Tablet versus lighted E Ink e-reader - Page 2

Mivo · 09-05-2013, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

Yep. I agree with Julius Caesar on that one. A tablet has an LCD screen and to quote Bezos, "it's like having someone shine a flashlight in your eyes while you try to read."

Have you read on a Nexus 7? I would agree with the above for previous LCD devices, but not for the new Nexus. It came as a complete surprise to me, which is why I ask.

samhy · 09-05-2013, 08:24 AM

When reading at night on the Aura HD with the light on, it's about 8%. The other night, I tried to set it to 100% to see the difference. Wow, that was bright! And too harsh for my eyes.

I had to set it lower than 10% as fast as possible.
I don't have a tablet, but I check emails and tweets on my smartphone. Even at the lowest setting it's definitely not as comfortable as reading on the Aura HD.

TGS · 09-05-2013, 08:55 AM

Having given up e-ink about 18 months ago in favour of iPad, I bought a bargain nook on a trip to the UK recently. I'm really liking it for epubs - mostly because it is lightweight, and nothing to do with the journey that the light that hits my retina takes before it gets there. It is front-lit but I hardly ever use that because I don't often find myself in situations without enough ambient light to read. Much as I like the nook, it is still pretty useless for academic books and papers which still largely come as pdf.

slex · 09-05-2013, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Although LCD screens have a refresh rate (typically 60Hz) they don't flicker like the old CRT displays did. An LCD screen displays a perfectly steady image, just like eInk does.

LED screens flicker when they are set at brightness below the maximum.

HarryT · 09-05-2013, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slex

LED screens flicker when they are set at brightness below the maximum.

Must be the backlight that flickers. The actual display certainly doesn't.

covingtoncat73 · 09-05-2013, 10:41 AM

My main problem with reading on my phone or my tablet is that I am too distracted by checking Facebook, checking email, and basic web-surfing. I get very little reading done. It is great for a short story and my 10'' Tablet is the only thing for an electronic graphic novel but, for a novel, a dedicated eReader is the best bet for eReading.

crossi · 09-05-2013, 12:22 PM

There is also the issue of weight and expense. My e-ink reader can comfortably be held and read with one hand for a long time, can fit in my lab coat pocket and is inexpensive enough that I don't bother with a jacket so it weighs even less and I don't worry much about it being broken or lost.

Teknikal · 09-05-2013, 02:20 PM

I have to admit the only advantage I see in eink is battery life I've never had any problems reading on an LCD or OLED screen. I've been reading more on my Nexus 7 recently than my Sony which has pretty much just turned into my backup library.

Katsunami · 09-05-2013, 02:51 PM

It depends on what I want to read. PDF's are read on a tablet, no contest. Novels are read on an e-reader.

The reason why I'd never read on a tablet is because I often read in public transport: busses and trains, and in stations while waiting, often outside. If it's a bright day, the screen becomes very hard to read even at the highest setting, and the tablet will burn through its battery in a very short time.

An e-reader handles that scenario without blinking an eye (or LED). As it's one of my most important scenario's, the e-reader still has the upper hand.

If there's not enough light (in a bus or train, especially in the winter, when it's dark early), I can just supplement the ambient light with a bit of the reader's own front-light. It will still look good, where a tablet will start looking illuminated and "shiny".

Oh, and reflections are another big one: the KPW reflects *much* less than my tablet.

Julius Caesar · 09-05-2013, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

Yep. I agree with Julius Caesar on that one. A tablet has an LCD screen and to quote Bezos, "it's like having someone shine a flashlight in your eyes while you try to read." I can only look at a LCD screen for so long before my eyes get to the point where strain causes them to lose focus and ache. I've never had that problem with an e-ink screen.

Yep. Not to mention that you can turn of the light all together with a dedicated e-reader and use external light in the room if you prefer.

AnemicOak · 09-05-2013, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julius Caesar

Yep. Not to mention that you can turn of the light all together with a dedicated e-reader and use external light in the room if you prefer.

Well, you can with a Kobo, IIRC the Paperwhite's light can't be turned completely off (at least not PW1). Not sure about other lit readers.

Katsunami · 09-05-2013, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Well, you can with a Kobo, IIRC the Paperwhite's light can't be turned completely off (at least not PW1). Not sure about other lit readers.

Technically, it doesn't really matter. If you set the KPW1 light at the minimum, it becomes invisible for all intents and purposes, except in a pitch black room.

