Just how important IS color to you?

The GreatGonzo · 12-07-2007, 08:53 AM

Because, personally, I'd rather have a lightning-fast, incredibly responsive b&w display than a color one. Can't think of too many books that I would need color for, either - but then again, I don't read graphic novels on my Iliad.

To me, the demand for color is a little like asking for more Flash animations in a webpage or more thumping bass in a stereo - it doesn't add anything worthwhile to the information being conveyed.

Prove me wrong, folks - explain to me why we need color rather than, say, flexibility or even better battery life.

Alexander Turcic · 12-07-2007, 09:26 AM

Color would be fine, let's say, for school textbooks. I can imagine that it could be quite important to see illustrations and graphs in color.

For fiction textbook reading - no, I personally wouldn't require color.

AnemicOak · 12-07-2007, 10:05 AM

If I wanted a device for magazines & perhaps textbooks and some non-fiction then color (& a bigger screen) would likely be very important to me.

My main (only) use for a reading device at this point is for fiction & I see no reason for color (or a bigger screen for that matter) at this time.

Just4Fun · 12-07-2007, 10:09 AM

If color were available, I'd love it. There are so many technical books that have color illustrations and, of course, there are many, many, published works that include color photos. I would also like to have the ability to read a newspaper or magazine as it appears in paper print. Cook books would also benefit from the use of color on a reader. The world is filled with color. I'd like that to overflow onto my reader. That and a bigger screen would make me very happy. Of course, good crisp black and white would be called for for most of my fiction reading.

Come on Fujitus. Where is that Flepia?

yvanleterrible · 12-07-2007, 10:09 AM

Colo(u)r is really important to me but would be useless without good PDF A4 display support.

vivaldirules · 12-07-2007, 10:41 AM

A little color would indeed help for textbooks. But if we're talking about reproducing artwork for magazines, etc. then this doesn't seem very practical any time soon. The Eink colors look pretty awful right now.

HarryT · 12-07-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

A little color would indeed help for textbooks. But if we're talking about reproducing artwork for magazines, etc. then this doesn't seem very practical any time soon. The Eink colors look pretty awful right now.

But what sacrifice would you be willing to make for it? As you know, a colour display has inherently only 1/3th the linear resolution of a B&W one. Would you swap a 166bpi B&W display for a 56dpi colour one? I wouldn't!

Gogolo · 12-07-2007, 11:17 AM

Resolution is a main factor for eyestrain. I rather have 300ppi than color.

Barcey · 12-07-2007, 11:37 AM

Although I only read Playboy for the articles I wouldn't change to an electronic subscription until I get high resolution colour.

Today I understand the limitations of the colour display technologies so it's much more important to have the best black and white screen I can get. In the future it will be very important for me.

HarryT · 12-07-2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

Although I only read Playboy for the articles I wouldn't change to an electronic subscription until I get high resolution colour.

And animation, of course

.

aru · 12-07-2007, 04:48 PM

Books would use up way more space, if in color, would slow everything down. Please no!

AlexC · 12-07-2007, 05:04 PM

For someone who uses a reader mainly for research purposes, having color would be quite nice. It would help for textbooks and reference material, but even more importantly for pdf journal articles. Most journals are deemphasizing printed and bound copies, and so more and more publishers are allowing color graphs with little or no extra cost to the author. I expect this trend to continue and accelerate.

astra · 12-09-2007, 07:47 AM

Ah, I voted incorrectly. I voted for second option. I mean I would not mind to have solour ...however, I would prefer quality b&w than mediocre colour reader.

Rob Hudson · 12-09-2007, 07:58 AM

I have an eBook Technologies (ETI-1) color eBook reader, with which I am quite pleased. It's the only color eBook device that I know of.

Here's a link to the ETI-1 color eBook. Unfortunately, the pic doesn't do a great job of showcasing the color capability.

Is anyone aware of any other color eBook devices?

Rob Hudson
MyDistrict.Net: Newspaper Distributor Software

HarryT · 12-09-2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Hudson

Is anyone aware of any other color eBook devices?

The original CyBook is one that springs immediately to mind, of course - it has an 800x600 64k colour display.

