Top Ten Reasons To Not Buy An iPad

[Redcard]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Actually, you can use Project Gutenberg to get e-books for the Kindle. I do it all the time on mine. And for Mobileread.net epub files, all you have to do is convert them to MOBI files with Calibre to read them on the Kindle.

Well, as I indicated earlier, the problem isn't file formats

The end difference between MOBI and EPUB and HTML and RTF and TXT are all mostly moot when there is no DRM at play. Therefore, it doesn't matter what reader you use, so long as the standards remain openly visible, and you can convert things back and forth at will. This is what not having DRM allows.

If you're going to be stripping DRM (which I do), then it really doesn't matter WHAT formats your device supports, so long as they support ONE that you can convert the stripped DRM into.

At that point, for me, it comes down to hardware.

Now, back to the original statement about not wanting an ipad, I loved my ipad. But I found I didn't use it enough, it hurt my eyes when reading, and much of what I did use it for is what I use my iphone for now.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

I got an email from an individual justifying the #1 status for the Kindle by the "top 10" site. The justification assumes everyone buying a device is new to the ereader market. I cannot accept a device that negates my entire library (EPUB and soon to be EPUB), makes it impossible to use library sites, negates being able to use Gutenberg.net or Mobileread.com ebooks. For example, I love obscure texts like A.E. Merritt. Mobileread has all his texts online for free. I went to the Kindle store and found a single text for $4. If it sells, it's available. That's not good enough. I want to find whatever I want and read whatever I find without restriction by the device owner. EPUB is as close to a standard as there is so I can purchased secure EPUB or download some other format (and convert it).

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Actually, you can use Project Gutenberg to get e-books for the Kindle. I do it all the time on mine. And for Mobileread.net epub files, all you have to do is convert them to MOBI files with Calibre to read them on the Kindle.

Not only does Project Gutenberg have a ton of files in mobi format, but as far as I know, all their files can be downloaded in text format, which can be read on a Kindle with no conversion.

As for the books at MobileRead, there are many more in mobi format than there are in epub format.

I have yet to run into a situation where a book I wanted was available in epub format, but not in a Kindle format.

[MikeFromHC]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Uh, yeah. Fixed it. Hope the folks at iHome Security didn't spot that goof. I'd hate to see one of those black iCopters hovering over my house!

Black helicopters belong to the EAC (Evil Atheist Conspiracy) which does not exist.
Anybody who is really in the kno knows that iCopters are white.

(I spelled know kno rather than no to make "Them" think it was about another tablet.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by MikeFromHC

Black helicopters belong to the EAC (Evil Atheist Conspiracy) which does not exist.
Anybody who is really in the kno knows that iCopters are white.

(I spelled know kno rather than no to make "Them" think it was about another tablet.

Of course!

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by ManosHandsOfFate

I won't buy an iPad because I have an unreasonable dislike of Apple and Steve Jobs.

This. Though my dislike is totally reasonable as far as I'm concerned.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Grimm

This. Though my dislike is totally reasonable as far as I'm concerned.

I have an anti apple protection ward over my entire farm. plays hell with the apple trees though

[gtriever]

Originally Posted by MikeFromHC

Black helicopters belong to the EAC (Evil Atheist Conspiracy) which does not exist.
Anybody who is really in the kno knows that iCopters are white.

(I spelled know kno rather than no to make "Them" think it was about another tablet.

They can't be white; the internal glow ruins the stealth capability.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

I was concerned about the DRM comments yesterday. As a result I discovered I can go to the Sony ebookstore and download (without charge) all purchased texts in EPUB format that are accessible by other devices (except IPAD and Kindle).

You can read secure epub files from Sony on the iPad, with Bluefire Reader.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

The key thing I can't do with iPad is Skype video. (When I'm abroad for months, I wanna see my young niece and nephew.) I do that on my laptop, which I also bring when away from home for long stretches.

Yeah, progress!

"Skype Adds Video Calling to iPhone App"

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/1...to-iphone-app/

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

Yeah, progress!

"Skype Adds Video Calling to iPhone App"

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/1...to-iphone-app/

<drags thread even further OT> Yay! Just made my first video call to my parents from my iPhone by Skype; great quality, just need to keep an eye on battery life - not that I'd be able to hold my phone at arms length for more than ten minutes at a time, mind...

[PatNY]

Say what you will about Apple, but they've revolutionized both the PDA/Smart Phone and the tablet markets.

I'm an old user of the Palm platform, and what the Touch and iPhone do is superior in almost every way to what those PDAs did. The only exception is that the Palm platform had better apps for business and PIMs ... but even there, iOS has been catching up.

As for the iPad, I think it does some things better than any other current portable device on the market -- display photo images and certain color books and periodicals, for example. I've seen some photo slide shows on the iPad recently that were really impressive. It is so much better sharing photos on the iPad with small groups of people than with a small photo album with 4 x 6" prints OR with a small netbook or laptop that has an unwieldy keyboard attached OR by trying to hook up to a large screen TV and forcing everyone to look at it the same time. So if you're into photography, the iPad is the way to go for display purposes.

I thought that I would prefer a smaller color tablet for reading purposes but after seeing the photo slide shows I've changed my mind and will now look for a tablet at around 9-10" in the near future. Even if I end up buying an android tablet, I think Apple deserves a lot of credit for pushing the tablet market to new and better standards.

As for pricing, I think iPads are a little overpriced now, but eventually prices will come down, especially if the newer Android tablets are successful.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by petermillard

<drags thread even further OT> Yay! Just made my first video call to my parents from my iPhone by Skype; great quality, just need to keep an eye on battery life - not that I'd be able to hold my phone at arms length for more than ten minutes at a time, mind...

Maybe prop your phone?

[kennyc]

They've got a headset app for that.

(not really....but maybe...I actually don't know...)