MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Flexible display design concepts from Plastic Logic

CommanderROR · 06-28-2006, 05:27 AM

we'll see about that TaKir...^^

I started out thinking that the idea to put the page-par on the left was stupid...but then I started observing my reading behaviour....and voilá...it makes sense!
If I read using both hands it doesn't matter where the page-bar is. But I like to read during mealtimes (I know you're not supposed to do that...) and I can't eat very well with my left hand...^^ so the placement makes sense. If you're going to read one-handed using the left makes sense so you can use your "stronger" right hand for other tasks.
also, I usually don't read free-handed (e.g. holding the book up in the air). I usually place the book at an angle between the table an my lap or let the lower end rest on some surface and only use my hand/hands for stability, so the weight should not be too much of a problem.

Back to the topic:

I think the design ideas are ok, but I wouldn't dream of using one of thes over a device like the Iliad or Hanlin devices. Imagine that winner-prototype...to turn the pages you have to go full-circle and that means you need space in from of and behind the device...not good.
I'm with most of the others here...I think it's pretty dumb to try and emulate a real book and all it's inconveniences like page-turning or two-page layout (the book closes itself if not held open...very annoying if you don't have two hands free), although the two page layout can be good for putting a picture on one side and the text on the other or question and solution or 2 languages, so there is some use in that. I think ebooks shouldn't try to emulate paper too much or they'll fail because they will always have their "drawbacks" and if you take away their strengts just to make them more paper-like then there is no sense in making htem at all.

06-28-2006, 05:27 AM	#8
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	we'll see about that TaKir...^^ I started out thinking that the idea to put the page-par on the left was stupid...but then I started observing my reading behaviour....and voilá...it makes sense! If I read using both hands it doesn't matter where the page-bar is. But I like to read during mealtimes (I know you're not supposed to do that...) and I can't eat very well with my left hand...^^ so the placement makes sense. If you're going to read one-handed using the left makes sense so you can use your "stronger" right hand for other tasks. also, I usually don't read free-handed (e.g. holding the book up in the air). I usually place the book at an angle between the table an my lap or let the lower end rest on some surface and only use my hand/hands for stability, so the weight should not be too much of a problem. Back to the topic: I think the design ideas are ok, but I wouldn't dream of using one of thes over a device like the Iliad or Hanlin devices. Imagine that winner-prototype...to turn the pages you have to go full-circle and that means you need space in from of and behind the device...not good. I'm with most of the others here...I think it's pretty dumb to try and emulate a real book and all it's inconveniences like page-turning or two-page layout (the book closes itself if not held open...very annoying if you don't have two hands free), although the two page layout can be good for putting a picture on one side and the text on the other or question and solution or 2 languages, so there is some use in that. I think ebooks shouldn't try to emulate paper too much or they'll fail because they will always have their "drawbacks" and if you take away their strengts just to make them more paper-like then there is no sense in making htem at all.