Differences between e-readers and tablets?

I have three e-readers, one NOOK Simple, one Kindle Touch, and one first generation Kindle. I also have two tablets, one first generation ipad and one NOOK HD+. All of these devices can have wi-fi (wireless router required) and can connect to the internet. You do not, however, need internet access to read already downloaded materials on any of these devices. You can download materials onto these devices by connecting them to a laptop or desktop using the USB cable provided with the unit. The devices come with instructions which all of your options.

The e-readers, however, are far more limited in what they can access on the internet. The NOOK can access the bookstore at Barnes and Noble in order to purchase books, magazines, and/or newspapers. The Kindles can access Amazon for the same purpose. The e-readers display in black and white.

The tablets, the ipad and the NOOK HD+ can access search engines such as Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. They can be used to access email. You can download and play games on tablets. Tablets can be used in many of the same ways that laptops and desktops can be used. They are, however, slower and do not have the amount of hard drive storage you would have on most laptops or desktops. Tablets display in color and they make excellent e-readers.

I would recommend something like a Kindle Fire, a tablet, simply because it can do so much more than a plain e-reader can do. Right now the NOOK tablets can be purchased from Barnes and Noble at very nice prices. However, I would choose the Kindle over the NOOK simply because Barnes and Noble is getting out of the hardware business so I don't know how long the NOOKs are going to be supported. I dearly love my NOOK HD+ and it was a real bargain but I would be hesitant to give one as a gift because of the potential support issues. Amazon on the other hand is growing their Kindle business and provides excellent support for the Kindles. I believe Best Buy is still selling both the Kindles and the NOOKs so if you have a store within a reasonable distance to your home you might to go and look at them. If you are not afraid to buy online then consider buying directly from Amazon.com. You can go to Amazon.com and read user reviews about the various Kindles available.

Whatever you choose, e-reader or tablet, don't forget to use the parental controls when you set it up. Using the controls will allow you to decide if and when you want your child to have access to the internet.

An e-reader (I have a Kindle) is for reading only. It is designed to be easier on the eyes than a computer screen, portable, and lightweight. It can hold many books. Be aware that the books must be available in the proper format for them to work on the e-reader.

A tablet (I also have one of those) is more like a mini-computer. It can be customized and used for many light jobs, as well as games and reading.

Wi-Fi means that the device can connect to the internet via an airborne signal sent out by a router. It doesn't mean that the device can get on the internet for free. If you have wireless internet in your home, then the device can access the internet at home. Otherwise, the device will need a public network to access the internet. Public networks are often found at libraries. Fast food restaurants also often offer the service for their customers.

These devices can work without the internet. In order to set them up and get content and apps, though, an internet connection is necessary.

With all of that said, be aware that these types of devices are designed for adults. I do not know of any that are designed for young children. They are fragile. I'm not saying that an 8-year old is incapable of using one, but it is unlikely that the device will last very long. I would recommend a full-sized computer, used with adult supervision, for a child that young. It is a much better introduction. In fact, without an internet connection you are in control of exactly what the child is capable of doing on the computer. It is stationary (if you get a desktop), and things such as keyboards and mice can be replaced easily and with little expense. A reasonable desktop computer is not that much more expensive than a nice tablet. A used one might even be less expensive.

What you want, if you are interested in a unit the child can actually use for such things as homework, is a computer that can run an office suite. Microsoft Office is the current standard. It is not cheap, but it is available in older versions that might run on an older machine. If you want games, they are also available. There are programs that operate as e-readers on computers. The only thing you lose with a desktop computer is portability, and that is a good thing for a young child.

Be aware that e-readers, tablets, and the more inexpensive desktop computers will not run all games. There will be many that require high-end equipment. A desktop computer equipped with a DVD drive, though, will play DVDs. It will also play music. Programs are available to give the computer those capabilities, including free ones that work great. If you have a friend or family member with a computer and internet access at their home, you can buy a USB drive and download them when you visit, and then install them at home.

I think a lot of the folks who have replied to your question haven't really followed the technology.

I would break it down into three device classes:

1) B&W e-Readers like the Kindle PaperWhite are designed for reading and have a paper-like B&W screen. I wouldn't recommend one for an 8 year old.

