12-08-2012, 08:52 AM | #1 |
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Touch screen reading 101
I'm hoping someone will show a little mercy to a stodgy old fart.
You see... I hate touch screen interfaces. Yes hate. But I've also come to accept the fact that my hatred of touch screen interfaces isn't going to bring buttons back into vogue on mobile devices (much to my stodgy, old fart chagrin) anytime soon. So I'm grudgingly willing to learn, but I may need a little advice After reading on my new Kindle Fire HD for two days, now... I still can't get a comfortable, consistent page-turning regimen going with the Kindle reading app. Swiping seems to work fairly consistently, but it's slower, and isn't conducive to one-handed reading (at least with my dexterity, it isn't). Tapping the edge of the screen seems quicker—and easier to perform one-handed—but isn't very consistent. I have to constantly move my thumb around trying to find a spot that works. And try as I might, I can't find a tap area that works every time, every tap. About 30% of the time, I only succeed in opening the reading app menu interface instead of turning the page. And it's about 50-50 that absolutely nothing happens. Is there a secret? A sweet-spot? Do you have to hold your tongue just the right while willing the page to turn? Sacrifice my old Kindle to the touch-screen gods to show my sincerity? I just need a consistent, easy, one-handed method of turning pages that (preferably) doesn't require a body-part passing between my eyes and the words. Is it possible? This is the very-first touch-screen device I've owned—ever—if that's relevant in any way. I really like the device, but it's got a long way to go before it "goes away" while I'm reading. And I'd really like it to "go away." Last edited by DiapDealer; 12-08-2012 at 08:55 AM. |
12-08-2012, 09:04 AM | #2 |
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I just tap on the right edge to turn the page forward or on the left to turn a page back.
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12-08-2012, 09:38 AM | #3 | ||
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Quote:
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12-08-2012, 12:18 PM | #4 |
Treasure Seeker
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Hand temp plays a part at this. I have problems like you mention due to cold fingers. I have the KFv1 but I just tap the screen not on the edge but in right side area. It's all about how long you press and how short. It will take some practice to get it down. Use the pad of your thumb not the tip.
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12-08-2012, 12:21 PM | #5 |
Nameless Being
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Unfortunately the capacitive touch screens can be a bit picky. My IR touch screen on the Kindle Touch works very consistently. But the capacitive touch screens on my Fire HD and iPad 3 are inconsistent. If my hands are cold then I probably will have to touch the screen more than once. If my hands are warm then it is more consistent. I also notice that it matters as to what part of my finger touches the screen. A heavily calloused fingertip doesn't seem to work very well. Bottom line is it just takes a lot of practice and patience until your brain figures out what works best and then it eventually becomes "muscle memory."
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12-08-2012, 12:48 PM | #6 |
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You might want to invest a few bucks (some as cheap as $5) for a stylus. I find mine works better than a finger, and is very handy if you want to type something. At least on the Fire v1.
And me, I'm 85, and I love the thing, but truth be told, I'd rather have a page turn button as on my old Kindle v1. |
12-08-2012, 01:01 PM | #7 |
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A stylus just to turn pages would be a deal-breaker for me. Thanks, for the tips on hot/cold/calloused, though, everybody. I'll keep trying, but dang!... do people really get used to page turns just not happening every single time? That would drive me absolutely bonkers if that's just par for the "Reading on the Fire" course.
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12-08-2012, 02:15 PM | #8 | |
Nameless Being
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12-08-2012, 02:25 PM | #9 |
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So if all I mainly do, is open a book and read it from beginning to end (no searching, highlighting, text entry, image zooming or navigating), do I have any conveniences to look forward to ... or just issues? It sounds like I may have made a mistake. I'll give it a few more days, though, in case I do adjust to it.
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12-08-2012, 03:00 PM | #10 |
Nameless Being
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Unfortunately I doubt we will see any LCD touch screen Android or iOS devices with page turn buttons. Page turn buttons seem to be only found on eInk devices, as far as eBook readers go. I wish more of the reader apps for Android and iOS allowed you to map the Volume buttons to be Page Turn buttons. I think a few might allow that, but I doubt Amazon will ever do it.
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12-08-2012, 03:24 PM | #11 |
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Oh I understand there's never going to be buttons AND Touch. I don't like it... but I accept it. I'm just sad that since I have no pressing need for most of the so-called "conveniences" provided by capacitive touch-screen readers, that there's really nothing to offset the disappointment of the page-turn inconsistency. I just figured they'd've had most of these kinks worked out by now. That's why I held off on a Touch Reader for so long. Oh well. We'll see how it goes. I've gotten a little bit better at it already, but that Menu popping up (instead of the page turning) is a real frustrating immersion-interrupter for me.
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12-09-2012, 06:47 PM | #12 |
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You will get more used to it and find your 'sweet spot'. As Blossom said cold fingers have a lot to do with it. Sometimes I will make a fist to warm up my fingers. My hands are usually always cold (Thyroid problems). Also use the pad of your fingers not the tips.
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12-10-2012, 08:54 AM | #13 |
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Thanks, it is getting a little easier for me, but it's apparent (to me anyway) that the 'swipe' is vastly more consistent than the 'tap' for turning pages. Which is unfortunate for one-handed readers. Still... I'm keeping the device.
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12-10-2012, 09:15 AM | #14 |
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This illustrates how different we all are. For me, tapping is much easier and consistent than swiping.
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12-10-2012, 09:50 AM | #15 |
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With touch screens there may be a range between the high and low sensitivity acceptably specs for the screens. So with individual units they do not react the same with all people. So what works with/for one individual on one screen will not work the same for another?
Last edited by DustyDisks; 12-10-2012 at 09:52 AM. |
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