# ipad or xoom as ebook reader? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641 "2011-03-14T11:00:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/1 "2011-03-14T11:00:19Z")
Anybody here use an ipad or xoom mostly to read books? My main question is the weight , are they too heavy to use to read books? I mostly read in bed so I am not sure if the weight is going to be a problem. I am going to try them both out today at a local store. I know the kindle and nook are much cheaper but I would like a real tablet. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/2 "2011-03-14T16:55:18Z")
If you are using it to “mostly read books” then get a Kindle. As you said, much cheaper, easy to use, battery lasts forever, connects to wireless effortlessly, a zillion books. I ind it very comfortable to hold while reading…what more do you want? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/3 "2011-03-14T17:39:00Z")
I have an iPad, and use the Kindle app to read books…but it’s certainly not my primary use for the iPad. If you’re looking for an e-book reader, an iPad is overkill. I got a Kindle for my wife recently; she was skeptical at first, but very quickly fell in love with it. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/4 "2011-03-14T17:48:49Z")
I do my primary reading on my iPod Touch with Stanza. Mostly in bed. I had a Kindle but didn’t like: 1. Having to provide an extra source of light. My iPod is backlit. 2. The slowness of page turning (I’ve heard this is now resolved…) 3. Too heavy 4. The lack of touch screen With both the iPod and the Kindle I could hold and turn pages with the same hand. No complaint there. I assume an iPad would be even heavier and clumsier. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/5 "2011-03-14T17:55:18Z")
I’ve heard that the Nook Color is quite good, at half the price of the iPad ($250). While out-of-the-box it’s kind of a quasi-tablet - the Nook interface is a skin on top of Android that doesn’t allow you to download from the App Store - it can easily be rooted to run Android 2.2. It’s not the fastest tablet out there, so you won’t be playing 3d games on it, but I’ve heard it’s quite capable as a general purpose ereader/internet device with some light media capabilities, even without hacking it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/6 "2011-03-14T18:36:35Z")
I guess I should have said I want a tablet , how are they to read books on? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/7 "2011-03-14T19:34:26Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I guess I should have said I want a tablet , how are they to read books on? I find it to be pretty good. The iPad does have one noticeable disadvantage to a Kindle (which Amazon harps upon) – the screen is, admittedly, difficult to read in very bright light. If you like to take your “book” outside to read, it might be an issue. An iPad is certainly heavier than a Kindle, but it’s not as heavy as, for example, a hardcover book. Using the touch-screen on the iPad for reading is nice – you just flick your finger across the screen to turn pages. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/8 "2011-03-14T19:57:56Z")
I doubt I will use it outdoors so that is not an issue at all. I did not get a chance to see the xoom in person today but I saw the ipad 2. The wifi only xoom is supposed to come out in 2 weeks for $600 so that is at the top of my list for now. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/9 "2011-03-14T20:40:01Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I guess I should have said I want a tablet , how are they to read books on? Although tablets are heavier than eBook readers, they’re fine for reading. The weight is not a big deal when reading in bed, on the couch, or at the table. I do a fair amount of reading on a Xoom and I like it quite a bit. The eReader apps for Android have been updated to take advantage of the screen size. I have used Google Books, Nook, Aldiko, FBReader, and regular Adobe Reader so far. I had Kindle loaded and it looks nice, but I haven’t tried it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/10 "2011-03-14T20:44:23Z")
I even read on my iPad while standing on the subway (there is never any seating between my stops) and it’s not too heavy. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/11 "2011-03-14T21:05:22Z")
ipad does not seem to be heavy to me either, xoom weighs about the same. I think people who say it’s heavy compare it to a kindle which is a bad comparison given the different specs. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/12 "2011-03-14T23:34:04Z")
My wife reads on her iPad in bed all the time, I tend to use mine for couch reading of magazines/websites. Wife is also addicted to games on hers. Weight is an individual issue - as you note, certainly not as light as a Kindle, but the iPad is the same weight as a ‘trade paperback’ and lighter than most hardcover books. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/13 "2011-03-16T16:28:34Z")
Xoom wifi only version out in 2 weeks for $600 [http://blogs.newsobserver.com/techjunkie/motorola-xoom-wi-fi-coming-march-27](http://blogs.newsobserver.com/techjunkie/motorola-xoom-wi-fi-coming-march-27) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/14 "2011-03-17T15:25:07Z")
Checked out the nook color today , it’s very nice and only $249 so I might very well get that. I will have to see a xoom in person before I buy one. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/15 "2011-03-17T16:38:28Z")
I enjoy reading on my iPad. I use the Kindle app and it works just fine for me. When I read on the treadmill, it’s easier than a book because I don’t have to hold it open. And I can switch to a game or iTunes if I get tired of reading. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/16 "2011-03-17T16:54:53Z")
I have the Kindle app for both the iPhone and the iPad. The phone one is really more of a gimmick than anything else since it’s too small of a screen to be really effective. I love the iPad for reading since if I come across something that I want to know more about while reading I just zip right into the Google app and boom, my need to know is serviced and I can then zip right back into the Kinde app where I left off. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/17 "2011-03-17T17:02:51Z")
Nook color runs Android and you can root it so that it becomes a regular Android system. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/18 "2011-03-17T20:09:01Z")
My wife has a Nook color and loves it. She just found the Nook app on her Droid Incredible could access all the books on her account so if she’s in a doctor’s waiting room she can still continue reading the book she’s on. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-or-xoom-as-ebook-reader/574641/19 "2011-03-18T15:14:35Z")
Tried a Xoom today , it’s very nice. It’s smaller than the ipad due to the border around the edge being smaller. I may get the WiFi version in 2 weeks.