care of that problem?
I was looking at the ASUS Nexus 7, what do you think? It looks good, and less than $200. I am concerned about the size, I just don't want to reach a point where I have to swipe left to right in order to simply read a single line in a book - so I can't have that problem.
This will be my first Android device so I'm pretty ignorant about it. I assume I can get the latest OS directly through the device, and it will support the latest OS for quite some time since the specs on it seem pretty decent?

Thank you.

KoMoDo

Reply
sinkster 23
sinkster
  • Forum posts: 610

Feb 5, 2014, 8:06:40 PM via Website

With any Nexus you'll always get the latest updates automatically, plus the N7 also has pretty future-proof specs and probably represents the best value for money. Regarding the text reflow, the two apps you mention are pretty good, plus some reader apps can read .azw files which should enable it.

Sinkster

Reply
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 5, 2014, 8:25:38 PM via Website

Thank you for the feedback.
I will only be running .pdf files - I'm just really concerned with making sure that will be the case regarding text flow - same goes for websites - are there browsers that do the same?
Let me reiterate - I essentially want to only swipe up and down to read, I understand that I will probably have to swipe down every couple of actual lines - but I just don't want to view the files as if my screen is 16'' etc.
Can someone please verify that this will be the case? Just before I go out and get it. I found it for $180, any recommendations on deals for the ASUS Nexus 7? What's the difference between the ASUS version and the Google version?

Thank you.

Reply
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 5, 2014, 9:59:59 PM via Website

Another question - do you have any recommendations for perhaps a similar performance tablet that's around 10 inches, not too expensive?
Also, for the Nexus 7 - any recommendations for cases? Or just manufacturer names? I'm pretty ignorant about tablets.

Thank you.

Reply
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 6, 2014, 2:39:52 AM via Website

I have done some research and came up with the FHD Nexus 7 for ~$260 so that's still manageable. Seems like a great tablet. I also found a case that should hopefully work.

Now, if anyone can verify to me of the text flow and the reading concerns I have in my previous posts I will really appreciate it, so I can go ahead and buy this tablet if I know that my concerns are not a problem with some optimized, free readers.

Thanks!

Reply
35
Lalit
  • Admin
  • Forum posts: 2,324

Feb 6, 2014, 6:20:04 AM via Website

Go ahead with nexus 7 !! this will give you the assurity of getting latest updates !! and it is again useful for students to.... you can experience the power of android with nexus !!

Forum Rules - Recommended for new AndroidPIT members! / Important to all community members: please read before posting

Reply
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 7, 2014, 3:06:16 AM via Website

Thanks for responding John.

Can you verify that my concern won't be an issue? I'm worried that the small screen won't be fully optimized for web site and PDF reading. I want the text to fit on the screen - so that I won't have to swipe left/right just to read a single line on a normal monitor.

Thanks!

Reply
35
Lalit
  • Admin
  • Forum posts: 2,324

Feb 7, 2014, 6:52:00 AM via Website

KoMoDo
Thanks for responding John.

Can you verify that my concern won't be an issue? I'm worried that the small screen won't be fully optimized for web site and PDF reading. I want the text to fit on the screen - so that I won't have to swipe left/right just to read a single line on a normal monitor.

Thanks!

Hey, KoMoDo
Well, if you are worried about the screen size than, let me tell you on Nexus 7 you are going to get 7inch display I guess it is the same size of the novel and if you want to read magazines than you could probably go with the Nexus 10 i.e. 10 inch screen size and the downside of it will cost you around ~500 and you need to take extra care of it because it can't get inside your pocket ..... while with nexus 7 i am sure you are going to get it inside your pocket ...or its can be hold comfortably and if i talk about websites that are not optimized for reading in tablet, than i am sure probability of getting such sites are >5% majority of websites are using the liquid template that can be adjusted according to the screen size. It i talk about reading PDF file that is not again a headache as it is loaded with 4.3 JellyBean which adjust the PDF file accordingly and i am sure it is going to be updated to KitKat, which again has a feature named immersive mode that places the content in the middle of the screen, so you don't need to swipe left or right !! Overall if i have to say Nexus 7 is a great choice but you know very well that you can't find every thing under the same house. But i am sure that nexus 7 can keep you happy with the reading thing !! :grin::grin:

Forum Rules - Recommended for new AndroidPIT members! / Important to all community members: please read before posting

Reply
2
KoMoDo
  • Forum posts: 7

Feb 7, 2014, 5:43:25 PM via Website

Thank you John. I trust you, it seems like a great device so I'm going to order it now :)

Thanks!

Lalit

Reply