Lower cost cell phone options

I was asked by a colleague for advice on a new smart phone and cellular plan. So I started doing some research. She was considering AT&T's Go Phone plan. On the surface this looks like a pretty good deal, a prepaid plan for $65 would get you unlimited calls and data and 1 GB of data. The chief problem with this was that you apparently have to use their phones - no brand antiquated Android and Blackberry phones. The one that looked the most promising to me was the Avail which only came with 512K memory, Android 2.3 Gingerbread (they're at 4.2 in the real world) and EDGE data. Seemed guaranteed to frustrate any user into a full fledged AT&T contract. No thanks.

But I knew there were a number of other prepaid options out there. Here's a nice run down on some of them from PCMag: The 10 Best Cheap Prepaid Phone Plans You've Never Heard Of. For people in Montana, it's important to find a prepaid plan that uses either AT&T's or Verizon's networks. Sprint and T-Mobile don't offer service in Montana. The advantage to going with an AT&T network is that it uses GSM technology. It broadens your potential phone selection. More about that later.

A little bit about the traditional way of cell phone purchase and plans in the U.S. Most people looking for a smart phone, first select their carrier and then buy the phone they want at a highly discounted rate with a 2-year contract. Since the phone is subsidized, you'll be paying for that phone monthly over the course of the two years. It looks like you pay about $20/month for the phone. Whatever the up front cost, you're going to be paying an additional $480. The dirty little secret is that you will continue paying $20/month for that phone long after the two years is over. No wonder the rapid pace of obsolescence, you might as well get a new phone every two years, if you're paying for it anyway.

With prepaid plans (and month to month), you have to buy your phone outright. So, you're getting into some potentially frightening prices, e.g., $699.99 for an iPhone 5, $499.99 for a Samsung Galaxy SIII... You do probably come out ahead in the long run because the monthly rates are significantly cheaper, but the up front costs are higher. Most of the prepaid carriers offer a rather sad assortment of phones, but the good news is that most also allow you to bring your own phone. So, you can buy an unlocked phone from elsewhere, buy  a $10 SIM card from the carrier and run it on their network. If you prefer one stop shopping, it looks like Red Pocket Mobile offers the best selection of unlocked phones. The prices include their SIM card.

But with a prepaid carrier running on AT&T (or T-Mobile if you're in their area), you can use any unlocked GSM phone. Do keep in mind that AT&T (and T-Mobile) run on a different network and require different phones than Verizon (and Sprint). You can't buy an unlocked AT&T phone and expect to run it on a Verizon or Sprint network and vice versa. One additional note, AT&T's GSM standard is global while Verizon's CDMA is largely U.S. So you can expect to find a much greater selection of unlocked and/or used GSM phones. Also, keep in mind that even Verizon and Sprint CDMA phones are not interchangeable. If you want a phone for a prepaid carrier using Verizon networks, be sure to get a Verizon phone. I know, it's both confusing and and annoying, but that's the world we live in.

There is one phone out there that is sold unlocked that I would definitely consider buying if I were looking at either a no contract or prepaid GSM plan - the LG Nexus 4 from Google. Android geeks know that the Nexus line is the purest form of Android without all the carrier and cell phone manufacturer junk. And Nexus phones and tablets always get the updates first. This phone is also relatively cheap for a non-subsidized smart phone, starting at $299 for the 8 GB model. I'd probably go with the 16 GB at $349. It will run on either AT&T or T-Mobile networks in the U.S. with the proper SIM card. That means it will also run on prepaid services using either of those networks. Reportedly, it's a bit slower on AT&T, but, as far as I know, AT&T is not yet offering 4G LTE service in Montana so I doubt the reduction in performance  would be anything to worry about. I found this article which looks at LG Nexus 4 performance on various networks via GottaBeMobile: LG Nexus 4 Carrier Comparison.

If you prefer Verizon's network, and arguably, it is better in Montana both for coverage and speed, your prepaid options are more limited. Verizon offers its own prepaid plan. The prices are higher than most of their competition - $70/month for unlimited talk and text and 2 GB data. The offered phones are pretty dismal but they do offer the option to bring on your own. So, that's something. Page Plus and Net10 are the only other two Verizon networks I've run across. And Net10 is fairly secretive about whether they're using AT&T or Verizon. I finally figured they were on Verizon in Montana when none of the phones I looked at were available in my area. I believe they're affiliated with Tracfone which definitely uses Verizon networks in Montana. I know because I used a Tracfone for a couple of years. It worked okay as a basic phone but the customer service was less than stellar. I spent hours on the phone with one of their technicians only to be told eventually that the phone was dead. But I guess, you have to expect that from a budget service.

There are a couple of other services that aren't prepaid that I'd like to point out even though they run on Sprint's network and thus are  not available in Montana:

• Ting.com. Ting has taken a new approach to cellular service and only bills you for what you actually use. I love the concept and wish they were an option here.
• Credo - For those who want a mobile carrier with a social conscience.

I'd love to hear comments about your carriers, especially prepaid plans. What do you like or dislike about your service?

Apps for Young People

Heather Johnstone - Rosebud County Library

All the apps I'm suggesting are for the iPad and many of them I discovered while working in Special Education.  I have very strong opinions about the potential of special needs kids when they have an iPad in their hands!  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autism-apps/id441600681?mt=8 has autism apps, which also work well for kids with other disabilities.

