Just for the record. I’m not a bling kind of girl. I am a
technogeek. However, I am also of Dutch-descent which means I don’t spend money
lightly. Unfortunately, this does diminish my technogeek chops to some extent.
I admit that I was plagued much of this Fall semester by
iPad envy. Even as friends and colleagues demonstrated the many wonderous apps
featured by the device I contemplated my chances of getting away clean if I
knocked them over the head with my knapsack and snatched their iPad away from
them. I dreamed and discarded any number of dastardly plans to acquire one for
myself as the weeks passed. I informed my husband that all I wanted for
Christmas was an iPad and then, even as the words fell from my lips, I really
considered whether I wanted an iPad enough to justify that blow to our family
budget. Hmmm.
It was only a few years ago that I suffered from iPhone
envy. As the owner of a $25 Go phone not only the device but the plan necessary
to support it was a daunting expense. I was able to defeat that green-eyed
monster with the purchase of an iPod Touch and never really looked back. Last
Christmas I did upgrade to a $50 Go phone to make it easier to text but there
are only a few occasions when I wish for an iPhone. Clearly I dodged a bullet
there. Remembering the iPhone virus was enough to send me out to do my homework
and to really ponder why I want a tablet and what I hope to do with it.
While I admit there are many nifty educational and
teaching apps, the simple truth is that I teach predominantly online and so I
won’t be toting my Tablet into class. I also agree that Tablets are much
handier than many other forms of technology for meetings. While I do go to a
number of meetings I tend to tote a little notebook that fits handily into my
coat pocket rather than any form of technology. If I feel the urge for
technology my iPod Touch nestles quite nicely beside the notebook with no extra
bags necessary.
So if I’m not going to use it extensively for my
on-campus work then what do I plan to use it for? I do plan to use it for an
e-reader. I have resisted earlier e-readers because I just couldn’t see laying
down that amount of money for a device that has only one function – and a
function that other devices I already own can serve. However, as a mother I am
frequently in a car or on a bench (if I’m lucky) or on the floor somewhere
waiting for some practice or event to conclude. It would be handy to have an
easy way to carry my reading with me for those regular occasions as well as
more infrequent travel for professional and personal reasons.
I would also like to use a Tablet for casual web browsing
and email checking. I can do this from my iPod Touch but there are some things
it would just be easier to do with a larger screen. And, quite honestly,
despite the fact that we have three computers in our home I am still sometimes
left without a device. How this is possible I’m not sure (there are only 3
people living in our home) but there you go. I hope adding another device will
break that deadlock.
I do expect that I will use the Tablet for entertainment
purposes as well. I love my Touch for music and also frequently use Netflix to
download movies and shows. I would expect a larger screen would enhance that
experience.
So, if I largely will use my tablet as an e-reader, web
browser, and video player, then is it really worth $500 to me? I decided not.
But I knew that I wanted something and so began my search for a viable
alternative. In the end I was left with two much less expensive options –
costing only about as much as my Touch – the Amazon Fire and Barnes and Noble
Nook. However, this meant another difficult decision. Both devices are so new
that I don’t have any friends who possess either. So how do I choose?
The Nook has a lot more storage with capacity to expand but
the Fire has a USB port and the Cloud so not sure how much of that is a real
issue. It is unlikely I will want to tote my whole library to a location
without Wifi after all. Gizmodo
reports that when they compared the two devices that Fire ran faster and
smoother but Nook has a better battery life. But as I don’t imagine marathon
reading or viewing sessions so that will likely not be an issue.
The entertainment options of the two devices are
different. Not sure how to even compare. Yes, we are currently Netflix
subscribers which would suggest we go with a Nook but I’m not sure if we will
maintain that relationship – or that Netflix will survive its recent poor
service decisions. We’ve already cut back and are contemplating another.
The only other big difference is that Barnes and Noble
will offer in-store support for their Nook while Amazon support will need to be
done at a distance. How much of this is a factor for me? I think it is a bigger
issue for my parents (who are also in the market for a Tablet this holiday
season). My friends with Kindles haven’t reported problems so I’m not sure it
is an issue.
What do you think? Have I adequately considered all my
options? Tell me what I should ask for this Christmas!
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