Unutterably Silly Could you, would you.....

[eBookNerd]

buy an ebook reading device that folded like a book (reading with the cover on doesn't count)? I seem to recall seeing a prototype for a device like this - did it ever make it to manufacturing?

I love my Kindle and my Sony, but I'd buy a device that I could hold like a book in a heartbeat!

[daffy4u]

No. I find I really really really like how ebook readers are set up with one screen. I can easily read one-handed with either hand. When reading a paper back I would always fold it back to reveal one page (one very bulky page) and I like that I don't have to do that the current crop of readers.

I'm a true convert.

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by eBookNerd

buy an ebook reading device that folded like a book (reading with the cover on doesn't count)? I seem to recall seeing a prototype for a device like this - did it ever make it to manufacturing?

I love my Kindle and my Sony, but I'd buy a device that I could hold like a book in a heartbeat!

There was once a device called Readius being designed, but they seem to have gone bankrupt before producing their first unit. That reader folded up into a small package but had only one screen.

[Xiaopanda]

I kinda remeber an LCD based device (maybe a couple of years ago) based on the traditional Pbook design, though I thin kit was actually a Note book / touch screen PC thingy......

Ok, Found it..... Link HERE

And Pic from Asus

[carlobee]

the ASUS looks good and promising . However, it adds space. the current e-Book reader is very well much like a book already. it's comfortable for me with the one screen format.

[GraceKrispy]

I'm pretty happy with only one side needing to be read. It makes reading in bed a lot easier, imo, when I lie on my side! So I vote no, but I also would have voted NO to ereaders in general just a year ago. I have learned never say never!

[Dylrob]

If it was one continuous [flexible] screen, sure. But then that would not be because it was shaped like a book, but rather I'd love to have to option to read formatted documents and the like by simply flipping the device 90 degrees.

[kazbates]

When I first considered electronic reading, I thought a two screen device that read much like a book would be the way to go. Now that I have been e-reading for a while, I think the one screen solution works quite well. If it would be possible to bring up two different books (or even the same book but not contiguous pages) on a two screen device, I could see a great many applications where this would be helpful.

[RWood]

Since the current crop of e-ink devices have used glass substrate screens, a two screen device would be much heavier (ok, hav more mass) than a single screen device (as well as cost almost twice as much.) If it was LCD based, it would consume almost twice as much power requiring either more batteries or producing a shorter viewing time. Since we can read only one screen at a time, a two screen device seems like waste of resources.

Now a three screen device -- one each of e-ink, LCD, and LED -- sounds great.

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by kazbates

When I first considered electronic reading, I thought a two screen device that read much like a book would be the way to go. Now that I have been e-reading for a while, I think the one screen solution works quite well. If it would be possible to bring up two different books (or even the same book but not contiguous pages) on a two screen device, I could see a great many applications where this would be helpful.

I agree, Kaz. I think a two-screen device could be a good way to ease new readers of ebooks into becoming accustomed to ebook devices because it would be more familiar to them. But I think that very quickly they would decide that the second screen was too cumbersome, too heavy, too expensive, and entirely unnecessary and would want a one-screen device. The only exception might be for people who wanted to read something technical and be able to display one page on one screen and some other page (not necessarily the next page), or even a page from some other book, on the other screen.

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by RWood

... Since we can read only one screen at a time, a two screen device seems like waste of resources.

Wood beat me to it! What he said...

[krisk]

I'm extremely happy with the one screen!

[griffonwing]

I agree with many here.

When I first thought of an ebook device, I thought of dual-screens, like a book.

Page 1 .-. Page 2

When you finish page 2, the screen image moves from Page 2 to Page 1 (just like flipping a page in a book to reveal Page 3 and Page 4.

Now, when I think of that, I think "What a waste of battery and processor"

One page is all we need. The only time 2 pages would be good would be if one screen was touch screen. You could read text on one screen, and write notes on the other. The notes would be linked to that page.

Page 1 .-. Notes 1, Page 5 .-. Notes 5, etc...

This would be excellent for textbooks and would be preferred to be on a larger full page device, not a 5"-6" unit.

Also, depending on left-handedness, the unit can be turned 180 degrees (upside down) so that the touchscreen is on the left, not the right.

[Who are you?]

Instead of left-right pages, how about a top-bottom distribution, e.g. two 6" screens for an effective 8.6" large screen foldable reader. When it's folded out (snaps into a flat layout) you read it as a single page, so you can use it when lying on the bed, and when you're transporting it the screen is never exposed, so it won't break in your bag.

[zelda_pinwheel]

personally a dual screen device doesn't really tempt me much because i like the comfort of holding it in one hand, especially when reading in bed, and turning on my side. but like kaz said, i think a dual screen could be very useful for school situations (much like the new OLPC, i believe), research, technical uses...

on the other hand, this is a very interesting idea :

Originally Posted by Who are you?

Instead of left-right pages, how about a top-bottom distribution, e.g. two 6" screens for an effective 8.6" large screen foldable reader. When it's folded out (snaps into a flat layout) you read it as a single page, so you can use it when lying on the bed, and when you're transporting it the screen is never exposed, so it won't break in your bag.

it could make for a really compact device that is well-protected when being carried around, and still a comfortable size for reading when opened up. i'd actually even like something a bit smaller than 2 6" screens (presuming there is at least a bit of a bezel on the non-hinged sides), so it could be really small when folded, and not too bulky when opened. maybe 2 5" screens could be great.