We have an iPad 4 geared toward tweens/teens at Rosebud County Library.  Some of my favorite apps follow...

• Flow Free-matching, problem solving, variety of skill levels
• King of Math-educational, teacher recommended
• Words with Friends-interactive, improves spelling, thought provoking
• Where's My Water?-autistic kids LOVE it, interactive, fun, great for occupational therapy
• Racing Penguin-challenging, holds your attention, hand-eye coordination
• Minecraft PE-very popular with tweens/younger teens, creative outlet
• Talking Tom-great for those with communication challenges (he repeats everything you say)
• Magic Piano-listening skills, fun, fast-paced, good for those who enjoy music

Here's the link for a 13 minute video on how autistic people use iPads http://blog.theautismsite.com/?p=649

************************************

Rebekah Kamp - Belgrade Community Library

As one of the authors, I have to mention the YALSA blog. http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ Each week we review apps that are great for teens and teen librarians.

• YALSA's Teen Book Finder - Teen books organized by awards, book lists, etc.
• Netflix - Movies and TV on the go :-)
• Shazam - Press the button on Shazam, and the app will listen for a few seconds, matching tunes with a database. The screen pops up with the album cover, the artist’s name, and a list of other ways to interact with the song. Share it with a friend via Facebook or Twitter, read lyrics in time with the song, check reviews, browse related You Tube videos, and buy tracks from iTunes.
• Songkick Concerts - Many people enjoy listening to music on their mobile devices, but this app brings the listener to the music. Songkick Concerts helps users keep track of upcoming concerts by location and artist, organizing shows on a concert calendar for easy reference.
• Flashcardlet - There are several flashcard apps out there, but students that need more than text to study will appreciate Flashcardlet’s features. A step beyond the traditional pen and paper flashcard, this app allows you to view images. Create your own deck or download one from Quizlet.com to study SAT vocabulary, science and math diagrams, art history, or any other subject imaginable. If you find or make a study deck that will be useful for a friend, share it by using Dropbox or email.
• Goodreads - Not necessarily just for teens, but this app is a great way to keep track of what you have read. You can create shelves, join clubs, review books, and share on Facebook. Adding a new book is as easy as scanning the barcode.

**************************************************
Susan Matter - Elementary Librarian, American School of Warsaw

Scribble Press

Scribble Press ($3.99) for iPad makes it easy to create a book on the iPad – either write your own story or use one of over 50 story templates. You can make a book about any topic and instantly publish to the gallery or share with friends anywhere in the world.

Here is how the Scribble Press books look on the web:

http://ebooks.scribblepress.com/book.php?g=HHRQFZTW

Puppet Pals

With this app, children can create and save their own shows.  We like this app because it’s easy to use and allows students to be creative.  To start you need to pick out actors.  You can choose from actors that are included in the program or you can upload your own photos from the camera roll so that children and family members can be the actors. Then you choose backgrounds, drag them on to the stage, and tap record.   Up to three children can maneuver and speak for characters at a time.  Overall, this is a great app for storytelling.  While there is a free version of this app, you might want to purchase the Director's Pass version for $2.99 since it provides a wide range of characters and scenes to choose from.  This is a favorite for both teachers and students in our school.  For example a second grade teacher here had her students create videos that explained the plant cycle.

Aurasma

Aurasma is a free app that allows students to create augmented reality.  This means that students can view real-world objects with a computer-generated overlay such as a video, cartoon animation or audio recording. For example, students can film themselves talking about a book, map, poster, or poem and then attach that video to a picture of the object.  Then when someone views the object using the Aurasma app, he or she will see the video or other animation that was attached. In one class, students made posters of landforms and then attached a video of themselves explaining that feature.  In the library, I videoed students doing book reviews and then then attached them to the book.  I keep the iPad handy for students who want to use it to view books where classmates have made book review videos.

Screenchomp

Screenchomp is a free app for creating and sharing short tutorials or lessons on your iPad. Students can use it to create and share demonstrations of their understanding of a topic or concept.   Screenchomp acts as a whiteboard in which you insert a photo or a screen so you can record your voice as you demonstrate things by using the drawing tools.   Students here used it to show how to use an index in a print book.  I used it to show cross country runners how to use machines in the weight room.  The nice thing about Screenchomp is that you can upload the file to YouTube, get the embed code and then use it on your website.

******************
Suzanne Reymer - MSL

These are all iPad apps but some or all may be available for Android as well. Certainly worth checking the Google Play Store and/or Amazon App Store.

Interactive Books

• Ultimate Dinopedia: Complete Dinosaur Reference - National Geographic Kids
  I've read complaints in the reviews about errors in some of the data but I thought this was a nice comprehensive e-book with lots of dinosaurs, stats and pictures. And who doesn't love dinosaurs?
• The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore - this continues to be my favorite example of the potential of interactive e-books. Great story that you can choose to have read to you or read yourself with lots of interactive bits including a song to play on a piano. Great fun and there's also a short film that won an Oscar last year.
• iPoe: The Interactive and Illustrated Edgar Allen Poe Collection vols. 1 & 2
  Probably more for tweens and teens than the previous two as Edgar Allen Poe is rather macabre but these collections have incredible illustrations and interactive components for some of Poe's best known and best loved stories and poems. 
• Reading Rainbow - the books in this are not interactive. The app is free but access to all the books and activities require a subscription. It's based on the Reading Rainbow program with LeVar Burton narrating many of the books and activities. There are games, videos and rewards for reading as well as quite a few books  available as part of the subscription. 

