Tablets and e-readers: A buyer's guide Video

Tablets and e-readers: A buyer's guide Video Transcript

Speaker: Hi, Molly Wood from CNET.com here with the 2011 Holiday Buying Guide. I'm talking with senior editor, Donald Bell about tablets and E-readers. Hello Donald. Speaker: How is it going? Speaker: What is happening in the tablet world? Is it all still just iPad? Speaker: In theory, no. In the hearts and minds of most, probably yes. It's our highest rated tablet on CNET, our Editor's Choice. It nails everything you've kinda want content-wise on a device. It doesn't hurt that is also like one of the most attractive looking devices on the market. Speaker: So, what are some of the alternative to the iPad though if you decide you want to go a different direction. And why would you? Speaker: Sure. Really the alternative (is all?) Android based. This year we saw a lot of Android based tablets coming out like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.7. This is one with really with kind of the same dimensions, the same screen (you will see?) as the iPad 2. But you're getting the Android interface, the Android option. A lot of people are having Android smart phones that are comfortable with the Android services and Google way of doing things. The other great choice that we recommend is the Sony Tablet S and Sony has done a lot of work to make the Android experience on their tablet kinda uniquely theirs. You're also getting a lot of PlayStation gaming support on this too. So, you're gonna have gaming content here that you're not gonna find on the iPad too. Speaker: What about people who are trying to decide between a tablet and an E-reader. What are some of the differences that are obviously other than the huge price difference. Speaker: Well, that's really I'd say the biggest difference. You're getting now down to $79 on I think for the Amazon Kindle (with ads?). They're gonna work outdoors in direct sunlight where a tablet screen isn't gonna do as well. You're also gonna get a lot better battery life out of (E?) just because it's working so much less to have graphic performance and display all the colors. Speaker: So, one big question. This season with the introduction of the Kindle Fire, seems to be what should you get. iPad or Kindle Fire. Can you give us the pros and cons? Speaker: Well, yeah sure. There's a big difference in price. You're only paying $199 for the Kindle Fire versus 499 at minimum for an iPad. We're also getting a lot of the services that if you're a big fan of Amazon, you're gonna have those built right into the tablet front and center. And again, it's gonna be a great E-reader as well. Speaker: So, the Kindle Fire it seems like in some ways the iPad is a full pledged tablet experience. The Kindle Fire is a fancier E-reader. Speaker: The Kindle Fire is one of those good enough products that's gonna be for a lot of people who don't want to spend the $500 who just couldn't spend the $500 is gonna get you close and is gonna provide a lot of fun. But it's not gonna be the kind of device that you would take to work necessarily and use as a laptop replacement. Speaker: What do you say that a tablet or an E-reader is going to be a popular (desk?) this year. Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, I mean. There's plenty of them out there. A lot of people want to sell them to you. There's gonna be some good prices out there. People, when they get them, they're gonna know that there is something new to dig into. And a lot of that App store experience where you're gonna be able to find games and (contently?) customize it for what you're into is the big appeal. Speaker: Thank you so much Donald. Speaker: Absolutely. Speaker: For all of Donald's tablet and E-reader picks, visit our CNET Holiday Gift Guide at CNET.com.