2) Tablets grew, literally, out of smart-phone technology. Apple's iPad grew out of the iPhone, Android tablets grew out of Android phones. If you have an iPhone or Android smart phone then you already know a lot about the corresponding tablets. There are Windows based smart phones and tablets, but I tend to leave them out of the discussion because I think they are irrelevant when you're talking about a device for an 8 year old. Tablets (like smart phones) are designed around mobile and touch screen technology, so they are smaller, lighter and consume less energy (have longer battery life) than laptop computers. Mobile technology is built on the assumption that the device is connected to the internet 24x7. Almost all tablets come with built-in WiFi, some have the capability to connect to the cellular carrier networks. If your tablet is connected to a cellular network, you will need a data plan of some kind, just like you would have with a smart phone. A tablet can do just about anything a computer can do.

3) Color e-Readers, like the Nook HD/HD+ and the Kindle Fire are Android tablets with some limitations because they are primarily intended for media consumption, like books, magazines, movies, TV shows. So they might not have some of the built-in sensors that tablets and smart phones typically have. The Kindle Fire is engineered for Amazon.com's media delivery system, Amazon Prime, for e-Books, movies and TV shows. Barnes and Noble's Nook HD/HD+ is a little more of an open system, with access to more sources of media.

If you are already members of Amazon Prime, then the Kindle Fire may be the best fit for your family.

The Nook has some special features for children, but mostly for children younger than 8, I think.

If you are not a tech-heavy family (multiple computers, smartphones, etc.) then an iPad is probably your best choice, especially if you already own an Apple product. Apple rules the tablet and smart phone universe for good reasons. Their products are well supported, well integrated within the vast Apple ecosystem, and easy to use. Your next door neighbor probably has an iPhone, iPod, or iPad, and your 8 year old probably has a friend with an iPad. Apple has the broadest app support, too.

If you are a tech-heavy family, and not Apple fans, then an Android tablet like the Google Nexus might be just the thing.

If you are looking for the best value, I would look at the Nook HD/HD+. At $129 (7") and $149 (9"), they are the best priced Android e-Reader/tablets around. Comparable Kindle Fires are $244 (7") and $394 (9"). The latest iPads start at $399 (iPad mini) and $499 (iPad Air). A new Nexus 7 is $219, a Nexus 10 is about $410.

Disclosure: We are a tech heavy family. My wife and I and 3 adult children have multiple windows laptops, 5 android smart phones, a Kindle Fire, three Nook HD+, and a Nexus 7. I've never been willing to pay the premium price to own an Apple device, although I am sorely tempted by the iPad.

Hope this helps.

A lot of people in this thread are missing out on the key issue here, which is not that you need to know the technical differences between the two types or the precise difference between different products but that you are not that familiar with this kind of technology at all.

Instead of pointing out the monochrome screens and Wi-Fi capability and whether the Kindle Fire is a really an e-reader or a tablet, the key is to think about what you want your son to use his present for.

An e-reader does one thing -- it is a device on which you can read books. So if you want to buy your eight-year old a device that will allow him to read a lot of books and *only* read a lot of books then get him an e-reader.

A tablet is, to all intents and purposes, a mini-computer in a hand-held form. You can use it to watch films or look at the internet and check email and play (basic) games and many of the other things that you can do on a computer. As an example, I am writing this reply on my tablet. So, if you want to get your son a device on which he can do those things, then get him a tablet. I will point out that you can still read books on a tablet but it is less pleasant than an e-reader.

It is very likely that your son would *much* prefer a tablet for Christmas because it can do a lot more and is a lot prettier/flashier, while an e-reader is really only about presenting books in a convenient fashion and that is probably less appealing to an eight-year old.

But, again, the key is what you want to give him. Decide that, and then read some of the other replies to get a better idea of the different products in the two different categories.

Tablets are general purpose devices that have good graphics capabilities while e-readers are more limited in their capabilities. For example. Amazon's 7'' Kindle Fire is a true tablet. It can be used for games, productivity apps, and as an e-reader. It has wireless capabilities. More expensive versions also have 4G capability but require a data plan. For an 8 year old, the Fire or another tablet might be a good choice since children's books tend to be illustrated. On the other hand, Amazon's 7" Kindle Paperwhite is strictly an e-reader with very limited graphics capability. Advantage of the Paperwhite is it can be read in bright sunlight or total darkness as opposed to a tablet's tendency to wash out in bright light. The Paperwhite will also hold a charge for weeks as opposed to the 8 to 10 hours for a tablet. The Paperwhite also has wireless capability. For a little extra money, you can get a Paperwhite with 3G capability that lets you download books from just about anywhere you happen to be. 3G is free to use and does not require a data plan. Kindles are sold by Staples as well as by Amazon.

