1. irockster9's Avatar
    So since many of you had a playbook for a while now, how well would you say the playbook is as an e-reader? How well does it compare to its peers, the kindle fire and nook color/tablet? Since they are all roughly the same price now, not really sure what to go for. My primary usage is for reading, but i am also a student that will eventually need a very portable device in the near future of which my current 5 yr old 17 inch laptop on its way out that is anything but portable (not my primary computer btw use a desktop). I have a blackberry torch 9810 so i will get all bridge functions.

    I know the nook has features such as "tapping on a word to bring up definition of a word" or the abundance of font customizations and etc. Does the playbook's kobo store have nice refinements such as that ( i know the phone app is really restrictive and feature-empty, but what about the playbook). Also, with the new andriod player OS, is it speculated that the kindle or nook apps will be compatible on the playbook too?

    Sorry for all the questions, if you can even answer one of them i'll be really appreciating
    CracklePot and jessjames like this.
    11-22-11 06:07 PM
  2. zoban's Avatar
    Well I'm 1/2 way through the 5 book series Sea of Fire and Ice if that helps..

    Oh yeah..

    Winter is Coming..
    11-22-11 06:14 PM
  3. peter9477's Avatar
    irockster9, if your primary purpose (like 95%+ of what you want) is reading books, then I wouldn't recommend it. It's heavier than dedicated e-readers, and doesn't have as good support in the reading app(s) yet.

    On the other hand, if you don't mind the weight (you'd have to try reading with one for a good hour before you'll know) and you're okay with the relative simplistic reading apps for now (I like Kobo, but it could definitely be much more feature-rich) plus the promise of improvements if the product doesn't completely fail in the consumer market, then the PlayBook is likely going to be a way more versatile and enjoyable product for you.

    For $199, I don't think you can go wrong, unless your reading needs really far outweigh anything else you might do with it.
    11-22-11 06:23 PM
  4. CracklePot's Avatar
    I do all my reading -- mostly Kindle books and PDFs -- on my Playbook. For Kindle books I use Amazon's Cloud Reader.

    No dictionary, notes, or highlighting, but it does have three theming options, font resizing, and bookmarking. More features than a paperback, so it works fine for me.

    As Peter mentioned, the Playbook is definitely heavier than say, the Kindle, for long-term reading. But it hasn't been an issue for me.

    I have a Kindle2 as well and for a straight reading device it can't be beat really. Light weight, e-Ink technology, battery life of about a month or two.

    But my Playbook is my main reader these days. Stunning color, pinch zoom, backlighting. Good stuff.
    Ed Lin, RoboticGolem and js8229 like this.
    11-22-11 07:19 PM
  5. ImGeorgeous's Avatar
    Does the Playbook have an ePub/mobi file reader?
    11-22-11 07:55 PM
  6. FF22's Avatar
    Does the Playbook have an ePub/mobi file reader?
    There's a 3rd party app. And the developer is very active in the apps subforum.
    11-22-11 08:59 PM
  7. braindigger's Avatar
    book reader is awesome
    11-22-11 10:45 PM
  8. loth's Avatar
    I always carry my books with me, my work books, school books and personal books with me in my playbook, "Book reader" app is a great solution for it, now i dont have to ask BIG SIZE books to library or carry them thats another reason to love my playbook
    alnamvet68 likes this.
    11-22-11 11:43 PM
  9. pushfan's Avatar
    I think the playbook has a great potential as an ereader. Unfortunately KOBO has too many problems. Maybe with upgrade in February (if RIM surprises us and keeps a promise) another app will become available.
    11-23-11 12:03 AM
  10. minnick's Avatar
    It's 'ok' for pdf's, 99% of my books are in that format so I don't really utilize Kobo (but I have checked it out for the free books). The Adobe apps needs some major updates (highlighting, bookmarks, etc...) and hopefully they're working on it. It is a bit heavier than you would expect from the looks of it and laying on your back and holding it directly above your face WILL tire your arms quite quickly to be honest.

    Just my piece.
    11-23-11 12:30 AM
  11. EFats's Avatar
    I use it as an e-reader as well. Primarily my content is PDF. The Kobo reader works, that's about it, no fluff. The PDF reader? Well, that works too. But as someone mentioned, it's missing a lot of stuff. It does not bookmark, it can't even remember the last article I was reading or where I was in it. It also fails on some PDF's for whatever reason.

    I miss having a "bookshelf" as on the iPad. I would've gotten the Nook for e-reading, but it isn't available outside the US. Good job there B&N!
    On the other hand, I can also consume video media on the PB now, which is fantastic on the PB. Unlike every other tablet I've tried (bar the iPad), no sluggishness or pauses with viewing or navigating around the tablet.
    11-23-11 01:14 AM
  12. jamesbondOO7's Avatar
    Well, it is not very good. There the iPad is definitely much better. Cloud reader works just about, only in portrait mode and without any features like dictionary and stuff. As long as there is no kindle app for the PB, I will use the iPad.
    11-23-11 01:25 AM
  13. SCrid2000's Avatar
    I have both a Playbook and a NookColor running CM7.
    I use the Playbook more, and if I could only have one, I'd take the Playbook.
    But when I feel like reading an ebook, I use Aldiko on the Nook.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-23-11 01:27 AM
  14. irockster9's Avatar
    thanks all. I understand that the playbook is a "functional" ereader (aka not competitive with kindle fire/nook "tablet" in this aspect) but ultimately I keep going back to this

    For $199, I don't think you can go wrong, unless your reading needs really far outweigh anything else you might do with it.
    A Playbook awaits
    peter9477 likes this.
    11-23-11 03:01 AM
  15. death.hilarious's Avatar
    For those using the playbook to read PDFs, Repligo PDF reader (for android) works perfectly with OS2 and has features like comments, highlighting, and robust searching. Once you try it, you'll wonder how you lived without it.

