Anyone use a Kindle or Nook for Training?

battlese

Just wondering if anyone uses a Kindle or a Nook to read the certification books instead of lugging around the 900+ page books. I got a Nook last year and have been less than pleased with it. Biggest problem is not getting a good font size. If I set it to a readable level then all the pictures (figures) disappear. If I set it so the pictures come back the font is so small I need a magnifying glass. Anyone have better luck using a Kindle? Another thought is using the Kindle book app on my laptop and just reading it there.

Turgon

battlese wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone uses a Kindle or a Nook to read the certification books instead of lugging around the 900+ page books. I got a Nook last year and have been less than pleased with it. Biggest problem is not getting a good font size. If I set it to a readable level then all the pictures (figures) disappear. If I set it so the pictures come back the font is so small I need a magnifying glass. Anyone have better luck using a Kindle? Another thought is using the Kindle book app on my laptop and just reading it there.

Use books. I used to carry a small rucksack of them on my commutes. Computers, kindles, iPADs, tablets are inferior from a reading experience. There is a tendency to scan computer based text as opposed to reading it.

tbgree00

I think a few people use a Kindle DX. I considered getting one recently but decided that an iPad works just fine for reading the PDFs. I like the eink readers (I read on one nightly) but the small ones don't keep table or picture formatting so it's hard to read.

gosh1976

I have a kindle but the screen is broken for the second time. The first time I might have stepped on it since it was on the floor. Amazon replaced it no questions asked. Then the other night I fell asleep reading and when I woke up the screen was broken again. The reading experience is ok but apparently I need to stick with books that aren't so fragile.

down77

I was debating on using an iPad as a study aide when traveling since I can download the INE CBTs to it and store a copy of the Cisco Press ebooks on the device. It's by no means a replacement for the physical book but when I fly I don't exactly have the luxury of bringing my bookshelf with me.

With that being said I am too cheap to spend the $500-600 on the device. I'll wait until I get one from a training class (Hacker Halted anyone?) .

rogue2shadow

I used to lug around 2-3 books to work and back and realized my backpack was taking a huge beating over time . I decided to grab a Kindle DX and never looked back; the e-ink is absolutely amazing and keeps the material looking sharp. I highly recommend it as you can read pdfs as well.

undomiel

I've been using a Nook to haul about everything I've been reading. It has been working out great for me. Definitely a whole lot lighter than a bunch of books. At home though I do prefer the feel of a good book in hand.

themagicone

I can't stand EBooks. I need that feeling that I got somewhere in reading, I can feel the pages I read. An EBook all it gives me is a number. Plus it's really hard to flip back and forth when you need to reread something. Like say there is a diagram on one page and the next 5 pages talk about it. It would be a nightmare going back and forth on a Kindle.

battlese

undomiel wrote: »

I've been using a Nook to haul about everything I've been reading. It has been working out great for me. Definitely a whole lot lighter than a bunch of books. At home though I do prefer the feel of a good book in hand.

You don't have any issues with the font vs. missing pictures?

Bokeh

The Kindle DX is perfect for reading and has no problem with PDFs that I have come across. I also like the Text-to-speech function as well. I also use DTBs (dead tree books) as well, but find I do the majority of my reading on the Kindle DX.

cyberguypr

I also prefer physical books. When on the go I use an iPad (got it real cheap) just for convenience as it is impractical to carry the books around. I tried a few readers but didn't like any.

nel

i have the new 6inch kindle and can state its not usable for cert books imo, it fantastic for novels and plain text. The screen is too small and it has difficulty with tables/diagrams. The DX seems the better option but i was put off by the price tag and the fact that i had to import it from the US. I cant do LCD screens for long periods as it hurts my eyes. E-ink is way better for my reading habits, but like i say the 6inch kindle doesnt cut it in this instance.

