Would you ever buy a non front-lit e-ink reader?

[Breid]

No, I do not plan on buying a non-front lit ereader I love my Kobo Glo, KPW, and my Aura. My unlit Sony PRS 650 and my Kobo Touch have gone to happy new owners in my family. For me, an inbuilt frontlight is an essential requirement of an ereader. I am so enjoying the freedom to read anywhere, anytime without having to rely on external light sources

[Katsunami]

For people who want a small reader and don't need or want a front light: WHSmith now has the Kobo Mini on sale for 29 pounds.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by crossi

I've been reading books for 50 years without backlights or frontlights. Never bothered me. Never used a booklight. I'm rarely someplace where I can't just turn on the lights and when I am I usually doing something where I wouldn't be reading anyway like walking home in the evening.

The need for an external source of lighting is one of the reasons I went electronic. I share a room with my brother and I often read into the wee hours so I can't just keep the lights on. I've yet to find a booklight that worked well for me. Often, they just make the book/e-ink reader too heavy and usually cast a shadow on the page which I find mighty annoying. That's why for nighttime reading, I pretty much stuck with smartphones or other LCD devices until recently.

I'm really glad we have frontlit e-ink readers now. One really nice benefit to self-lit e-ink readers that I hadn't thought of is reading while in a moving vehicle. Usually, it's just way too bright outside to read on an LCD but having to pass through tunnels, etc, meant a lot of interruptions if reading on the PRS-350. On the Kobo Aura HD, I just turn on the light and set it to around 10% or so and it's good for uninterrupted reading whether it's very sunny outside or we're passing through a dark tunnel. Just wish the firmware worked as well as and was as feature rich as the Sony PRS-350 with PRS+. In terms of features and design, I still much prefer the PRS-350. Alas, the convenience factor of the frontlit Aura HD makes it my go-to reader.

[Desertway]

I have been assuming that when my K3 gave up the ghost, I would get a Paperwhite. However, a colleague brought her new PW in yesterday. I found it SO small and sort of insubstantial. And I didn't notice a big difference in the screen quality.

I use my K3 in a lighted case, and I guess I prefer the "book like" feel of the setup. Sort of has all the instant gratification of an eReader, but without a techy feel. Sounds silly, but true.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Desertway

I have been assuming that when my K3 gave up the ghost, I would get a Paperwhite. However, a colleague brought her new PW in yesterday. I found it SO small and sort of insubstantial. And I didn't notice a big difference in the screen quality.

I use my K3 in a lighted case, and I guess I prefer the "book like" feel of the setup. Sort of has all the instant gratification of an eReader, but without a techy feel. Sounds silly, but true.

You do realize that the screen size in the same, don't you?

[DreamWriter]

I currently have a K3 (Kindle Keyboard) and occasionally read on my tablets too. I will check out the front-lit devices when my K3 dies, but I'm happy with what I have for now.

[teija]

No front-lit e-readers in our house. So far it has been a cost saving thing, but aside from that I generally prefer the portable size of my Kobo Mini (though if they release a front-lit version I would definitely consider!). Hubby loves his PRS-350 and we found him a super clearance bargain locally for the lighted cover, so he is good to read in the dark too. If I need to read in the dark, I am happy to have a browse on my Kindle app on the iPad.

[Rizla]

I wanted one, but now I'm not so bothered. From what I've read, they don't work so well in total darkness which is what I wanted one for. My mighty bright travelflex still works great. Not bothered for now about it. Happy to wait till someone gets it right.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I wanted one, but now I'm not so bothered. From what I've read, they don't work so well in total darkness which is what I wanted one for. My mighty bright travelflex still works great. Not bothered for now about it. Happy to wait till someone gets it right.

I use mine in darkness all the time. It's perfect. It took a bit to get the setting right but now I can read in the dark or in the light. I never change mine on my PW it stays at 8 in either conditions. I think most turn theirs down too much.

[Poodlemom1]

My KPW is great in the dark. I usually have it set on 1 in the dark and 12 in normal light.

[IcecreamLtDan]

Yea, I use the light in my Kobo in total darkness almost exclusively and have no issues with it whatsoever. I never really read in bed before I went to sleep before I purchased it and had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I have. I go to bed earlier now just to be able to read on it.

[htm1958]

When I wake up at night, and that happens quite often, I can start reading in bed without producing any surrounding light. So easy. Also during traveling in airplane, when everybody else is trying to sleep. Never anything else anymore.

[Dr. Drib]

Since old and decrepit people often have trouble sleeping at night, I find that an ebook reader with a front light is as much a necessity as a bedpan.

I often take both......wherever I go.

Too, I sometimes like to wander around inside a darkened house with my ebook reader and bedpan, but too often the owners will call the police and take me back to my own house.




Don

[usuallee]

I have a K3, a month ago I got Paperwhite. It's perhaps not a perfect device - contrast is not all it could be, it's not as responsive as I would like, and sorting/collections is still very bare bones.

But I love it. I'll never go back. I did have a lighted book cover for my K3. But to avoid disturbing my wife, I'd have to both awkwardly drape the blanket over the light to create a little tent to reduce the ambient light AND put the K3 in landscape mode (to make said tenting more doable). With the paperwhite, I just turn the light down to 5 or 6 and read. It's extraordinary.

Not to mention, my K3 with cover now seems as heavy and bulky as a brick compared to the svelte Paperwhite and case.

[usuallee]

Originally Posted by Desertway

I have been assuming that when my K3 gave up the ghost, I would get a Paperwhite. However, a colleague brought her new PW in yesterday. I found it SO small and sort of insubstantial. And I didn't notice a big difference in the screen quality.

I use my K3 in a lighted case, and I guess I prefer the "book like" feel of the setup. Sort of has all the instant gratification of an eReader, but without a techy feel. Sounds silly, but true.

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

You do realize that the screen size in the same, don't you?

I could be wrong, but it doesn't appear Desertway was commenting on the screen size one way or the other, just the size of the device itself.