Reading on a Smartphone - Page 3

taosaur · 12-27-2011, 01:03 AM

You can get used to just about any size, I think. I did a little e-book reading, and quite a bit of forum reading, on my old <2.5" dumbphone. Anymore, I don't find myself in too many situations where I want to read and have my phone (4") but not my Nook Color(7"). When I do, though, the interface disappears pretty quickly, page turning becomes automatic, and it's just me and the text.

On the quantity-vs-quality front, my old 10.1" netbook was my e-reader for a while, and while it served me well, the Nook Color's smaller screen at the same 1024x600 resolution is so much sharper, which especially comes through in comics and PDFs. The wide IPS viewing angles are also more tolerant of the odd contortions some of us engage in while reading

So yes, I'd much rather read on a 4" 800x480 device than a 7-10" device of the same resolution.

HansTWN · 12-27-2011, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I guess he is one of the "distant" relatives that dad would never talk about. They ran shine, and two got hung.

But they sure knew how to "multiply".

aceflor · 12-27-2011, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HansTWN

But they sure knew how to "multiply".

indeed

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-27-2011, 11:01 AM

Jordan's Theorem: "You get used to... what you want to get used to."

The perfect size is what best suits you. There's no point comparing it to his or hers, or against functions you don't use.

I used to read on PDAs and smartphones exclusively, and am still perfectly satisfied doing so (with ebooks, that is). I now use a Nook Color, since it has allowed me to add 5 magazine subscriptions to my digital reading, and it handles ebooks fine as well. Both involved adapting to different ways to read; but I wanted to use them to read, so I adapted.

It doesn't need to be more involved than that.

ScotiaBurrell · 12-27-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richrock

Only thing I would say is, regardless of screen size on a smartphone, don't bother unless you like scrolling a lot, or are comfortable with tiny text sizes.

I agree with you. But for brief periods it is not bad!

tompe · 12-27-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScotiaBurrell

I agree with you. But for brief periods it is not bad!

I have noticed that I get approximately the same amount of text in a page on my phone and on my Kindle. For the Kindle I have to use a big font. And for the phone I can read comfortable maybe 10cm from my eyes and can use a much smaller font.

So the difference is just how you can sit or lie down to read comfortable and of course how long you can read without charging.

Blossom · 12-27-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaKing

Who hasn't read a text message, directions, a menu, or news story, an article or even a book on a phone? Books are possible though difficult which is why we have dedicated readers, and tablets of various sizes.

I have read many books on my phone. It's a 3.2" screen. I still read on my phone sometimes. I use Mantano as my main reading app. It works great. I just got in November a Kindle Fire (7") which is nice to read on in the dark but I think 5" screen would be the perfect size for me.

ilovejedd · 12-28-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddos

I used to read exclusively on my old iPhone 3GS, with its 3.5" 320x480 screen. It was passable. I now read on my HTC HD7S, with a 4.3" 480x800 screen and it's much better.

Honestly, though, screen size is less important than resolution. An iPhone 4 or newer will be better than a 3GS or older simply because it has a higher resolution, even though the screen size itself is exactly the same.

I agree. Smaller font sizes are legible on the iPhone 4's screen thanks to the higher resolution.

I favor smaller phones, though. The Samsung Nexus S is my limit although I'd prefer something like the Sony Xperia Ray. Oh well, to each his own right?

HarryT · 12-28-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I agree. Smaller font sizes are legible on the iPhone 4's screen thanks to the higher resolution.

I favor smaller phones, though. The Samsung Nexus S is my limit although I'd prefer something like the Sony Xperia Ray. Oh well, to each his own right?

I used to use a book reader called "uBook" on my Windows Mobile devices (iPaq, etc) for the reason that it had an excellent, and highly customisable, auto-scroll mode, which was very easy to adjust to your reading speed. You'd just tap the screen to start it scrolling, and tap it again to stop it.

robertc88 · 12-28-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I have read many books on my phone. It's a 3.2" screen. I still read on my phone sometimes. I use Mantano as my main reading app. It works great. I just got in November a Kindle Fire (7") which is nice to read on in the dark but I think 5" screen would be the perfect size for me.