Educational Apps and Games

• TouchWorld - a geography game. I spent hours identifying every country in the world. If your child is not as obsessive as I am and goes slower, you can learn facts about each country as you identify it. 
• WWF Together - a free app from World Wildlife Federation - learn facts about endangered animals.
• NASA App - free app with information about planets and the space program. Beautiful photos and videos.

Update 2/8/13

I ran across this (LONG) List of Recommended Apps from School Library Journal 

Gadgets 2013 - Offline Presentation

Here are some links to the products/projects I mentioned at Offline.

• Gadgets 2013 Offline Presentation
• Pew Internet Adult Gadget Ownership
• Montana Bibliotechies 2012 Holiday E-Reader Roundup - includes information, links and prices for many of the current e-readers
• Montana Bibliotechies 2012 Holiday Tablet Roundup - same as above for tablets, including 7 inch versions
• Google Maps Street View Art Project - includes links to the White House and other museums
• Google Maps Business Photos - how to create indoor mapping and photographs of your library
• Google Maps Floor Plans - add your library's floor plan to Google Maps for Android
• MIT Technology Review - Google Chromebook
• Anandtech Microsoft Surface Pro Review
• Mashable Project Glass topic page
• Google Glass posts on CNET
• Google Self-Driving Car Test
• Ford Sync
• Chevrolet MyLink
• Wikipedia Intelligent Parking
• Audi Self Parking Demo on YouTube
• RaspberryPi.org
• 10 Coolest Uses for the Raspberry Pi
• Makerbot 3D Printers

Must Have Apps

I put a request out about a week ago for favorite apps. I thought it might be a good resource for people with new tablets and/or smartphones this season. Interestingly, my best response by far was from wired-mt. So much for crowd sourcing in social media.

********************************
Hannah Nash - Miles City Public Library

For Apple, Droid, PC:
Dropbox (free cloud storage, cross compatible with multiple devices)
EverNote (free cloud note-taking, cross compatible with multiple devices)
Instapaper (Apple $4.99, but works on other devices, saves online documents for viewing offline at a later date)
Google Drive (free access to all of your Google Docs, cross compatible with multiple devices)

Apple Office Stuff:
Am extremely pleased with the Pages, Numbers, Keynote suites ($9.99 each). Have found their integration with Microsoft and Open Office almost seamless.

Our iPad class's favorite Photo/Video Apps:
iPhoto for iPad: Apple photo editing product; best of the best for photo editing ($4.99)
Color Magician:  Allows selective coloring of photos (all black and white with colored flowers, for example). Very easy to use at ($0.99). Another good option is Photo Splash at ($0.99).
FX Photo Studio HD: Highly rated general photo editing App. Varies in price, currently on sale for ($1.99).
PicShop Lite- Photo Editor: FREE, lite version of PicShop Full version ($4.99). Lots of good options.
Sketch Me: Makes photos look like pencil sketches ($0.99).
Photo Collage:  FREE for a limited time. Allows you to create a photo collages and save them as single photos; lots of combination options.
Instagram: FREE, but has a huge social networking component.
Vintique ($0.99) has wonderful filters and options for frames.  Snapseed ($4.99) has tilt, edit, fade, blur, options.

iMovie: Apple software for editing and creating movies, best of the best (4.99).
VideoPix: ($0.99) Easy to use App allows you to capture stills from videos shot on your Apple devices.
Cartoonatic: FREE, shoot videos that look like cartoons.
8mm Vintage Camera: ($1.99) Shoot vintage looking films using a variety of lenses.
Stop Motion Recorder: ($0.99) App that helps you make stop-motion animated films.

Apple Shopping:
Our iPad class did a lot of their holiday shopping on their iPads/iPhones using the Amazon, Etsy, Walmart, and eBay Apps. I prefer shopping on my tablet vs the PC anymore (less ads, better interface).

Social Butterflies (Apple, Droid, etc):
Pinterest, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Google+

Productivity (Apple):
Been playing with "Weave" recently; a good project App. Also use: Adobe Ideas, iBrainstorm, Free Thinking, Mental Note.

***********************************************
Jack Albrecht - Madison County Thompson-Hickman Library


One of my favorite iPhone apps is Poynt.  Basically, it's a free interactive
directory that provides listings of movies, restaurants, and services, often
with web links directly to the resource in question.  I haven't put it on my
iPad, since I don't usually carry it with me, but it would probably prove
useful for those who carry their tablets with them, too!

Poynt: http://www.poynt.com/poynt-app/

**************************************
Suzanne Schwichtenberg - Lewis & Clark Library


Device: Samsung Galaxy s3:

• Amazon Kindle to read with
• UK & World News for international news
• NPR News (plays audio stories too)
• KXLH for local news
• Twitter
• Our Groceries for lists; can text to others
• Words with Friends free to play scrabble-like game
• Facebook because I drank the kool aid
• IMDB for movie references
• Email (Gmail, Yahoo)
• Pandora for free music
• Songza for free music
• Weatherbug for weather
• Youtube for videos

******************************

Ginny Waples - Billings Public Schools

I expect which apps are "must haves" really vary by the person's interests and how she/he uses the device,

but here are my favorites on my iPad:

Apple's "Cards" app.  

