HP to present "e-book reader" featuring an intuitive interface

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Actually that might be their lab's fault. They have nowhere to lay down and try the design.

I've been building a mental list of requirements for a good ebook reader. I just added "test lab has comfy couches" to the list.

[orcinus]

Hey, didn't that two-page e-book reader concept used to have the touch strips?

Edit: Never mind, i checked. It didn't.

[Xavier]

I got to play with the HP eBook reader last week and thought it was pretty cool. It definitely needs some slicker styling, and not sure why they have the sliders all the way around the frame, think two would suffice.
posted it here:
http://www.notebooks.com/2007/05/17/...der-prototype/

[Azayzel]

I'd rather use that large screen for a single page turned in portrate mode than have itty-bitty pages.

PS Has anyone else seen the video for "Into of the Book," that was posted last week? It still cracks me up, too funny! (You'll catch the reference when you see the video.)

[nekokami]

Two side-by-side screens might make sense if they fold together to protect the screens when not in use, but otherwise, why bother?

[orcinus]

Originally Posted by nekokami

Two side-by-side screens might make sense if they fold together to protect the screens when not in use, but otherwise, why bother?

Because, according to human interface research, it's more comfortable and ergonomic to read text sorted in many narrow and short columns than a single big, tall one.

[astra]

Originally Posted by orcinus

Because, according to human interface research, it's more comfortable and ergonomic to read text sorted in many narrow and short columns than a single big, tall one.

It depends on a text.

Newspapers and magazins probably fall into this category, however books (imho) don't, even non-fiction.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by orcinus

Because, according to human interface research, it's more comfortable and ergonomic to read text sorted in many narrow and short columns than a single big, tall one.

This is true and is the reason behind big format newspapers doing so. As eyesight diminishes it becomes harder to direct one's gaze on a horizontal straight path with a regular eye movement. The eyes move rather in small sharp increments making it easy to skip from one to an other line, bringing confusion and frustration to many readers. Narrow columns favorize this eye movement peculiarity, and uses instead the brain's 'flash read' interpretation to comprehend the end of one line before switching to the next. 'Flash read' differs in individuals from two words to six.
If a column is too narrow, the length of certain words that can fit in the allowed space changes the rythm of the eye movement; again making it uncomfortable.