Visually impaired (macular degeneration) - Page 2

Polarpenguin · 06-14-2016, 07:20 PM

Setebos is library borrowing a consideration?
If so be aware that Kindles are not supported for ebook borrowing in the UK

barryem · 06-14-2016, 10:45 PM

My mention of ecosystem wasn't about being locked in. That really isn't much of an issue. Every ecosystem has plenty of books. The reason I mentioned it with respect to the Kindle is because it's ecosystem includes both ebooks and audiobooks,, although not on the same e-ink device.

Amazon has the Echo. Nobody else has anything like that. Amazon owns Audible.com and that gives them a big edge for someone with vision problems. And a smartphone can do the same thing as the Echo for listening to audiobooks or having the device read ebooks outloud and syncing with the Kindle.

I do agree that the Kobo might be a better device because of the text weight controls but those don't always work on sideloaded books. I've found them to be pretty iffy.

Another possibility to consider, is to convert the books for her in Calibre, including a bolder font and sending them to her via email. They'll automatically download to her Kindle and be available for her to read as long as you set her account up to allow that.

Converting books in Calibre and adding a bolder fonts typically takes 30 seconds so it's not really a big deal and it can also do bulk conversions very nicely.

Calibre is a free program. You can google it to find out more about it. Probably most of the participants here use it.

I live in a retirement home and I've helped a number of people here get started with both Kindles and Kobos and I've found that most are reluctant at first but if they want to read and if I'm patient most will learn how. There are always those who won't, of course. We have one woman here who loves to read and can't afford enough books to keep her happy and yet she refuses to try out the old Kobo I offered to give her. She won't even say why. If I mention it she walks away holding an arm out as if to ward off evil.

Barry

Cinisajoy · 06-14-2016, 11:29 PM

If she doesn't mind older books and you don't want to convert, the places I mentioned are free and in various formats.

meeera · 06-14-2016, 11:33 PM

Another finer point to consider is justification. Forced full justification doesn't always play well with larger fonts, as you can end up with hinky spacing on soem lines and not others.

meeera · 06-14-2016, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

I do agree that the Kobo might be a better device because of the text weight controls but those don't always work on sideloaded books. I've found them to be pretty iffy.

I've never had this fail, and I read large numbers of sideloaded books (I strip embedded fonts). With the patch (which is easy), it even works with sideloaded user fonts.

barryem · 06-15-2016, 12:05 AM

I sideload all the books I read on the Kobo, nearly always in epub, and offhand I'd say the font weight controls work for me less than 50% of the time. I usually do the conversion using Calibre's defaults. This feature isn't important enough to me to make me try to get around the problem.

Barry

Setebos · 06-15-2016, 03:24 AM

Just want to say I am still here, and very grateful to all posters for their useful comments.

I had heard about Calibre, but stripping of embedded fonts and justification issues I had not considered.

Amazon Echo appears to be somewhat US-centric, and I am not clear what advantages it brings over, say, a smartphone with a voice assistant. Presumably, Audible books are available on non-Amazon platforms?

barryem · 06-15-2016, 07:46 PM

For listening to Audible books a smartphone is ideal and yes it's available on both IOS and Android. It's also on Windows phone.

Barry

Setebos · 06-21-2016, 01:10 PM

Just to say I managed to set up the Nook Simple Touch with some test materials for my relative, but it seems this device is unsuitable for her condition, an advanced wet form of macular degeneration.

Font size was adjusted such that it could match or exceed what she uses in paper reading, and a variety of fonts were tested, including a monospaced font.

Research indicates that this result is not unexpected. See www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650266/ ("Digital reader vs print media: the role of digital technology in reading accuracy in age-related macular degeneration", 2013), in which reading accuracy was compared across paper, an original iPad, and the Sony PRS-T1 ereader for patients with age-related macular degeneration. The ereader was found to give the worst results, the iPad the best.

