A Tablet And Ebook Reader Comparison
The recent rise of the ebook readers and the appearance of the Apple iPad has generated an interest in mobile gadgets other than the cell phone
. Although the difference between the ebook reader and the tablet has been somewhat compromised in reality the two devices are very different.The fundamental difference between a tablet and an ebook reader is quite simple. A tablet is a mobile computing device whereas an ebook reader isn't.
Microsoft first introduced the term 'tablet PC' in 2001. The concept was built round a mobile computing device. Information would be entered with a pen and would generally include handwriting recognition software. Also it would be a truly mobile device with wireless connectivity.
The accepted screen size of a tablet PC was considered twelve inches; the screen is measured corner to corner diagonally. There are however numerous tablets that are smaller than this which isn't a problem because of the improvements in screen resolutions.
The first portable device that was quoted as an ebook reader was the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). Essentially a PDA was an electronic filofax. The drawbacks to the PDA as an ebook reader were the backlit screen and the size.
The first ebook reader using e ink technology, the Libri EBR-1000EP was released by Sony in Japan in 2004. This was followed by the PRS-500 in the US in 2007 and then followed by the PRS-505 in 2008. The Kindle was released by Amazon in late 2007. It is interesting to note that the ilex Iliad was available in 2006 but never made an impact due to the price, and presumably, because they didn't have the marketing power of Sony behind them.
The distinction between an ebook reader and the tablet PC is not always easy to pin down. Tools that are useful for both types of device have been included by manufacturers.
Most ebook readers and tablets can play mp3 files and many of them have built in speakers. While tablets can display video and different graphic formats in full color. ebook readers are restricted to grayscale graphics but the facility is still there and can be very useful.
A key feature of the tablet PC is the input with a pen or using touch which a few ebook readers have adopted. Some ebook readers have a physical keyboard while others have a virtual keyboard. These are generally used for navigation or simple tasks.
Another feature is the wireless connectivity. To allow for data streaming for video and gaming this is a key feature of any tablet. Some ebook readers have adopted this although it is usually in a very limited form.
Having to draw the line somewhere and say what is or isn't an ebook reader we would have to say that the color ebook reader is not here yet. Fundamentally an ebook reader should have a display the same as real paper and any device that doesn't use E Ink and uses an LCD color display simply cannot be classed as an ebook reader.
It is only a matter of time before we see the color ebook reader and then it will be even harder to make a distinction. Will it be a tablet, an ebook reader, or will we see the birth of a whole new genre of digital products.
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