Touch Nook ST screen contrast vs Kindle 3 vs Sony Reader X50

sonyreaderfan · 06-08-2011, 10:44 PM

The Nook ST seems intriguing, especially if it the rooting of Android becomes fully mature.

My biggest concern is the screen contrast. Having owned Kindle 3 and am currently using Sony PRS 950, I'm interested in how Nook ST's screen contrast compare against the two, since all of them use Pearl.

I know there are first impression threads but I'm only interested in comparisons of screen contrast between Nook ST and Kindle 3 or Nook ST and Sony X50, especially from people who had owned the other devices and now owned Nook ST, and can speak from personal experience. I'm less interested in speculations from video comparisons -- I looked at them and can't really tell any difference.

requiem3 · 06-08-2011, 11:57 PM

I own both the kindle 3 and the new nook. The kindle 3 definitely has better screen contrast, although the nook str is by no means bad.
Speaking of this, in the nook str manual on page 27 it mentions being able to change the brightness of the screen, has anyone seen and/or been able to access this option? Because I don't see it anywhere.

Zarich · 06-09-2011, 12:11 AM

Amazon still has their own font tech that some people prefer. However, nook has been shown to update theirs over time.

jswinden · 06-09-2011, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by requiem3

I own both the kindle 3 and the new nook. The kindle 3 definitely has better screen contrast, although the nook str is by no means bad.
Speaking of this, in the nook str manual on page 27 it mentions being able to change the brightness of the screen, has anyone seen and/or been able to access this option? Because I don't see it anywhere.

from p27, "The Reading Tools menu makes it easy to move through a book, to search for content, share content, adjust the display of text, and adjust the brightness of the screen."

Surely that is a misprint. You cannot adjust the screen brightness on eInks. They probably mean adjust the contrast. It could be a feature that didn't make it into final production.

EDIT: BTW, The word "brightness" appears once in the manual, at this location. The word "contrast" does not appear in the manual.

SCION · 06-09-2011, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

[I]f...They probably mean adjust the contrast. It could be a feature that didn't make it into final production.

I guess they were trying to duplicate what the Sony offers, but couldn't get it done. It also says there's an option to change background color. With the brightness and color tweaks it sounds like reference to the NOOKcolor, but that's not how you access those settings. Strange.

Bookworm_Girl · 06-09-2011, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

I guess they were trying to duplicate what the Sony offers, but couldn't get it done. It also says there's an option to change background color. With the brightness and color tweaks it sounds like reference to the NOOKcolor, but that's not how you access those settings. Strange.

It's likely that they did a wash-off of the NC manual, and somebody missed deleting those extra NC features or misunderstood them during the review cycles.

Zarich · 06-09-2011, 03:10 AM

I bought a tent from costco.. instructions kept making reference to thing I didn't have. I finally called the tent company and they admitted... we took an existing manual and just adapted it.. we forgot a few things.
I bet this is what they did with the NT as those are all nook color features.

requiem3 · 06-09-2011, 03:58 AM

Yeah I suspected the same thing. Shame, and rather sloppy of them.

sonyreaderfan · 06-09-2011, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by requiem3

I own both the kindle 3 and the new nook. The kindle 3 definitely has better screen contrast, although the nook str is by no means bad.

How does the background compare? I read somewhere that Nook ST's background is whiter (or Kindle 3's background is grayer) but that could be because of lighting.

Also by screen contrast, you mean Kindle's fonts are darker? (Against whiter background?)

jswinden · 06-09-2011, 10:36 AM

Having worked as a technical writer for 25+ years I definitely agree this looks like a quick adaptation of the NC manual, or portions thereof. Some companies are very oriented toward excellent product documentation, while others seem to place documentation at the bottom of the list of things to do before a release. The last company I worked for, BMC Software, went so far as to outsource most of the Publications division to a company located near the eastern edge of the Alexandrian conquests, where English is a second language, and then they wondered why customers complained that their manuals sucked.

At any rate it is sloppy, especially the "background color" part.

EldRick · 06-09-2011, 11:10 AM

I've got both K3 and Touch side-by-side, and the screens are identical. I think you guys are just picking up minor unit-to-unit variations.

jridley · 06-09-2011, 11:16 AM

I can't see how there even CAN be real difference, apart from unit-to-unit varations as EldRick says. The screens are all from the same manufacturer using the same technology. Except for cases like the old Sony Touch models where they laid a resistive touch layer over the top and that caused some blurring, there should be no differences.

There COULD be readability issues if fonts were displayed with thicker strokes or something, making it appear that there was more contrast.

Japes · 06-09-2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jridley

There COULD be readability issues if fonts were displayed with thicker strokes or something, making it appear that there was more contrast.

