A Brief Tablets/E-readers Overview

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday upon us, I thought a brief overview of tablets and e-readers might be in order. Keep in mind that Apple is notoriously stingy on sales, so you probably won't find any doorbusters on the iPad. (Because we'll pay full price, like suckers!)

iPad
Manufacturer: Apple
Price Range: $299-529
Description: Apple's tablet was meant to compete with the Kindle. None of its models have e-ink; all operate as larger iPhones. iPad Air ("iPad 5," starts at $499) is the newest model, released November 1, it is thinner but also taller than the iPad Mini (starts at $299, $399 for retina display). Finally, the biggest of them all, is the iPad 2 ($399, $529 with a data plan). All models have an LED backlit LCD screen. Generally, they connect to the 3G network (with a plan). I can not stress this enough: iPads are bigger iPhones. So the idea is that you read news articles on a computer screen, use the same apps, and play the same games. (Occasionally there's an app on the iPad you can't get on the iPhone, and vice versa.) All models have cameras.

Kindle
Manufacturer: Amazon
Price Range: $69-$89
Description: The first major e-reader on the market, the Kindle now has wifi but still has e-ink. Reading without ads will cost more money. It is a thin, app-free, digital reader. Users buy or download material to read, and carry it around.

Kindle Fire
Manufacturer: Amazon
Price Range: $139-$379
Description: Not to be outdone by Apple's shining screens, Amazon has its own tablet/e-reader. The Kindle Fire does not use e-ink. (Though you can download books and magazines.) This model has video, HD-ness, and all the stuff the iPad has. Apps! Movies! Video! A bright screen!

Kindle Paperwhite
Manufacturer: Amazon
Price Range: $119-$199
Description: A genuine e-reader, Paperwhite is the wifi- and/or 3G-enabled model of the regular Kindle. It also has an ads and no-ads version. It has a built-in light.

Kobo
Manufacturer: Kobo
Price Range: $98-$196
Description: It uses e-ink! Sometimes. The Glo has a touch screen (with e-ink), the Aura HD also uses e-ink (incredible!), and reads PDFs and HTML.

Nook GlowLight
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
Price Range: $119
Description: A touch screen, wifi-only, e-ink reader.

Nook HD (and HD+)
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
Price Range: $129-$149
Description: A tablet without e-ink, the color, HD tablet is the Nook's response to the iPad and Kindle Fire. (It is app-capable.) It uses Android.


*This lesson was not endorsed in any way. I mean. Seriously, you didn't need me to tell you that, did I?