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Best tablets for reading in 2024
Amazon
If you’re aiming to read more this year, investing in a reading tablet can be a game-changer. Reading tablets and e-readers combine the portability of a tablet with access to a vast library of e-books. Many are designed to mimic the experience of reading a paperback book, reducing eye strain with e-ink technology or high-resolution displays.
You can download books from platforms like the Kindle library or Apple Books app, giving you access to a wide range of genres. Kindle Unlimited is a great option for avid readers, offering unlimited access to e-books and audiobooks for $12 per month.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best tablets for reading in 2024, including the versatile Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, Apple iPad, Kindle Scribe and the eye-friendly Kindle Paperwhite.
Best Amazon Kindle tablets for reading
Amazon Kindles are often considered the best tablet for reading ebooks, as they offer the most paper-like experience. If you’re looking for a dedicated reading tablet and don’t care as much about streaming or getting work done on your device, a Kindle is an excellent choice.
Amazon Kindle
Amazon
The basic Amazon Kindle e-reader is the lightest and most compact Kindle. It features a six-inch 300 ppi high-resolution display designed to provide a glare-free, paper-like experience. It offers 16 GB of storage and a battery that can last up to six weeks on a single charge.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is one of the most popular Kindle models. It features a 6.8-inch display, adjustable warm light, and up to 10 weeks of battery life. The device is also waterproof, making it perfect for reading by the pool or in the bath. Additionally, it offers a simplified reading experience with access to a vast library of e-books and audiobooks through Kindle Unlimited.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
Amazon
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition offers everything in the Kindle Paperwhite, plus wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light, and 32 GB of storage. This option also supports a more seamless reading experience with faster page turns and enhanced performance. With ample storage, it’s perfect for users who want to carry a large library of books and audiobooks with them wherever they go.
Kindle Scribe
Amazon
The Kindle Scribe features a larger 10.2-inch screen and a stylus for note-taking or drawing. This makes it a superior option for students, business professionals and artists who want a portable e-reader with an option for taking notes on the go. It’s an overall excellent choice for avid readers who appreciate a distraction-free reading experience with the convenience of advanced technology.
Amazon Kindle Kids
Amazon
The Kindle Kids e-reader is built specifically to encourage reading. It does not have games, ads, or videos like other tablets to reduce distractions for young readers. The Kindle Kids comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ which provides access to a number of kid-friendly books. There are four cover options to choose from including solid colors and fun prints.
Best Apple iPads for reading
Apple iPads aren’t necessarily considered reading tablets, but you can definitely read on them. Apple iPads come with the Apple Books app, making them great for quickly downloading and reading ebooks.
Apple iPad 9
Apple via Amazon
The 10.2-inch iPad 9, released in 2021, is the most affordable of Apple’s iPad offerings. It offers a 8 MP wide-angle back camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle front camera. It boasts stereo speakers, too. This iPad is powered by a A13 Bionic chip. It boasts up to 10 hours of battery life, and is compatible with the Apple Pencil ($99) for drawing or note-taking.
Available in two colors; prices vary.
10.9″ Apple iPad 10th generation
Amazon
The latest edition in Apple’s classic iPad lineup is the iPad 10th generation. This 10.9-inch tablet features a Liquid Retina display with Apple’s True Tone technology. It has Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, an upgrade from the iPad 9’s A13 chip. The iPad 10 is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G internet for fast performance.
The iPad 10 also offers all-day battery life, so that you can read all day or bring it with you to school, work or on vacation without having to worry about plugging it in mid-day.
11″ Apple iPad Pro 4 (2022)
Amazon
The latest iPad Pro comes with several major upgrades. One of the most notable changes is that the 2022 iPad Pros are equipped with the M2 chip, the same fast and powerful chip included in the latest MacBooks. The M2 chip makes this the fastest iPad yet — and an excellent choice for video editing, streaming or gaming.
Apple made some improvements to the writing and drawing experience on the new iPad Pros as well. When used with the Apple Pencil 2, the iPad Pro provides a more effortless experience. The Apple Pencil can now be detected up to 12 mm above the iPad Pro display, which allows users to draw with more precision and preview marks before they make them. It also makes it more efficient for the iPad to register handwriting and convert it to text with the Scribble app.
The new 11-inch iPad Pro comes in silver and space gray. Pricing varies based on storage and connectivity selections.
Apple iPad Mini 6
Apple via Walmart
The iPad Mini 6 is a compact tablet with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display screen. Released in 2021, the Apple tablet is powered by an A15 Bionic chip. It features a 12 MP wide-angle back camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle front camera. It boasts landscape stereo speakers. Available in four colors.
Amazon also has a good deal on the Wi-Fi and cellular model with 64 GB of storage. Choose from four colors.
Best Amazon Fire tablets for reading
Amazon Fire tablets are another great budget-friendly option for reading.
Amazon Fire HD 8
Amazon
The new Fire HD 8 tablet (2022) offers 30% faster performance over the prior model. The tablet features a lightweight yet durable design with an 8-inch HD screen. It also provides enhanced battery life with 13 hours of watch time on a single charge.
