MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Is the reading experience MUCH nicer on these Fire devices ?

Doc109 · 10-17-2012, 05:08 PM

I did a side-by-side for reading to compare my 1st gen KF and the Fire HD (at Best Buy). Observations:
1. The glare really was quite reduced on the Fire HD compared to the 1st gen Fire. This was most notable when comparing black text on white background between devices. If there is a bright light directly above the screen, the glare is still terrible. But there was much less glare from other sources (indirect lighting for example). In fact, with the brightness set at about 50-60%, I did not notice any glare at all on the Fire HD, while it was quite apparent on the 1st gen Fire.

On the carousel, there was very little difference in terms of glare. With a white background (in a book or webpage), there was a much more pronounced difference between 1st gen and HD.

2. The black text on white background provides a lot of contrast on the 1st Gen Fire. Background is very white, text is very black. On the Fire HD, the background was a little more greyish and the text seemed a little less pronounced in terms of black level - but that was a good thing in my eyes. Outside of the glare, I really enjoy reading on the 1st gen Fire. But I thought the greyish background on the HD looked better. I did not really compare the sepia or black settings between devices. As a general rule, I like to get out of Best Buy quickly.

3. Fonts are different. The fonts on the HD are nicer, in my opinion. The fonts look crisper on the HD screen. Different choices of fonts compare to the original Fire and they seem implemented successfully. Granted, this is based on a very brief overview.

4. One handed reading. The dimensions on the original Fire allow me to read one-handed, which I like quite a bit. I have to switch hands once in a while (hey, it's not the lightest thing to hold) but my long fingers allow one-handed use. On the HD, you'll only be using it one-handed if you have seriously elongated fingers. I don't like the larger dimensions for this very reason. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

5. Not related to reading - but the lagginess was no better on the demo HD compared to the original Fire. I personally don't think the lagginess is a big issue; I can wait a second or two for an app to launch. But it's apparently still there if my demo unit experience is representative, so impatient people may be bothered.

So I think the reading experience may indeed be a little better in terms of more visually pleasing implementation of black text on white background, crisper and nicer fonts, and less glare under indirect lighting. But the lack of one-handed use is a bummer for me.

I wonder if others have had similar experiences when comparing the reading experience on the two devices. Particularly if you've tried comparing them for more than five minutes or so. Anyway, hope this was useful for at least one person considering an upgrade.

10-17-2012, 05:08 PM	#37
Doc109 Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 487210 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire 2 (non-HD), Kindle Paperwhite	I did a side-by-side for reading to compare my 1st gen KF and the Fire HD (at Best Buy). Observations: 1. The glare really was quite reduced on the Fire HD compared to the 1st gen Fire. This was most notable when comparing black text on white background between devices. If there is a bright light directly above the screen, the glare is still terrible. But there was much less glare from other sources (indirect lighting for example). In fact, with the brightness set at about 50-60%, I did not notice any glare at all on the Fire HD, while it was quite apparent on the 1st gen Fire. On the carousel, there was very little difference in terms of glare. With a white background (in a book or webpage), there was a much more pronounced difference between 1st gen and HD. 2. The black text on white background provides a lot of contrast on the 1st Gen Fire. Background is very white, text is very black. On the Fire HD, the background was a little more greyish and the text seemed a little less pronounced in terms of black level - but that was a good thing in my eyes. Outside of the glare, I really enjoy reading on the 1st gen Fire. But I thought the greyish background on the HD looked better. I did not really compare the sepia or black settings between devices. As a general rule, I like to get out of Best Buy quickly. 3. Fonts are different. The fonts on the HD are nicer, in my opinion. The fonts look crisper on the HD screen. Different choices of fonts compare to the original Fire and they seem implemented successfully. Granted, this is based on a very brief overview. 4. One handed reading. The dimensions on the original Fire allow me to read one-handed, which I like quite a bit. I have to switch hands once in a while (hey, it's not the lightest thing to hold) but my long fingers allow one-handed use. On the HD, you'll only be using it one-handed if you have seriously elongated fingers. I don't like the larger dimensions for this very reason. Oh well. Can't win 'em all. 5. Not related to reading - but the lagginess was no better on the demo HD compared to the original Fire. I personally don't think the lagginess is a big issue; I can wait a second or two for an app to launch. But it's apparently still there if my demo unit experience is representative, so impatient people may be bothered. So I think the reading experience may indeed be a little better in terms of more visually pleasing implementation of black text on white background, crisper and nicer fonts, and less glare under indirect lighting. But the lack of one-handed use is a bummer for me. I wonder if others have had similar experiences when comparing the reading experience on the two devices. Particularly if you've tried comparing them for more than five minutes or so. Anyway, hope this was useful for at least one person considering an upgrade.