Would you be interested in a palm-sized eInk reader? - Page 3

anamardoll · 04-13-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Folks read on iPhones and Blackberries and iPod Touches. Would an e-Ink device of similar be form factor be of interest to you?

I'm picturing a device where the screen has a very thin bezel, with navigation controls along the edges, or along the short sides. A screen roughly 9x6.5cm, give or take.

I'm currently trying to find one with no luck. I read on my phone ALL THE TIME, but my battery life is crap and there's the "reading in full sunlight" issue. I would love to buy an "iPhone-sized" eInk device - wish they had one on the market.

Pomtroll · 04-13-2011, 12:21 PM

I voted no but not because it is a silly idea. But because I like the size of my Sony 350 which is the size of my hand & really don't want to go smaller.

Hellmark · 04-13-2011, 12:36 PM

Before I got my 505, I read a lot on my N800. It has a 4.13" screen, and with FBReader set to use smaller text (as I like it) it was great. Having something pocket sized would be useful.

shanghaichica · 04-14-2011, 04:09 AM

It would be too small. I read on my iPhone before I got a dedicated reader and wouldnt go back to reading on a screen that size even if it was e-ink.

carpetmojo · 04-14-2011, 04:26 AM

Glad to see most Forumites fail to see the advantage of adding to eye-strain, headache, and anger management clinics..................

anamardoll · 04-14-2011, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Glad to see most Forumites fail to see the advantage of adding to eye-strain, headache, and anger management clinics..................

Eh. Individuals are individualistic. I don't get eye-strain at all from small hand-held devices, but larger devices give me a touch of a headache. It may be genetic - my mother got hooked reading on her iPhone, then got an iPad.... and then went straight back to her iPhone almost immediately. She prefers reading on her phone and wouldn't have it any other way.

I love reading on my phone, but the "not in full sunlight" issue combined with the 4 hour battery at full use limits my reading on it a bit. Thank god for a free market, eh?

Hellmark · 04-14-2011, 02:04 PM

Just because the display size is smaller, doesn't mean you'd have additional eye strain. Having backlit screens increase eye strain. Having what is shown on the display be smaller increases eyestrain. You could just have a smaller display, but the text size be the same as a larger display, and not effect eyestrain at all.

On my ebooks, I set the text size to be the same, and the characters appear the same size physically on my N800 and my 505, the big difference is that my 505 has a bigger display and so can fit more words on to the display at one time.

Asawi · 04-14-2011, 02:08 PM

OMG! I would have to make 4 page turns every sentence with a the font size I'd need!

Hellmark · 04-14-2011, 02:19 PM

It isn't for everyone, but many people are perfectly fine with smaller displays like that.

For me, a 4" display would be very usable (Like what my N800 has, and many cellphones now), and is only 1" smaller than your PRS350, so not a huge change.

Asawi · 04-14-2011, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

For me, a 4" display would be very usable (Like what my N800 has, and many cellphones now), and is only 1" smaller than your PRS350, so not a huge change.

I would not consider that "palm size". (Maybe we're thinking differently there)

5" is the absolute smallest I would consider. I would not have considered the 5" either if it hadn't the amazing pearl screen.

bhartman36 · 04-14-2011, 02:24 PM

I voted no, but I wouldn't call it "silly". I read on Palm-sized devices for years before I got my first Kindle. I think the problem is that if you want something pocketable, you also want it to do more than just display books. I could do all kinds of things with my Palm TX.

I think people justify carrying Kindles and Nooks around because the screens are easier to read on, and you can read them more like books. The advantage of having a nice, clear e-Ink screen isn't as pronounced if you shrink it down to handheld size.

Hellmark · 04-14-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asawi

I would not consider that "palm size". (Maybe we're thinking differently there)

5" is the absolute smallest I would consider. I would not have considered the 5" either if it hadn't the amazing pearl screen.

To me palm sized is cellphone sized. Many cellphones now are switching to where basically the entire face of the phone is the display, so you can easily have 3 and 4 inch displays and still be small overall. That is possible to do with eInk, it is all in how you package it. I mean, look at how much of your 350 is not display. If you trimmed it down, to where the area around the display was minimal, it would be much more "palm sized".

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhartman36

I voted no, but I wouldn't call it "silly". I read on Palm-sized devices for years before I got my first Kindle. I think the problem is that if you want something pocketable, you also want it to do more than just display books. I could do all kinds of things with my Palm TX.

I think people justify carrying Kindles and Nooks around because the screens are easier to read on, and you can read them more like books. The advantage of having a nice, clear e-Ink screen isn't as pronounced if you shrink it down to handheld size.

You could have a pocket sized, more multifunction device, with eink that would still work as a great ebook reader. Put on there a calculator, Sudoku and other basic games, etc.

