For me, the Kindle 3 falls at the first hurdle

NineToTheSky · 09-26-2010, 05:25 AM

While waiting for my Kindle to be delivered, I installed the app on my phone and laptop. I was (and am) very impressed with all aspects of it - even how readable it is on 3.7" screen.

I've had my Kindle delivered, and in one crucial aspect, I'm very disappointed: readability. Yes, the text is crystal clear, but the background/'page' is a sludgy very pale grey. A page of a 'real' book is much brighter, and the contrast between the page colour and text makes the text more 'visible'. There are situations where I can read a book comfortably, but not the Kindle.

I haven't seen any comments on this apect of the Kindle. Have I got a faulty one, or is it just me?

HarryT · 09-26-2010, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NineToTheSky

I haven't seen any comments on this apect of the Kindle. Have I got a faulty one, or is it just me?

All eInk screens have a light grey background. Have you not seen one before?

GlassX · 09-26-2010, 05:48 AM

Well, if you actually expected to be all white and shiny then you are right.
For me, this is not a problem. I find it very readable. Maybe it needs a bit more light from an external source, but apart from that I cannot say I had any problems.
Have you seen a Kindle screen before, just to compare it and be sure yours is OK?

JeremyR · 09-26-2010, 06:13 AM

Yeah, I found this a little disappointing as well. It's like in the early days of the web, the default grey used by a lot of websites (heck, yahoo was that for years...)

Still, the thing is, other e-ink devices are apparently worse. More like dark grey on a medium-ish grey rather than black on light grey.

But as the above poster said, you just need a little more light to read. Kind of like a newspaper, or a cheap paperback that uses slightly grey paper.

NineToTheSky · 09-26-2010, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

All eInk screens have a light grey background. Have you not seen one before?

No, I haven't.

kennyc · 09-26-2010, 06:42 AM

I first saw an e-ink screen on a Sony 505 at Target and was very impressed....still am in fact as far as readability in most situations, particularly bright (outdoor) light. It has trade-offs as does any technology.

Lately I've been using my phone (DroidX) for reading in the mornings (twilight) as I walk -- it is perfect for that where the Sony or Kindle would be useless (without a book light).

NineToTheSky · 09-26-2010, 07:09 AM

To add to my previous post, I haven't seen one because, out here in the sticks, no one stocks them, and I don't know anyone who owns one.

I'm tempted by one of the upcoming 7" tablets. The only thing holding me back is the shorter battery life and possible eye strain. Whichever I settle on, I appreciate that I will have to compromise.

I also want a device that allows me to read newspapers. I find the reduced content on newspapers for the Kindle rather disappointing.

kennyc · 09-26-2010, 07:20 AM

I agree about the disappointment with the newspaper and magazine subscriptions on both Kindle and Sony. I'm hoping that the tablet (Android) devices and market will provide a much better (color, pics, formatting) experience.

TenaciousBadger · 09-26-2010, 07:25 AM

it's not white because of the glare. any way you put it spending a long time with your eyes staring at an electronic device they're bound to start feeling uncomfortable.

as far as i can tell, it's exactly the greyness of the background that makes the reading experience so effortless. that and the fact the balance of words per page is just right, not to many not too few.

actually, before getting the Kindle 3, i did not use the kindle app to read on my PC at all. i just couldn't. i did not consider it eye-friendly

it was there just so i could buy the books.

as to the newspapers, realistically, you can't have such high expectations from a 6-inch screen. a more thorough research should have led you towards the DX or the I-pad, both pricier devices, but with the larger screens.

NineToTheSky · 09-26-2010, 07:30 AM

It's not the size of the screen: reading newspapers on my smartphone isn't a bad experience. It's the heavily reduced content that I'm disappointed with. And when I say content, I'm talking about text; I'm not concerned about pictures.

You're right about the glare aspect. As I say, I expect I should adjust my expectations.

kennyc · 09-26-2010, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenaciousBadger

it's not white because of the glare. ....

Uh, no.

It's just the nature of e-ink devices.

NineToTheSky · 09-26-2010, 07:39 AM

One of the advantages of the Kindle app is that you have the ability to change the brightness, and the colour of the background, so you don't necessarily have to put up with glare.

kennyc · 09-26-2010, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenaciousBadger

...

as to the newspapers, realistically, you can't have such high expectations from a 6-inch screen. a more thorough research should have led you towards the DX or the I-pad, both pricier devices, but with the larger screens.

yes and no. Newspapers/mags/websites are fairly readable on my DroidX -- on a 6-9 inch device they would be great. Anything bigger and it becomes a burden to carry around (even 6" for that matter).

desertblues · 09-26-2010, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

yes and no. Newspapers/mags/websites are fairly readable on my DroidX -- on a 6-9 inch device they would be great. Anything bigger and it becomes a burden to carry around (even 6" for that matter).

