Reading at 16:9?

GERGE · 08-01-2015, 01:20 AM

Almost all the phones and many of the Android tablets have 16:9 screens. I was never comfortable reading at them but many people seem to prefer reading at their Android tablets and phablets.

What do you think about aspect ratios? 16:9 have too short lines, I find it very hard to read with my 5" 720p phone.

LadyKate · 08-01-2015, 01:59 AM

I find that on my 7" tablet the page width is similar to a paperback. When I read on my small hp iPaq (the screen was not quite 2.5" wide and only 3" long) it took a bit to get used to the shorter lines and the need to change page quite often.

I did get used to it but find the 7" tablet the best size for me. The smaller size would not so much bother me but I find the price for the 5" model tends to be higher as most are phones,

My old ipaq was as heavy as my samsung tablet lol.

If you don't mind holding your phone sideways you can find always read that way. The lines would be longer but you will have to scroll down more frequently.

Admittedly either a dedicated reader or a tablet is a more enjoyable reading experience.

PandathePanda · 08-01-2015, 02:25 AM

I've tried to read on my small Galaxy Neo, but find it frustrating to turn the page every 5 seconds. On my 10" tablet I enjoy reading, I set it up to use portrait as default, only thing against mine is my 10" is a bit on the heavy side.

Ripplinger · 08-01-2015, 03:24 AM

Like you, I find the 16:9 too narrow for my preference. Although it's probably good for speed reading. Whenever I'm forced to read PDFs on my tablet, I use landscape mode to avoid the narrow view.

HarryT · 08-01-2015, 03:51 AM

I prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio for reading. I use an iPad (which has a 4:3 ratio) for reading PDFs and material which benefits from a colour screen.

howyoudoin · 08-01-2015, 04:01 AM

*posted by mistake - please ignore*

DrNefario · 08-01-2015, 04:28 AM

I find that my 9:16 android tablet feels a bit wrong, compared to the 3:4 iPad, but oddly I don't have a problem with my phone, which is also 9:16. Maybe because I read short stories on the phone, so it seems more like reading a website than a book. Also I tend to be reading PDFs on the tablets, preferring eInk for formats that work with it, and PDFs will usually have fixed page layouts that don't respect your device.

disconnected · 08-01-2015, 05:26 AM

I have a 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 and it does seem very tall and skinny. I'm anxious to see what the new 8 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (4:3) is like, if and when it arrives in the US.

DiapDealer · 08-01-2015, 07:11 AM

Can't say that the aspect ratio of my Nexus 7 has ever crossed my mind when reading.

theducks · 08-01-2015, 10:35 AM

Huh!
A standard US Paperback page (Text area) is 9:16 (portrait mode)

howyoudoin · 08-01-2015, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Huh!
A standard US Paperback page (Text area) is 9:16 (portrait mode)

Exactly.

Sony released an e-reader that was longish like a proper paperback a few years back. That was a good move. Made e-books resemble paperbacks so well. The only reason I can think of why no one's using that aspect ratio since is probably to conform to pdf dimensions which tend to suit 4:3 better. Such a pity. I wish companies would release models in that ratio for people who don't care for PDFs on small e-ink screens.

Purple Lady · 08-01-2015, 02:02 PM

I wanted an 8 inch tablet and when I saw Samsung's Tab S2 was 4:3, I bought the Tab S 8.4 because I prefer 16:9. I thought 4:3 might be ok an a 7 inch, but on anything larger it's too much for me. I read and browse the web in portrait mode.

Sweetpea · 08-01-2015, 04:00 PM

I read on my tablet all the time, but it's 16:10, not 16:9. I do like that ratio for reading...

patrickt · 08-01-2015, 08:15 PM

I read on my Nexus 5 on Sunday morning when I'm stuck waiting at the grocery store. Other than that, almost never. It's not bad but it's no Kindle.

If a reader were 4.5 inches wide and 8 inches long it would be fine for reading but horrible to carry around. I'm not sure the ratio is the issue for reading.

tompe · 08-02-2015, 07:18 PM

The Galaxy Tab S is 16:10. Very good for comics also.

