Surf The Internet With An eReader
Surf the web with an eReader?
Can you surf the world wide web on an e-book reader? The short answer is, yes, in many cases you can. eReader's are a type of tablet computer used for reading e-books. You may have heard of the more popular eReaders such as the Kindle Fire and Nooks. eReaders are much more limited when compared to other tablet computers, such as Apple's iPad, but can be considerably less expensive.
An iPad is a (hand held) tablet computer produced by Apple. iPad's starting prices are about 500$ for the iPad2. The original Apple iPad's were selling for much more in the beginning. Apple has plans to roll out the iPad3 in March of 2012. Because of the improvements made to the next generation of iPads, there is speculation that they will cost more than the iPad2.
Cost
Not all of us can afford these types of tablet computers, however. Also an inexpensive eReader might be a great place to start before investing large amounts of income on a tablet computer. This way you can actually use a basic type of tablet computer and see if it useful and necessary, for you personally, without spending a bunch of money. For some people it might turn out to be a novelty item that they don't really use that much. In that case, you really haven't spent that much and still have a tablet computer. If you find that you really love the tablet computers, you still haven't spent too much and can buy better one, as they roll out the newest versions.
My personal experience with a Pandigital 9" inch eReader just might be an alternative for those of us on a budget. I haven't experimented with the Nooks or Kindles but I have experimented with the Pandigital eReaders and what I have found out is this:
Size Is Important
I liked the size of the screen. When buying a tablet computer I found that if the screen was too small, it lessened my enjoyment of the product overall. On the other hand I didn't want to be carrying around something the size of a laptop. I found that the 9 inch screens were perfect for me. I could easily see the screen and operate it, with its touch screen capabilities. But it was also small enough to put in a glove box and even in the inside pocket of a winter coat.
Free Internet
Subscribing to an internet service can be expensive. An important aspect or quality that I liked about the Pandigital eReader is that it easily searches and finds free wifi internet. I don't pay for internet service with my eReader. When traveling I can usually find free wifi internet access. Many fast food places and coffee shops offer free wifi, as well as other establishments. They call them wifi hotspots and the amount or locations of these hotspots seems to be growing each day, making internet access pretty easy. The eReader automatically and constantly seeks out available wifi hotpots, wherever I go.
They Can Surf
The biggest problem with an eReader is it's inability to play a lot of flash. I have loaded extra browsers such as Dolphin and Skyfire to enable my eReader to play many YouTube videos, but so far have been unsuccessful it getting the eReader to play flash games. I slowly began adapting my eReader more to surf, than read e-books. The eReader itself has Google search. I began bookmarking and creating display icons (shortcuts) for quick access to sites I use and enjoy.
Conclusion
I highly recommend trying out some of these inexpensive eReaders, as a beginner's alternative, to some of these higher end tablet computers. If you like them and use them a lot, you can still get a more powerful tablet computer and you will still have a really useful eReader. If you don't use them that much, you have a great product and saved yourself quite a bit of money.