Julius Caesar · 09-05-2013, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Well, you can with a Kobo, IIRC the Paperwhite's light can't be turned completely off (at least not PW1). Not sure about other lit readers.

I agree but PW light is barely visible even in a dark room. In a dark room, you could barely able to read with the light at level 0.

AnemicOak · 09-05-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Technically, it doesn't really matter. If you set the KPW1 light at the minimum, it becomes invisible for all intents and purposes, except in a pitch black room.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julius Caesar

I agree but PW light is barely visible even in a dark room. In a dark room, you could barely able to read with the light at level 0.

I had the PW1 and would notice a slight blue hue to the screen in a room (not a darkened room) under certain lighting conditions, that's why I prefer a light that can be switched off. I'm one of the few(?) who pretty much never use the light on my frontlit reader.

DuskyRose · 09-05-2013, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mivo

Have you read on a Nexus 7? I would agree with the above for previous LCD devices, but not for the new Nexus. It came as a complete surprise to me, which is why I ask.

I have the first Gen Nexus 7, had an Ipad Retinal and now have the mini.

Doesn't make any difference to me. The tablets are good for short-term reading. Forums, magazines, ect. But no matter what I set the brightness to, no matter what I set the colors to, no matter what size the fonts I can't read for very long on them. My eyes start to hurt.

Eink has always been better for me for long term reading. Even the Kindle Paperwhite, which I don't care for the light on that one because the fonts get hard to read because they seem like they're a transparent blue instead of black, is better than a tablet when I'm doing any type of serious reading.

It is like looking into a flashlight, rather than something softer.

09-05-2013, 02:51 PM	#24
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	It depends on what I want to read. PDF's are read on a tablet, no contest. Novels are read on an e-reader. The reason why I'd never read on a tablet is because I often read in public transport: busses and trains, and in stations while waiting, often outside. If it's a bright day, the screen becomes very hard to read even at the highest setting, and the tablet will burn through its battery in a very short time. An e-reader handles that scenario without blinking an eye (or LED). As it's one of my most important scenario's, the e-reader still has the upper hand. If there's not enough light (in a bus or train, especially in the winter, when it's dark early), I can just supplement the ambient light with a bit of the reader's own front-light. It will still look good, where a tablet will start looking illuminated and "shiny". Oh, and reflections are another big one: the KPW reflects much less than my tablet. Last edited by Katsunami; 09-05-2013 at 02:53 PM.

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09-05-2013, 08:24 AM	#17
samhy Wizard Posts: 1,821 Karma: 9503859 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: France Device: (Sony (J) PRS 650), Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo HD (broken), Kobo Clara BW	When reading at night on the Aura HD with the light on, it's about 8%. The other night, I tried to set it to 100% to see the difference. Wow, that was bright! And too harsh for my eyes. I had to set it lower than 10% as fast as possible. I don't have a tablet, but I check emails and tweets on my smartphone. Even at the lowest setting it's definitely not as comfortable as reading on the Aura HD.

09-05-2013, 08:55 AM	#18
TGS Country Member Posts: 9,058 Karma: 7676767 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Liseuse: Irex DR800. PRS 505 in the house, and the missus has an iPad.	Having given up e-ink about 18 months ago in favour of iPad, I bought a bargain nook on a trip to the UK recently. I'm really liking it for epubs - mostly because it is lightweight, and nothing to do with the journey that the light that hits my retina takes before it gets there. It is front-lit but I hardly ever use that because I don't often find myself in situations without enough ambient light to read. Much as I like the nook, it is still pretty useless for academic books and papers which still largely come as pdf.

09-05-2013, 10:41 AM	#21
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	My main problem with reading on my phone or my tablet is that I am too distracted by checking Facebook, checking email, and basic web-surfing. I get very little reading done. It is great for a short story and my 10'' Tablet is the only thing for an electronic graphic novel but, for a novel, a dedicated eReader is the best bet for eReading.

09-05-2013, 12:22 PM	#22
crossi Guru Posts: 997 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	There is also the issue of weight and expense. My e-ink reader can comfortably be held and read with one hand for a long time, can fit in my lab coat pocket and is inexpensive enough that I don't bother with a jacket so it weighs even less and I don't worry much about it being broken or lost.

09-05-2013, 02:20 PM	#23
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	I have to admit the only advantage I see in eink is battery life I've never had any problems reading on an LCD or OLED screen. I've been reading more on my Nexus 7 recently than my Sony which has pretty much just turned into my backup library.