Readers/mobile devices allow for one-hand operation w/ highlighting & dictionary use?

[avid01]

Me again, this time with a new angle!

My 6" Kindle 4 with its physical buttons has been allowing me perfect one-handed operation (yes, I'm one of those crazy people) with highlighting and dictionary use. Its battery is dying. Sooner or later I will be replacing it anyways. For the sake of simplicity of this argument, experiment, let's forget about that previously I required the Oxford dictionary and an illuminated screen as absolute must have features.

The thing is, 6" readers with physical buttons can be operated with one hand. But readers with physical buttons are phased out, and 6" readers with touch screens cannot be operated with one hand, if one is a highlighter, and user of any built-in dictionary. Similarly, mobile devices in the 4.7"-5.5" range cannot be used for this purpose either. I have an Android device at the lower end on the screen size scale here for testing, and all it would give if I tried to use like that is RSI.

The only device class I see could work here, is the 4" iPhone. As no decent Android device is made with a ~4" size anymore, with thin bezels. Oh, let's not forget the next gen. iPhone will go edge-to-edge screens, so the same, one-handable small form factor will include a 4.2"-4.3" screen. You heard it first, or not. So, that's the maximum touchscreen size I can comfortably work with one hand, for my reading and all.

My question to you. Else, any e-reader manufacturer still produces a decent reader with physical buttons, or a small, iPhone 4"-like screen? Trekstor had one, for what it's worth. Do you see any other solution to my quest other than the 4" iPhone/iPod Touch? I'm fine with that, by the way. Strangely, if I had to choose a mobile device size from three sizes, small (~4"), medium (~4.7") and large (~5.5), I'd go either with the small or the big one. Anything but medium. But I can't use the big one with one hand, so let's go with the small. The iBooks app comes with my favorite Oxford dictionary too, as an added bonus.

Yes, I'm also one of those crazy people who sometimes enjoys typing on a normal QWERTY keyboard with one hand.

[BookCat]

Kindle Oasis?

[avid01]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Kindle Oasis?

Would you give me a little more clues on how the Kindle Oasis in particular would solve my following two issues?
- Highlighting text effortlessly with one hand
- Looking up words in the dictionary effortlessly with one hand from the text

OK, I went to the product page and haven't found the official Amazon product video to watch it again (not some review video). I'm pretty sure I have watched it when the product was first introduced.* Even if it turns out to be true, that the Oasis is capable of what I'm looking for, no reader under $290 is capable otherwise, besides some discontinued oldies, like my Kindle 4 with buttons? Thanks!

* In Google Chrome, where Flash is not disabled (Amazon: are you serious that I need Flash in 2016 to watch videos on your site?) I can't see the video icon. In my other browser, where Flash is not installed, I see the video icon in the product description stating I can see it, if I install Flash, which I would skip, if at all possible. For some reason Amazon didn't bother to duplicate the video to their YouTube channel.

[BookCat]

I'm not an expert on the full range of ereaders available now, and mentioned the Oasis because it has a way, other than touching the screen, to turn the pages.
I use Firefox and can't see a video on that product page, so you may have to resort to the various reviews of that ereader and others given on youtube, or google 'best ereaders 2016' (without the quote marks).

My old Sony prs-505 would be perfect, you may be able to find a reconditioned one, but they are slow compared to modern ereaders and you would need to use Calibre to convert every book to lrf. This would be easy for non DRM'd books, you'd need to strip the DRM before converting otherwise. Also, the 505 didn't have a dictionary function or highlighting, nor does it have an illuminated screen (the main reason I no longer use it) but it had great ergonomics.

Buttons on ereaders are becoming popular again, so someone else might come along with a better suggestion.

A big downside of the Oasis is the huge price.

[avid01]

My point is, when I bought the Kindle 4, there was a market (buyers, sellers) for readers (of whatever size, this one particularly is a 6" one) which you can operate comfortably with one hand (look up words in the dictionary and highlight text). I remember I bought the Kindle 4 for $79 without much prior research and knowing anything about readers, the only thing I had to decide whether to buy the Kindle 4 for $79, or the touch version of Kindle or Nook (when it was still a thing) for only $20 more. In retrospect, now looking back from my use case, it was the best decision I made to go with the basic, non-touch reader.

I just wonder if the market is totally dead (where are the buyers?) by now for perfectly one-handable readers of any size. It can be smaller than 6", there use to be such devices, if the screen size is much smaller than 6", it might even work as a one-handable touchscreen device, but I guess for that, it has to be as small as a 4"-4.3" 16:9 smartphone screen, the latter sporting an edge to edge screen.

Thanks.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by avid01

I just wonder if the market is totally dead (where are the buyers?) by now for perfectly one-handable readers of any size. It can be smaller than 6", there use to be such devices, if the screen size is much smaller than 6", it might even work as a one-handable touchscreen device, but I guess for that, it has to be as small as a 4"-4.3" 16:9 smartphone screen, the latter sporting an edge to edge screen.

I doubt there is much market. An ereader that you can read one handed, yes. Holding it one handed and turning the page is desirable. But, I think most people would find that for the actions that need more interaction, that using both hands is acceptable.

[DaveFalcon73]

Can I ask a question, what do you call perfect for one handed operation with the buttons?

The Oasis screen size is going to be the same physical screen size as your 6" Kindle 4. Both are 6". The Oasis does have physical page turn buttons which are great but it doesn't have a select or cursor pad in hardware buttons, so that might be something you would be lacking. No newer Kindle has these buttons.

