by Bruce Lidl
With Thanksgiving (and the various themed shopping days that follow) now past us, the highpoint (or lowpoint depending on your viewpoint) of the annual shopping season has arrived in full force, and according to various trend observers, tablets are once again one of, if not the, thing to give or receive this year. Unlike in previous years however, when “tablet” actually just meant “iPad,” in 2012 we are finally seeing a bit of diversity in the “portable device that is bigger than a smartphone but doesn’t have a keyboard” category, beyond just the offerings from Cupertino. And considering what a great fit for comics tablets are proving to be, no matter the specific shape or size, not to mention the ever expanding offerings of digital comics, it is worth a glance to see how the landscape is shaping up for tablets and comics this year.
Amazon released the original Kindle Fire roughly a year ago, and while it has certainly not overtaken the tablet crown from the iPad, it did demonstrate that other companies could compete in the arena, particularly if their device had tight integration into broad content eco-systems (something that all the pre-Fire Android tablets sorely lacked). Smaller, less powerful, but decidedly cheaper, the Kindle Fire expanded the Kindle brand beyond mere black and white eReaders and helped to legitimize the 7 inch form factor, despite Steve Jobs’ previous dismissals of that format. Attempting to build on the first Kindle Fire’s success, Amazon has diversified its lineup of tablets this year, offering not just the original Kindle Fire ($159), but expanding with the Kindle Fire HD (same size and shape as original but better a 1280×800 screen, more powerful, etc for $199) and the Kindle Fire HD “8.9 (larger, better 1920×1200 screen, more powerful, etc. for $299).
Barnes & Noble technically beat Amazon to the punch with their Nook Color, a 7 inch Android skinned tablet very similar to the original Kindle Fire, but without the marketing power of Amazon, the Nook Color languished a bit compared to its Kindle competitor. Nonetheless, B&N (with some financial assistance from Microsoft) is pushing ahead with tablets, and now has an improved Nook HD (better screen, more powerful, etc. for $199) and a larger 9 inch Nook HD+ ($269). A third entry in the eReader-based Android-skinned tablet competition is the Canada-based Kobo, with a very Kindle Fire-like Kobo Vox ($179) and a newer Kobo Arc (better screen, more powerful, etc. $249).
The offerings from Amazon, B&N and Kobo share some fundamentals, notably they are essentially modified Android tablets, with strong integration with their respective online retailers. All of them do, however, allow the installation of Android apps so with some basic technical know-how they can each provide access to each other’s stores, or other independent markets. An owner of a Nook HD could conceivably purchase content from B&N, Amazon or any of the comics publishers affiliated with Comixology, iVerse or their own stores (like Dark Horse). Hence, preferences between these pretty similar devices will likely depend more on comfort with a particular retailer than any noticeable specification or app differences at a particular price point.
Of course, the hitherto dominant figure in the tablet world remains the iPad, and Apple continues to iterate the device now in its fourth generation. The big news is, however, the introduction of the iPad mini, the first major deviation from the original iPad format, shrinking the screen down from 9.7 inches to 7.85, creating a tablet that is smaller, lighter and more ergonomic, if sacrificing some power and display resolution. By all indications the iPad mini is proving to be very popular, and has even convinced some Apple observers that the mini is the logical development of the iPad, and the smaller format will become the “default” size ultimately. On the other hand, the mini goes backwards from a resolution standpoint (1024 x 768) and is not a “retina” display, or even “high definition” by normal understanding. While the mini obviously benefits from the maturity and depth of the overall iOS experience and App Store, from a specific comic perspective, the advantage the standard iPads have had in displaying graphic storytelling is somewhat blunted in this case. For $199 the Amazon Kindle HD has a 7 inch display with a resolution of 1280×800, and while resolution is not the only factor when it comes to screen quality, it does create an interesting comparison to the $349 iPad mini. The fourth generation non-mini iPad retains the larger screen size and high resolution display (2,048 × 1,536) of its predecessor, but did receive a computing power boost and starts at $499.
From a sheer visual quality standpoint, it is hard to beat reading comics on the larger, sharper iPad, but as we have already seen, Android competitors are not sitting still when it comes to resolution, and comics should look fantastic on any of the HD capable models from Amazon or B&N. The most buzzed about Android tablet this year, however, remains the Nexus 7, the first tablet in Google’s Nexus line of quasi-flagship devices that receive special software attention from Google. A relatively powerful device for its 7 inch screen size, with HD resolution, no retailer app restrictions and a guarantee of always receiving the latest version of the Android operating system, the Nexus 7 will appeal most to price sensitive power users at $199. There is also a larger Nexus 10 available, but with a size, screen and price ($399) that borders on iPad territory it is not as compelling an option, although digital comics will certainly look great on it.