5" you say? Then you can get a Samsung Player 5.0 and forget about a smartphone in the dark!

Blossom · 12-28-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertc88

5" you say? Then you can get a Samsung Player 5.0 and forget about a smartphone in the dark!

Oh I would love one of those! I saw them during Black Friday. Now if it'd only come down in price.

5thWiggle · 12-29-2011, 08:03 AM

I'd been reading on small screens for years, but recently noticed a gradual "upsizing" trend (Palm TE2 -> Ipod -> Pocket Edge -> Acer A100). Well, yesterday I got my new glasses (bifocals. *SIGH*. In the words of the Rolling Stones: "What a drag it is getting old" *SIGH*). What a difference. The 7" Acer is as useable as My Better Half's 10" Acer. The Ipod is as clear as the Edge.

I've been wearing glasses or contacts since the age of 4. I get my eyes checked every year. My distance perscription has been stable since I was thirty, but this change in my near vision was so gradual that I was compensating for it without knowing and both I and my optometrist missed it till now. When I think of the money I could have saved by buying glasses instead of new devices.....

(NOT! I probably would have bought the devices anyway, since I'm a gadet junkie!

)

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-29-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

When I think of the money I could have saved by buying glasses instead of new devices.....

My last pair of glasses cost me more than my Nook Color.

5thWiggle · 12-29-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

My last pair of glasses cost me more than my Nook Color.

My workplace health insurance covers glasses. For some strange reason, they won't cover e-readers and tablets.

I do know it all comes out of my pocket eventually, but if I got the glasses after the Ipod instead of the other two devices, i might have come out a little bit ahead

RainingLemur · 12-29-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Jordan's Theorem: "You get used to... what you want to get used to."

This is...probably one of the best things I've read in a long while. It's a very fantastic point. Karma coming for that.

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12-27-2011, 01:03 AM	#31
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	You can get used to just about any size, I think. I did a little e-book reading, and quite a bit of forum reading, on my old <2.5" dumbphone. Anymore, I don't find myself in too many situations where I want to read and have my phone (4") but not my Nook Color(7"). When I do, though, the interface disappears pretty quickly, page turning becomes automatic, and it's just me and the text. On the quantity-vs-quality front, my old 10.1" netbook was my e-reader for a while, and while it served me well, the Nook Color's smaller screen at the same 1024x600 resolution is so much sharper, which especially comes through in comics and PDFs. The wide IPS viewing angles are also more tolerant of the odd contortions some of us engage in while reading So yes, I'd much rather read on a 4" 800x480 device than a 7-10" device of the same resolution.

12-27-2011, 11:01 AM	#34
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Jordan's Theorem: "You get used to... what you want to get used to." The perfect size is what best suits you. There's no point comparing it to his or hers, or against functions you don't use. I used to read on PDAs and smartphones exclusively, and am still perfectly satisfied doing so (with ebooks, that is). I now use a Nook Color, since it has allowed me to add 5 magazine subscriptions to my digital reading, and it handles ebooks fine as well. Both involved adapting to different ways to read; but I wanted to use them to read, so I adapted. It doesn't need to be more involved than that.

12-29-2011, 08:03 AM	#42
5thWiggle Benevolent Evil Lord Posts: 1,704 Karma: 48339466 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Evil Canada (We all have goatees!) Device: Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note, iPad Mini, PocketEdge(retired)	I'd been reading on small screens for years, but recently noticed a gradual "upsizing" trend (Palm TE2 -> Ipod -> Pocket Edge -> Acer A100). Well, yesterday I got my new glasses (bifocals. SIGH. In the words of the Rolling Stones: "What a drag it is getting old" SIGH). What a difference. The 7" Acer is as useable as My Better Half's 10" Acer. The Ipod is as clear as the Edge. I've been wearing glasses or contacts since the age of 4. I get my eyes checked every year. My distance perscription has been stable since I was thirty, but this change in my near vision was so gradual that I was compensating for it without knowing and both I and my optometrist missed it till now. When I think of the money I could have saved by buying glasses instead of new devices..... (NOT! I probably would have bought the devices anyway, since I'm a gadet junkie! )