Top E-Book is iPad?

[MsAstoria]

Yes, it's true that the bright LCD screen can be somewhat blinding, it's easy enough to turn down the brightness in the settings control and also there are brightness controls in both iBooks and amazons apps. Also in the iPad's settings mode, the screen can be reversed to black background with white lettering. I also like to switch to sepia mode sometimes in the Amazon app. which is less glaring when my eyes are tired.

[astra]

Originally Posted by MsAstoria

Yes, it's true that the bright LCD screen can be somewhat blinding, it's easy enough to turn down the brightness in the settings control

You can do the same in any netbook. In this respect, there is nothing revolutionary or new.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by astra

You can do the same in any netbook. In this respect, there is nothing revolutionary or new.

A netbook is incredibly annoying to read on though.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Tamara

A netbook is incredibly annoying to read on though.

Why? The same screen, the same screen size. Mine is even 0.4" bigger--->10.1". The same control for brightness/contrast?
I don't mean from ergonomic point of view but eyeswise.

[HarryT]

The keyboard gets in the way, the machine is too heavy, often gets very hot, and generally has a battery life of only a few hours. You really need to try an iPad, astra, to appreciate just what a very nice reader it is. Do you have an Apple store nearby?

[dmaul1114]

Yep the form factor of laptops/netbooks/desktops is awful for reading.

Just too bulky, can't curl up with them like I can with a tablet, Kindle, paper book etc.

Ergonomoics is key. My eye's are ok reading on my led back lit laptop for sure. But the ergonomics suck. And that's the main issue for me as I don't have eye issues--but I also don't read for hours and hours on end like the avid readers on here. Maybe I'd have more issues if I ever read for more than 1-2 hours a day.

[astra]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Do you have an Apple store nearby?

Nope. The closest is in Milton Keynes.

However, I am not interested in it. I was in MK a week ago, could have a look at it, but took a rain check. I am not a gadget man. It is not my style to buy a gadget for the sake of owning a cool device. Probably I am not rich enough.
I would like a new ebook reader, something like PRS-900 with a standard ratio either 6", 8" or 9.7" but with clarity of 505 screen.
If I am on the go, I use the opportunity to read and if I read I need eInk, no LCDs for me. At home and at work I have desktops, laptops and netbook for ordinary things. Although I started to develop a strong dislike for my netbook's 10.1" screen. It is too small. Very uncomfortable, even though it opens almost 180 degrees and I can lay in bad and hold it like a piece of paper. Let alone, I can install on it absolutely anything I want, just like on my laptop or desktop. Otherwise I don't see any use for iPad

[astra]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

My eye's are ok reading on my led back lit laptop for sure

If I could claim the same, I would probably be very much interested in iPad. It does sound like a cool gadget.

[dmaul1114]

Fair enough.

That's why it's great to have a wide variety of devices one can e-read on--be it various size e-ink devices, lcd tablets, future pixel qi, mirasol etc. tablets, pdas, phones etc.

Everyone can find the device(s) that suit their e-reading needs!

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Fair enough.

That's why it's great to have a wide variety of devices one can e-read on--be it various size e-ink devices, lcd tablets, future pixel qi, mirasol etc. tablets, pdas, phones etc.

Everyone can find the device(s) that suit their e-reading needs!

all we need, then, is for all these readers to be observable in real life - side by side - so choices can be truely informed. even the MR get-togethers are unlikely to have an example of every available one.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

all we need, then, is for all these readers to be observable in real life - side by side - so choices can be truely informed. even the MR get-togethers are unlikely to have an example of every available one.

True I suppose.

But it's not that much different to just try them all separately and see which one a person likes best.

Side by side is ideal, but for me at least just trying different ones works well enough. But I also don't necessarily obsess over having the absolute perfect device--as long as whatever I get is good enough for my specific needs for that gadget I'm happy.

Life's to short to agonize over simple purchases like readers and tablets and making sure you get the perfect one. We're talking $200-800 purchases, it's not like buying a house you plan on living in for decades etc. where getting the right one is a huge decision.

[JSWolf]

The thing is, if I am JUST going to be reading and not web surfing, I can take my 505 with me as it is lighter and more portable and is better in the sun. Now if iBooks would allow user controllable margins, it would be better then it is. The left/right margins are huge.

[dmaul1114]

Yep, that's the other good thing about variety--people can have multiple devices to read on in different situations.

Myself, I could get by with a tablet, my Kindle only gets used for reading for 30-60 minutes before sleeping and occasionally on flights. I'm just not a heavy reader by any stretch of the imagination. So I could easily do all that on a tablet as I don't need the portability of the Kindle or other small reader as I seldom take it out of the house anyway.

But others do and may need a portable reader for daily use, and a tablet like the iPad for other types of reading (PDFs, magazines, Comics, Newspapers etc.) and other tasks like net surfing etc.

Others are fine only having a portable reader as they just want to read novels/straight text.

So again, variety is the spice of life, so it's great that we have an increasing number of options for types of devices to read e-books on.

[MsAstoria]

Frankly I find the iPad more than a "cool gadget" (no disrespect intended). I am finding more uses for it all the time! Currently it is velcroed to my elliptical so I am getting exercise while following along on this forum, LOL it fits perfectly and I can surf, listen to music, read my book, and get my old body into shape. Lovin it!

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by astra

Why? The same screen, the same screen size. Mine is even 0.4" bigger--->10.1". The same control for brightness/contrast?
I don't mean from ergonomic point of view but eyeswise.

A netbook screen is definitely not the same quality as the screens used in an iPad. The screens on netbooks tend to be cheap LCDs with lousy resolution. There is also the slight problem that they don't do portrait mode well.