Best E-Reader for bed-bound arthritis sufferer?

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Very good point - I had noticed this in a couple of demo videos. In one, the guy is boasting how there's no sun glare, while the screen is simultaneously completely blanked out by the refelction of a light. Hilarious.
So that's something we'll have to look at.
Cheers,
David.

There's no sun glare *in direct sunlight* (and, for comparison's sake, LCDs in direct sunlight are practically unreadable) but if the sun itself is reflected on the surface of the screen there is no avoiding it. (It's like, you know what happens to sunlight when you capture the glare just right with your watch and aim it into your brother's eyes to drive him crazy? It's nowhere NEAR that with the eink screen, but the glare at that particular angle will make it unreadable. True also, to a lesser degree, with light bulbs)

[speakingtohe]

Ebook readers are very easy to use in general. Turn it on or wake it up and you are reading the book where you left off in most cases.

You must select the book if you want to start a new one, and the books must be put on the device. And of course they can malfunction (like most things electronic). But overall it is ridiculously easy.

On a computer or tablet you must start the device, select the program or app and in general they are harder on the eyes. And generally speaking they are more cumbersome. Worth it to some who web surf, play games, email etc. But I suspect that is not the case. Also most ereaders will play MP3s (some need external speakers) and are not much more expensive than a quality MP3 player. Sometimes less.

You (Carnyx) mentioned in an earlier post that you would be probably be doing the purchasing/obtaining of ebooks. If you haven't tried it already I would suggest you give it a shot. You can get free books from MR, libraries, project Gutenberg, Amazon and other sources. I don't think you will find it daunting, but best to know what you are looking at before committing. If the task is not too daunting and you do decide to do this then 3G
is not as important.

BTW I looked and all I could find in the way of ereader lending was the Oxford University library. I also looked up various agencies such as the arthritis society with no luck.

From the amount of time and attention to detail you have put into this enquiry, you should perhaps talk to various societies about implementing a program to provide these services (with you as the director of course)

Helen

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Joykins

There's no sun glare *in direct sunlight* (and, for comparison's sake, LCDs in direct sunlight are practically unreadable) but if the sun itself is reflected on the surface of the screen there is no avoiding it. (It's like, you know what happens to sunlight when you capture the glare just right with your watch and aim it into your brother's eyes to drive him crazy? It's nowhere NEAR that with the eink screen, but the glare at that particular angle will make it unreadable. True also, to a lesser degree, with light bulbs)

Yes, it makes sense there will always be some kind of reflection when direct light shines on a transparent screen. It's good to know that it's reduced on an E-Reader though. It oughtn't be such a big deal in this case as it's indoors, and hopefully it can be arranged so that lighting isn't directly behind.
Thanks,
David.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

MP3 in conjunction with Audio books is a good idea - I was picturing CDs before. I've written this down to cover off next with the carer. Will also propose that I buy one and try it out with her, then return if no good. Just to get the ball rolling really - tired of reading/typing, and doing nothing.

For libraries, you might need a CD player, but almost all the freebies online are available as MP3. If you do need a CD player, you should be able to get a used one from Freecycle. Yes, research can only take you so far, then you have to bite the bullet and try it out.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Well I don't have a laptop, and I've not used WiFi so out of my depth on that one I'm afraid. I like the idea though.
I hadn't realised that was something that might not work in a particular location. Another reason for trying one out.

'Fraid so, and better to try it first. I'm sure anyone with a laptop and a 3G phone would be glad to help you out.

Originally Posted by Carnyx

The Kobo vox looks nice, though no 3G as you mentioned. Great deal at Asda there(wonder if it's on Walmart as well?).

The Sony is also on offer: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=3687897
Similar price at Play.com

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Maybe - seemed pretty sensible to me, especially as money is an issue since I was made redundant

Hope I don't offend you, as I know you want to give this as a gift, but if money is a bit tight, have you looked into the possibility of grants for your friend? Specific charities that might be worth approaching are Arthritis Care and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, and more general ones include your local Lions Club and Rotary Club. Also local councillors might be worth asking.