  I have made several personalized cards for friends & family, using photos I have taken that are meaningful to them.

  What's so great about this app is that Apple does such a good job with photo products, and I can easily send a card overseas, as well as via the U.S. mail.

  The cards are inexpensive.  A single card, sent within the U.S., is only $3.00, including postage.

Peterson Birds of North America

  Easy to use.  Includes the bird calls, of course.

  A really fun feature is that if you have taken a photo of a bird, you can upload it into the guide so that is displays along with the guidebook's images of the bird.

Poetry from the Poetry Foundation

  Includes lots of poems! With both a fun, random way of finding a poem to read ("Spin"), subject searching, and author searching.

The following don't need much explanation:

Yelp

Wi-Fi Finder

NPR for iPad

Facebook

Apps that turned out to be disappointing:

iPhoto for iPad

   It will probably turn out to be useful to me in some ways, but I was disappointed to find out that it lacks one of my favorite features from the full iPhoto for Macs.

Leafsnap for iPad

  From Columbia University, etc.   You are supposed to be able to take a photo of a leaf and then the app helps you identify the tree by showing possible matches.

The database was developed in the east and I suspect it doesn't have enough Montana trees.  But I have only been able to try it in the winter, and maybe the leaves I tried were simply too dead.  In either case, it has not been able to make any reasonable suggestions for tree identification.

**********************

Sarah Elkins - MSL BTOP 

I love Yelp! on my husband's smart phone - and I'll make sure one of the boys has it on his Nook for our next trip.  We've used Yelp! to find fantastic restaurants while we travel.  We used it in San Diego to find off-the-beaten-path ethnic & seafood restaurants, Oregon to find a fish market, and on the road in the middle of nowhere to find a place to stop for dinner that wasn't horrible.  We also used it to find a mechanic in Denver with a good reputation that happened to be located within walking distance of my brother's place.  Yelp! is also available as a regular website, but the app makes it really easy to access reviews of a variety of services.  You can search by so many specs, including location, type of food, price, reviews, etc.

So that's it - I love the Yelp! app.

********************************

Ling H Jeng - Texas Woman's University

For utility (beyond the usual suspects): 

• Evernote (which replaces my Outlook notes)
• Google Maps (for best voice navigation)
• Google Translate (for voice input)
• RedLaser (for shopping and store reward cards)
• OurGroceries (for shopping lists)
• Weather Underground (much more accurate than weather.com)
• Triposo (country and city travel books)

*************************************

Kim Crowley - Flathead County Library System

• I love OntheFly for looking at airline ticket availability.  It's easy to plug in lots of options (dates, airports, etc) and you don't have to wade through as much as on Kayak.
• My new favorite is Mint to keep track of bank accounts and credit card accounts all in one place.  Some folks might feel shy about accessing banks this way--I love it!
• Overdrive
• Zite--tell it your interests and you have a daily news "magazine"

******************************

Kathy Robins - Parmly Billings Library

• Overdrive Media Console app for Nook Color, Nook HD or Nook Tablet - This app makes the MT Library 2 Go download experience bearable for Nook users.  You must have wifi, but not Adobe Digital Editions
• Evernote - I use an Android smartphone (or other smartphones, too) - You can create notes on your smartphone and they sync to the Evernote application on your computer - and vice versa.  I thought this was gimmicky at first, but I love it!  Sometimes I put travel information on the notes, links to websites and photos.  Everything syncs up and I can get the information if I'm at home or away.  

**********************************

Jason Greenwald - Bozeman Public Library

I love your idea for a “must have” app list. Here is a list of my “must have” apps:

• Evernote - FREE from Google Play and iTunes. For organizing ideas and information. You can clip content from the web and save it right into Evernote. It’s backed up (to “the cloud”) and can be accessed through the web. There is also a free desktop version. 
• Overdrive - FREE from Google Play and iTunes. Connects directly to MTLibrary2Go for access to electronic and audio books. 
• Dropbox - FREE from Google Play and iTunes. Allows you to easily share files among multiple devices and computers.
• Camera+ - $0.99 from iTunes (Apple iOS Only) A great camera app that improves on the default camera device. It allows you to adjust exposure, take photos using a timer, zoom, and it includes editing tools. 
• AppsGoneFree - FREE from iTunes (Apple iOS Only) Sooner or later, many apps are temporarily made free or reduced in price in order to generate interest. AppsGoneFree provides a daily list and descriptions of these apps.
• FiLMiC Pro - $4.99 from iTunes (Apple iOS Only) If you record video with your device, just like Camera+, this app increases functionality and control to produce much better results.
• Pocketbooth - $0.99 from iTunes / $1.99 from Google Play. My absolute favorite app! Everyone loves a photo booth. It is easy to use and provides many finishing options for your photos.
• Team Stream - FREE from Google Play and iTunes. Great sports coverage tailored to your favorite sports and teams. Personally, I have found the content to be much more interesting than standard sports reporting.

