[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by leebase

The part of this debate I always found fascinating/frustrating was the insistence that reading on a tablet was terrible on they eyes. I read on my iPad for hours and hours on end. No issues.

*YOU* don't have issues. If you had my eyes, even trying to lead a normal life is an issue. (Yes, I could let myself be labelled handicapped, but I don't want to.)

I hate reading off of a screen for long periods of time.

That some people love and prefer eInk was never in doubt. My guess was always that the overall market would not care.

The overall market does not read... except maybe very occasionally.

Just considering reading....eInk is hands down better for bright light reading and battery life.

I'm out and about in public transport daily, in all kinds of lighting conditions, from almost dark up to blindingly bright in summer. Especially in the latter situation, e-ink is a godsend. I dread having to call someone, because I can't actually read my phone's screen.

The reading experience on a tablet app is just superior.

I agree on that one. Most e-readers don't come even close to the customizability of an app. That's why I would love an el-cheapo e-ink android tablet/reader.

The market is showing that eInk devices have had their day and were but a transitional technology and are now a shrinking niche.

Doesn't matter. There will be e-ink readers for a long, long time. The home organ is a shrinking niche since the 80's, and still Wersi, Böhm, Lowrey, Orla, Ringway, Roland, Yamaha, and even the venerable Hammond still exist; even though they are not all active in the same regions in the world. There is also a smathering of Hammond-like clones if ever there was one (Nord, Diversi, Hamichord, VB3, KeyBDuo, obviously Hammond is now itself a clone, and I'm likely forgetting a few).

People have been screaming that "the organ is dead" since the 80's, but I still hear them daily, especially the Hammonds (or Hammond-like clones, of course); even in friggin' Dutch pop music.

I haven't even talked about classical organs. There are more manufacturers and models than I can count; some even completely virtualised such as Hauptwerk.

For most hobbyists, the organ was replaced by the much cheaper and easier to use, more versatile and mostly automatic keyboard. Even so, people who want to play organ still can, especially if you want to play "pure" organ (i.e., Hammond or classical organ).

So it will be with the e-ink reader.

They will dwindle to maybe 3-5 manufacturers and then exist in their niche for a *VERY* long time to come.

As the article stated...of those who read...more read on a tablet. And the younger the more true.

Most young people I know don't even read. I don't consider reading the news or forums on the internet reading.