Help please E reader and tablets

[kayrosek]

Two of my children want E readers that can get apps like the Nook color or tablets. Unfortunatley this year Nooks and IPads are not in the budget. I have seen alot of other tablets and E readers but am having a hard time sifting through the reviews and finding something decent. Do any of you have any of the cheaper E readers that have WI FI and can connect to apps or any of the less expensive tablets. Honestly $175 is about my max. I'd really appreciate any help. Also being able to download and play DVDs is a must for my DS. Really I'm at a loss. So if you have any experience here, please bring on those reviews.

 

[RitaE]

Nook Color Refurbished $179
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/certified-pre-owned-nookcolor/379002680/

The Nook Color can play video but I'm not sure what you mean about play DVDs. I don't know of any tablet that has a DVD player. Are you looking for a small laptop instead?

Amazon hasn't released their tablet information yet, it should be any day now if you listen to rumors. I expect the price will be around the $250 point but that is just a guess.

There are several other low cost Android tablets out there but I really haven't seen one that I like as well as the Nook Color yet.

 

[Darcy03231]

Sony's new e-reader is due to be released within the next couple of weeks. From the rumors its running on an Android platform and will have wi-fi. It looks like it will be just under $200.

I don't know of any e-reader out that that can play DVDs. Also, other than the nook color, they're all in black and white. It really sounds like you need a small laptop or a tablet more than an e-reader.

 

[formill]

We have an ematic strawberry glide from Wal Mart and are very happy with it for $128- you can put whatever DVDs on your computer and transfer over to the reader or can put on a micro SD card and play them on that from the reader-the ereader has 4 GB storage on it. It gets wifi- has a camera,has access to android market-it is a 2.1 android though so far can't stream netflix on it-books are great on it- kids picture books etc too. We also have a Next2 android tablet/ereader and it is good too- no camera though but all else similar to the ematic-I do like the ematic has a track ball too so scrolling through we pages you don't have to touch the glass if you don't want to. Overall for the price we paid both are fantastic- so easy to grab and take places and having video on them for those times no wifi around is great! We have only had both ereaders a few weeks though so can not say how long they will last!

 

[luvmy3]

The refurbished nook color can be found for as low as $159 from Overstock.com

http://www.overstock.com/Electronic...d-Pre-Owned/5924200/product.html?TID=D:HPAD_1

 

[kayrosek]

Thanks guys this is the info I was looking for. Keep it coming. Sorry for the confusion I meant plays video not DVDs.

 

[kayrosek]

We have an ematic strawberry glide from Wal Mart and are very happy with it for $128- you can put whatever DVDs on your computer and transfer over to the reader or can put on a micro SD card and play them on that from the reader-the ereader has 4 GB storage on it. It gets wifi- has a camera,has access to android market-it is a 2.1 android though so far can't stream netflix on it-books are great on it- kids picture books etc too. We also have a Next2 android tablet/ereader and it is good too- no camera though but all else similar to the ematic-I do like the ematic has a track ball too so scrolling through we pages you don't have to touch the glass if you don't want to. Overall for the price we paid both are fantastic- so easy to grab and take places and having video on them for those times no wifi around is great! We have only had both ereaders a few weeks though so can not say how long they will last!

I was looking at the Ematic but reading reviews I couldn't tell if it was exclusivley trackball operated or if it also had a touchscreen. So it has both?

 

[Sorsha]

Like you, I wanted an eReader combined with WiFi features and some internet access, but had a lower-ends budget to work with. I ended up with the Pan Digital Novel. I bought mine through WalMart online's Site to Store delivery, and when I look it up now, I see that there's a newer edition available, but still very reasonably priced.

I have honestly been very pleased with this gadget for the price. I connect seamlessly through the Barnes and Noble website for the Nook eReader application, its in full color, it has WiFi, it handles most internet applications, it has tons of storage for MP3s (I use it as my MP3 player also) and video, and I can plug in a SD card for extra storage.