Also, I've found some info on aids that can be used with ereaders specifically for people with arthritis: http://www.arthritistoday.org/daily-...ccessories.php

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Ebook readers are very easy to use in general. Turn it on or wake it up and you are reading the book where you left off in most cases.

You must select the book if you want to start a new one, and the books must be put on the device. And of course they can malfunction (like most things electronic). But overall it is ridiculously easy.

On a computer or tablet you must start the device, select the program or app and in general they are harder on the eyes. And generally speaking they are more cumbersome. Worth it to some who web surf, play games, email etc. But I suspect that is not the case. Also most ereaders will play MP3s (some need external speakers) and are not much more expensive than a quality MP3 player. Sometimes less.

Thanks Helen,
Yes, while a tablet originally seemed like a great idea, to me, it sounds like the amount of interaction required would be much higher, and as a result she may become estranged from it, or not use 95% of the features. So I'm afraid it would be like dangling a carrot just out of reach. That said, if she's able to use an E-Reader, we can always look at getting a tablet after that.

You (Carnyx) mentioned in an earlier post that you would be probably be doing the purchasing/obtaining of ebooks. If you haven't tried it already I would suggest you give it a shot. You can get free books from MR, libraries, project Gutenberg, Amazon and other sources. I don't think you will find it daunting, but best to know what you are looking at before committing. If the task is not too daunting and you do decide to do this then 3G
is not as important.

I should be alright with getting books online - I've plenty of PC/WWW experience, just not with E-Readers.

BTW I looked and all I could find in the way of ereader lending was the Oxford University library. I also looked up various agencies such as the arthritis society with no luck.

That's good of you - thank you. If I get the Kindle Keyboard I don't think the libraries will work though. Something to do with conflicting formats apparently.

From the amount of time and attention to detail you have put into this enquiry, you should perhaps talk to various societies about implementing a program to provide these services (with you as the director of course)

Ha - lovely sense of humour! I had actually wondered about what I *think* you're suggesting though: some kind of subsidised national unit providing disabled users with technology. They would assess peoples' requirements then implement technology like E-Readers, tablets in conjunction with assistive devices so that people who would otherwise be locked out in the cold, would have access to things like E-Readers, tablets, telephones, nuclear submarines etc.
I seriously don't think I'd be the right guy to head it up though. I think you'd need someone with generous capacities for dealing with a *lot* of people, dealing with a *lot* of information, patience, out-of-the-box technical ability, and the ability to manipulate other people to ones own ends(sad but true). I'm afraid I don't possess those qualities at all unfortunately. I seriously wish I did though.
Thanks
David.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by LuvReadin

For libraries, you might need a CD player, but almost all the freebies online are available as MP3. If you do need a CD player, you should be able to get a used one from Freecycle. Yes, research can only take you so far, then you have to bite the bullet and try it out.

Thanks for the tip.

'Fraid so, and better to try it first. I'm sure anyone with a laptop and a 3G phone would be glad to help you out.

My phone may be 3G - I'm not sure. I haven't got a laptop. Struggling to think of anyone who does at the moment.

The Sony is also on offer: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=3687897
Similar price at Play.com

Nice one - I would never have even thought of looking there - didn't know they showed offers.

Hope I don't offend you, as I know you want to give this as a gift, but if money is a bit tight, have you looked into the possibility of grants for your friend? Specific charities that might be worth approaching are Arthritis Care and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, and more general ones include your local Lions Club and Rotary Club. Also local councillors might be worth asking.

No of course I'm not offended - it's good of you to take the time to find that. This is something I will tentatively check out. I'm not on the breadline just yet though so really I'd be happy to buy the reader at this point. That said, if there's money available for that, perhaps I could spend the money on something else useful - books!

Also, I've found some info on aids that can be used with ereaders specifically for people with arthritis: http://www.arthritistoday.org/daily-...ccessories.php

Great - thanks for tracking that down - will have a read.
Cheers,
David.

