E-ink or LED displays for ebook reading

[bjgdal]

Well, for me personally I prefer a backlit screen as most of my reading is before bedtime lying in bed in the dark. I usually read on my HTC Incrediblei though I have a Kindle. The only time I use it is if I am going somewhere where I won't easily be able to charge the phone as battery is limited. Now that I have just bought a small battery pack I may only use the kindle for reading in bright light.

[AlbertaCowboy]

Originally Posted by toddos

For those that think backlights give them headaches, .

I don't just think backlights give me headaches. I experience them as well.
eInk is the only way for me to read.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by toddos

For those that think backlights give them headaches, try a high-ppi device in night mode (white text on black background). I bet you'll find that's much more comfortable than reading black text on a white background on your 15.6" 1366x768 (100ppi) laptop.

And for those who KNOW that backlit screens are a migraine-inducing REAL pain when being used to read large amounts of text, I bet your solution is just wonderful (as well as extremely condescending to people with a genuine problem). eInk is the difference between reading a few pages for relaxation in a day and settling down in a comfy chair to read a whole book with no problems... and yes, I and others have tried your great ideas for using high ppi in night mode, day mode and green and orange polka dot mode... it makes no difference, some people cannot read for lengthy periods on backlit screens...

[stickybuns]

Too many distractions with LED. I end up spending more time checking my email or playing Angry Birds than I do reading.

I bought an e-ink reader after spending one day too many stuck inside on a beautiful sunny day while doing research for my MA thesis. It was wonderful to be able to email journal articles to my Kindle and read them while relaxing in the park.

[toddos]

Originally Posted by elcreative

And for those who KNOW that backlit screens are a migraine-inducing REAL pain when being used to read large amounts of text, I bet your solution is just wonderful (as well as extremely condescending to people with a genuine problem). eInk is the difference between reading a few pages for relaxation in a day and settling down in a comfy chair to read a whole book with no problems... and yes, I and others have tried your great ideas for using high ppi in night mode, day mode and green and orange polka dot mode... it makes no difference, some people cannot read for lengthy periods on backlit screens...

I'm not saying you don't get migraines when reading on a backlit screen. I'm saying that correlation does not equal causation. What's the pixel density of the backlit screen you're reading on? How far away from your face is the screen?

In general, low ppi is much more likely to cause strain than a backlight. It just so happens that most PC screens are low ppi, and most people complain of headaches from reading on backlit PC screens. Until you've controlled for every other variable, you may as well blame your headaches on the LCD fairy as that would make as much sense as blaming it on the backlight (especially with an LED backlight that doesn't flicker like cold cathode backlights can).

[AlbertaCowboy]

.......

[DiapDealer]

I have no clue which one is best... I only know which seems to work well for me.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by toddos

I'm not saying you don't get migraines when reading on a backlit screen. I'm saying that correlation does not equal causation. What's the pixel density of the backlit screen you're reading on? How far away from your face is the screen?

For the people who get migraines, it doesn't matter.

Migraines beginning and growing while reading LCD screen: Some, in some conditions. Maybe not in all conditions. Who wants to experiment with being migraine-bait to find out?

Migraines beginning and growing while reading e-ink: None.

In general, low ppi is much more likely to cause strain than a backlight.

BS. Possibly trying to focus on tiny text can cause eye strain, but screen resolution without a light behind it is not the problem.

Some studies have said the strain is caused by lack of ambient light--the focus of looking at the bright screen, and peripheral vision of a dark room, causes pupils to expand and contract rapidly and sets off eye strain. In which case, the backlight is indeed the problem--and also explains why reading white-on-black text causes less strain.

It just so happens that most PC screens are low ppi, and most people complain of headaches from reading on backlit PC screens. Until you've controlled for every other variable, you may as well blame your headaches on the LCD fairy as that would make as much sense as blaming it on the backlight (especially with an LED backlight that doesn't flicker like cold cathode backlights can).

It doesn't matter which variable causes it; those variables are absent in e-ink.

If a person hates driving, it doesn't matter whether they have an old car with touchy controls, or they don't like aggressive freeway dynamics, or they can't parallel park. Taking the bus fixes all of those.

The bus doesn't go as many places--but that's not important; what's important is "does it get me where *I* need to go?"

E-ink's not as versatile as LCD or OLED, but plenty of people have no need for that versatility.

[stonetools]

Hasn't this been done and done?
Short answer:
E-ink is best for reading text in well -lighted conditions
LCD- Almost every other kind of reading experience, including:


*Reading magazine content
*Web content
*Comics
*Illustrated books
* Reading in poor light

If most of your reading is text (novels, etc) buy and enjoy an eink reader and maybe get a lighted cover ( or a lamp).

If you read a lot of digital magazine content and comics, get you a NC, iPad, or the new KTab when it debutes. End of discussion.
I'm not even going to get into the absurd "LCD causes migraines" debate . That myth belongs with "There's a plesiosaur living in Noch Ness" collection of debunked hype. Poor lighting and poor monitors causes eyestrain, not LCD monitors as such.