********************

Suzanne Reymer - MSL

Finally, I'll add some of my own. These are the ones I use all the time on iPad and iPhone.  These are all also available for Android.

• The Weather Channel (FREE) - Those of us who are into weather apps have our favorites. This is mine. I like the look, the variety - hourly to 10 day forecasts and the fact I can have several cities to keep track of.
• Gmail (FREE) - I particularly like it now that you can switch back and forth between multiple accounts. I can have my work and personal easily accessible.
• Chrome (FREE) - my favorite browser now on iOS.
• Facebook (FREE) - I spent a lot of time using Facebook in a browser on iPad because I hated the app. It's gotten a lot better and it's now what I use most.
• Roku (FREE) - I have a Roku box and love everything about it except for the remote. So I use the remote on my iPad/iPhone/Nexus 7. Works great and gives you a channel listing, remote and keyboard.  The Android version also includes voice search for channels. But I've only used it a couple of times and it didn't seem to know all of my channels.
• ESPN ScoreCenter (FREE) - This where I go for those quick sports score lookups. You can enter your favorite teams and get notifications as well.
• MLB.com At Bat (Paid) - This one does cost but I'm not sure how much because we're out of baseball season. But you can follow along live and get radio as part of the regular subscription. Worth it if you're a baseball fan.
• AroundMe (FREE) - Several others mentioned Yelp! I like that one too and use it to find restaurants and hotels. AroundMe tells you other useful information like nearby coffee shops, gas stations, pharmacies, etc. Very handy when you're in a strange city.
• Epicurious (FREE - paid upgrade available) - One of the best things about mobile devices IMO are cooking apps. I've got a bunch of them but Epicurious is the one I use most often. I can search for a recipe on my iPad, have the shopping list show up on my iPhone and then follow the recipe on my iPad again. I've also gotten a lot of good suggestions from the reviews.
• IMDb (FREE) - This one was already mentioned by someone else for movie reference. But I also use it to see what's playing at local theaters and get showtimes.
• Breaking News from NBC News Digital (FREE) - This isn't one that I open up a lot but it does provide timely notification of as the name implies breaking news. You can also set up stories you want to follow.
• Flipboard (FREE) - You can use it as a or Twitter/Facebook feed reader as well as following other feeds. Beautifully designed news aggregator.

And a couple of good sources for learning about more interesting new apps are some podcasts from the TWiT network:

• All About Android - Android news, apps and tips
• iFive for the iPhone - 5 weekly iPhone apps and tips in 10 minutes
• iPad Today - iPad news, apps and tips

Even if you don't have time to listen to the podcast, you'll often find interesting links in the show notes.

Happy app shopping and feel free to add more of your favorites in Comments. We can always do updated lists.

E-Reader Guide for Young People

Another question that comes up occasionally is, what device should I buy for tweens and teens interested in e-books?

The first question to ask is the same as for adults, how do you see him/her using the device?  If you're looking for a device primarily for reading books, go with an e-ink or basic e-reader.  Then you just have to decide whether you want to immerse your young person into the Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo ecosystem. Sony is also in the e-ink e-reader market but they've never had a particularly competitive e-book store.  So, I presume you'd be getting most of your content for a Sony Reader from Overdrive, B&N or Kobo.  I have to say that the Kobo Mini is possibly the cutest e-reader ever, if that's a consideration. The one big advantage of Sony Readers is for schools.  The Sony Pocket Reader (no longer being made) was a small, sturdy, metal encased e-reader that was difficult to damage.  And it didn't come with wifi.  On the whole, e-ink readers are easier on the eyes, have long battery life, are small and light and very portable and are considerably less expensive than the color versions.  If you think there's a good possibility of loss or damage, you're not likely to be as concerned if you've shelled out $70 vs. $200.  Another question to consider is how easily distracted the young person is.  If you fear that s/he may spend more time on Facebook, messaging or gaming than reading, you may want to go with a less distracting e-ink device.

Some features to consider - Touch vs. manual controls.  I prefer touch screens.  Somehow it seems more natural, but I like the Nook Simple Touch because it offers both touch and manual page turns.  Wifi vs. 3G - this is mostly used to buy and download new books.  Especially if you have wifi at home, I'd think you could save the money and skip the 3G.  On the other hand, it can be quite useful if you find yourself trapped in an airport or on a runway and your kid could really use a new book to entertain him/her.  Web browser -  I believe all of the Kindles have a web browser of some kind - generally labeled experimental.  B&N Nook Simple Touch does not have a web browser, nor do the Sony Readers.  The more recent Kobo devices do have web browsers.  None of these are particularly appealing on an e-ink reader but they do offer access to the Internet, if that's a concern.  Parental controls - purchases and content.  This is always going to be a difficult issue.  The stereotype is that kids know more than their parents about gadgets and the Internet and will find a way around any controls you attempt to establish.  While that may be true in many cases, I think that bringing an e-reader into the house is a great time to have that Internet talk about responsibility and potential dangers, etc.  While I think you can probably control charges to your account on any of the devices, there is a lot of less than desirable content kids can access and download.  Given the gray scale displays, there's probably less concern about graphic depictions of pornography or violence on an e-ink reader, but it's probably worthwhile making clear your expectations.  And I'd also include a chat about pirated content.

