Dreaming of a Kobo Aura Mini

[TechniSol]

I'm more inclined to agree that words have shapes which aids in recognition, not that by seeing a larger than one line area of text you're able to process outside that line in any meaningful way. I believe it's been demonstrated that fonts with serifs speed recognition.

The eye is not designed like a digital image with the same clarity from side to side, top to bottom. I can easily hit 1200 wpm speed reading with around 96% comprehension, which I do very infrequently due to losing flavor, but I scan stuff all the time looking for specifics I've not bothered to commit to memory. I find that personally no matter what I'm still touching down or focusing in multiple spots per line. Do you find it to be different?

Frankly, I fail to see how the surrounding lines of text above and below affect one's ability to recognize the line currently being scanned unless one is a "page at a glance" savant.

I think it's been proven for a long time that simply flashing lines of text in the same place allows for much quicker recognition than manually scanning one's eye back and forth and down.

[c123]

Originally Posted by TechniSol

I'm more inclined to agree that words have shapes which aids in recognition, not that by seeing a larger than one line area of text you're able to process outside that line in any meaningful way. I believe it's been demonstrated that fonts with serifs speed recognition.

Many moons ago I was a tech writer and so came across the claim that serif fonts are better for reading. I found this interesting as at the time, a lot of the reading I was doing was on screen and stuff I printed form the web. So predominately sans-serif.

I asked on a couple of mailing lists for references to studies on fonts and reading ease, but nobody could point me to any (and I never looked further). Anyway, this is just by the by.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by meeera

I read fast, and this sort of device would be my worst nightmare. I like to see at least a paragraph at a time, preferably two or three: writing has shape, it's not just a series of letters. (I don't like right-justified text, either). I believe that most speed readers need to see that shape, to some degree, in order to function optimally.

I definitely don't need anything smaller than a Mini or my phone. These devices are 100% portable for me already.

Same here. I don't want to think about something that small, I'd actually like a 8" Aura HD (And to think I thought the iRex iLiad too large when I first saw it...)

[filmo]

Now that I have Kobo Mini it is most always with me because it will fit in shirt pocket or front trouser pocket. This makes it my main reader. No case as it is just cheap enough to be disposable except for a little hard to find in USA.

[TechniSol]

Honestly, I'd be more interested in the novelty and smaller size of the device vs. anything else. But, I have to admit it might be interesting to explore the idea of "line at a glance" reading to see if it truly could be a method one could be comfortable with while increasing reading speed. It might also be interesting to see the effect in terms of eye strain... Would it be less comfortable not to have to bobble one's eyes about or does the movement actually have a beneficial aspect? Could be interesting experimentally.

[thatworkshop]

Originally Posted by TechniSol

I'm wondering if anyone has conceived of an Ultra Mini, or a Micro-Mini(If I may be allowed to get away with that) which would be a very small device. One line of text display, maybe two, and when you touch it or nearly touch it(IR), or on a timed basis, the text scrolls to the next line. Front light it and make it minimal. The perfect thing to take up barely no room in a pocket with gorilla glass or a built-in cover. Two button, or IR, interface with simple menus.

A year later and Kindle is bringing some features for speed reading.
I like your futuristic idea.

[koboy]

it's time for an e-reader to have 2 screens left and right, just like a book as left and right pages, it would be the perfect reading device, anything else would just be revisiting old ground, in my opinion of course.



best wishes koboy

[Ksquared]

Originally Posted by koboy

it's time for an e-reader to have 2 screens left and right, just like a book as left and right pages, it would be the perfect reading device, anything else would just be revisiting old ground, in my opinion of course.

A device like that would also be cool for Orchestral Music. I would love to have my music on a screen with the capability to add notation, but one page at a time is not enough, so I have not found a tablet to be a good alternative.

Of course I would love it for reading too!

[frostschutz]

Just buy 2 readers and you have 2 screens. [deleted vidme link]

[alhenry]

I loaded an e-pub book from an author but the font size is too small to read. I note there was a "KOBO bulk fixer" download, but it seems to have disappeared. Is there a way to fix the font issue?

[the.Mtn.Man]

I love the Aura's form-factor and features. The lack of a bezel makes for a really sleek looking device, the capacitive touchscreen is nice and responsive, and the even front lighting is outstanding.

Give me that in a Mini and I'm sold!

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by anacreon

the capacitive layer makes the screen yellower and the characters fuzzier than the glo's

Turn the front light on. It takes away the yellow cast and gives more contrast to the characters without significantly impacting battery life. Also, try adjusting the weight of the font.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

I love the Aura's form-factor and features. The lack of a bezel makes for a really sleek looking device, the capacitive touchscreen is nice and responsive, and the even front lighting is outstanding.

Give me that in a Mini and I'm sold!

You and me too!

[samhy]

Pretty much whatever frontlit Mini (Glo Mini, Aura HD Mini...) one can come up with would be an instant buy for me. I really like the Glo HD but I would sell it without skipping an heartbeat. I find it a tap too big for public transportation and the original Mini fits just so in all of my pockets.

[Ken Maltby]

One thing that gets me, is that, ereaders should be nearly indestructible. There are no parts that need to move, they are all solid state. They should all come without a glass/breakable substrata.

At some point though, we should have virtual display tech to a point that when we want to read a book it can appear before our eyes. Then device size won't really be a factor.

Luck;
Ken