As a result, its hard copies 80-90% of the time with some pdf doc reading etc on my screen. But like i say, this isnt a viable option for long term study for me.

spicy ahi

I bought the first iPad as soon as it was released, mainly because of the Kindle app. I already had a few cert books purchased and wanted to condense the madness. After almost two years of use, I can say that I probably split time evenly between the kindle and real books. Since I work in environments that don't allow personal electronics in the office, I still need to have real books. But now, I can leave them at the office instead of lugging them around and simply read the pdf's on the iPad when I'm at home. Hardest thing is remembering what page I'm on when I read at work; most of the time I have to write down where I am on a sticky. Other than that minor inconvenience, it has made my life (and my back) easier.

I also purchased a Kindle, but it was more for my son and daughter who have to read books for school. Since those are books they'll never care about when they're done, it made sense to buy them on the Kindle and only buy real books that they enjoy and read over and over (our copies of the Harry Potter series are well worn, as well as The Hobbit and Middle Earth Trilogy )

badrottie

I prefer hard copy books over ebooks for several reasons:
1) They do not require recharging, and are guaranteed to work when there is no power. They also work well under a wide variety of lighting conditions.
2) Highlighting and writing notes in a margin. Hard to do on ebooks, trivial on dead tree product
3) Durability. I have destroyed more than one electronic gadget by dropping it accidentally
4) I can have more than one book open simultaneously, with the only limiting factor being desk space
5) Can lead to interesting conversations when reading them on a patio at the local coffee shop/bar
6) A shelf full of books at work is a clear indicator that I am not to be trifled with, lest I grab a hefty hardcover and bludgeon the transgressor into a bloody pulp

I do use a Nook for transporting technical documentation and books when I am traveling, as it is hard to carry several dozen dead tree books as carry-on baggage when I am visiting clients.

Forsaken_GA

I still make use of physical books for study when I'm at a normal location, such as at work, or at home, but when I'm travelling, or out and about, I use my iPad. Hauling books around is a pain in the rear.

I also tend to use my iPad for reference, when I just need to look something up quickly (eg, Cisco Command References). It's much more convenient than to have to worry about where the book or print out I need is physically located at any given time.

zaxbysauce

I have my Nook color I use most of the time, which I can dual boot into Android if I need to read a Kindle book. I then also have my trusty first gen Nook which I keep in the restroom for those long "meetings"

chrisone

I personally didnt like reading from my ipad. I prefer a real book, or reading the PDF from my laptop in a seated position. My neck gets tired from too much bendind down from looking at the ipad. With a laptop my neck is straight aligned with my back. I prefer reading the PDF off my laptop more than anything, with a book i also get tired from looking downward, but still the book is much easier on my eyes and much better than an e-reader.

Geez i sound 60 years old here lol i am only 30 and i have great vision too. Books/laptop are it for me though. hauling books does suck though, but would feel stupid lugging a laptop and e-reader at the same time.

tpatt100

I like using the GoodReader app on my iPad for PDF files because high lighting texts, adding sticky notes, bookmarks etc is pretty easy. My Kindle its a bit of a pain to just look something up really quick when if its a book I can flip around the pages pretty fast.

jonrage

i love my nook but i prefer real books. nooks/kindles are awesome and an excellent supplement to training materials. they're good if you want the convenience of carrying around your entire library where ever you go. but there's noting like the feel of a good in your hands.

i have the text size issue as well and it's a distraction that makes learning a new concept slower. maybe it's a matter of preference but books just feel easier to manipulate and maneuver.

with a real book you don't have to go to a menu every time you wanna do something. you don't have to wait for a book to boot up or hold a button to power off, and as mentioned above, you can highlight key points and write notes directly into a book.

demonfurbie

i use my wifes kindle to read on books 24/7 so i dont have to pay for ms press books

i gotta say its nice not having to pay

ColbyG

I love my Kindle, but I use it mostly for fiction. The regular Kindle sucks at PDFs. The DX is supposed to be much better.

spicy ahi

tpatt100 wrote: »

I like using the GoodReader app on my iPad for PDF files because high lighting texts, adding sticky notes, bookmarks etc is pretty easy. My Kindle its a bit of a pain to just look something up really quick when if its a book I can flip around the pages pretty fast.