Amazon Kindle - starts at $69
Barnes & Noble Nook - starts at $99
Kobo - starts at $80
Sony Reader - starts at $129

Color E-Readers - What Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble are marketing as e-readers are really limited utility tablets, so, I'll include these with other 7 inch tablets.  The pros for considering this category are the color screens which are great for illustrations, graphic novels, and photographs, and the wide variety of apps you can run.  Kindle and Nook both strive to control access to content and apps, but there are still plenty available.  I think the most important thing to keep in mind about these devices is that they are mobile Internet access devices.  They come with browsers, cameras and ready access to app and content stores.  They play movies, music and numerous games. If free unfettered access to the Internet and/or the potential for major distractions are concerns for you, you'll want to look into parental controls.  Kindle just recently boosted their parental control capabilities on Fire HD with FreeTime that allows parents the ability to set the amount of time a child spends on various activities on Kindle Fire, e.g., hour for games, hour for video, 2 hours for reading, etc.  And you can set multiple profiles with different settings for different family members.  They also have a FreeTime subscription plan called FreeTime Unlimited that offers unlimited selected books, games, educational apps, movies, etc. for a monthly fee.  Nook also offers parental controls and multiple profiles.  In addition, Nook has a special Nook Kids Store where you can shop by age group.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD - starts at $199
Nook HD - starts at $199
Kindle FreeTime Unlimited
NookKids

The wider world of Android tablets, including Google Nexus 7 and Kobo Arc, provide no built in parental controls.  You have to rely on third party apps.  But you will find a lot of familiar brands from the PC filter business also offering Android and iOS filter apps.  As always, when considering filtering products, I'd read the reviews and take advantage of free testing periods to try out the apps and make sure they work as you want them to.  Another caution is that quite often the app is free but you need to pay a subscription fee to get updates.

There are tablets made specifically for children.  One example is the nabi 2.  It's an Android tablet but with a customized interface and apps designed for children.  It also looks pretty durable with a thick bumper so it can probably withstand a lot of drops and abuse.  It runs $199 which puts it in the same range as Kindle Fire and Nook HD and has similar specifications.  It might be worth considering, especially for younger children.

nabi 2 - $199

Finally, there's the latest entry into this smaller tablet market, the iPad mini.  At $329, it's the highest priced tablet in its class but Apple seems to like to charge a premium price for its products.  iPad mini does come with parental controls.  It also has access to the Apple iTunes app store with its hundreds of thousands of apps, including those aimed toward every age group.  Apple is also making a push for the education market so there are a wide range of educational apps and books designed specifically for iPad.  In addition, I expect they have the largest number of beautifully designed interactive multimedia book apps for children.

iPad mini - starts at $329

I'm not going to go into the larger tablets - iPad or Kindle Fire HD 8.9 or Nook HD+ or the like.  If a young person tells you s/he wants one of these, it's not for reading.  These are more laptop replacements.  But the same caveats apply as for the smaller models.  The only difference is that they're bigger and heavier and more expensive.  They're also potentially more appealing for movies and gaming, but hold no particular advantage for reading unless we're talking about PDFs or graphic novels.  In both cases bigger is better.  For more information on the larger tablets and their respective advantages and disadvantages, you can see an earlier blog post on tablets.

2012 Holiday Tablet Roundup

I'm putting tablets into a separate category from e-readers this year because I think their primary function is somewhat different.  I think that most people tend to use tablets as more of a laptop replacement than as an e-reader.  They tend to be bigger and bulkier and heavier than is comfortable to hold for any length of time.  But at the same time, they're smaller and lighter and have longer battery life than most laptops so many people are finding them a relatively inexpensive option for traveling and/or a secondary computer.

iPad continues to be the standard against which all other devices are measured.  It's the multi-purpose device that will do almost everything a computer will do.  The Apple iTunes app store not only has the most apps available but also the most desirable apps.  When you hear about the latest wonder app that will make your life so much better, it's usually going to be available first on iOS (Apple's mobile operating system).  iPad runs e-reader apps from OverDrive, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo, Google Reader.  Apple is making a play for the education market so there are multimedia interactive textbooks being created just for iPad.  There are numerous magazine apps that are beautifully designed and provide stunning photos in the retina display versions.  And it's a good gaming device.  I think it's hard to go wrong choosing an iPad as a gift.  It's got the edge on design, usability and apps.  The major downside is the price.  Current versions of the standard iPad start at $499 for the 16 GB wifi version.

Apple iPad Store
CNET Apple iPad Reviews
Apple iTunes App Store Preview

For those looking for non-Apple options, I prefer the Google Nexus line.  These are Google's flagship Android devices.  The picture is of the new Nexus 10 (10 inch tablet to compete with the standard iPad).  The Nexus 10 starts at $399 for a 16 GB wifi version.  Android tablets will run all the e-reader apps just like iPad.  But overall, there are fewer apps in the Android app stores that are designed specifically for tablets.  All that means is that some will be stretched a bit and not look quite as good.  But a lot depends on what are your must have apps. 