I agree; when I was waiting for my Kindle 3, I had to use the iPad as an ereader and that was just too heavy sometimes. I liked it for the beautiful colours of newspapers, PDF's and magazine though (despite the glare).
But is was very distracting; instead of reading at night, I just kept browsing, reading my mail etc. Didn't sleep till very late (discipline?).

So now I end each day peacefully reading on the grey/pearl screen of my Kindle; just nice and quiet.
The pearl inkscreen is an improvement on previous inkscreens. But it's personal, I guess.

kindlekitten · 09-26-2010, 09:27 AM

it would appear that you assumed that you were going to be reading in a backlit screen such as a laptop or an ipad. as you have found that is incorrect. everyone else who has come into the kindle world as welcomed the soft grey background as being easy on their eyes

09-26-2010, 05:25 AM	#1
NineToTheSky Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	For me, the Kindle 3 falls at the first hurdle While waiting for my Kindle to be delivered, I installed the app on my phone and laptop. I was (and am) very impressed with all aspects of it - even how readable it is on 3.7" screen. I've had my Kindle delivered, and in one crucial aspect, I'm very disappointed: readability. Yes, the text is crystal clear, but the background/'page' is a sludgy very pale grey. A page of a 'real' book is much brighter, and the contrast between the page colour and text makes the text more 'visible'. There are situations where I can read a book comfortably, but not the Kindle. I haven't seen any comments on this apect of the Kindle. Have I got a faulty one, or is it just me?

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09-26-2010, 05:48 AM	#3
GlassX Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 24830 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3, K4NT	Well, if you actually expected to be all white and shiny then you are right. For me, this is not a problem. I find it very readable. Maybe it needs a bit more light from an external source, but apart from that I cannot say I had any problems. Have you seen a Kindle screen before, just to compare it and be sure yours is OK?

09-26-2010, 06:13 AM	#4
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Yeah, I found this a little disappointing as well. It's like in the early days of the web, the default grey used by a lot of websites (heck, yahoo was that for years...) Still, the thing is, other e-ink devices are apparently worse. More like dark grey on a medium-ish grey rather than black on light grey. But as the above poster said, you just need a little more light to read. Kind of like a newspaper, or a cheap paperback that uses slightly grey paper.

09-26-2010, 06:42 AM	#6
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I first saw an e-ink screen on a Sony 505 at Target and was very impressed....still am in fact as far as readability in most situations, particularly bright (outdoor) light. It has trade-offs as does any technology. Lately I've been using my phone (DroidX) for reading in the mornings (twilight) as I walk -- it is perfect for that where the Sony or Kindle would be useless (without a book light).

09-26-2010, 07:09 AM	#7
NineToTheSky Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	To add to my previous post, I haven't seen one because, out here in the sticks, no one stocks them, and I don't know anyone who owns one. I'm tempted by one of the upcoming 7" tablets. The only thing holding me back is the shorter battery life and possible eye strain. Whichever I settle on, I appreciate that I will have to compromise. I also want a device that allows me to read newspapers. I find the reduced content on newspapers for the Kindle rather disappointing.

09-26-2010, 07:20 AM	#8
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I agree about the disappointment with the newspaper and magazine subscriptions on both Kindle and Sony. I'm hoping that the tablet (Android) devices and market will provide a much better (color, pics, formatting) experience.

09-26-2010, 07:25 AM	#9
TenaciousBadger Mrawr? Posts: 1,109 Karma: 15039064 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: kindle 3 wifi	it's not white because of the glare. any way you put it spending a long time with your eyes staring at an electronic device they're bound to start feeling uncomfortable. as far as i can tell, it's exactly the greyness of the background that makes the reading experience so effortless. that and the fact the balance of words per page is just right, not to many not too few. actually, before getting the Kindle 3, i did not use the kindle app to read on my PC at all. i just couldn't. i did not consider it eye-friendly it was there just so i could buy the books. as to the newspapers, realistically, you can't have such high expectations from a 6-inch screen. a more thorough research should have led you towards the DX or the I-pad, both pricier devices, but with the larger screens.

09-26-2010, 07:30 AM	#10
NineToTheSky Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	It's not the size of the screen: reading newspapers on my smartphone isn't a bad experience. It's the heavily reduced content that I'm disappointed with. And when I say content, I'm talking about text; I'm not concerned about pictures. You're right about the glare aspect. As I say, I expect I should adjust my expectations.

09-26-2010, 07:39 AM	#12
NineToTheSky Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	One of the advantages of the Kindle app is that you have the ability to change the brightness, and the colour of the background, so you don't necessarily have to put up with glare.

09-26-2010, 09:27 AM	#15
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	it would appear that you assumed that you were going to be reading in a backlit screen such as a laptop or an ipad. as you have found that is incorrect. everyone else who has come into the kindle world as welcomed the soft grey background as being easy on their eyes

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