Mobile comic reader advice (kindle, etc.)

Zero-Cool

Hey lads, my gf got a kindle recently and made me really think how much I want something like that to read digital comics. I know the kindle is black and white (kind of) but there is a new one coming out that shows colours but can anyone here recommend a device I can use to read digital comics? I'm sure the IPAD can but i'm only looking at spending about 100 quid. Colour screen and 6-8 inch screen would be needed.

Thanks lads

Fysh

The Kindle Fire is the new colour-capable Android-based Kindle, and I'd say it's your best bet. There are several digital comic readers for Android, and AFAIK the likes of Comixology support them too.

There are other Android based tablets at around the size you want (eg some of the Samsung Galaxy range), but I'm not sure they'll also hit the price point.

Zero-Cool

Thanks Fysh, Ya the Samsung Galaxy ones are too pricey and overkill for what I'm looking for. One of the lads has a HP Tablet and is loaning it to me for a few days to see if it will do what i'm looking for.

I heard some tablets take 7 seconds to load the next page of a comic, that would be crap altogether.

Kindle Fire might be too dear and would prefer a screen closer to 10" if possible. Any old tablet would do as i'm sure I could find a comic reader app some where. I just never had the need for a tablet before so don't know much about them

Fysh

If you're after a 10" screen you're going to have a hard time finding anything much cheaper than the Kindle Fire, I'd say. They can't just give 'em away, and the hardware for the touch interfaces is still pricey enough.

You might be able to get an older Android smartphone for less than €100, but none of them would have a 6"-8" screen and you might run into memory constraints on the hardware depending on what you want to do with it. (I've got a first-series G1 that only officially supports Android 1.6, but can be rooted and upgraded to 2.2 - it's a bit unstable though as it doesn't have as much RAM as devices designed for Android 2.2 have).

Keep an eye on Bargain Alerts - never know when something might crop up there that would suit you.

Zero-Cool

Are epads any good? Also, I hear hp touchpads are cheap now but I cant find any cheap ones

bombidol

I use an Archos 101 G9 to read comics and books and its divine.

Zero-Cool

bombidol wrote: »

I use an Archos 101 G9 to read comics and books and its divine.

That looks class but expensive.

phill106

Well if you can get a cheap hp touchpad somewhere, there is an app called comicshelf hd. Works for comics perfectly.
It is fast and clear with no delay when turning pages.

Zero-Cool

phill106 wrote: »

Well if you can get a cheap hp touchpad somewhere, there is an app called comicshelf hd. Works for comics perfectly.
It is fast and clear with no delay when turning pages.

Ya, saw that comic shelf app, looks really good. Gonna see how cheap I can get tge hp pad for

Zero-Cool

After ordering a 10.2" tablet from aliexpress. Comes to about 130 euro incl delivery, leather case, screen protector and car charger (don't need the charger but was part of a bundle). Comes with Android 4. Can't wait to see what comics look like on it.

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/481576098-Hot-selling-10-2-Zenithink-ZT280-C91-Android-4-0-Tablet-PC-Capacitive-1GB-RAM-Cortex-wholesalers.html

Zero-Cool

I put a comic onto my gf's kindle and it was way too small for me. I would def prefer the 10 inch and this has worked out cheaper anyway.

Fysh

sheehy83 wrote: »

I put a comic onto my gf's kindle and it was way too small for me. I would def prefer the 10 inch and this has worked out cheaper anyway.

Yeah, unless you're reading something designed specifically around a small screen it's a pain alright. (I've found the same problem with some print comics though, like when Marvel reprinted the Irredeemable Ant-Man series as digests...).

Some comic reading apps have a "guided view" option which is supposed to help with this sort of thing, but the one time I tried it I really didn't like it. Japan, on the other hand, has reportedly had a good marketplace for manga tailormade to be read on normal mobile phones (as in not even smartphone size) for about 6 or 7 years at this point so it goes to show that if you have the right idea you can work around the format's constraints.

Let us know how you get on with the tablet

Zero-Cool

The Zenithink 280 c91 arrived yesterday and it is perfect for reading comics! Great tablet all round, doesn't have the screen quality of the ipad but can't argue for 1/5th of the price. Using Perfect Viewer from the Android store, it displays the comic full screen and the 10.2" display is perfect for it. No need for zooming, can read it all fine and has great colours. You can flip it horizontally and it fits the width pefectly meaning you only need to scroll down the page and looks really great too.

Even though it came with one dead pixel (only really noticeable on the black boot up screen) I really recommend this for anyone wanting to read comics.