In terms of holding a Kindle or eReader in one hand and using it to page turn and grip the device, the Kindle Oasis is definitely far better than previous Kindles for me. Here's a good image of it in action.
http://ebookfriendly.com/wp-content/...ts-540x438.jpg

At a pinch you can use with your thumb to highlight text etc on the screen, if that's the way you're doing it with your Kindle 4 then there should be no difference whatsoever. If you're using that keypad to bring up the keyboard, the the 5 way controller, press menu or home or back then that won't be anything you'll be able to do on a newer Kindle unfortunately. What you will have though is hardware page turn buttons that operate in either hand left or right by rotating the device.

Definitely there should be a market for smaller eReaders. However, I think the reason why there isn't is because most people use their mobile phones for it instead. The problem is most eReader manufacturers have found what they call the sweet spot at 6" and likewise a lot of mobile phone manufacturers have similar found the sweet spot at around 5-5.5".

[HarryT]

The Kindle Voyage can be used one-handed just fine. That's the way I normally use it, in fact.

[JSWolf]

Highlighting one hand doesn't work. So you'll have to give up on that one.

[DaveFalcon73]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Highlighting one hand doesn't work. So you'll have to give up on that one.

Are you perhaps doing it with your eyes closed? Highlighting with one hand works perfectly fine for me both on the Voyage and on the Oasis using my thumb.

You don't need to use multiple fingers just tap and hold then drag with one finger or if you want to use it one handed your thumb.

[BookCat]

I just tried operating my Kindle paperwhite one handed. I could do this easily if I rested the reader on my knee, but if I also tried to support the reader, this was far more difficult.

[barryem]

I don't do much highlighting so I can't help much with that part but I often read on my phone one handed. Turning pages one handed is easy. Actually I scroll more than turn pages but I use the Kindle app and turn pages some too. Scrolling one handed is even easier.

By the way, if this does interest you you might look for an old Kindle Fire Phone. It's possibly the worst phone ever made but for reading in the Kindle app it's superb. It's the only scrolling Kindle I'm aware of. Not only can you do that one handed, you don't even need hands. You can tilt the screen back about 10 degrees and it begins scrolling. It watches your eyes and it's the angle from the screen to your eyes that matters. Weird gimicky tech, it's true, but in this situation it's really good.

I got my Fire Phone for $59 when Amazon had a sale. I'd hate using this thing as a phone but I never got service for it and never needed it. It's a nice reading device.

Really though, just about any phone will work. Some people don't care for the smaller screen but even large screen phones are available now. I prefer 4.5" to 5" but that's just me.

The drawback reading on a phone is that some people's eyes have a hard time with it. Mine do. I'm limited to about 15 or 20 minute sessions. And it's fairly useless in bright sunlight. My Nexus is okay in daylight as long as I'm in shade. Not ideal but not bad. The Fire Phone is pretty useless outdoors.

Barry

[avid01]

Originally Posted by DaveFalcon73

Can I ask a question, what do you call perfect for one handed operation with the buttons?

The Oasis screen size is going to be the same physical screen size as your 6" Kindle 4. Both are 6". The Oasis does have physical page turn buttons which are great but it doesn't have a select or cursor pad in hardware buttons, so that might be something you would be lacking. No newer Kindle has these buttons.

As long as it has a D-pad, the screen can be of any size (assuming a light enough body), since I operate with the D-pad, not a touchscreen.

If I am to operate a touchscreen with one hand, there is only one size for me:



Or if the screen goes from edge to edge on any next generation phone, it's something like ~4.2"-4.3". I tried the ~4.7" size, it doesn't work (for me).

Answer on everyone's answers: strangely, you, collectively recommended the Oasis (a ~$300 device), then the Voyage (a ~$200 device), then finally, the Paperwhite (a ~$100 device), so hopefully I don't necessarily have to go with the most expensive solution for my simple use case. Yes, only the Oasis has the physical page turn buttons (yet), which is a major bummer.

A 4:3 6" e-reader screen is exactly as tall as a 16:9 5.5" smartphone screen. So I get it, I can highlight text on a 6" reader with exactly the same ease (or difficulty) as on a 5.5" smartphone. Not impossible, but not particularly handy. I can similarly look up words in the dictionary, if the word in question in the left/right side of the text.

[avid01]

Originally Posted by barryem

I don't do much highlighting so I can't help much with that part but I often read on my phone one handed. Turning pages one handed is easy. Actually I scroll more than turn pages but I use the Kindle app and turn pages some too. Scrolling one handed is even easier.

By the way, if this does interest you you might look for an old Kindle Fire Phone. It's possibly the worst phone ever made but for reading in the Kindle app it's superb. It's the only scrolling Kindle I'm aware of. Not only can you do that one handed, you don't even need hands. You can tilt the screen back about 10 degrees and it begins scrolling. It watches your eyes and it's the angle from the screen to your eyes that matters. Weird gimicky tech, it's true, but in this situation it's really good.

I got my Fire Phone for $59 when Amazon had a sale. I'd hate using this thing as a phone but I never got service for it and never needed it. It's a nice reading device.

Really though, just about any phone will work. Some people don't care for the smaller screen but even large screen phones are available now. I prefer 4.5" to 5" but that's just me.

The drawback reading on a phone is that some people's eyes have a hard time with it. Mine do. I'm limited to about 15 or 20 minute sessions. And it's fairly useless in bright sunlight. My Nexus is okay in daylight as long as I'm in shade. Not ideal but not bad. The Fire Phone is pretty useless outdoors.

Barry

Interesting! I was looking for a video demonstrating this, to no avail. Does it scroll only top-to-bottom, not left-to-right? I wonder how the tilting works while walking, riding on bumpy public transport routes.