New Nexus 7 Excellent ereader

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

it's frankly quite annoying to read the comments from people who pretend that anything less than WUXGA on a couple of inches is useless.

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

However, I'm entirely confident that the majority of people find, or would find, 149ppi perfectly acceptable

Given that you accept that at least a minority of people wouldn't find this low pixel density acceptable, why do you find it annoying when they say so?

Graham

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Graham

Given that you accept that at least a minority of people wouldn't find this low pixel density acceptable, why do you find it annoying when they say so?

Graham

Maybe because most people that say it have really not done a proper experiment to see that they really belong to the minority?

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How is it for reading in direct sunlight? This is where LCD tablets are generally poor.

No improvement here. I took it to lunch the other day, sat outside, pulled it out of my bag, and put it right back. I could barely see the screen.

[corroonb]

I have the older Nexus 7 and I've only recently started reading books on it as I was skeptical about using a LCD screen but it works surprisingly well. I have been reading magazines on it since I got it but I recently started reading ebook via Google Play Books and the Kobo app. I don't get eyestrain and the screen quality is far superior to my Kobo Touch. However recharging daily is slight irritating.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by afv011

The screen is really good. You can see it here compared to the 1st gen N7 and the iPad mini:

Link

In order: ipad mini, 2012 N7, 2013 N7.

Is there a way to make text on the Nexus 7 darker like the iPad?

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by tompe

Maybe because most people that say it have really not done a proper experiment to see that they really belong to the minority?

What sort of experiment is needful? I looked at a variety of tablets two years ago when I first started wanting a tablet. I couldn't read for long on ANY of them, regardless of brand. I saw yellow haloes around all text, and the text looked made of dots and was extremely fuzzy. I am not prone to headaches, but I started getting an instant headache trying to read on any tablet of that generation. (Resolution of 166ppi on the ones we looked at.)

Fast forward a year, I was surprising hubby for Xmas with a Nexus 7 (216ppi), and testing it to be sure it wasn't a problem unit and setting it up so it would be ready to go for him on Xmas morn, with some of his favorite apps on and all. As bad I wanted a tablet, and as much as I liked the speed and full Android of the tablet, my eyes felt rather strained doing the set up and testing, because the text was still pixelated, and therefore fuzzy. I did not buy one.

Then along came BN's announcement about adding Google Play to their Nook HD series. I got the Nook HD+ (254ppi). Finally, I had a tablet I could web browse on and even read a little. Yet, reading a book on the Nook is still not entirely comfortable, because I can still see pixels around the edges of text.

I have my Note, and at 289ppi, I can read entire books comfortably. But the screen is too small for some things.

The problems in comfort decrease as the ppi goes up. What more experiment do I need, for heavens sake? I'm glad for you if you can read on low resolution devices, it certainly gives you more shopping choices, but I can't read comfortably on them.

My Nexus 7 arrived today and is on the charger! I'm hoping it's an unflawed unit, because it's been a long, long wait. I think my eyes will be very happy with this, just as they are with my Kobo Aura. Now if only I could get a better resolution computer monitor!

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

But of course it is a personal matter. Pretty much everything is, so I'd have thought that was a given. However, I'm entirely confident that the majority of people find, or would find, 149ppi perfectly acceptable (given that the screen is otherwise of good quality). Why? Because I know a lot of people who've read on tablets for a couple of years, but no-one who've had any problems with the low resolution.



See reply above.

Obviously the opposite is equally true: that just because you get debilitating headaches after reading on a low-res screen for an hour doesn't mean everyone else does. Or even very many people at all. My own eyesight is hardly great, at -4.5/-3.75, but no, I experience no problems whatsoever even after 5-6 hours of reading.

My eyes are attrocious, but I have never had any trouble reading on e-ink, tablets, or monitors. The only time I will have trouble is if I don't have ENOUGH light.

I would bet that this is the main problem with people and eye strain, and the fact that some probably need glasses and refuse to acknowledge that fact. If something is low resolution, and you are trying to read in poorly lit conditions, and you need glasses, it stands to reason that you are going to have eye strain.

Our eyes are not designed to truly see in the dark, or very well in low lighting conditions, so trying to do something as eye intensive as reading is just foolish. And for those who are in denial about getting their eyes checked for glasses, you are only hurting yourself with your stubborn pride, it certainly isn't a machines fault.

But it's always easier to blame something/someone else rathar then ourselves.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

But it's always easier to blame something/someone else rathar then ourselves.

Sorry, this doesn't make sense. Critics generally say things like 'I can't read on a backlit tablet but I can on eInk'. Their eyes aren't changing between switching between those devices, so it's not that they need glasses.

In my case, I can read for hours on eInk perfectly happily. I find backlit devices more tiring for general reading, but there is no doubt in my mind that I can read more comfortably on my Nexus 7 than on my Touchpad. The increased pixel density is, for me, the differentiator.

I'm very happy that others can read for longer on lower density devices, but please don't tell me that I can or that I just need my eyes checked.