[Joykins]

Just FYI-- don't know if your friend likes science fiction/fantasy, but Baen Books (www.baen.com) provides free books to disabled readers (the link says "amputees" but from what I've read anyone who cannot physically hold a book qualifies).

Applications will be processed by ReadAssist (www.readassist.org), a volunteer group devoted to helping disabled readers find the books they want in the form they need, and join the community of fandom. The application form has been set up by ReadAssist, and can be found through either WebScriptions or ReadAssist.

If you'd like to volunteer to help ReadAssist, please contact them at their website: query@readassist.org.

The main ReadAssist website is apparently being revamped right now, though. It sounds like they may actually have more resources for disabled readers in particular, and can perhaps be contacted by email.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Just FYI-- don't know if your friend likes science fiction/fantasy, but Baen Books (www.baen.com) provides free books to disabled readers (the link says "amputees" but from what I've read anyone who cannot physically hold a book qualifies).



The main ReadAssist website is apparently being revamped right now, though. It sounds like they may actually have more resources for disabled readers in particular, and can perhaps be contacted by email.

I'm not sure either, but will make a note of it in case.Thanks for finding that Joykins,
David.

[hilaryfrompa]

Originally Posted by kacir

Nook Simple Touch reader is an interesting choice.
It has touch screen, so the user can touch the screen very, very lightly to turn the page.[/url]

Although I am not a Nook owner, I'm considering the Nook Color specifically because of the "keychain" hook that would actually allow the device to be physically tied down, in the event that a bedridden patient would be more thoroughly assisted by something stationary. (Although it doesn't concern UK forum members, I just read that BN is offering the Simple Nook FREE, and the Nook Color for $99, with a year's subscription to the NY TImes. I am not affiliated with either.)

Best of luck.

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by hilaryfrompa

Although I am not a Nook owner, I'm considering the Nook Color specifically because of the "keychain" hook that would actually allow the device to be physically tied down, in the event that a bedridden patient would be more thoroughly assisted by something stationary. (Although it doesn't concern UK forum members, I just read that BN is offering the Simple Nook FREE, and the Nook Color for $99, with a year's subscription to the NY TImes. I am not affiliated with either.)

Best of luck.

Thanks for the reply Hilary,
Fair point about the keychain loop. It's a nice design alright. If it had 3G I'd probably go for the Nook because of the hacking possibilities it potentially allows - i.e. apparently it's got USB host capabilities where the Kidnle doesn't. Also like the design. It's looking like it'll be a Kindle Keyboard at this point though as 3G seems a big plus in this case.
Free? That's insane. There always seem to better offers in the US to here.
Thanks,
David.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Free? That's insane. There always seem to better offers in the US to here.

If you were going to pay for a subscription to the NYT anyway, sure, it's a great deal. But the subscription price is higher than the price of the Simple Touch

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by Joykins

If you were going to pay for a subscription to the NYT anyway, sure, it's a great deal. But the subscription price is higher than the price of the Simple Touch

Oh good point - my bargain eyes conveniently blanked out the subscription part!

[rwillmer]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Hello all,
I've been asked to source an E-Reader for a Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferer in England. They're advanced in years, bed-bound, very withered(I believe they've also suffered a bone withering disease), but have some movement in their head/neck/upper body/arms.

David, I've just had to go through the same process for my father-in-law, who has advanced Parkinsons, bed-bound, poor eyesight, very limited movement capabilities.

The parameters I was concerned about were:

a) He can turn the pages himself;

b) He can get a font size he can read;

c) the battery life is measured in weeks not days;

d) there's a good enough book selection for him;

e) Light enough he can hold it.

I went for the Kobo Touch. I'd have been interested in the Kindle Touch but it's not available yet in the UK.

None of the tablets had a long enough battery life; the Kobo Vox would be interesting but the 7-hour battery life is a no-go.

so the Kobo Touch looked like the best option because he wouldn't be able to operate a button on anything; so the touchscreen looked the only viable option.

Tay's trying it out for the first time this weekend; I'll post how he gets on with it.

Rachel

[Carnyx]

Originally Posted by rwillmer

David, I've just had to go through the same process for my father-in-law, who has advanced Parkinsons, bed-bound, poor eyesight, very limited movement capabilities.