Definately. The third font option from the top (don't remember what it's called), is certainly a bolder/thicker font, thereby making it easier on MY eyes, than the Caecilia (the first one), or the second one (don't know what that one is called either). The bottom three fonts are all Sans fonts, which I don't even bother with.

negris123 · 06-09-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Japes

Definately. The third font option from the top (don't remember what it's called), is certainly a bolder/thicker font, thereby making it easier on MY eyes, than the Caecilia (the first one), or the second one (don't know what that one is called either). The bottom three fonts are all Sans fonts, which I don't even bother with.

The third one on the list is Amasis, and I agree it is the boldest.

boswd · 06-09-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

I guess they were trying to duplicate what the Sony offers, but couldn't get it done. It also says there's an option to change background color. With the brightness and color tweaks it sounds like reference to the NOOKcolor, but that's not how you access those settings. Strange.

yeah sounds like they inadvertantly used portions of the nook color manual.

06-08-2011, 10:44 PM	#1
sonyreaderfan Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 203167 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Sony Reader Prs 950, iPad	Nook ST screen contrast vs Kindle 3 vs Sony Reader X50 The Nook ST seems intriguing, especially if it the rooting of Android becomes fully mature. My biggest concern is the screen contrast. Having owned Kindle 3 and am currently using Sony PRS 950, I'm interested in how Nook ST's screen contrast compare against the two, since all of them use Pearl. I know there are first impression threads but I'm only interested in comparisons of screen contrast between Nook ST and Kindle 3 or Nook ST and Sony X50, especially from people who had owned the other devices and now owned Nook ST, and can speak from personal experience. I'm less interested in speculations from video comparisons -- I looked at them and can't really tell any difference. Last edited by sonyreaderfan; 06-09-2011 at 12:20 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PRS-950 Difference in contrast between x50	Papi	Sony Reader	8	03-03-2011 08:23 AM
Screen Contrast - Nook vs K3?	ManosHandsOfFate	Which one should I buy?	2	09-01-2010 07:57 AM
Classic nook with higher contrast screen arrival date/pricing	SandyBrooks	Barnes & Noble NOOK	11	07-25-2010 10:45 AM
Got my reader today - Screen contrast	devastat	Sony Reader	16	07-30-2009 07:25 PM
Grey/low-contrast Reader screen?	Fauve	Sony Reader	39	09-05-2007 05:15 AM

06-08-2011, 11:57 PM	#2
requiem3 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 1018 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: kindle	I own both the kindle 3 and the new nook. The kindle 3 definitely has better screen contrast, although the nook str is by no means bad. Speaking of this, in the nook str manual on page 27 it mentions being able to change the brightness of the screen, has anyone seen and/or been able to access this option? Because I don't see it anywhere.

06-09-2011, 12:11 AM	#3
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	Amazon still has their own font tech that some people prefer. However, nook has been shown to update theirs over time.

06-09-2011, 03:10 AM	#7
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	I bought a tent from costco.. instructions kept making reference to thing I didn't have. I finally called the tent company and they admitted... we took an existing manual and just adapted it.. we forgot a few things. I bet this is what they did with the NT as those are all nook color features.

06-09-2011, 03:58 AM	#8
requiem3 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 1018 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: kindle	Yeah I suspected the same thing. Shame, and rather sloppy of them.

06-09-2011, 10:36 AM	#10
jswinden Nameless Being	Having worked as a technical writer for 25+ years I definitely agree this looks like a quick adaptation of the NC manual, or portions thereof. Some companies are very oriented toward excellent product documentation, while others seem to place documentation at the bottom of the list of things to do before a release. The last company I worked for, BMC Software, went so far as to outsource most of the Publications division to a company located near the eastern edge of the Alexandrian conquests, where English is a second language, and then they wondered why customers complained that their manuals sucked. At any rate it is sloppy, especially the "background color" part.

06-09-2011, 11:10 AM	#11
EldRick Evangelist Posts: 470 Karma: 112801 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Aura H2O (i86, M96C, Mini&Glo, PRS-950, STR, K-Touch, K-DX, K-3)	I've got both K3 and Touch side-by-side, and the screens are identical. I think you guys are just picking up minor unit-to-unit variations.

06-09-2011, 11:16 AM	#12
jridley Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 2606 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Nook Touch	I can't see how there even CAN be real difference, apart from unit-to-unit varations as EldRick says. The screens are all from the same manufacturer using the same technology. Except for cases like the old Sony Touch models where they laid a resistive touch layer over the top and that caused some blurring, there should be no differences. There COULD be readability issues if fonts were displayed with thicker strokes or something, making it appear that there was more contrast.

Advert

Advert