Which is your dominant hand, when using your reader?

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Witchbaby

I mostly use my left hand to hold/operate my Kindle even though I'm a righty. Actually it's because I'm a righty - it leaves my "good" hand to do other things, like ProfCrash said.

Me too.

I think the poll should have asked if the person is a righty or a lefty, particularly for the two added questions (holding and using with the same hand).

[Stitchawl]

I'm a lefty, but use either hand as support for my Sony 505. As it has page turn buttons on both the left and right sides, it makes no difference to me which hand is supporting the reader. That hand's finger can always reach the button.

I still use the original leather cover that came with my reader. I always fold it back rather than keeping it open like a paper book. It's light enough and compact enough to hold with just one hand.


Stitchawl

[GA Russell]

I hold my jetBook Lite with my left hand, and use my left thumb to change the pages.

I use my right hand to press the other buttons.

[sabredog]

I am a "southpaw" and hold my ereaders with both hands as they both have covers that open out like a traditional book. The page forward/back is easy to use with my right hand.

[Heifzilla]

I'm a righty but I hold my reader in my left hand and use my left thumb to turn pages. Probably because I am usually eating something with my right hand as I read

[elcreative]

Neither, I believe in controlling my hands... refuse to let either one dominate me despite best efforts...

Seriously though, I'm right-handed and hold ereader in left hand mostly but can do the reverse if more comfortable...

[teadonkey]

Depending on my situation, I do it all sorts of ways. But usually I'm curled up and hold it open (I have a closey flap cover) with my left hand and click the button with my right.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by teadonkey

Depending on my situation, I do it all sorts of ways. But usually I'm curled up and hold it open (I have a closey flap cover) with my left hand and click the button with my right.

OT just to say that tubemonkey likes the name teadonkey.

Welcome to the group.

[captkjaneway]

Generally hold and operate in the right hand - fold back the cover. The good thing about the K3 obviously is that the buttons to flip back and forth are repeated on both sides so if one has other uses for the reading hand, then able to use the left with no issues.

[astra]

I voted for

I use both hands independently; I am ambidextrous

although I am nowhere near to be ambidextrous but it was the closest description of what I am doing.
I am right handed, no doubt about it. However, Sony Reader is not

a space shuttle
a plane
a highly sophisticated device
a scalpel
a hammer

that you cannot operate it with the secondary hand.
When I am in a bed and read on my Sony Reader PRS-650 I either:

- hold it in both hands and use:
right hand thumb to turn pages (swiping)
left hand thumb to turn pages (swiping)
left hand thumb to turn pages (buttons)

or

- hold it in my left hand and use left hand thumb to turn pages (swiping)

or

- hold it in my right hand and use right hand thumb to turn pages (swiping)

[boxcorner]

Originally Posted by Catlady

... I think the poll should have asked if the person is a righty or a lefty, particularly for the two added questions (holding and using with the same hand).

I agree - with the benefit of hindsight - the poll could have been much better designed, and I regret not adding more permutations from the outset. I found it disconcerting to discover that my post appeared, and someone actually posted their reply, before I had finished writing the poll, and it's frustrating that posts can be edited, but polls can't. Nevertheless, thank you moderator for adding the two extra options.

Yes, I could have asked whether the person is right or left-handed, and it is interesting to know, but I guessed that could be deduced, or people would say. My curiosity is more focused on the way readers are designed. I imagine that some designers assume the majority will use their right hand, because most people are right-handed. Whereas, arguably, what matters more is which hand people actually use predominantly to operate their reader, rather than simply whether they are right or left-handed.

Thanks to all those who have posted comments, thus far - really interesting; I look forward to reading some more. It's heartening to see that someone has a sense of humour, and voted for the feet and nose option.

[goaspy]

Too bad the poll doesn't have checkboxes I have two answers: I hold and operate the Kindle with one hand (either one), and the Sony with two hands, the left to hold it, the right to operate it.

[boxcorner]

Originally Posted by goaspy

Too bad the poll doesn't have checkboxes I have two answers: I hold and operate the Kindle with one hand (either one), and the Sony with two hands, the left to hold it, the right to operate it.

Good point. Well, perhaps I should have opted for multi-choice, rather than mutually exclusive options. At least this thread has got people thinking and talking about the design of polls, if not readers!

Clearly designers of readers have to make some difficult choices, based to some extent on assumptions about the way they will be used. For example, keyboards could be split, to improve their ergonomics.

I remember responding to a query about the placement of the buttons on the Sony PRS-650. The question was why the page-turning buttons are located on the left. My guess was that the designer(s) assumed the majority of users would turn pages by swiping the touch-screen, and hence positioned the magnification and options buttons on the right.

[peaceridge]

I'm right handed and I prop my ereader (especially when eating) and use my left hand to operate it - thus freeing up my dominant hand for eating, petting the dog...

[Pomtroll]

I've found no problems using both hands. I switch back & forth. Even with my Nook. I have found the swipe method works with either hand.