My relative has not hitherto received any visual rehabilitation, but I am hopeful that she will now benefit from training in eccentric viewing and "steady eye" strategy.

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06-14-2016, 07:20 PM	#16
Polarpenguin Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 1834850 Join Date: May 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-300, Sony PRS- T3S, Kobo aura H2O Kobo aura One Kobo libra	Setebos is library borrowing a consideration? If so be aware that Kindles are not supported for ebook borrowing in the UK

06-14-2016, 10:45 PM	#17
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	My mention of ecosystem wasn't about being locked in. That really isn't much of an issue. Every ecosystem has plenty of books. The reason I mentioned it with respect to the Kindle is because it's ecosystem includes both ebooks and audiobooks,, although not on the same e-ink device. Amazon has the Echo. Nobody else has anything like that. Amazon owns Audible.com and that gives them a big edge for someone with vision problems. And a smartphone can do the same thing as the Echo for listening to audiobooks or having the device read ebooks outloud and syncing with the Kindle. I do agree that the Kobo might be a better device because of the text weight controls but those don't always work on sideloaded books. I've found them to be pretty iffy. Another possibility to consider, is to convert the books for her in Calibre, including a bolder font and sending them to her via email. They'll automatically download to her Kindle and be available for her to read as long as you set her account up to allow that. Converting books in Calibre and adding a bolder fonts typically takes 30 seconds so it's not really a big deal and it can also do bulk conversions very nicely. Calibre is a free program. You can google it to find out more about it. Probably most of the participants here use it. I live in a retirement home and I've helped a number of people here get started with both Kindles and Kobos and I've found that most are reluctant at first but if they want to read and if I'm patient most will learn how. There are always those who won't, of course. We have one woman here who loves to read and can't afford enough books to keep her happy and yet she refuses to try out the old Kobo I offered to give her. She won't even say why. If I mention it she walks away holding an arm out as if to ward off evil. Barry

06-14-2016, 11:29 PM	#18
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	If she doesn't mind older books and you don't want to convert, the places I mentioned are free and in various formats.

06-14-2016, 11:33 PM	#19
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,665 Karma: 66420972 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Another finer point to consider is justification. Forced full justification doesn't always play well with larger fonts, as you can end up with hinky spacing on soem lines and not others.

06-15-2016, 12:05 AM	#21
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I sideload all the books I read on the Kobo, nearly always in epub, and offhand I'd say the font weight controls work for me less than 50% of the time. I usually do the conversion using Calibre's defaults. This feature isn't important enough to me to make me try to get around the problem. Barry

06-15-2016, 03:24 AM	#22
Setebos Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: UK Device: none	Just want to say I am still here, and very grateful to all posters for their useful comments. I had heard about Calibre, but stripping of embedded fonts and justification issues I had not considered. Amazon Echo appears to be somewhat US-centric, and I am not clear what advantages it brings over, say, a smartphone with a voice assistant. Presumably, Audible books are available on non-Amazon platforms?

06-15-2016, 07:46 PM	#23
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	For listening to Audible books a smartphone is ideal and yes it's available on both IOS and Android. It's also on Windows phone. Barry

06-21-2016, 01:10 PM	#24
Setebos Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: UK Device: none	Just to say I managed to set up the Nook Simple Touch with some test materials for my relative, but it seems this device is unsuitable for her condition, an advanced wet form of macular degeneration. Font size was adjusted such that it could match or exceed what she uses in paper reading, and a variety of fonts were tested, including a monospaced font. Research indicates that this result is not unexpected. See www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650266/ ("Digital reader vs print media: the role of digital technology in reading accuracy in age-related macular degeneration", 2013), in which reading accuracy was compared across paper, an original iPad, and the Sony PRS-T1 ereader for patients with age-related macular degeneration. The ereader was found to give the worst results, the iPad the best. My relative has not hitherto received any visual rehabilitation, but I am hopeful that she will now benefit from training in eccentric viewing and "steady eye" strategy.