[Spiffy]

Originally Posted by troymc

Oh, I completely disagree. I think the 505 with a cover is just about perfect ergonomically. If I hold it open with my left hand, like a paperback, my left thumb is right on the left-side page turn buttons. If I hold it with my right hand, my right thumb is right on the right-side page turn buttons. Even in landscape it's just about perfect in my left hand.

Obviously different people have different tolerances (and you may have a much bigger one), but what I see in that first picture (your left hand pic) is you putting all the weight onto your fingers--the palm of your hand isn't involved at all. And that's where, for most people I think, the strength and stability is--using their palm to distribute the weight load. If you just use your fingers, all the strain is transferred pretty much directly to your wrist. Not that its immediately that heavy, but over time I think its cumulative.

Of course what we can't see from that picture is if the unit is also leaning on something at the same time. If so, that would explain the lack of finger/wrist strain.

The right hand pic is the way I inevitably wind up using my Sony 505, even though I find my LEFT hand more natural (because of the higher button placement on the left side) when I use my Astak unit instead.