RainingLemur · 04-14-2011, 04:08 PM

I would consider one, definitely. Maybe as a back-up reader, or something to always have in a travel-bag in the event that I forget my other goodies.

But, I'd need to see more specs for sure.

bhartman36 · 04-14-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

You could have a pocket sized, more multifunction device, with eink that would still work as a great ebook reader. Put on there a calculator, Sudoku and other basic games, etc.

Maybe, but I still see any potential functions as being a lot more limited than your average smartphone. If all an e-Ink reader can bring to the table is the kind of limited things we've seen in the Kindle store, I don't see that competing well. Again, I think the size makes it less than optimal for reading. I think a Kindle/Nook/Sony sized reader is a great solution for reading, whereas a palm-sized reader doesn't put you very far away from the days of my old PalmPilot II (albeit with better resolution). It's hard for me to see a market for that.

I think the only way you could really do e-ink on a screen that size and make it marketable is to have it be a hybrid screen. If it could jump between e-ink and LCD, that might work. (Maybe have a device with an LCD on one side, and an e-ink screen on the other). And even then, I don't see a lot of interest being there.

Hellmark · 04-14-2011, 04:56 PM

What I think would be really cool is an eink phone that can double as an ereader. They have eink phones (well, one, from motorola, and it is a tad on the crappy and featureless side). Can have it be the same form factor we're talking about, and with an eink display would help dramatically increase battery life. There is still call for an efficient phone. And would help increase potential market for a palm sized reader.

View Poll Results: Would you be interested in a smartphone-sized eInk device?
No, that is a silly idea.	107	56.02%
It depends. I need to see more specifics.	52	27.23%
Yes, my Kindle/Sony/Nook/iPad is too bulky to take everywhere	20	10.47%
Yes, but I'd like a touch screen with that.	12	6.28%
Voters: 191. You may not vote on this poll

04-13-2011, 12:21 PM	#32
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I voted no but not because it is a silly idea. But because I like the size of my Sony 350 which is the size of my hand & really don't want to go smaller. Last edited by Pomtroll; 04-13-2011 at 02:33 PM.

04-14-2011, 02:04 PM	#37
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,590 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Just because the display size is smaller, doesn't mean you'd have additional eye strain. Having backlit screens increase eye strain. Having what is shown on the display be smaller increases eyestrain. You could just have a smaller display, but the text size be the same as a larger display, and not effect eyestrain at all. On my ebooks, I set the text size to be the same, and the characters appear the same size physically on my N800 and my 505, the big difference is that my 505 has a bigger display and so can fit more words on to the display at one time. Last edited by Hellmark; 04-14-2011 at 02:07 PM.

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04-13-2011, 12:36 PM	#33
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,590 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Before I got my 505, I read a lot on my N800. It has a 4.13" screen, and with FBReader set to use smaller text (as I like it) it was great. Having something pocket sized would be useful.

04-14-2011, 04:09 AM	#34
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 991 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11,15 Pro Max,iPad mini 7,colorsoft	It would be too small. I read on my iPhone before I got a dedicated reader and wouldnt go back to reading on a screen that size even if it was e-ink.

04-14-2011, 04:26 AM	#35
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Glad to see most Forumites fail to see the advantage of adding to eye-strain, headache, and anger management clinics..................

04-14-2011, 02:08 PM	#38
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,467 Karma: 3865860 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	OMG! I would have to make 4 page turns every sentence with a the font size I'd need!

04-14-2011, 02:19 PM	#39
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,590 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	It isn't for everyone, but many people are perfectly fine with smaller displays like that. For me, a 4" display would be very usable (Like what my N800 has, and many cellphones now), and is only 1" smaller than your PRS350, so not a huge change.

04-14-2011, 02:24 PM	#41
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,323 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Jersey, USA Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021)	I voted no, but I wouldn't call it "silly". I read on Palm-sized devices for years before I got my first Kindle. I think the problem is that if you want something pocketable, you also want it to do more than just display books. I could do all kinds of things with my Palm TX. I think people justify carrying Kindles and Nooks around because the screens are easier to read on, and you can read them more like books. The advantage of having a nice, clear e-Ink screen isn't as pronounced if you shrink it down to handheld size.

04-14-2011, 04:08 PM	#43
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I would consider one, definitely. Maybe as a back-up reader, or something to always have in a travel-bag in the event that I forget my other goodies. But, I'd need to see more specs for sure.

04-14-2011, 04:56 PM	#45
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,590 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	What I think would be really cool is an eink phone that can double as an ereader. They have eink phones (well, one, from motorola, and it is a tad on the crappy and featureless side). Can have it be the same form factor we're talking about, and with an eink display would help dramatically increase battery life. There is still call for an efficient phone. And would help increase potential market for a palm sized reader.