Surprisingly, at least to me, what may be the best current “over-all” tablet choice with a comics emphasis is the Barnes&Noble Nook HD+. It has a large-ish size screen that displays digital comics excellently, has a pretty good price to performance ratio ($269 for the 16GB model), can be rooted for maximum flexibility and compatibility, and even has the ability to expand storage with microSD cards (up to 32GB added). Still small and light enough to be read in bed comfortably, the Nook HD+ offers many of the benefits of the larger iPad, but at almost half the price.
Are you planning on giving or receiving a tablet this year? Which one do you want, and why?
Codenamed ‘Buffy,’ the fabled Facebook phone (is going to be a reality in a year or so, and like its vampire-slayer namesake, it’s out to slay the smartphone competition. The phone will be manufactured by HTC and reportedly will... Read the rest of this post
Michelle Obama will be making her first appearance on Nick’s Kids’ Choice Awards this weekend (presenting Taylor Swift with the Big Help Award. The First Lady won the award herself in 2010 for the Let’s Move! Campaign. In other... Read the rest of this post
Brands have retained college students as brand ambassadors for years now, and Silicon Valley (is finally catching on to this wealth of low-cost talent, enlisting students to spread their URLs and logos around universities and turn up the volume on... Read the rest of this post
This may just be the greatest gift to students since spell check: A new smartphone application that takes the grunt work out of citing books in academic papers. Quick Cite, a $0.99 app available for both iPhones and Android-based phones, simply uses... Read the rest of this post
Amazon’s Cloud Player (attempts to solve an age-old problem digital music collectors have encountered — scattered files on various computers and digital devices — by allowing them to store their collections online. And of course, buying... Read the rest of this post
The Facebook ‘Like’ button (is a year old today, and in honor of it’s birthday, Facebook released some stats about its success, including that more than 2.5 million websites integrate with the social net via the like button.... Read the rest of this post
12 days of sci-fi, day 8:
Back on earth again, we switch gears to a story with a modern day setting that seems it could be straight out of today’s news…except the humanitarian aid workers aren’t quite what they seem to be. Parents should be advised that one of the themes to the plot is the abuse of very human-like female droids as sex slaves.
Tin Servants by J. Sherer
Patience
Editor’s comment: “He’d (the author) read a lot of stories about robots trying to act human, but humans acting as robots?”
This is a solid, fast-paced action drama set in Ghana nearly 50 years from now. The trauma and tragedy of a war-torn African nation, as well as risk to the protagonist, are realistically told almost as if we were watching an award-winning film. The beauty to reading stories instead of watching them in film is that the reader has the benefit of the character’s self-talk. We sense Paul’s, a/k/a TK-19’s, yearning to help the refugees with every cell in his body. Or at least the ones that are still human…
Don’t miss out. Pick up a copy of Infinite Space, Infinite God II at Amazon http://ow.ly/4F48e .
(J Sherer lives in Southern California and works as a marketing supervisor for a large credit union. When he’s not writing, he enjoys playing sports, catching up on his favorite stories, and working with others on business strategies and tactics. His blog, Constructing Stories (www.jsherer.com), is a place where writers of all levels can engage in meaningful dialogue about the writing and storytelling process. He also partners with Nathan Scheck to present a free online science fiction adventure experience called Time Slingers (www.timeslingers.com). J Sherer’s past publication credits include Infinite Space, Infinite God; Dragons, Knights, and Angels Magazine; and the West Wind.)
With the rising popularity of Android (Google), iPhone, and iPads, I thought it would be a good idea to search for free math-related apps, starting with Android. Unfortunately, I was appalled that many of the popular apps collect too much information, namely, your unique phone id.
What's the big deal? As far as I can tell, your unique phone id is just like your Social Security number—it's not something that you give out to anyone who asks for it. Unfortunately, this is exactly the scenario that I kept finding in the Android market. Why does a flashcard app need the equivalent of your Social Security number? It seems a little fishy to me and I can't recommend those apps.
Here are some of the offending apps: Math Practice Flash Cards, Fun Math Tricks, The King of OX, Math Workout, Math Attack
That being said, I did find some good ones (screen shots below):
- Algebra Tutor. This app is more like a mini-interactive textbook: students read some examples and then try out some practice problems. The app also keeps track of student progress.
- Andie Graph. The TI-83 Graphing Calculator on your phone.
- Graph Lite. Yet another graphing calculator for your phone.
- Math Genius. Practice basic arithmetic skills.
Last week we offered the Android users among you a selection of free math-related apps. If you’re an iPhone user like I am, you will be pleased to know that there are equivalent apps for your device!