Google Nexus 10

CNET Google Nexus 10 Review 

Google Play Store Apps

There are a lot of other Android tablets on the market as well, including the Asus Transformer (pictured above) that has a  keyboard that attaches and makes the tablet into more of a laptop.  Samsung and Acer make very nice tablets as well.  All will run all the e-reader apps.  Personally, I think that Android tablets are very competitive with Apple iPads.  But there is the issue of ecosystems to consider.  For anyone who is a Mac or iPhone user, they're probably pretty thoroughly integrated into the Apple ecosystem, meaning they have apps and/or iTunes content that they'd like to use on a tablet.  In which case, you probably want to stick with iPads.  If your gift recipient has an Android phone, it makes a lot of sense to go with an Android tablet either Google's or one of the others so s/he can use already purchased apps on it.

CNET Asus Transformer Review

Microsoft recently came out with its entry into the tablet market the Windows RT Surface.  It's competitively priced at $499 for a 32 GB wifi.  $100 more for the black touch cover.  I haven't had a chance to try one out yet but just about all the reviewers love the hardware.  And reportedly it's a good implementation of Windows 8 for tablets.  It also comes with a tablet edition of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013.  You can order the keyboard separately, either a touch one as shown or one with raised keys.  Reportedly this is a necessary accessory if you're planning to actually use the Office apps.  The key drawback at this point appears to be lack of apps.  There is a Kindle app available, but so far nothing from Nook or OverDrive.  Another thing to consider is that Microsoft is due to release the more full featured version of their tablet early in 2013.  It will reportedly be significantly more expensive but also more like a desktop PC.  It might be worth the wait.

Microsoft Surface

CNET Microsoft Surface Reviews

Windows Store

CNET Tablet Buying Guide

2012 Holiday E-Reader Roundup

The 7 inch tablet seems to be the one with the most buzz around it this year, so this is where we'll focus. What I hear from a lot of tech journalists is that they absolutely love one or more 7 inch tablets and have set aside their full size iPads in favor of the iPad mini or Nexus 7.  I was a bit puzzled by this until I realized that most of them have small ultralight laptops like the Macbook Air as their primary portable device.  If that's you, you'll probably be most interested in this in between device.  If you're looking at a laptop replacement, you may want to go back to the tablet posting.

Apple recently announced its entry into the smaller tablet market with the iPad mini.  It runs all of the larger iPads programs including all of the e-reader apps.  The advantage is that it's smaller and lighter and less expensive.  For people looking for an e-reader, it's more in line with the Nook Color and Tablet and Kindle Fire.  But it's still more expensive.  You pay the Apple premium.  The iPad mini starts at $329 for a 16 GB wifi version.  What you get for that price is entry into the Apple ecosystem with its hundreds of thousands of apps.  But I tend to think that Apple missed the boat on this one.  The iPad mini has the same display and processor as the iPad 2.  That means it's the only current Apple iOS device without a retina display.  To me, that's a deal breaker.  But I know it's not important for many others.  I've talked with a lot of people who are perfectly content with the fuzzy print of earlier iPads.  I'd recommend going to a store to try one out before buying to make sure it's okay for you, and potentially for anyone for whom you're considering buying one.  The smaller size does make it more portable but it will probably make reading PDF documents more laborious as you have to scroll.  I have yet to try one so I don't know for sure, but I presume some web pages will be harder to read as well.  I tried to check one out at Best Buy last weekend and was disappointed that the battery was dead on their one display iPad mini.  Unless you absolutely have to have one now, I'd suggest waiting for the retina display version which is almost certain to come out with the iPad mini 2 sometime next year.

Apple Store iPad Mini

CNET Apple iPad Mini Review

Google's entry into the smaller tablet wars is the Nexus 7 (7 inch tablet) that has recently been upgraded.  The Nexus 7 starts at $199 for a 16 GB wifi version.  I've had a Google Nexus 7 original version for several months now.  And I like it quite a bit.  But I'm not really sold on the 7 inch form factor.  For me, it makes it more difficult to browse the web as I'm always having to enlarge the type and scroll around.  The difficulty with web browsing makes me use apps like the Facebook app far more than I would like to.  But it does have good resolution and makes a pretty decent e-reader.  That's largely what I use it for, to read non-Kindle e-books.

Google Store Nexus 7

CNET Google Nexus 7 Review

Kindle Fires and Nook Color/Tablets - I'm going to show my bias by lumping these all together.  Kindle recently announced a whole new generation of Kindle Fires - including an 8.9 inch tablet and an HD version of the smaller model.  Nook now has a 7 inch HD and 9 inch HD+. But I think the primary difference is which ecosystem you're buying into.  I categorize these as content consumption devices.  In contrast to the tablets listed above, where the ecosystems are primarily related to the availability of apps with little or no restriction on content, with Fires and Nooks, you're pretty much tied into the Amazon or B and N ecosystems for everything from apps to e-books to audio and video content.  This is particularly true for Kindle.  Since Barnes and Noble isn't in the movie or music business, they do allow and encourage other third party apps.  There are now OverDrive Media Console apps available for both through the Amazon and Nook app stores which should make it easier to browse for and download Mtlib2go books directly to the device.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD

CNET Amazon Kindle Fire HD Review

What they really have going for them is price and ease of use.  The Kindle Fire starts at $159 for the 8 GB wifi version with ads.  The Nook HD starts at $199 for 8 GB wifi.  And if you've got a person on your gift list who already owns a lot of e-content from Amazon or B&N, it could make sense to buy them a device which is optimized for that content.  You just put in your account information, and presto, you have access to all of your content and an easy way to buy lots more.  I think another plus for the Nook is that there is in store support, if you're lucky enough to have a Barnes and Noble store in or near your community.  And I have to say that the Nook HD has beautiful clear and crisp screen resolution. I know some people who have either a Fire or a Nook and love them.  I know others who received them as gifts last year and have never even taken them out of the box.  Know your recipient.  Personally, I'd skip this category entirely and either go with a dedicated e-reader or a real tablet.