Now, mind you, I haven't figured out how to make the video applications work yet, but I think that's more MY fault (not very tech-y) than the gadget's fault. And no, none of these little eReaders will do actual DVDs.

 

[mrseace711]

my daughter received the color Pandigital last year for Christmas from my Mom who used coupons, Khols cash, and her card discount to buy it she ended up spending less than $75 on it since it was on sale at Christmas time. I downloaded movies on it, books, and games via the android website. She can surf the web and even listen to music on it. =/ Its very slow and hard for her to navigate we have had trouble with it freezing often. Maybe its just hers? So its been basically a paper weight for MONTHS. This year we will more than likely get her the iPod Touch shes begged for since last year she can do all of the above and I own an older version myself that shes always got =)

 

[Sorsha]

my daughter received the color Pandigital last year for Christmas from my Mom who used coupons, Khols cash, and her card discount to buy it she ended up spending less than $75 on it since it was on sale at Christmas time. I downloaded movies on it, books, and games via the android website. She can surf the web and even listen to music on it. =/ Its very slow and hard for her to navigate we have had trouble with it freezing often. Maybe its just hers? So its been basically a paper weight for MONTHS. This year we will more than likely get her the iPod Touch shes begged for since last year she can do all of the above and I own an older version myself that shes always got =)

Not sure the difference between the Color PanDigital and the Pandigital Novel, but I know the paperwork I got with mine stated that it specifically would NOT work with any of the Android apps. Which was kind of a bummer, since it was powered by Android and I had hoped to be able to use a few of the apps, but I find I don't really miss them. I have never used anything via Android on mine at all. I use it for Nook (via Barnes and Noble - I have hundreds of books), MP3s, picture storage when traveling, and basic internet apps (Facebook, Google, eBay, etc).

I don't find mine to be slow at all when I am at home, but that of course, depends on the quality of the WiFi connection I am using. I took it camping with me this summer to a KOA that offered WiFi (HA!!) and it was so slow and useless I just packed it back up again.

 

[dansamy]

If you are tech savvy, the Nook Color can be hacked into a very functional budget tablet. B&N has already added a fair bit of tablet functionality themselves which makes it a good deal even for those who aren't quite so tech savvy. For technophiles, it's a great deal though.

My sister bought a tablet from TRU, Koby 7022. It has a 7" capacitive touchscreen and is powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), which is a phone OS. The first tablet version of Android was 3.0 (Honeycomb). She does like her tablet, but the functionality isn't quite what I would desire for my family. However, I am looking at tablets in the $400-500 range. The Koby is a budget tablet for $180. It is very good for its price point.

 

[crazelion]

It should be some decent prices on tablets for Black Friday. Right now the low end ones is running 100.00 bucks. I think I seen one CVS ad Sunday for 99.00 bucks. I would not expect ipad qualilty at all.

I am waiting on the Amazon tablet myself. i think it will be easy to use and under 200.00 bucks. Best thing I can use my Amazon gift cards to pay for the tablet.

 

[dansamy]

Avoid those drugstore tablets like the plague. They run a very outdated version of Android and have resistive touchscreens. (Resistive means you will need a fingernail or stylus to use the touchscreen. Not your fingertip.)

I would probably go with the Thrive for my kids and either the Eee Pad Transformer or the Acer Iconia for myself.

 

[formill]

I was looking at the Ematic but reading reviews I couldn't tell if it was exclusivley trackball operated or if it also had a touchscreen. So it has both?

Yes it is touchscreen as well as trackball-for me I constantly end up clicking on links when using just the touchscreen so that is why i like the trackball too so can scroll down pages. Has stylus built into the one end of it.

My husband has the Pandigital Novel Colored I did not mention it for I find it lacking in comparison to the Ematic or Next2 ones we have- it is very limited in the types of files it will play-only EPUB or PDF for books- only MP4s for movies where the other brands list many many different file types- so for his I have to convert a lot of say AVI movies we have into MP4s before putting on his etc. All the ereaders we have - have access to android apps- the ematic is the only one of the 3 brands that has access to the most popular android market one. All get facebook, email, have a youtube app.