Many of the specific apps for Android are not available on iPhone, but that’s not to say that there is any shortage of math-related iPhone apps. For instance, Andie Graph is not available for iPhone, nor is Graph Lite. However:
• There are TONS of graphing calculator apps that are available for free:
• Or if you don’t mind spending $1.99, check out the very nice-looking Graphing Calculator from Appcylon LLC: 
• Algebra 1 Lite is a different mini-interactive textbook: students read some examples and then try out some practice problems. The app also keeps track of student progress. Here’s an example of a quiz question:
• Math Genius. (Also available on Android). Practice basic arithmetic skills.
By:
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Beckett, Bernard. (2006) Genesis. London: Quercus Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84724-930-2. Author age: young adult. Litland recommends age 14+.
Publisher’s description:
The island Republic has emerged from a ruined world. Its citizens are safe but not free. Until a man named Adam Forde rescues a girl from the sea. Fourteen-year-old Anax thinks she knows her history. She’d better. She’s sat facing three Examiners and her five-hour examination has just begun. The subject is close to her heart: Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. In a series of startling twists, Anax discovers new things about Adam and her people that question everything she holds sacred. But why is the Academy allowing her to open up the enigma at its heart? Bernard Beckett has written a strikingly original novel that weaves dazzling ideas into a truly moving story about a young girl on the brink of her future.
Our thoughts:
Irregardless of whether you are an evolutionist or creationist, if you like intellectual sci-fi you’ll love this book. How refreshing to read a story free from hidden agendas and attempts to indoctrinate its reader into a politically-correct mindset. And while set in a post-apocalyptic era, the world portrayed is one in which inhabitants have been freed from the very things that sets humans apart from all other creation, including man-made. Once engulfed in the story, the reader is drawn into an intellectual battle over this “difference” between man and man-made intelligence. The will to kill; the existence of evil. A new look at original sin. And a plot twist at the end that shifts the paradigm of the entire story.
Borrowing from the American movie rating scale, this story would be a PG. Just a few instances of profanity, it is a thought-provoking read intended for mature readers already established in their values and beliefs, and who would not make the error of interpreting the story to hold any religious metaphors. The “myth” of Adam and Art, original sin and the genesis of this new world is merely a structure familiar to readers, not a message. The reader is then free to fully imagine this new world without the constraints of their own real life while still within the constraints of their own value system.
Genesis is moderately short but very quick paced, and hard to put down once you’ve started! Thus it is not surprising to see the accolades and awards accumulated by Beckett’s book. The author, a New Zealand high school teacher instructing in Drama, English and Mathematics, completed a fellowship study on DNA mutations as well. This combination of strengths gives Genesis its intrigue as well as complexity. Yet it is never too theoretical as to exclude its reader. See our review against character education criteria at Litland.com’s teen book review section. And pick up your own copy in our bookstore!
By: Anastasia Goodstein,
on 11/17/2011
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Last night, Google announced that its Music service (is out of beta and open to the world at large. So far, the Web has been unimpressed by the service, claiming it’s just a copy of iTunes with its exclusive tracks and free songs of the week.... Read the rest of this post
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As I look back on 2007, I realize there's baggage I need to leave behind. It's filled mostly with broken promises to myself. As I went about my hurried life I was forgetting to take care of my main goal, to replenish my spirit. Some of you remember that from last year. I got caught up in my wonderful new studio until opening after opening consumed me. I became part of the downtown artwalks, which are wonderful, but
I was forgetting the real reason I needed to be there. I needed it to be my sacred space where I made art, period. No agenda other than to fulfill my need to paint from my heart. In all of this racing to be part of something, I lost a part of myself. It wasn't all bad, believe me! I sold a lot of paintings and made a ton of new friends who love art. But still, in the end I feel empty.
So, what I've decided I need to do as I soar into the new year is leave a lot of bad habits and distractions behind. I'll keep the stuff that was working for me and leave the other stuff. And yes, Illustration Friday is a keeper, so you can bet you'll see me here each week. I'm looking forward to it!
New Year's blessings to all of my friends who have supported me each week. May we all soar into 2008 with good health, an abundance of friends, and gratitude for even the smallest things.
acrylic on canvas done for Illustration Friday, "soar."
Title picture and menu background for the Google Android version of the puzzle game Clockwiser.
Clockwiser is also a free online game.
More at Sevensheaven.nl
Today's second Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from our resident techophile Michael Hayball on the apps he loves and why. Though the brand of smartphone (Google's Android vs Apple's iPhone) might put him in the minority, his apps of choice and... Read the rest of this post
By: Sevensheaven.nl,
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Satire for the Dutch Nu.nl news website, about the rise of the Google Android operating system.
Sevensheaven images and prints are for sale at sevensheaven.nl
Clockwiser for Android is now available from the Android Market, featuring graphics by Sevensheaven.
Clockwiser is an addictive puzzle game that will challenge your brain in a playful way.