[Hellmark]

I get migranes. I have a Nokia N800 (225PPI) that I used to read quite a bit on, my MyTouch 3g (180PPI), and my 505 (167PPI). Now, if we go by Toddos' theory that lower PPI causes eyestrain, then I should get more headaches from the 505's eInk screen, when compared to the N800 and MyTouch LCD displays. In reality though, I get more from the N800, then the MyTouch comes in second, and I can't remember ever getting eyestrain from the 505. The N800 also has a much brighter display than the MyTouch, and cannot be set quite as low either. I feel this is more of a factor.

Also, when I am reading at night, I get eyestrain much faster from the LCD devices, than if reading during day time. I can be pitch black, only a small flash light and read for hours longer on the 505.

[afa]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Some studies have said the strain is caused by lack of ambient light--the focus of looking at the bright screen, and peripheral vision of a dark room, causes pupils to expand and contract rapidly and sets off eye strain. In which case, the backlight is indeed the problem--and also explains why reading white-on-black text causes less strain.

This makes sense to me.

As for the topic at hand, I voted eInk.

If the question was merely "eInk vs. LCD/LED" that would be something to think about, as then I would have to consider what purpose I need in a particular device. eInk, for instance, would be pathetic for a computer monitor, or even for a full tablet.

But since the OP specified ebook reading, the answer is simple. eInk all the way.

[elcreative]

Toddos and stonetools... being a smartass doesn't make you right... i use computer screens of very high quality both in my home and work environment and they're fine for graphic work and anything where I don't continuously stay absorbed with the content in the manner of reading a book.

Stonetools condescending quote: "I'm not even going to get into the absurd "LCD causes migraines" debate . That myth belongs with "There's a plesiosaur living in Noch Ness" collection of debunked hype. Poor lighting and poor monitors causes eyestrain, not LCD monitors as such," which deals with things he knows nothing about... I happen to work in conditions with excellent lighting using top level screens with great ppi and I still find extended reading on an eInk screen vastly more preferable to LCDs whether by day or night... and I've never got a migraine reading from eInk but I have from working on an LCD screen... ooooh wait , that's - anecdotal - evidence... well, when you get a condition that makes you feel like banging your head on a wall to reduce the pain in your head then you can damn well volunteer to prove your theory is right... me, I prefer NOT to get a migraine in the first place... you can have as many half-assed theories as you like but if it's a choice between migraine and no migraine then all sufferers know what to choose... and funnily enough, one of the things known about migraine is that it is NOT triggered by eyestrain so there goes that one anyway...

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Toddos and stonetools... being a smartass doesn't make you right... i use computer screens of very high quality both in my home and work environment and they're fine for graphic work and anything where I don't continuously stay absorbed with the content in the manner of reading a book.

Stonetools condescending quote: "I'm not even going to get into the absurd "LCD causes migraines" debate . That myth belongs with "There's a plesiosaur living in Noch Ness" collection of debunked hype. Poor lighting and poor monitors causes eyestrain, not LCD monitors as such," which deals with things he knows nothing about... I happen to work in conditions with excellent lighting using top level screens with great ppi and I still find extended reading on an eInk screen vastly more preferable to LCDs whether by day or night... and I've never got a migraine reading from eInk but I have from working on an LCD screen... ooooh wait , that's - anecdotal - evidence... well, when you get a condition that makes you feel like banging your head on a wall to reduce the pain in your head then you can damn well volunteer to prove your theory is right... me, I prefer NOT to get a migraine in the first place... you can have as many half-assed theories as you like but if it's a choice between migraine and no migraine then all sufferers know what to choose... and funnily enough, one of the things known about migraine is that it is NOT triggered by eyestrain so there goes that one anyway...

Well, I do feel your pain if you have migraines and if you feel LED screens cause your migraines, I'm not going to doubt your experience. My anecdata is that my wife had migraines and those weren't set off by looking at LEDs- which is a good thing becasuse she is on the computer at her job all day . Regardless, no scientific studies have established that merely watching LED screens cause migraines and I'm going to go with the scientists on this one.

Again, if we are talking solely about ebooks that are text only (that's most ebooks) and reading in good light only (that's most reading) then e-ink is best. Otherwise, LED screens are better in almost every other kind of reading experience (save for the small but important minority whose migraines are possibly caused by reading from LED screens). How's that?
My exasperation has been because this theological debate has been held many times on this forum, as the most cursory search would have revealed. How many times are we going to rechew this cud?

[DiapDealer]

Again, if we are talking solely about ebooks that are text only (that's most ebooks) and reading in good light only (that's most reading) then e-ink is best.

What other kind of "reading" is there besides text only?

[K-Thom]

I'm missing a third option: "Both, since both have its strengths and weaknesses".

I'm reading on the iPad as well as on my Kindle. Simply depends which is at hand or which time of the day it is.