Touch Nook ST screen contrast vs Kindle 3 vs Sony Reader X50

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by EldRick

I've got both K3 and Touch side-by-side, and the screens are identical. I think you guys are just picking up minor unit-to-unit variations.

Companies can definitely use software to increase readability. Kindle has only one font, so they could optimize font hinting to the max. There's a review by Marco Arment (http://www.marco.org/2011/06/03/nook...e-touch-review) in which he says
"The Kindle’s rendering is slightly more readable, with the Nook’s too often aligning on half-pixel boundaries, resulting in thin gray strokes. " So Kindle can have darker fonts. People seeing this?

[requiem3]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

How does the background compare? I read somewhere that Nook ST's background is whiter (or Kindle 3's background is grayer) but that could be because of lighting.

Also by screen contrast, you mean Kindle's fonts are darker? (Against whiter background?)

Yeah the kindle fonts pop out more, definitely seem darker to me, you can really only tell when you hold them side by side though.

[jridley]

So the lack of fonts is a FEATURE. Got it.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by jridley

So the lack of fonts is a FEATURE. Got it.

Amazon is obviously making an engineering effort to optimize one font. I'd rather have one font that really pops vs. six others on Nook 2 that are half-ass implemented. More from the review on Marco.org:

"I didn’t find the Nook’s other fonts nearly as readable: Gill Sans and Helvetica work moderately well, Trebuchet and Amasis render poorly, and I find Malabar’s thickness uncomfortable.

The Kindle’s rendering is slightly more readable, with the Nook’s too often aligning on half-pixel boundaries, resulting in thin gray strokes. This is least noticeable with Caecilia but is problematic with the thinner fonts, especially Gill Sans and Trebuchet."

So it seems the posts confirm this review, unless someone can say otherwise.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

Amazon is obviously making an engineering effort to optimize one font. I'd rather have one font that really pops vs. six others on Nook 2 that are half-ass implemented. More from the review on Marco.org:

"I didn’t find the Nook’s other fonts nearly as readable: Gill Sans and Helvetica work moderately well, Trebuchet and Amasis render poorly, and I find Malabar’s thickness uncomfortable.

The Kindle’s rendering is slightly more readable, with the Nook’s too often aligning on half-pixel boundaries, resulting in thin gray strokes. This is least noticeable with Caecilia but is problematic with the thinner fonts, especially Gill Sans and Trebuchet."

So it seems the posts confirm this review, unless someone can say otherwise.

Oh please I would not be using that marco review and treat it like the Gospel. Just reading the first paragraph you knew he was a kindle fanboy.
It's an amateur hour hack write up.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Zarich

Amazon still has their own font tech that some people prefer. However, nook has been shown to update theirs over time.

The font tech in the K3 is nothing special. It's just that Amazon has tweaked the font they use to be slightly darker then normal to give a better contrast.

[JSWolf]

Speaking of fonts, Charis and Fontin both look good on an eink screen. Fontin's one drawback is no bold-italic variation.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by boswd

Oh please I would not be using that marco review and treat it like the Gospel. Just reading the first paragraph you knew he was a kindle fanboy.
It's an amateur hour hack write up.

Well, I have affinity for Marco Arment because of the software he created, Instapaper. For me, it's THE killer app for iPad and e-ink readers. (I download the epubs to load on my Sony Reader.) If you haven't used it, I recommend it highly for people to try it out. www.instapaper.com

I don't think the review is fanboyish. First he starts off his review giving a link to a very favorable review of Nook 2. He also gives specifics of why the Kindle's font is better than Nook 2's. He also knocks the Kindle for lack of touchscreen and the archaic interface. OTOH, the comment, "so lack of font is a feature, got it." Now, that's fanboyism.

But, if you have EVIDENCE or text from reviews (you know, textual proofs) that Nook 2 contrast is just as good as Kindle's, I'd like to see it.

Originally Posted by boswd

Oh please I would not be using that marco review and treat it like the Gospel. Just reading the first paragraph you knew he was a kindle fanboy.
It's an amateur hour hack write up.

That is like the pot calling the kettle black. You are the quintessential "Nook fanboy" who cannot see beyond his Nook(s). There is certainly nothing wrong in being excited about the toys one buys, but there is something about fanboyism that is totally repulsive, not to mention narrow minded and quite often downright mean. Personally, I hate fanboyism regardless of which fan base it is attached to and regardless of my personal feelings toward the products associated with the fan base.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by jswinden

That is like the pot calling the kettle black. You are the quintessential "Nook fanboy" who cannot see beyond his Nook(s). There is certainly nothing wrong in being excited about the toys one buys, but there is something about fanboyism that is totally repulsive, not to mention narrow minded and quite often downright mean. Personally, I hate fanboyism regardless of which fan base it is attached to and regardless of my personal feelings toward the products associated with the fan base.

ahhh but the difference is Mr. Winden I do not have a blog and put on a front that I'm doing an impartial review and comparison now am I?

I'm just a regular joe on a forum who doesn't think the world should bow down to the kindle.

and I really and honestly and truely think the kindle is by far and away the most overrated ereader on the market. I really do. It has nothing to do with me liking the nook.

And that's not true by saying I can't see beyond my nook, I actually like the Sony's but dismal pricing and poor bookstore platform and no wireless on most of their models are just deal breakers, but in many of post's in the past when someone wants the best PDF reader I always say the sony.
I also for some reason root for the Kobo, love their bookstore. and that crazy quilted back

Just I don't think that kindle nuts and to a certain degree the Sony fans always coming in to bash on the nook should get this free pass. So I fire back.

[Jim Lester]

Originally Posted by boswd

yeah sounds like they inadvertantly used portions of the nook color manual.

That's my take too. Regardless it is logged as a bug, and we will get offending sentence rewritten.

[sonyreaderfan]

I'm interested in a rooted Nook 2. As in my research for new products, I read reviews and also try to confirm facts from the reviews, in this case by asking in the forums. That's why a lot of posts have quotes -- I'm trying to reconcile reviews with people's first hand experience and observations. Regarding fonts, it seems the verification that Kindle have darker fonts is true. It's not bashing if you have facts to back them up. OTOH, I haven't heard any concrete refutations, just whining and ad hominem attacks from Nook fanboys.

[Hoyt Clagwell]

Personally I think my new nook has darker fonts then my K3. Also I am not a Nook fan boy. If I were my screen name would be nookreaderfan.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by Hoyt Clagwell

Personally I think my new nook has darker fonts then my K3. Also I am not a Nook fan boy. If I were my screen name would be nookreaderfan.

Hoyt, I see that you have listed that you own a PRS 650, and you mention that you own a K3. How does the Nook 2 contrast compare to PRS 650's? How does PRS 650's contrast compare to K3? I used to own a K3 but I returned it before buying a Sony Reader so I didn't have a chance to compare them side by side.

Btw, there's a big difference between a fan and a fanboy. There's no shame in declaring you're a fan of Nook. Say it: Nook owner and proud! (Seen X-Men: First Class?)

[HarryT]

I have a Sony and a Kindle; the appearance of the screens is absolutely identical, both in terms of the "whiteness" of the background and the "blackness" of the text. I'm sure that the new nook looks just the same.