The concept is simple: move elements around the screen using a draggable selection frame until you've reached the destination layout. The variety of different elements with unique properties will keep your grey matter entertained for many hours.
Try it and you'll discover that the hardest part of Clockwiser is to stop playing it!
By: Sevensheaven.nl,
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Illustration for a roll banner of an Android event.
The image was rendered in 9600 x 24000 pixels (about 80 x 200 cm in 300 DPI).
Sony unveils its successor to the PSP, (codenamed NGP for "next generation portable," which features a touch screen, front and back cameras, and online access via wifi and 3G. Expect the device to be a popular holiday wish list item, as it's slated... Read the rest of this post
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One advantage of the Nook over the Kindle is that B&N is less prone to censorship than Amazon. Granted, the audience for the kinds of books that Amazon refuses to sell on the Kindle (certain kinky erotica) is pretty small – that’s why they don’t hesitate to do it – but it’s an important principle.
Comics, both old and new, look incredible on my ipad3 with the retina display. Perfect screen size to display an entire page too and you can turn it horizontal for splash pages. Everything scales great.
I would not recommend tablets with smaller screens than the standard ipad size for comics. And anyone trying to get a decent comic reading experience out of their phone is, in my opinion, simply wasting their time and probably their eyesight as well.
No mention of the Microsoft Surface?
@Glenn Simpson
I thought about including the Surface in the post, but felt it was a bit far afield. Plus, unlike the others, I haven’t spent much time with a Surface yet to really get a sense of it. Have you tried one out for comics reading?
Nope, that’s why I was hoping you had :)
I’ve played with Windows 8 a bit. And I believe it has the 10ish inch screen for which I have a preference…
I started with the B&N Nook eReaders, but when my wife got me a Nook Tablet I returned it for a Kindle Fire. B&N just never seemed to get it in gear on content, and they blocked side loading apps right when I wanted to try Comixology on it. The Kindle Fire lets you install just about any Android app you want (for instance, I run the Nook app on it), and you can skin the OS without rooting. Plus Amazon has great content, all the perks that come with Prime membership, and a record of openness (selling DRM-free music in a non-proprietary format). My wife has an iPad, but I don’t like how Apple is continually trying to shackle it’s device users to Apple content. Besides, technology is essentially disposable, so overpaying for it is a luxury I can’t afford. I only keep a phone for two years. I don’t need it to be aluminum.
I’ve been dabbling in reading digital comics on my Nexus 7, mainly through ComiXology. The screen is big enough that most pages look good. Lettering size for most print-designed comics is just this side of readable for me. That’s not a problem now while my eyes are still good, but in the future I expect it may be.
The main problem I have is actually with ComiXology’s in-app store. It’s really inconvenient to locate titles I’ve purchased but haven’t downloaded.
If I wanted a dedicated comics reader, I’d probably pick up a 10 inch tablet, but for a general device, I like the 7-inch form factor a lot.
I own both an iPad3 and an older Toshiba Thrive which is a 10.1″ Android tablet. Despite the iPad3 having a higher resolution, I enjoy reading digital comics much better on the Thrive. The wide screen 10.1″ means it fits a full size comic book page quite nicely. The iPad 9.8″ at a 4:3 aspect ratio means it’s a lot shorter than the 10.1 Android tablets and you end up with bars on the sides because the page doesn’t fit properly. So despite the lower resolution, I like it being closer to a physical comic book page. The Nexus 10 looks great, but I own enough tablets right now (my wife also has the Nexus 7) and will likely wait longer before I replace the Thrive.
Also speaking of the Nexus 7, the latest Android update version 4.2 is great for families with it’s multi-user login. Basically you can add a user and then when the device starts up or wakes up there are avatars and names on the bottom of the screen which the user can switch to the right person and log in.
So a kid can then pick an Android 4.2 tablet and log into Comixology and see their comics (say Bone) without stumbling onto their dad’s Sin City Comics.
I’ve had the original Kindle Fire since it came out, and I’ve purchased a good deal of comics for the ComiXology app there. In terms of screen size, the iPad wins, because the Fire isn’t very adequate at reading page by page (the panel view works out better for tablets smaller than an iPad). But generally, I don’t want to be reading on an iPad/10-inch tablet for long amounts of time — it’s not comfortable to hold those things after an issue or so. Thanks for the tablet coverage.
I’m currently able to get my comics cheaper on paper, but I had resigned myself that if that ever changed, I would switch to digital. However, I was slightly put off the other day when I was reading some free digital comics on my laptop, and realized that the screen size on my laptop (which is a little bigger than average), while landscape, was displaying the comics in portrait at about 10″ from corner to corner. And while it certainly was readable, I found the word balloons to be a little small for my eyes. Maybe in addition to panelview, the adaptations could increase the size of the text a bit for those who want to do full page but need a little help on the balloons?