Like all Amazon Fire products, you have a choice between ad-supported and ad-free models. The ad-supported models are less expensive, and feature advertisements on the tablet’s lock screen. The ad-free models don’t have these lock screen ads — a better choice for those who are gift shopping.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 is available in black, denim and rose colors.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus
Amazon
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus offers includes fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. It comes with an improved 5MP rear-facing camera for clearer pictures. The Plus model includes 3GB of RAM for better multi-tasking.
Amazon also claims the Fire HD8 Plus is twice as durable as Apple iPad mini (2021), as measured in tumble tests.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus is a great deal at only $20 more than the standard model. It comes in a dimpled gray finish with two storage options: 32GB or 64GB. It’s scheduled for release Oct. 19, though you can preorder now.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids
Amazon
The new Fire HD 8 Kids is built for kids ages 3-7. The tablet comes in a durable kid-proof case and has a two-year warranty. It also includes a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes thousands ad-free books, games, videos and apps suitable for children. The tablet includes parental controls to limit screen time and set content restrictions.
The tablet is offered in 32GB or 64GB storage options with a blue or purple kid-proof case.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro
Amazon
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet is designed for school-aged kids. It comes bundled with a kid-friendly case, a two-year worry-free guarantee and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. The Kids Pro tablet also has access to a digital store where parents can buy and download additional content, including popular games like “Roblox” and “Minecraft.”
Best Samsung Android tablets for reading in 2024
Explore the best Android reading tablets from Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is a portable 2-in-1 device with PC and tablet functionality. It features Microsoft 365 integration for a better PC experience. It offers an 11-inch tablet screen size and a clear HD display for reading. The tablet also comes with an S Pen.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Samsung
The top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is another great multi-use tablet for reading and work. It comes with a massive 14.6-inch screen (120 Hz), an ultra-wide dual front camera that records video in 4K and an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset.
An S Pen is included.
Best Samsung Tab tablets for reading
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is an excellent choice for reading due to its compact size, lightweight design and sharp display.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
Walmart
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 features an 8.7-inch display screen and an upgraded metal frame. It offers fast performance and a long-lasting battery and a sharp display, making it one of the best tablets for reading under $100. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 comes with 32 GB of memory.
Hundreds of cruise passengers and workers fell ill with norovirus on three different ships this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The CDC has logged outbreaks in 2024 on 14 cruise voyages, but three ships were hit in December. This is the only month this year when the CDC has reported three confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships and there’s still more than a week to go before the month ends. In all, 301 passengers and crew members fell ill during the December outbreaks, health officials said.
Those on Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, on a trip around Hawaii’s island, and Holland America’s Rotterdam and Zuiderdam voyages, both in the Caribbean, mostly dealt with diarrhea and vomiting.
/ Getty Images
Two Holland America cruise ships hit by norovirus
The most recent outbreak was on Holland America’s Rotterdam ship, which set sail on Dec. 8 and is set to end its Caribbean
trip Friday in Fort Lauderdale.
Officials said 83 of the 2,192 passengers on board and 12 of the 953 crew members were sickened.
“At Holland America Line, the safety and well-being of our guests and crew is our top priority. During the current voyage, a number of guests on Rotterdam reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness,” a Holland America spokesperson said. “The cases have mostly been mild and quickly resolving.”
/ Getty Images
In response to the outbreak, there was additional cleaning and disinfection. Sick passengers and crew members were isolated. Stool specimens were collected for testing. The cruise line also consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
Once the Rotterdam ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, it will undergo a comprehensive sanitization process before its next trip, according to the cruise line.
There was also a norovirus outbreak on Holland America’s Zuiderdam voyage earlier this month. Over the course of the Dec. 4-Dec. 11 voyage, 87 out of 1,923 passengers were reported ill, in addition to four of the 757 crew members, according to health officials.
A Holland America spokesperson declined to comment on the Zuiderdam outbreak because the voyage had already ended.
Norovirus, the “cruise ship virus”
Princess Cruises also dealt with a norovirus outbreak this month on its Ruby Princess ship during a cruise that started on Dec. 2 and ended on Wednesday. The ship started its journey in San Francisco and toured around Hawaii, according to CruiseMapper.
In all, 103 of 3,001 passengers and 12 of 1,142 crew members onboard reported being ill.
The Ruby Princess was also subject to increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, according to the CDC. Stool specimens were collected for testing and sick passengers and crew members were isolated. The cruise line consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
CBS News has reached out to Princess Cruises for comment.
There are about 2,500 reported norovirus outbreaks in the U.S. each year. Norovirus, which is sometimes called the “cruise ship virus,” causes more than 90% of diarrheal disease outbreaks on cruise ships, according to the CDC. However, norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships account for only a small percentage of all reported norovirus outbreaks.
“Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruise ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas, and rapid turnover of passengers,” according to the CDC. “When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water; or by passengers who were infected while ashore.”
This year, the CDC has logged outbreaks on 14 cruise voyages. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent for most of the outbreaks, though one was caused by salmonella and one was caused by E. coli. The causative agent of one outbreak remains unknown.
Norovirus outbreaks are usually more common during cooler months, typically happening from November to April in countries above the equator, according to the CDC.
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