The parameters I was concerned about were:

a) He can turn the pages himself;

b) He can get a font size he can read;

c) the battery life is measured in weeks not days;

d) there's a good enough book selection for him;

e) Light enough he can hold it.

I went for the Kobo Touch. I'd have been interested in the Kindle Touch but it's not available yet in the UK.

None of the tablets had a long enough battery life; the Kobo Vox would be interesting but the 7-hour battery life is a no-go.

so the Kobo Touch looked like the best option because he wouldn't be able to operate a button on anything; so the touchscreen looked the only viable option.

Tay's trying it out for the first time this weekend; I'll post how he gets on with it.

Rachel

Thanks for the reply Rachel,
It's great to hear from someone undertaking a similar exercise, and to see what criteria you're focussing on. I'd be most interested to hear how he gets on with the Kobo Touch. I didn't realise the Vox had such a low battery life actually.
Well I haven't chosen one yet, but am in the middle of writing up my findings from here/elsewhere to print off and post to the carer, on her request. Then we'll decide what to do next. I think I'll be pushing to get a Kindle Keyboard from Amazon just to assess what she can/can't do on it. Then, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread, I should be able to return it pretty easily if it doesn't work out.
I was thinking the same thing about touchscreen being the best option for such a user, but I've been surprised how many people think it's not better for arthritic users, due to it being fiddly hitting the right area of the screen, easy to trigger things unintentionally when moving the device, and the lack of tactile feedback. There's been a couple of touchscreen advocates though, so I'll be very interested to see what you think of it after he's given it a try.
Do you mind me asking if your father-in-law has WiFi access, or is someone on hand to do the downloading of books on his behalf?
I emailed Apple asking if they could put me in touch with someone with whom I could discuss the possibility of using Dragon voice recognition software(that someone pointed me to on here) on an Ipad. Alas I got fobbed off *again* with an auto-reply. I think the mere mention of "disabled" or "accessibility" sends cold shivers down their spines.
Anyway, it's good of you to take the time to share your findings with me - thank you. If possible, then I'll be interested to hear how you get on with it all.
Thanks,
David.

[rwillmer]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Thanks for the reply Rachel,

I was thinking the same thing about touchscreen being the best option for such a user, but I've been surprised how many people think it's not better for arthritic users, due to it being fiddly hitting the right area of the screen, easy to trigger things unintentionally when moving the device, and the lack of tactile feedback. There's been a couple of touchscreen advocates though, so I'll be very interested to see what you think of it after he's given it a try.

I have an Kindle Keyboard, my original Sony, and an iPad, which is what I read ebooks on, so I thought for a long time about what would work for him. I came to the conclusion that he just wouldn't be able to cope with buttons; fine for me, but for him, he wouldn't be able to see them, plus even if he could, he wouldn't have the physical capability to accurately press down on a button.

So touchscreen very quickly became the only option.

I'm very curious to see how it works for him.

I thought about ipads, but came to the idea that they're too expensive and heavy; and then also the battery life problem kicks in, so in my opinion, E-Ink is the only option.

Do you mind me asking if your father-in-law has WiFi access, or is someone on hand to do the downloading of books on his behalf?

Ah yes, now here's the other wrinkle.

My father-in-law is in a care home 500 miles away; we don't know whether the home has WiFi there, and we don't want to stress any of the local family with the responsibility of needing to download the books.

So I've come up with a no-tech solution. If it works, then we'll buy another Kobo Touch and tie it to the same account.

So the plan is that when he gets near the end of the book, one of the local family will tell us and I'll load the next set of new books onto the 2nd ereader, and post it down with a pre-paid envelope so the lovely people in the care home can send back the other one.

So I can handle all the technical problems of buying the books and loading them, and all the local family need to do is make sure the thing is charged up (which I've made easier by labelling up the reader with large print labels saying "On/Off", "Power", "Connect" on the front of the ereader with appropriate labels.

I hope it works for him. If not, I'll have to think of something else...

Rachel