+1 to Goodreader. Very good highlighting and editing tools. It's a shame that my non-technical wife had to show me those features. Like they always say... RTFM!!!

onesaint

I use my Ipad a lot for reading. I like the format and brightness of the display. I find myself reading a lot on the device be it at home or otherwise. Plus, I like the fact that I can look up a term or concept if need be. I still pick up the textbook in most cases, though. I don't like not having the tangible book and just use the included CD that is almost always included.

Another vote for goodreader. It's fantastic for marking text up.

zerglings

Kindle DX user here. Gotta love the library that you can fit with it. I still have physical books though.

NOC-Ninja

For people that have IPAD and Nook Color. Which one is better for the eye? My eye hurts after looking at the LCD for 9hrs and studying at home. I've been thinking of investing on an IPAD 2 or Nook color.

spicy ahi

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

For people that have IPAD and Nook Color. Which one is better for the eye? My eye hurts after looking at the LCD for 9hrs and studying at home. I've been thinking of investing on an IPAD 2 or Nook color.

I've noticed that if I stare at my iPad for a long time (say 2 hours or more) I do have eye fatigue akin to staring at a screen. I haven't had the same issue with the Kindle. Of course, I don't use the Kindle as much since as everyone mentioned it isn't ideal for text pdf. Some of the Kindle books must be exact ports of the pdf as well because for example the CCNP Switch Kindle book I purchased looks good on my desktop and iPad but the figures and tables end up turning into unreadable blocks on the Kindle itself. Can't speak for the DX as I don't have one or know anyone who has one. We all bought iPads or Xooms. Of course, I also found out about the Book of the Day deal recently so I feel kinda dumb for buying the Switch Kindle version now.

nel

spicy ahi wrote: »

I've noticed that if I stare at my iPad for a long time (say 2 hours or more) I do have eye fatigue akin to staring at a screen. I haven't had the same issue with the Kindle. Of course, I don't use the Kindle as much since as everyone mentioned it isn't ideal for text pdf. Some of the Kindle books must be exact ports of the pdf as well because for example the CCNP Switch Kindle book I purchased looks good on my desktop and iPad but the figures and tables end up turning into unreadable blocks on the Kindle itself. Can't speak for the DX as I don't have one or know anyone who has one. We all bought iPads or Xooms. Of course, I also found out about the Book of the Day deal recently so I feel kinda dumb for buying the Switch Kindle version now.

i didnt even know about book of the day. thanks for that, i'll keep my eyes peeled for that page

Chris:/*

Xoom with Kindle app and Adobe PDF Reader. I also use real books depending on the situation.

Forsaken_GA

nel wrote: »

i didnt even know about book of the day. thanks for that, i'll keep my eyes peeled for that page

They have some really good stuff up there occasionally, but it often repeats. Today's book is really good, it's the new Cisco Firewalls book that was just published in June. I haven't seen it before in the rotation, and jumped on it as soon as I realized what it was.

powerfool

I purchased a Kindle a little over a year ago and I absolutely love it. However, for anything that is like textbook, be it for economics, history, nursing, accounting, or IT... it simply does not cut it. You really need the Kindle DX, or something equivalent. The iPad and other tablets will probably work, but the reduced eyestrain, lightweight, and battery if of the Kindle DX is so superb that it still has a place, even at its higher cost. I am waiting for a good time to upgrade and then my Kindle probably goes to my grandmother for novel reading, which the Kindle is fantastic for; I also love reading the WSJ on it daily.

zaxbysauce

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

For people that have IPAD and Nook Color. Which one is better for the eye? My eye hurts after looking at the LCD for 9hrs and studying at home. I've been thinking of investing on an IPAD 2 or Nook color.

The nook color is considerably less expensive and if you have minimal mobile OS knowledge (or 30 bucks for a SD card premade to do it) gives you the ability to dual boot into either Android 2.3 or the standard Nook OS. So if I'm going to be web browsing or watching videos or I need to read a Kindle ebook without having to convert it I boot up Android, if I just want to read a standard Nookbook with better battery life and less hassles I boot into Nook OS (which is just Android 2.2 heavily modified).