    I've also recently used ComicRack (also for android) using OS 2 and it too works perfectly. Reading comics in stunning color using such a well designed app is a real treat.

    So if you're not entirely happy with your PB as an e-reader, jump on the OS 2 beta right now!
    11-23-11 06:14 AM
  16. RescueCop's Avatar
    I use my Playbook (with EPUB Reader, which doesn't even seem to be the most highly rated of the e-reader apps) as an e-reader all the time and love it. As others have already pointed out, it is a bit heavier than a dedicated e-reader (Kindle, Nook, etc.), but that's a reasonable trade-off for the features -- and great battery life -- of the Playbook. If you're set on reading Kindle (Amazon) content, you'll have to use the Cloud Reader, but I'm not stuck on Amazon as my source of e-books so that's not really an issue from me. (I buy in epub format directly from my favorite publisher, Baen Books, and Calibre lets me convert other formats to epub fairly easily.)

    Beyond e-reading, the Playbook offers superb video performance, web browsing that's at least as good as anything else I've seen on a tablet, and some great games. The app selection is still a long way from being as broad and diverse as Android or iOS, but it's getting there - and the Android player for OS 2 (due in Feb., 2012) should bring a substantial number of new apps. As peter9477 pointed out, at $199 it's hard to go wrong with a Playbook.
    11-23-11 07:35 AM
  17. js8229's Avatar
    I'm a light reader and use the Kindle Cloud Reader. It's useable, but as others have pointed out not terribly functional. I used an iPad w/Kindle app previously and the biggest thing I like about the PB is the weight. The iPad is a beast to hold up for a length of time, and the PB (I use with the journal cover) works just like a paperback book (with much heavier paper :-)
    11-23-11 08:31 AM
  18. 701's Avatar
    I also have a Kindle 3, so strictly as a ebook reader, I'g do with that. But the PB is so much more, it does the reading good (Kindle is better for me!) if you use Book Reader and, like someone else said, you don't mind the extra weight. Because I also use it for browsing, apps and video/audio, Kindle was not enough. I sold my laptop, I don't need it now, as I have the PB.
    11-23-11 08:40 AM
  19. conix67's Avatar
    I do all my reading -- mostly Kindle books and PDFs -- on my Playbook. For Kindle books I use Amazon's Cloud Reader.

    No dictionary, notes, or highlighting, but it does have three theming options, font resizing, and bookmarking. More features than a paperback, so it works fine for me.

    As Peter mentioned, the Playbook is definitely heavier than say, the Kindle, for long-term reading. But it hasn't been an issue for me.

    I have a Kindle2 as well and for a straight reading device it can't be beat really. Light weight, e-Ink technology, battery life of about a month or two.

    But my Playbook is my main reader these days. Stunning color, pinch zoom, backlighting. Good stuff.
    OS 2 beta + Android Kindle Reader app works well, including dictionary, highlighting.. I'm happy with it so far as an Ebook reader, in a way better than my IPad 2 as it's smaller, pixel density is better (cleaner fonts) for Ebook reading.
    CracklePot likes this.
    11-23-11 08:50 AM
  20. LuayS's Avatar
    I always wanted a Kindle then I got the Playbook and now I wouldn't even think about getting a Kindle. I can read all my books seamlessly on my Playbook. I bought book reader for 99cents and haven't been happier I also bought PlayEpub but kind of wish I didn't now since I never use it, I found book reader to be more fitting although PlayEpub does download epubs from various sites and has twitter/facebook integration (features i don't use)

    As for those who say their books are in PDF I say who's aren't . What I've done is import them all into Calibre and converted to epub using the nook profile. It is not 100% formatting aka the title is sometimes separating two paragraphs but I mean after a while you tend to ignore it. Also BookReader dev says he plans to integrate PDF support so it is a matter of time.
    11-23-11 08:56 AM
  21. cinder0008's Avatar
    Well I'm 1/2 way through the 5 book series Sea of Fire and Ice if that helps..

    Oh yeah..

    Winter is Coming..
    Winter is coming!

    but the series is "A Song of Ice and Fire (ASoIF)
    11-23-11 09:10 AM
  22. QueXiaQuanton's Avatar
    he playbook is definately nicer then an ipad. it doesnt break your nose when you fall asleep. it always tends to fall forward.
    tgellr likes this.
    11-23-11 09:20 AM
  23. billmany's Avatar
    I have had a playbook for 8 months and just got the Kindle Fire. Kindle is way better for ebooks. I have had nothing but problems with the Kobo app on my playbook. And the lighter Kindle is much more comfortable. I expect to use only the Fire for the next few months and will reevaluate the playbook when 2.0 comes out in Feb.
    11-23-11 10:51 AM
  24. Xopher's Avatar
    I wonder if the Kindle Android app will run on OS2 with the Android player...

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-23-11 11:07 AM
  25. PanaSama's Avatar
    I wonder if the Kindle Android app will run on OS2 with the Android player...

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    It already does!
    11-23-11 11:27 AM
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