iPad and E-Ink Reader

[Rjl2001]

I also think a tablet and an e-ink reader are great complements to each other. Before I had either I was really on the fence about getting an Ipad or an ebook reader (I realize the unfair comparison), and wound up compromising with the Nook Color. Once I rooted the Nook Color it became used primarily as a tablet rather than reader. Being a student on a cheap budget I couldn't really justify buying an e-ink reader when I already had a device that could read ebooks. Then I saw a great deal for a Nook Classic on craigslist and bought one. For how cheap they are becoming it really is a worthwhile purchase and not a frivolous new gadget purchase for techies.

The biggest advantage for me is reading outdoors and in sunlight. With an e-ink reader the display becomes better in the brighter sunlight, versus becoming washed out and developing glare like an LCD screen. Also, the size and weight are more comfortable and akin to holding a traditional print book. Also, while reading on an Ipad never hurts my eyes, I am aware that I am reading on a computer screen. When reading on e-ink my brain almost forgets its electronic and really thinks I'm reading regular paper, some kind of psychological thing I guess. Finally, for reading it is nice to not have to deal with a bunch of distractions. Most tablets do so much I would be distracted and would wind up surfing the web whereas an e-reader forces you to focus on reading and not much else.

[SirTwist]

I have an Ipad2, Kindle 1 and Kindle 3 and love the way the Ipad displays epub books. However, I find the Kindle more comfortable because it weighs less, it does not have any glare that I've noticed and I do not get the eye strain I get with the Ipad.

[Readmoore]

I've read so much about back-lit and E-ink screens having no difference in terms of causing eye strain and its the reading habit that matters. I can't believe I've believed it for so long. I finally got an E-ink reader and to me, the E-ink is a whole lot soother for the eye. They really aren't slightly comparable. I don't know how many of those reporters are true readers, meaning habitually reading whole books instead of a few newspaper/magazine articles here and there. I am actually quite angry at such irresponsible reports. Let's leave the iPad for emails, pictures books, games and all other fancy apps, as of serious reading, let's not trick the consumers into thinking they make no difference on the eye...

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Readmoore

I don't know how many of those reporters are true readers, meaning habitually reading whole books instead of a few newspaper/magazine articles here and there. I am actually quite angry at such irresponsible reports. Let's leave the iPad for emails, pictures books, games and all other fancy apps, as of serious reading, let's not trick the consumers into thinking they make no difference on the eye...

Well, I'm not a reporter, but I read a ton of books on the REB-1100. I read a lot of books on a Sony PR-505 (eInk). And now I read a lot of books on my iPad. And there is no difference to me or my eyes.

So feel free to leave the iPad for emails, picture books, games, and other fancy apps. Feel free to do your serious reading on an eInk Reader.

But please don't include me in your "Let's", and don't be so quick to accuse others of "trickery" or "irresponsibility" for what is a purely personal and subjective observation.

[Readmoore]

Originally Posted by kjk

Well, I'm not a reporter, but I read a ton of books on the REB-1100. I read a lot of books on a Sony PR-505 (eInk). And now I read a lot of books on my iPad. And there is no difference to me or my eyes.

So feel free to leave the iPad for emails, picture books, games, and other fancy apps. Feel free to do your serious reading on an eInk Reader.

But please don't include me in your "Let's", and don't be so quick to accuse others of "trickery" or "irresponsibility" for what is a purely personal and subjective observation.

My words aren't targeting users, but the reporters, so I'm certainly not including "you" in the "let's". Please don't feel offended. On a forum, you or I can pronounce all kinds of personal opinions and I honor them all, but when reporters claim that scientists have proven there's no difference, they sound authoritative in the subject matter, which is contradictory to many's experiences.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Readmoore

when reporters claim that scientists have proven there's no difference, they sound authoritative in the subject matter, which is contradictory to many's experiences.

These reporters aren't claiming anything-they asked scientists for their opinions:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/0...se-eye-strain/
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-20021227-82.html

Not sure why that would make you so angry.

[jocampo]

Yes sir!... ...

Most forum members have both, an eink device and a tablet. As a matter of fact, iPad+Kindle is one of the most populars. There is actually a thread that I created about it, best eink/tablet combo.

Most people combine because tablets are better and faster for some kind of publications, like magazines or PDFs. On my case, the iPad2 is big enough to display my computer books with cutting off any line or code. It is also an fantastic PDF reader with GoodReader app.

I woud not rely on a tablet as my main reader though, I always find myself going back to my Kindle, but if you can afford it, go for it and get whatever combo you like.

Happy reading!

[DMB]

Skip Wyona, I wonder how old you really are. I am 71 and have needed reading glasses for abut 20 years. I haven't yet got a tablet, although I am cautiously contemplating one, but I can endorse the positive recommendations for an ereader.

I do quite a lot of my reading after going to bed at night and am usually either reading books on my Kindle or reading wordy printed magazines like New Scientist or The Economist. There is no doubt that reading at night is hard on old eyes, so what one needs to do is to set up appropriate lighting. In practice, as long as I have the lighting, I find reading on the Kindle easier than reading the magazines. I think it's partly the smaller page size.As I fidget in bed, I am less likely to lose focus on the smaller page than on the larger.