I suppose it depends what you mean by "eBook Device". Practically any PDA would quality if you mean "devices on which eBooks can be read".

View Poll Results: How important is color to you?
Don't need it.	43	39.81%
Have some use for it.	48	44.44%
Must have it by 5 p.m. tomorrow.	17	15.74%
Voters: 108. You may not vote on this poll

12-07-2007, 08:53 AM	#1
The GreatGonzo Old Yeller Posts: 180 Karma: 67 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad & Kindle - The Best of Both Worlds	Just how important IS color to you? Because, personally, I'd rather have a lightning-fast, incredibly responsive b&w display than a color one. Can't think of too many books that I would need color for, either - but then again, I don't read graphic novels on my Iliad. To me, the demand for color is a little like asking for more Flash animations in a webpage or more thumping bass in a stereo - it doesn't add anything worthwhile to the information being conveyed. Prove me wrong, folks - explain to me why we need color rather than, say, flexibility or even better battery life.

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12-07-2007, 09:26 AM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Color would be fine, let's say, for school textbooks. I can imagine that it could be quite important to see illustrations and graphs in color. For fiction textbook reading - no, I personally wouldn't require color.

12-07-2007, 10:05 AM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	If I wanted a device for magazines & perhaps textbooks and some non-fiction then color (& a bigger screen) would likely be very important to me. My main (only) use for a reading device at this point is for fiction & I see no reason for color (or a bigger screen for that matter) at this time.

12-07-2007, 10:09 AM	#4
Just4Fun Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle/iphone/ipad/Pocket Entourage/MacBook/Windows	If color were available, I'd love it. There are so many technical books that have color illustrations and, of course, there are many, many, published works that include color photos. I would also like to have the ability to read a newspaper or magazine as it appears in paper print. Cook books would also benefit from the use of color on a reader. The world is filled with color. I'd like that to overflow onto my reader. That and a bigger screen would make me very happy. Of course, good crisp black and white would be called for for most of my fiction reading. Come on Fujitus. Where is that Flepia?

12-07-2007, 10:09 AM	#5
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Colo(u)r is really important to me but would be useless without good PDF A4 display support.

12-07-2007, 10:41 AM	#6
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	A little color would indeed help for textbooks. But if we're talking about reproducing artwork for magazines, etc. then this doesn't seem very practical any time soon. The Eink colors look pretty awful right now.

12-07-2007, 11:17 AM	#8
Gogolo Addict Posts: 353 Karma: 92 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: DR1000S, Nook ST (rooted), Kobo Aura one (ksm)	Resolution is a main factor for eyestrain. I rather have 300ppi than color.

12-07-2007, 11:37 AM	#9
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Although I only read Playboy for the articles I wouldn't change to an electronic subscription until I get high resolution colour. Today I understand the limitations of the colour display technologies so it's much more important to have the best black and white screen I can get. In the future it will be very important for me.

12-07-2007, 04:48 PM	#11
aru Likes to read on e-ink Posts: 68 Karma: 50 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey Device: Kindle DX	Books would use up way more space, if in color, would slow everything down. Please no!

12-07-2007, 05:04 PM	#12
AlexC Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 737 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver Device: Apple iPad; iRex iLiad	For someone who uses a reader mainly for research purposes, having color would be quite nice. It would help for textbooks and reference material, but even more importantly for pdf journal articles. Most journals are deemphasizing printed and bound copies, and so more and more publishers are allowing color graphs with little or no extra cost to the author. I expect this trend to continue and accelerate.

12-09-2007, 07:47 AM	#13
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Ah, I voted incorrectly. I voted for second option. I mean I would not mind to have solour ...however, I would prefer quality b&w than mediocre colour reader.

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12-09-2007, 07:58 AM	#14
Rob Hudson Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: ETI-2	I have an eBook Technologies (ETI-1) color eBook reader, with which I am quite pleased. It's the only color eBook device that I know of. Here's a link to the ETI-1 color eBook. Unfortunately, the pic doesn't do a great job of showcasing the color capability. Is anyone aware of any other color eBook devices? Rob Hudson MyDistrict.Net: Newspaper Distributor Software