Well, I now have a Nook Tablet AND a Kindle Fire. I'm planning to return one of them but I felt like I had to try them both. I've had the Nook for a few days but just got the Fire tonight. So far I think I like the Nook better. I like the feel of it - it's more comfortable to hold and not as slippery. It also has kind of a frame around the screen that makes it nicer to hold compared to the Fire which just has a little ridge around the edge - probably why the Fire is a bit smaller. I want to use it without a book-like cover on it - will just store it in a sleeve. I do think the web browser is better on the Fire since it has tabs and the keyboard and shortcuts are nice. However the Nook touch screen seemed more responsive - touching things on the Kindle sometimes didn't "register". The Nook has more options for the book display though and I think some of them are easier on the eyes than the Fire - at least I prefer some of the options that aren't available on the Fire. I imagine a lot of this stuff can change though with a software update. What wouldn't change is the home button on the Nook which I also like - maybe I've just gotten used to it. I'm going to try them out over the weekend and then decide. I do think Amazon is way ahead on content but I'm mainly interested in books and there are lots of books available through B&N and other sources. Kindle has many more apps but I don't care much about that because I do all that stuff on my iPhone. One thing I loved with the Nook was that my favorite magazine (Cooking Light) is available in a beautiful version tailored to the Nook. There is a Cooking Light app that's available for the Kindle to paper magazine subscribers but I really don't want the paper magazine. That could just push me over the edge. Plus I kind of want to give the underdog a chance.

Katyrose, I am so sorry for your loss. Three and a half years ago I lost my 30yr old son to cancer and at that time I neither cared nor believed that I would make it through. I remember times when I would look at his photo and it was like my chest was caving in and my legs would not hold me up. Sometimes they didn't and I ended up on the floor unable even to cry. We had watched him suffer for 6mths and in the end he died peacefully holding my hand and looking straight at me. For a time there was comfort in knowing that he didn't hurt any more and that he was safe. Other times I was screaming inside and sometimes out loud because of my longing to hold him again. These intense feelings do subside over time but there are moments when they return and shock you at their intensity. I still wake up and go to sleep most nights thinking of my boy but can do so most of the time very much the same way if did of him and his brother all their lives. He is still ours and the love we had for each other is forever. It has taken a lot to get to where I am now but even though there were times when I did not want to live and as CzechChick said, felt as though I was half in this world with my living son and half in the world with my Glenn. I took risks driving and didn't look after myself well at all but there came a time when I was able to enjoy life again. I knew Glenn would be disappointed if I did not go forward and I consciously decided to honour him by choosing to live. I left my husband a year later which was a good decision for both of us and moved to the country as I had always dreamed. I also fulfilled another dream and have travelled overseas twice - and I know Glenn came with me each time and kept me safe. I am sure some people thought I was nuts smiling to myself when there was turbulance because I would be telling Glenn in my mind to stop jumping on the wing and to hold the plane steady. I can just see his lovely blue eyes and beautiful grin at the idea of shaking his Mum up a little. Sorry if I am rambling but what I am trying to say is - nothing really can make the pain easy but you have to feel whatever you are feeling at the time. Don't try as I did and make it easier on others by pretending it is OK when it is not. A lot of people got uncomfortable when I spoke of him and at first I shut up and kept it to myself. But then I decided that I had spoken of him for the 30rs, 4mths and 18 days I had him and the months I had him before he was born and I was not going to stop now. It came naturally to talk of him - not so much of his death and illness - but of ordinary memories and others had to deal with their discomfort. I needed and still need to talk of him sometimes. He is still my son. I still have 2 sons. Holidays and birthdays are hard but I have Glenn's son and my other little grandchildren so have to make the best of it. One thing I do at Christmas is to light a blue candle (for his blue eyes) in front of my place at the table. I don't make an issue of it but the family know that he is at the table with us and part of our Christmas. We have let go balloons with messages tied to them on his birthdays, had a drink for him or done something which has meaning to each of us. Writing notes to him and setting fire to them is another one. Be kind to yourself. Try little steps when you can and if you cannot - it is OK to pull the covers over your head and not face the world for a little while. Accept help and love from others if you can and come often to this forum. I spend quite a bit of time here, sometimes just reading and others posting but for the life of me I cannot remember which name I used Elspeth or Beth and had a different user name. Try and be aware if things get out of hand and see your doctor. I went on Lexapro 8 mths after Glenn died for about 12 months and it had some good effects. I accepted that I needed it at the time although I fought against it for a while. Remember the love you and your son had for each other and know that you can make it through. You will never stop missing him but you will keep going for him. Hugs from Beth

I registered my mother's kindle as my second so she can read anything I have bought. I thought that was cool until my family chipped in and bought her an ipad for her 91st birthday. Once I put the kindle app on the ipad, she not only gets all my books, but she sees the covers which she has found very helpful. There was quite a learning curve, but the ipad is the best gift she ever received. She subscribes to a couple of newspapers (very helpful now that right wrist is in a cast), views her favorite news shows and my sister gave her netflix. She watched all of Damages and is annoyed new season isn't available yet and watched all of Doc Martin, etc.

I have been guilty of the same thing I love pixel of ink. Plus I also have a ton of ebooks in epub format too. I have no idea how I will read them all. So many great free books I don't know why I would need to buy any.