Ereader for sufferer of macular degeneration

[bueymo]

Hi,

Thanks for the welcome. I lurked here while trying to determine which model to go with. Now my decision is 'do I keep it'.

A great resource, but I sure as heck don't want people thinking the Pocketbook 902 is a clean white screen as depicted on websites, and after asking their support about the quality of the screen (vizplex vs. pearl).

There IS a difference from what I see - out and out winner is pearl.

I'd pony up another $50 if a clearer screen was the result... too bad manufacturers don't understand how important clarity is to those of us who are a bit reading challenged.

Bueymo

[spaze]

I think none of the e-ink displays are white, but it also depends on what kind of light you are reading it in, because I have managed to get the display pretty white with some office semi-strong lighting.

[bueymo]

Thanks Spaze,

You do have a point - i was eager to look at it (and possibly enjoying reading again) and pulled it out at work.

The lights here are nasty for sure... you've given me a bit of hope

Bueymo.

[spaze]

Originally Posted by bueymo

Thanks Spaze,

You do have a point - i was eager to look at it (and possibly enjoying reading again) and pulled it out at work.

The lights here are nasty for sure... you've given me a bit of hope

Bueymo.

Don't give up yet!

Take it out on a sunny day and I bet you'll love it Try to read it in a pitch black room and you'll hate it

[bueymo]

Hey - at home next to my too small but much beloved Kobo the screens are indeed actually a similar colour. It could be percection to a degree as well - the kobo sides are white, but not as white, which could make the screen appear lighter in contrast (compared to the bright white pocketbook).
Regarding macular degeneration - and it's use for an elderly person - the weight is hefty. Good for curl up type of reading or propping on knees. I have weak wrists and could feel it after maybe 30 minutes of serious get to know it time. Fonts are very disappointing (but I'll be posting asking in the right forum if I'm missing something simple). I had thought that you could use many different fonts for reading, but initially it appears that it is only for the control interface (not particularly where I want fonts changed for easy viewing, but nice). Text does indeed go up quite a bit in size which is nice.
Pocketbook 902 pros:
- lots of screen space for those of us who blow up fonts
- good control of folders for organizing your library
- easy synch with purchased books using adobe digital editions

Cons
- heftier than a national geographic - could be a weight concern for an older person with arthritis or other grip issues
- ability to change font for easier viewing (of books) - questionable

I think I'll have to modify my original post - those nasty work lights did give a bad first impression.

Cheers, and apologies all, for the initial post not being quite correct.

Bueymo

[chamekke]

My only experience is with the Kindle.

Pros: You can definitely change the font size, space between lines, etc. to make the text more readable. And if your mother wants to use the tiny keyboard, well, there are tiny raised dots on the F and J keys to help people work out which key is which.

Cons: You can't enlarge the text on the various menus, unfortunately. The homepage menu is fixed in size, and if your mom wants to change the sort order, she'll have to peer at the menu line at the top [Sort by... Most Recent First, etc.], which could be challenging. If the displays could be customized, and not just the e-texts, the Kindle would be vastly more accessible to people with vision problems.

Also, your mother's mileage may vary, but many elderly people have dexterity issues - difficulty with the fine motor skills required to make small, precise movements with the fingers - that could make entering text on that tiny keyboard a pretty big challenge. I know that my late dad could never have managed it :-(

[doreenjoy]

If your mother is already used to one type of reader, don't buy her a different one. Let her continue to use what she's already learned to use.

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by chamekke

Cons: You can't enlarge the text on the various menus, unfortunately. The homepage menu is fixed in size, and if your mom wants to change the sort order, she'll have to peer at the menu line at the top [Sort by... Most Recent First, etc.], which could be challenging. If the displays could be customized, and not just the e-texts, the Kindle would be vastly more accessible to people with vision problems.

But you don't have to be able to see them if you turn on the audible menus. Amazon added them specifically to meet accessibility standards for the blind.
It reads the book list and menu items to you, so all you have to do is hit enter when it's what you want.

(These audible menus are not the same as audible books or TTS - some might be confusing them...)

Also, your mother's mileage may vary, but many elderly people have dexterity issues - difficulty with the fine motor skills required to make small, precise movements with the fingers - that could make entering text on that tiny keyboard a pretty big challenge. I know that my late dad could never have managed it :-(

No doubt it's not a breeze, but for an ereader, the feedback and pressure the keys give helps immensely, especially compared to trying to use a touch screen.

I can just say that when I'm so shaky I can barely type on my laptop, or even think about dialing on my cell phone, I can still manage the buttons I need to on the kindle just fine.

Typing actual letters is rarely needed, but when you do want to (to create a collection, a note, or search for a word), even that isn't as hard as it would seem, because you can leave your fingers rested on the keys and just slide them over to the one you want. Not having to lift and aim again is very helpful in reducing the tremor.

The only thing I have trouble with sometimes is the DPad, but I have trouble with it even when I'm fine.. partly because of fingernails, but still. I don't like it and hope they make it better in the Kindle 4.

[chamekke]

Piper, good point about the audible menus. I'd forgotten about those. And yes, they're very clear to use (I did try out the audible option when I first got my Kindle).

And I really appreciate your description of the benefits of the keyboard. After I posted, I wondered whether the discreteness of the keys might be a benefit -- but, not having much practical experience, it was just guesswork. So, very good to hear!

[amward]

Thanks guys (and gals), all this info has been really helpful. She's taken to my reader like a duck to water so I think I might have to let her have it and she can buy me a Sony which I have been lusting after. I've printed out the main instructions in large font and made her turn it off, open and shut books etc and she's managing ok. She still has all her marbles, it's only the eyesight which is holding her back. I'm not sure if I can get her one the same as mine so I might have to let it go.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by bueymo

Hey - at home next to my too small but much beloved Kobo the screens are indeed actually a similar colour. It could be percection to a degree as well - the kobo sides are white, but not as white, which could make the screen appear lighter in contrast (compared to the bright white pocketbook).

Bueymo

That's a point I often wonder about - with screen surrounds of black / white and a rainbow of colours - does this change the perceptive colour of the reading screen? as standard colour theory would suggest it ought

Does a red surround give a greenish tinge to the screen .... ?

[bueymo]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

That's a point I often wonder about - with screen surrounds of black / white and a rainbow of colours - does this change the perceptive colour of the reading screen? as standard colour theory would suggest it ought

Well, you are not the only one pondering this, and I may find some 'very thin Vinyl' and try the 'it adheres itself to any thin surface' that a friend told me about and see IF I can tell a difference...

Cheers,

Bueymo