Quest for a new simple 6-inch reader

[kennyc]

I recently dumped my kindles and went with the Boox Go 6 and loving it. They do have a model with physical buttons. Screen is great and will run android apps so you can use whichever reading software you like for syncing etc.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Quoth

My Libra H2O and Libra2 screens are identical.

I think there is a big variation in Eink Corp's eink screen quality for the same model screen, unlike any other display technology.

And there is as big a variation in frontlight quality (if you use it, of course).

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

And there is as big a variation in frontlight quality (if you use it, of course).

Absolutely. It's even more marked on larger screens, which are more challenging to light evenly from the edges. This is probably why some 10″+ eink screens have no frontlight, not because they are mobius (if they are, which is only to reduce chassis weight).

The light pipe layer also reduces contrast and sharpness, (touch layers also slightly reduce contrast, but little effect on sharpness) which is why some old Pearl screens (no front light) look quite good compared to Carta.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Pocketbook's weakest feature is font handling. There's not way to up the weight of fonts. So if the font you've installed is too light, you are out of luck.

That's why I use the Constantia font on all of my eReaders (except the Nook which doesn't allow side-loaded fonts). But I agree, this is a weakness in the PocketBooks — that and the terrible default dictionary.

I have used its TTS (text to speech) feature a little when my eyes were tired. That's something not found on most eReaders now. (Not really a deal-maker or breaker, though.)

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

And there is as big a variation in frontlight quality (if you use it, of course).

The light quality is good on the PocketBook Touch HD3. Thirteen lights, six amber and seven white. I assume (but don't know for sure) that the PocketBook Verse Pro uses the same front-lighting and screen.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Absolutely. It's even more marked on larger screens, which are more challenging to light evenly from the edges.

The three 10" e-readers I own, the PocketBook InkPad X, Kindle Scribe and Kobo Elipsa 2e, have virtually flawless lighting. In fact, I bought the Elipsa 2e mainly because of the quality of its lighting. In comparison, I was quite disappointed with the lighting on the Kobo Sage and the Libra Colour (although each specific device may vary significantly). On the other hand, I have seen other 10" e-readers with very uneven lighting. But I can say the same about my smaller e-readers (6", 7" and 8"). I have some with fantastic lighting and others with very poor lighting. So I'm not at all sure that size is a decisive factor in lighting quality. In theory, it should be more difficult to illuminate a larger screen evenly, but my practical experience tells me otherwise.

[Quoth]

Manufacturing quality does seem to be a bigger issue than size.

[crAss]

While I do own many electronic gadgets, ebook readers are the thing I want ultimate simplicity and are by far the devices I keep most around.
I just want to spend a couple of minutes to get an ebook and upload it to my reader. And that is it. I rarely use a dictionary, but if I am not mistaken I believe I have the Oxford one (or something better than default) from the days of my first reader the Bookeen Cybook Gen3 that I could move forward. In any case dictionary I have used less than 10 times the last years, so not so important.
Frontlight I need for sure, since nowadays most of my reading happens on airplanes.
The only comment that got me thinking a bit was the one about Pocketbook's weakest feature is font handling. Given than I can add fonts I hope I will be able to get one that I can set the size and it to be clear enough. I guess that after the first week I will simply turn it on, read, bookmark turn off and when finished add another book and do that all over again and this is the reason I do not really want any other features.

Thank you all! I will most probably get the PocketBook Verse Pro when I get back from holidays.

PS. Sorry for this off-topic comment. But I want to say I love that the aesthetics of mobileread forums have remained the same for so long. It might be years between my posts here, but I always feel at home when coming back to seek advice or share some thoughts.

[kennyc]

Thanks for the follow up!