[Skip Wyona]

Nothing like opening opening a can of worms. Every device can cause eye strain, even a book, because the cause is reading position, lighting, and intensity of concentration. Ask an eye specialist. That is the conclusion of the research I looked into about the issue. All other opinions are purely subjective based on reader experience. The real issue, I believe is that book reading devices can not do all reading tasks equally. It is obvious to me that e-ink readers like the Kindle and Nook are best for reading text and are the best substitute for the typical book. However if you are reading anything with illustrations, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, picture books, etc, an LCD screen based device like the iPad is better. So the conclusion? Own both if you can afford it but don't toss out your paper based books which is still the best 'device' for reading. What I intend to do is buy both an e-ink reader and an iPad.
BTW, I am 68 years old and an avid reader, perhaps a lot more than the average joe because it was a requirement of my professional life for over 30 years.

[DMB]

I question your assertion that paper-based books are the best device for reading. Having got used to the Kindle, I find the latter much more convenient in various ways than the former. In fact I am shedding most of the accumulated books of decades.

I expect that if I had a tablet, I'd use it for reading magazines and newspapers. That's something I don't want to do on the Kindle. One can read all sorts of stuff on the Kindle, but for me it is best regarded as a book-reader, pure and simple.

[jocampo]

You two have very valid points.

I cannot read Magazines and color books on my Kindle 3, but my iPad shines on that. However, for pure text books, novels, etc, I love the Kindle 3. It is easier for my eyes plus more comfortable holding.

But I have several paper books, computer related, that I want to keep. I really want a physical and available SQL book with me all the time, when I'm at home. If there is a critical thing that I need to do or check, I know those books are there and I know which one can provide additional help, even the specific chapters mentioning that.

With a Kindle or iPad, I am assuming that they have charge, and they are working. Most of the time is true, but I am kind of paranoid on that.

For old novels or not work related book, I started giving those to charity except those with dedications or special meaning, like my 1st paper book that was giving to me when I was a kid, by my dad ...

On a similar topic, my dad was an important lawyer on my country so after he passed away, we decided to donate his personal book collection to a University. We gave over of thousand books including some classics. It was bitter sweet, because my mom gained lot of space at home but there was sentimental attachment to those books as well.

[nursedude]

I use a Kobo touch and an Asus Transformer Eee Pad tablet as my reading devices. I really like them both. The 10.1" screen on the Asus is really nice for reading PDF files using Fox-it, and my app of choice for reading epub/mobi books is Cool Reader. We still have an iPad as well but my wife has taken custody of that. <g>

[LDBoblo]

I have an iPad 2 and a K3. K3 is for novels, and the iPad is for most of my web-based reading using apps like Flipboard and Zite for a nice magazine-style presentation. I can and frequently do read my novels on my iPad, but it's much bigger than it needs to be for such an application, so I prefer the Kindle when I just want to chill with a book for recreational reading.

If I had to choose one, I'd choose the iPad as it's much faster and more useful overall, but the Kindle is one of my favorite toys for its size and battery life.

[Skip Wyona]

Has anyone had any experience with e-readers other than the Kindle and Nook. I am particularly interested in finding out anyone's opinion of the iRiver touch e-reader now sold by Target stores.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Skip Wyona

Nothing like opening opening a can of worms. Every device can cause eye strain, even a book, because the cause is reading position, lighting, and intensity of concentration. Ask an eye specialist. That is the conclusion of the research I looked into about the issue.

All of this research misses the point so much that it is useless. There is a medical condition called "eyestrain," recognized by ophthamologists, with specific symptoms. Let's call it "medical eyestrain." I am happy to agree that reading LCDs doesn't cause medical eyestrain. But that doesn't mean that it isn't a less pleasant experience than reading on e-ink; it only means that the difference isn't due to medical eyestrain. It may be due to the fact that LCDs are more visually distracting, or have more glare, or for any number of reasons.

If I injure myself running and complain of a sprained ankle, a physician may examine it and determine that it is not sprained. That doesn't mean that it isn't injured; it simply means that the cause of the injury isn't a sprain.

All other opinions are purely subjective based on reader experience.

And thus are valid for the readers in question. Pain and taste are also subjective, but that doesn't make them invalid factors in determining what to do or what to eat.

The real issue, I believe is that book reading devices can not do all reading tasks equally. It is obvious to me that e-ink readers like the Kindle and Nook are best for reading text and are the best substitute for the typical book. However if you are reading anything with illustrations, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, picture books, etc, an LCD screen based device like the iPad is better.

This is reasonable. I don't read much on my iPad, but I do use if for a lot of other tasks.

So the conclusion? Own both if you can afford it but don't toss out your paper based books which is still the best 'device' for reading.

There is no best device for reading. There are a bundle of advantages and disadvantages to paper, e-ink, and LCD. Which device is "best" depends on an individualized weighing of the advantages and the disadvantages. For many people an e-ink reader is vastly superior to paper because the advantages of paper do not matter very much to them, while the advantages of e-ink (especially the ability to change font sizes) matter quite a lot.

What I intend to do is buy both an e-ink reader and an iPad.
BTW, I am 68 years old and an avid reader, perhaps a lot more than the average joe because it was a requirement of my professional life for over 30 years.

This should cover your bases. MR is not filled with average joes. :-)