Another advantage to Amazon's Kindles is you don't actually need to buy a Kindle. You can download the Kindle app to a PC, Mac, or smartphone. You can start reading on one device and then pick-up from where you left off on another.

Barnes and Noble also has a variety of Nook tablets and e-readers. The advantage here is you can go to any B&N bookstore and try them out. I believe Staples also sell Nooks. B&N also has apps for computers and smartphones.

By starting out with an app instead of buying a tablet or e-reader you can get a feel for pricing, selection, and ease of ordering before you buy a device.

Finally, other good choices in tablets would be Google's Nexxus 7, Samsung's Galaxy or the Apple iPad mini (expensive!).

So I can see your confusion. We have an iPad (the latest) and a Kindle (last generation) in our house and we use them for different things, to be honest. You can play movies and tv shows on both, you can read on both, you can Skype with friends and relatives on both, check email, there are game and learning apps for both, but the iPad and other tablets might offer more games for kids although I can't say I'm positive about that. If there is a particular app or game that your kid is dying to play, you just may want to double check and make sure that that is accessible through whichever product you decide on.

The new Kindle is apparently quite great -- Amazon also offers a monthly kid bundle price of about $3 bucks for a variety of kid focused games and books. So if you're on a budget, go for the new Kindle. You'll get a lot more cheap or free stuff for a significantly lower price than say, an iPad. And if you are not very tech savvy and you think you might want some ongoing instruction and help, you can get a real time, live Amazon support person who will pop onto the new generation Kindle and walk you through things. This helper can even take control of your Kindle from their side and make changes for you or show you. It's kind of like OnStar in your car.

Both have built in Wi Fi, and it's up to you if you want to buy with a mobile package (only Verizon and AT&T for the Kindle). This is another # you can tie into your current carrier service. This is nice to have when you're traveling for instance, and you don't want to totally depend on available Wi Fi. We have this on the iPad so that my son can not only talk to me after school, but also we can see each other (via Skype). You can do this smart phone or computer to Kindle or tablet. Great for that!

I do agree with the some of the other posts. Might want to go to Best Buy or somewhere similar to get a demonstration and touch and feel. However I'm not sure that you can do this with a Kindle or not. Maybe you can ask around and see if a friend has the new one.

Best of luck!

Kim

Please make sure you install parental controls and understand their limitations.
Even if you disable unsupervised Internet access be aware that many seemingly innocent apps allow access to social media sites or search engines. Our child found a back door from one app (bump) and set up a Google plus account, YouTube and started putting pictures and comments over the www.
Beware that app updates can increase functions so even if you check it out when first installed, it may evolve into something more dangerous.
Good luck and be careful!

Ok, for the most part the basic e-Reader is just that, an e-Reader capable of reading different formats of electronic documents and books. Some of the Upper End ones can access the internet, via wireless (WiFi). Where Tablets do access the internet via WiFi or you can have them set up to access the net using simcard similar to a mobile phone.

For an 8 year old - while I am not technophobic, I do think that younger children should not have open access to the internet without constant parental supervision. Therefore, I think in your case, a basic e-Reader would suffice. You don't "Need" internet accessibility for a device to simply use as an e-Reader, you can - download the documents/books to your computer and then connect your e-Reader to your computer and transfer the document/book to your e-Reader. (They usually come with a cable that will connect to a USB port) Basic e-Readers can be very cost effective, and more-so for kids. Some kids can get a little rough with the equipment and a tablet is a little exxy to have it damaged. So you could use the e-Reader as a "trial" to see if your 8-year-old can look after it, then progress from there.
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The key important is the display, E-reader use e-ink type display