Graham

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Graham

In my case, I can read for hours on eInk perfectly happily. I find backlit devices more tiring for general reading, but there is no doubt in my mind that I can read more comfortably on my Nexus 7 than on my Touchpad. The increased pixel density is, for me, the differentiator.

The fact that you can "read for hours" on an eInk device, however, suggests that pixel density is not a significant factor. A 6" 600x800 pixel eInk reader has a pixel density of 167ppi, which is considerably lower than that of many LCD tablets.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by graycyn

What sort of experiment is needful? I looked at a variety of tablets two years ago when I first started wanting a tablet. I couldn't read for long on ANY of them, regardless of brand. I saw yellow haloes around all text, and the text looked made of dots and was extremely fuzzy. I am not prone to headaches, but I started getting an instant headache trying to read on any tablet of that generation. (Resolution of 166ppi on the ones we looked at.)

Fast forward a year, I was surprising hubby for Xmas with a Nexus 7 (216ppi), and testing it to be sure it wasn't a problem unit and setting it up so it would be ready to go for him on Xmas morn, with some of his favorite apps on and all. As bad I wanted a tablet, and as much as I liked the speed and full Android of the tablet, my eyes felt rather strained doing the set up and testing, because the text was still pixelated, and therefore fuzzy. I did not buy one.

Then along came BN's announcement about adding Google Play to their Nook HD series. I got the Nook HD+ (254ppi). Finally, I had a tablet I could web browse on and even read a little. Yet, reading a book on the Nook is still not entirely comfortable, because I can still see pixels around the edges of text.

I have my Note, and at 289ppi, I can read entire books comfortably. But the screen is too small for some things.

The problems in comfort decrease as the ppi goes up. What more experiment do I need, for heavens sake? I'm glad for you if you can read on low resolution devices, it certainly gives you more shopping choices, but I can't read comfortably on them.

My Nexus 7 arrived today and is on the charger! I'm hoping it's an unflawed unit, because it's been a long, long wait. I think my eyes will be very happy with this, just as they are with my Kobo Aura. Now if only I could get a better resolution computer monitor!

You have a lot of data so the opinion is informed by a lot of data. I strongly suspect that this is not the case for most people.

What font size did you use to see pixel effects on the first Nexus 7? I just checked on mine and you must have extremely better eye sight than me to see it. If I look with the eyes 4 cm from the screen I can see some pixel effects.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The fact that you can "read for hours" on an eInk device, however, suggests that pixel density is not a significant factor. A 6" 600x800 pixel eInk reader has a pixel density of 167ppi, which is considerably lower than that of many LCD tablets.

True, I thought I'd made that clear with my phrasing above, though, where I said that I found backlit devices more tiring. I was referring to the backlit devices when I said that, for me, the pixel density is the differentiator between my comfort on the Nexus 7 and the Touchpad.

Graham

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The fact that you can "read for hours" on an eInk device, however, suggests that pixel density is not a significant factor. A 6" 600x800 pixel eInk reader has a pixel density of 167ppi, which is considerably lower than that of many LCD tablets.

I notice the poor pixel density, hence preferring the 200ppi on the Sony 350 and hence getting an Aura right after they were announced.

However, the reason poor density on e-ink is readable vs. poor pixel density on a tablet is that you don't have light shining THROUGH the pixels, making the text look far worse.

For instance, I can scan an illustration in a book, put that on e-ink and it will look passable on that gray background. On a tablet, the white back light shining through will point out absolutely every single spot where the printed ink in the paper book was worn by handling or where it didn't receive a good solid imprint in the first place, often with an atrocious looking result.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by tompe

You have a lot of data so the opinion is informed by a lot of data. I strongly suspect that this is not the case for most people.

What font size did you use to see pixel effects on the first Nexus 7? I just checked on mine and you must have extremely better eye sight than me to see it. If I look with the eyes 4 cm from the screen I can see some pixel effects.

Don't remember, that was back at Christmas time. I generally go for a medium or larger sort of font. Senior citizen here. Near-sighted all my life, have squat for distance vision. I can read very fine print if I need to, though that is getting less easy as I age. Surprises my eye doctor every time.

[berklon]

Can anyone tell me how this tablet is with magazines in .pdf format?

7" is normally too small for it, but with the increased resolution (1080p) I was wondering if it eliminates the need to zoom in/out and scroll around the .pdf magazine just to read - or if it can be easily read at full screen as is.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by berklon

Can anyone tell me how this tablet is with magazines in .pdf format?

7" is normally too small for it, but with the increased resolution (1080p) I was wondering if it eliminates the need to zoom in/out and scroll around the .pdf magazine just to read - or if it can be easily read at full screen as is.

I just downloaded part of a magazine, I found the text a bit too small for comfort. Zooming made it readable, but a tiny bit blurry, I assume because the publishers didn't have full HD in mind. For full screen magazine reading, I will continue to use my Nook HD+.