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covingtoncat73 · 12-06-2011, 07:30 PM

I apologize if this is not in the right place.

So, I got a Smart Phone in the summer that runs on Android and put both the Kindle and Kobo apps on it as well as the overdrive app for library books. I had been reading pretty exclusively on the phone for months and had read on the Kobo for several months before that. I have gone back to reading on my Kobo and would like to offer my thoughts on how they compare.

1. Battery Life: Kobo wins here. Smart Phones eat batteries when you're reading. I only get hours of life while unplugged with the phone. With the Kobo, I get days.

2. Distraction: I am way more likely to browse the Internet on my phone (I have Sprint so unlimited data) instead of read. I am a bit less ADHD when reading on the Kobo.

3. Night Light: Now, I liked reading in bed at night with the phone. Reminded me of reading with a flashlight under the covers as a kid. I got a little light for the Kobo now, though.

4. I hate reading on a touch screen! I was always skipping ahead and otherwise losing my place due to the phone's touch screen. My basic little Kobo WiFi doesn't have that problem. Also, if I fell asleep reading in bed with the phone, I would definitely lose my place and also maybe "butt dial" someone in my sleep.

5. Apps are nice: The Kobo app is fun and the Amazon app is pretty killer. It is fun to instantly read like that. I could buy directly from Kobo on the Kobo WiFi but the lack of a keyboard makes that hard. I always sideload from the computer to my Kobo. The Overdrive app is awesome, too.

6. Screen Size Matters: The screen on the cell phone is pretty small. I don't have a problem seeing small and it is a nice, clear screen but the Kobo's screen has that eInk book-like look and is closer to the size of a mass market paperback page (though still a bit smaller). I don't have to scroll as much.

Anyway, I am just fortunate to have those 2 devices. The phone makes a nice back-up reading device as well as kind of being a mini-tablet. I don't think I'll ever like reading on a touch-screen, though, and I need the greater battery life and like the larger screen size of the Kobo. How do touch screen peeps keep from losing their place?

12-06-2011, 07:30 PM	#1
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	eInk v. Smart Phone I apologize if this is not in the right place. So, I got a Smart Phone in the summer that runs on Android and put both the Kindle and Kobo apps on it as well as the overdrive app for library books. I had been reading pretty exclusively on the phone for months and had read on the Kobo for several months before that. I have gone back to reading on my Kobo and would like to offer my thoughts on how they compare. 1. Battery Life: Kobo wins here. Smart Phones eat batteries when you're reading. I only get hours of life while unplugged with the phone. With the Kobo, I get days. 2. Distraction: I am way more likely to browse the Internet on my phone (I have Sprint so unlimited data) instead of read. I am a bit less ADHD when reading on the Kobo. 3. Night Light: Now, I liked reading in bed at night with the phone. Reminded me of reading with a flashlight under the covers as a kid. I got a little light for the Kobo now, though. 4. I hate reading on a touch screen! I was always skipping ahead and otherwise losing my place due to the phone's touch screen. My basic little Kobo WiFi doesn't have that problem. Also, if I fell asleep reading in bed with the phone, I would definitely lose my place and also maybe "butt dial" someone in my sleep. 5. Apps are nice: The Kobo app is fun and the Amazon app is pretty killer. It is fun to instantly read like that. I could buy directly from Kobo on the Kobo WiFi but the lack of a keyboard makes that hard. I always sideload from the computer to my Kobo. The Overdrive app is awesome, too. 6. Screen Size Matters: The screen on the cell phone is pretty small. I don't have a problem seeing small and it is a nice, clear screen but the Kobo's screen has that eInk book-like look and is closer to the size of a mass market paperback page (though still a bit smaller). I don't have to scroll as much. Anyway, I am just fortunate to have those 2 devices. The phone makes a nice back-up reading device as well as kind of being a mini-tablet. I don't think I'll ever like reading on a touch-screen, though, and I need the greater battery life and like the larger screen size of the Kobo. How do touch screen peeps keep from losing their place?