08-01-2015, 01:20 AM	#1
GERGE Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Reading at 16:9? Almost all the phones and many of the Android tablets have 16:9 screens. I was never comfortable reading at them but many people seem to prefer reading at their Android tablets and phablets. What do you think about aspect ratios? 16:9 have too short lines, I find it very hard to read with my 5" 720p phone.

08-01-2015, 02:02 PM	#12
Purple Lady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,698 Karma: 16542228 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Device: Huawei MediaPad M5, LG V30, Boyue T80S, Nexus 7 LTE, K3 3G, Fire HD8	I wanted an 8 inch tablet and when I saw Samsung's Tab S2 was 4:3, I bought the Tab S 8.4 because I prefer 16:9. I thought 4:3 might be ok an a 7 inch, but on anything larger it's too much for me. I read and browse the web in portrait mode. Last edited by Purple Lady; 08-12-2015 at 12:27 PM.

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08-01-2015, 01:59 AM	#2
LadyKate Fanatic Posts: 515 Karma: 1470724 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Quebec CA Device: android 4 (samsung tablet and asus tablet)	I find that on my 7" tablet the page width is similar to a paperback. When I read on my small hp iPaq (the screen was not quite 2.5" wide and only 3" long) it took a bit to get used to the shorter lines and the need to change page quite often. I did get used to it but find the 7" tablet the best size for me. The smaller size would not so much bother me but I find the price for the 5" model tends to be higher as most are phones, My old ipaq was as heavy as my samsung tablet lol. If you don't mind holding your phone sideways you can find always read that way. The lines would be longer but you will have to scroll down more frequently. Admittedly either a dedicated reader or a tablet is a more enjoyable reading experience.

08-01-2015, 02:25 AM	#3
PandathePanda a toy panda Posts: 2,568 Karma: 26020474 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Onboard the Queen Anne's Revenge Device: Various Android dvices	I've tried to read on my small Galaxy Neo, but find it frustrating to turn the page every 5 seconds. On my 10" tablet I enjoy reading, I set it up to use portrait as default, only thing against mine is my 10" is a bit on the heavy side.

08-01-2015, 03:24 AM	#4
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	Like you, I find the 16:9 too narrow for my preference. Although it's probably good for speed reading. Whenever I'm forced to read PDFs on my tablet, I use landscape mode to avoid the narrow view.

08-01-2015, 03:51 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio for reading. I use an iPad (which has a 4:3 ratio) for reading PDFs and material which benefits from a colour screen.

08-01-2015, 04:01 AM	#6
howyoudoin how YOU doin? Posts: 1,100 Karma: 7371047 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: India Device: Kindle Keyboard, iPad Pro 10.5”, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Libra 2	posted by mistake - please ignore

08-01-2015, 04:28 AM	#7
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,202 Karma: 12029046 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I find that my 9:16 android tablet feels a bit wrong, compared to the 3:4 iPad, but oddly I don't have a problem with my phone, which is also 9:16. Maybe because I read short stories on the phone, so it seems more like reading a website than a book. Also I tend to be reading PDFs on the tablets, preferring eInk for formats that work with it, and PDFs will usually have fixed page layouts that don't respect your device.

08-01-2015, 05:26 AM	#8
disconnected Fanatic Posts: 527 Karma: 4504715 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: US Device: Kobo Forma, Libra, H2O2e2, Clara, Auras, Kindles, Nooks, Sony, iPAQ	I have a 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 and it does seem very tall and skinny. I'm anxious to see what the new 8 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (4:3) is like, if and when it arrives in the US.

08-01-2015, 07:11 AM	#9
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,569 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Can't say that the aspect ratio of my Nexus 7 has ever crossed my mind when reading.

08-01-2015, 10:35 AM	#10
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,047 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Huh! A standard US Paperback page (Text area) is 9:16 (portrait mode)

08-01-2015, 04:00 PM	#13
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I read on my tablet all the time, but it's 16:10, not 16:9. I do like that ratio for reading...

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08-01-2015, 08:15 PM	#14
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I read on my Nexus 5 on Sunday morning when I'm stuck waiting at the grocery store. Other than that, almost never. It's not bad but it's no Kindle. If a reader were 4.5 inches wide and 8 inches long it would be fine for reading but horrible to carry around. I'm not sure the ratio is the issue for reading.

08-02-2015, 07:18 PM	#15
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	The Galaxy Tab S is 16:10. Very good for comics also.