First off WIFI means that you can connect to a wireless router at home or many different public wireless internet access points such as those avalible at schools, libraries, airports, train stations, etc... Tables are not usually program specific unless you go with an Apple product which is marketed and developed to force you to buy more Apple stuff (I'll refrain from calling it junkware sorry but I am not a fan of closed distribution companies like Apple) You can get the Apps for different e-book formats from various sources, Amazon, Nook (Barnes & Noble) Adobe and there are free e-book sights as well.
I have my 7 year old Grandson reading from a Amazon Fire which he uses for games as well as reading. The 2 years ago I bought both my grandsons cheap tablets from e-bay direct from China distributor and they use them for games, e-books,
Because the units have wifi can be subject to viruses so I shut the wifi off when I am not around and only download books when I have the tablet. This stops them from accidentally going to some weird site or buying stuff from ads which support the free game apps.
Notebooks and laptops are totally different machines then tablets and e-readers. The latter are fully functioning computers. e-readers are generally for reading books and as another post indicates they can be black and white or full color and with the full capabilities of a tablet.
Tablets can be loaded with APPS which will allow access to e-mail, web browsing, and cloud based programs for full functioning word processing and more sophisticated programs which an 8 year old will not be using.. yet...
If you have a computer the child uses for homework or other things then I would suggest a color e-reader to start with. If you feel he is responsible enough to take care of a more expensive device, get the Nexus 7 Tablet or the equivalent from a major manufacture/distributor.
The $99 and under tablets are usually older operating system versions with slower processors and not much memory. You could give one a try but expect to be disappointed with how slow it is or other issues which will put the unit into recycling faster then you might think. Keep in mine my younger grandson, he is 5 now, uses the cheaper tablet and is happy with it. As long as the wifi is shut off, ads don't slow it down and the battery lasts longer anyway without it on. My daughter-in-law bought a $99 tablet and it sits enough that the battery now no longer takes a charge and she just uses her Kindle Fire for what she wants and her laptop and desk top for work and social activities.
A trip to a reliable retail store would be in order to explore the various options as far as processor speed and memory. and types of units available.

A quick answer to your question is a reader is for reading a tablet is for using the internet . You can of course use a tablet to read but they are useless in bright light or daylight.
A reader is smaller a lot lighter and is also capable of down loading books via wireless connectivity they are capable of holding hundreds of books and have a very long battery life (days as opposed to hours)
I have both and I would not be without either but my kindle paperwhite is fabulous you can read in any position any light you can read in the dark because it has a built in light. If you buy the correct cover you dont even have to turn it off. It starts up at the page you were reading last. You jump from book to book if you like reading more than one book at a time.
A tablet does all the things a computer does but on a smaller scale and has a lot less i.e no hard drive and not all have expansion capability. .
It is the most use for internet use like playing games checking your email, shopping or just surfing.
I originally I bought my tablet in order to be able to read outside I even went the whole hog and got the 3g version how wrong could i be it was useless for that purpose.
So if you just want them to read any where any time then get a reader.
If you want them to be able to access the internet and only read inside then get a tablet.
Hope this helps

My daughter was a voracious reader and so when grandma offered to buy her a kindle for christmas I readily agreed. What grandma bought was a Kindle Fire, not an ereader. The result has been that my daughter goes straight for the games, youtube and other internet content and rarely for the book reading. As a result, her reading went from voracious to something much less. She recently left her Kindle Fire on a bus and part of me was overjoyed. We're now thinking of getting her the paperwhite for Christmas, but I'm skeptical she'll find it acceptable after the tablet. We'll see.

The responses here seem to focus on the technical capabilities and differences between the tablet and ereader.The truer concern, in my experience, should be whether it's time to expose your child to the attention-splitting world of the internet at this age. I would recommend going with the ereader.

No 8-year-old boy in history will ever prefer an e-reader over a tablet. Why? Every tablet is an e-reader; few e-readers are tablets. Note that the Amazon Kindle Fire series and the B&N Nook are actually tablets.

However, I *urge* you to *not* get a cheap one! We got a couple of cheapie ones a year or so ago, and they were absolute junk. There are *plenty* of high quality tablets out there; the older models of the premium manufacturers are going for about $50 to $100 more than the cheap junk, and that price difference is so very worth it.

I recommend the Android-based tablets. 80%+ of the tablets and smartphones use Android. That means more apps coming, and more help when you need it.

One more reason to go Android is the Amazon App Store's "Free App of the Day" program where Amazon gives a paid or premium app away for free every day. My wife and I have been getting them for about three years now, and I have over 1,000 apps in my library. Most of these are games, and quite a few apps are a really great utilities. If I were to have paid for the apps in my library, the cost would be more than $2,500 I believe. (Unfortunately, the downside is that a good percentage aren't worth the price. It's important to get the app in the afternoon when there are some good reviews on it.) Still, there have been some utterly amazing gems in there, too.