Nook HD

CNET Nook HD Review

Finally the basic or dedicated e-readers.  I continue to insist that these are the best bets for someone who really only wants an e-reader.  They do one thing but do it better and better all the time.  The new generation of e-readers are smaller and lighter and easier to hold.  They have very long battery life, very good resolution and the screen contrast is improving all the time.  The photo above is of the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight starting at $119.  Amazon's answer is the Kindle Paperwhite, also starting at $119.  I got a Kindle Paperwhite a couple of weeks ago.  I continue to like the size and weight of dedicated e-readers.  I think the light provides excellent contrast.  The touch screen is responsive and easy to navigate and highlight.  I know that a number of people I've talked with were interested in these illuminated screens so they could read in the dark.  I still find it uncomfortably glary in a dark room at the lowest setting.  But it does work well in a room with just a little light where it would be difficult to read ordinarily.  

As for other e-reader models, Kindle's lowest price basic e-reader currently sells for $69.  The Nook Simple Touch sells for $99.  The lowest price Kindle has ads.  The Nook doesn't.  I think either is a good choice.  It just depends on where you want to buy your books.  A plus for Nook is that you can read any EPUB book on it.  But if you buy from another EPUB bookstore and/or use mtlib2go, you'll have to go through Adobe Digital Editions for DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Kindle E-Readers

Nook E-Readers

Also, worth mentioning is Kobo.  You may recall that Kobo was the e-reader/e-book division of Borders.  Borders is gone but Kobo lives on.  Kobo has recently taken over the independent bookstore mantle that Google Books had for several years.  So, that means I may well be buying more books from Kobo via some of my favorite bookstores like Powells and Tattered Cover.  I can read them on my iPad and/or Nexus 7 via the Kobo app.  Kobo offers similar hardware to Kindle and Nook.  I think they boast the smallest e-reader, the Kobo Mini at $79.99 and they go up to a 7 inch tablet at $199.99.  You might want to take their online quiz to help you decide which type of e-reader is best for you.  I haven't used a Kobo Reader since the early days.  At that time, the hardware wasn't up to the same level as Kindle or Nook but I think it's a matter of personal preference.  They're reportedly available at a variety of retail establishments including Best Buy, Target and Sears. I didn't see one recently at Best Buy but there are a lot of others out there.

And, finally Sony is still making e-readers.  The current Sony Reader is a touch screen device selling for $129.99. I'm sure the hardware is comparable and it works with EPUB titles and mtlib2go.  Other than that, it's lacking its own solid ecosystem.

Sony Reader

PC Mag Ebook Reviews

Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy?

Finally, a note about wifi vs. 3G/LTE.  Wifi means you need to be on a wireless network to access the Internet and/or download content directly to tablet/e-reader.  Tablets and devices like Kindle Fires and Nook Tablets really want an Internet connection.  As more and more people have wifi at home and/or have access to a number of public wifi hotspots, this works well for most people.  The other option is to connect via a cellular data connection.  When you buy an iPad, for example, you can choose whether you want to get your cellular data from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon.  You set up a contract with that provider and pay them for a monthly data plan.  This can be useful if you don't have wifi at home and/or if you travel a lot and don't want to have to worry about finding a wifi hotspot to get online.  Some of the other Android tablets will also offer you a choice of carriers.  If they don't, the carrier is usually AT&T.  The Kindle Fire HD recently came out with an LTE version: "250MB a month for 12 months with a one-time payment of $49.99 - no monthly payments. If you need more data, 3GB and 5GB monthly plans are also available."  250 MB a month is only enough if you only plan to use the device to check email once in a while or download the occasional book.  Otherwise you're going to need a contract with AT&T.  And remember that streaming video is going to eat up a lot of data, if that's one of the uses you have in mind.

The Kindle Paperwhite I recently bought was the 3G version.  I had a Kindle 2 and found that it was useful to have 3G because it would enable me to get online quickly even when there was no wifi available.  I was disappointed to find out that Amazon had plugged that perq.  I guess I should have read the online documentation more closely.  The 3G is only available to purchase and download content from the Amazon Kindle store.  The browser only works on wifi.  Drat!  I could have saved $60.

Another useful warning is that you may not be able to use all public wifi with the basic e-reader models.  Some public wifi hotspots require you to access a browser and log on there.  If the e-reader doesn't have a browser, you won't be able to log on.  We discovered this at a library with the basic Kindle.  And keep in mind that Amazon's Whispersync cannot be used to download Overdrive books.  But if worse comes to worse, you can always download books to your computer and transfer them to any e-reader device.  

Hope this helps steer you in a useful direction for purchases this holiday season.  Do let me know if you have any questions.  And I'd love to hear your opinions of some of these devices in the comments.  I'm sure others would as well.