Dedicated ereader

[cromag]

All mentioned before. Easier to hold, easier to read, better battery life (for both devices -- when I'm burning the batteries on the ereader I'm not depleting the charge on the phone), etc., etc.

[barryem]

I've been reading on my Kindle at home and on my phone away from the house but lately I've been experimenting with reading more on my phone. I've been using a Nexus 5 with a full HD LCD screen and for short sessions, 15 to 20 minutes, it's ideal. I've been using it more and more around the house when I don't expect to be able to read very long. Too long and I'm done reading for a few hours till my eyes rest.

I recently got a Galaxy S5 with a full HD AMOLED screen and I've found that I can read 2 or 3 times as long on it without eyestrain. It's still limited but not nearly as much.

With the Kindle I can read as long as I like with no problems.

I really prefer the reading experience on the phone because of it's small size and light weight and because I like Moon+. That's why I've been experimenting. I want to read as much on the phone as I can.

For those who think it's too small, it's slightly wider than a newspaper column. If a newspaper isn't too small, neither is the phone. I think a certain prejudice comes into play with this. I know it did for me. For years I assumed the phone was too small until I remembered all those books I read comfortably decades ago on my Palm Pilot. It took some ignoring my own convictions to get me to try reading on the phone again. Once I did I liked it.

I see the same thing with watching TV shows on a 7" tablet. I do it all the time. It never occurred to me it was too small. I have a lot of old shows downloaded from Youtube, et al, and I've offered to lend them on a tablet to my neighbors in my retirement home, many of which also like these old shows. They usually start by insisting the screen is too small. Then a few of them tried it and soon bought their own tablets. It would be way too small across the room but held in front of your eyes like a book it's fine.

I haven't owned a TV for years.

Barry

[FizzyWater]

Screen size (6 inch).
Easier on my eyes.
Battery life (and yes, as cromag mentioned, on both devices - I want my phone to be available for calls, if needed).
My dedicated readers have buttons, so I don't have to lift my hand off the reader to change the page.

I just gave a friend of mine a used 3G Kindle PW1 just this weekend. She doesn't have internet access at all and doesn't have a data plan on her phone. The 3G and the weight of the reader were the most important things for her (even if it means it locks her into the Amazon marketplace). She has a smaller-sized tablet (Samsung, maybe 6 or 7" screen) that she bought 3 years ago thinking she'd get internet, and she's never used it. She's complained since the first day that it's too heavy to read comfortably on (I sideloaded some books for her).

[Atunah]

I can't read on tablets, period. And my phone is just like another tablet really. I have to have e-ink, or whatever might be the equivalent in the future of that.

Even though my phone is a 5.5 inch, great screen, its too narrow for me to read comfortably. And I need something ergonomic and sorry, holding my phone is not ergonomic for long periods. Its too large now to fit in my hand without cramping and I can't really grab it from the side well. Hard to explain. The distribution of weight on my kindles is just much better.

But its mostly the screen. I use my phone for minutes at a time. To look something up, to read a text, to check an app. Just very short bursts. Anything more makes the letters swim. And yes, I have the light turned as low as I can while still seeing what I need to see, thats not it. Its the type of light/screen thats used. Doesn't matter if its a phone, my fire, my nexus, I can't read on it. Period. I can play games, but I don't have to read words for that. Its the letters that start floating and having to concentrate on them that hurts.

I also like having something that is just a book. And the beloved buttons and the way it feels in my hand. No pain, no cramps.

That's about it.

[robko]

Size, size, size, size, no backlight, size, size, size, better battery, size, size, size, weight, size, size, size, easier to read/put books on.

So I guess my answer might be size

[taosaur]

All the reasons mentioned. I don't mind reading on my phone and love being able to have the phone and KPW synced, but the KPW is more comfortable for my eyeballs and my hands. Early e-ink didn't do it for me, but once the pixel density went up a notch, front lights came into play, and batteries improved a bit, I was a convert.

[Randy11]

I prefer a dedicated device :
- battery life counted in weeks or month;
- visual aspect, I prefer read on an e-ink than a screen with backlight;
- the size is, for me, important. My Onyx M92 has a 9.7" screen. I have a 6" e-reader, but I don't like it because I can't use a too small font, so there is not enough text in the same page, I must turn the page too often;
- I like to read in natural light, with the sun on the device it's perfect !
- the possibility to use a SD card (32 GB max for M92);
- no free space limit when you can change the SD card (you can reserve a SD card for a particular usage);
- not locket to a marketplace;
- I control the updates of my device;
- the choice of the font for each document if I want;
- a small size is not the best choice for technical books.

For Internet, I use my computer.

[BearMountainBooks]

Distractions. I can be a very focused person, but as I got older, things like email coming in are almost an OCD thing with me. It's not like I am expecting important emails either. But I check it constantly. So it's nice to either read a paperback (dedicated e-reader right there!) or use my Kindle. I've cut myself off several forums and I'm weaning myself off Fb. There is NOTHING on there. But I keep checking. Because surely someday there will be something of minor interest????

[Tarana]

I'm losing my eyesight and an ereader is way easier to read since I have to make the text so much bigger. Also, the power issue is important - I can read for 3 weeks

[QuantumIguana]

I don't like reading on the phone. I find it easier to read on an e-ink screen, both for because the e-ink screen itself and the size of the screen. My e-reader will stay powered for days; my phone will stay powered for hours. I don't really like the interface on the phone.

I have an old Kindle Keyboard. It does the job quite well. I had a Paperwhite, but I lost it on a trip to Iowa. I liked it, but I didn't want to spend the money to replace it, so I bought a used Kindle Keyboard with 3G. I also have a Fire tablet, I'll read on that at night. I'll read on the phone if there's nothing else available.