I put my accounts on my 9-year-old son's tablet so he has access to my libraries. Of course, I still choose which ones he's allowed to install, but I can tell you 8-years-old is perfect for a tablet. Actually, tablets are fine for even younger children. Our 5-year-old daughter has been playing with our tablets and phones for more than a year. The only problem we ever had was my wife had forgotten to turn off "In-App Purchasing". It took close to an hour, but the $100+ she spent in five minutes was reversed. [NOTE: every time the Amazon App Store is updated, you need to go back in and turn off In-App Purchasing. Grrr....] But with the prices so low this holiday, and she keeps asking for her own, so we're getting her a $150 Google Nexus 7" we found recently.

I don't understand people (usually childless) who tell parents that they shouldn't "allow children to have *expensive* devices". As a parent you know exactly the type of person that is. Well, if you consider the cost of the tablet versus a handheld game such as a Nintendo 3DS, the tablet is about 50% to 200% the cost of the game system. However, the games for tablets usually aren't more than $5, and almost always are under $3. Indeed, I'd say the vast majority are 99-cents to $1.99! Compare the price of a SINGLE game for those handhelds, and it doesn't take a calculator to see how much better deal the tablet is - the games for those systems can run upwards of $40 *each*!

Going waaaay back to the original question, every tablet has e-reader software built-in or free for download. Do you use a computer or a word processor at home? Perhaps a better question: have you ever seen a word processor?

E-readers are the word processors of the current digital age. They have their place in the hands of people who may never learn more than the utter basic functioning of digital devices. An 8-year-old boy is the precise opposite of that e-reader demographic.

Hope this helps,
Robert~

You have a hidden problem here and that is 8 yr old peer pressure!

Firts off:

Tablets are touch controleed screens. anything from 7" to 10 ".

I'm hoping that your child can read and write. I would not get a tablet otherwise even if " all my friends have them".

Size? up to you. 7" is better to carry arouns.

As she is 8 I would get a full blown tablet. Most of these are e-readers also. Check.

Tablets are cheap so look around for a basic one with say 1gb memory and say 8gb storage. Most of these can be increased by 32gn sd card. I am from Wales so we use £. I would not pay more than £50.Remember it is for an 8yr old!

You will get recommendations for hd screen and playing films etc. Do you want to spend £100 plus pounds on a her first tablet !?

I would block, or not show her how to connect to internet until she knows how to use the tablet You can password protect this.. You can download lots of childrens books beforehand.

Last thing, Do not think that an 8 yr old is stupid. If you give her a password to your account she may run £100 of pounds on the internet especially for some games. you HAVE TO SUPERVISE HER. Also she may sneak a look when you enter your password. Children are like that.
Your daughter should be very happy with a tablet as there are many intersesting books, some with pictures, and educational stuff she will enjoy reading and doing.

I bought the original iPad when it was 1st created... does anyone remember what year that was? Bought the iPad for my father.... he used it for a little while, but lost interest. So I started using it myself to light computing. Before I knew it, my kids took it over. If that was 3 years ago, that would place them at 2, 4 and 5. Imagine boys who are at those ages on any device... the original case lasted until 2012 (made the mistake of not replacing the case because the boys did indeed dent and place a little crack in the frame of the iPad).

I am really impressed that the screen did not crack, and the Original iPad appears to be working just perfectly.

Today the boys spend much more time on the used Dell Laptops I got them than on the iPad... their # 1 activity on the Laptops? Playing Facebook games.

lchien's comment under the heading "diff between e-reader and tablet" made me wince. His comment basically amounts to "if you want a bookwork, get an ereader".

My 8 year old is an avid reader - BUT he spends more time during his "Free Time" playing Facebook Games and watching movies on his Laptop.

My 7 year old is starting to discover the joy of reading (to my amazement) given that he spends almost all time during his "Free Time" playing Facebook Games and watching movies on his Laptop.

The jury is out on my 5 year old, he is just starting to learn to read... but he has been using the iPad and Laptops for at least 3 - 4 years despite being illiterate.

Now I am questioning if getting the Tablet was the "best choice" for my sons as 90% of the time is pure entertainment for them which is why I was so impressed with lchien's insightful comment.