The End of the Small Screen?

[Kumabjorn]

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[JAcheson]

Originally Posted by hrosvit

Gag me with a spoon!

(Sorry; I don't have anything of actual value to add to the discussion. Just wanted to jump aboard the Valley Girl train.)

A flexible eInk screen could be totally tubular!

I started out reading e-books on my Palm Pilot, but I don't know if I could go to a device that small again without resorting to reading glasses. If I had the opportunity, though, I'd try it.

I would love to get an e-ink device from that alternate universe where Palm didn't abandon PDAs and was able to stay in business...

[QuantumIguana]

I used to drive a mid-sized car, now I drive a subcompact. At first, the small car felt like I was riding a subcompact. Now I'm used to it, and driving a mid-sized car feels like driving a boat. There's a size for everyone. I don't need a bigger e-reader, a larger e-reader is less portable. Some people might want a larger reader, and that's fine, but neither my preference nor your preference dictates the market. If larger readers come on the market, it won't mean the end of smaller readers. People read via their iPhones, the portability of their device clearly must be worthwhile.

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by JAcheson

A flexible eInk screen could be totally tubular!

scrolls FTW!

I could wear them as a wristwatch too...

[johnnyb]

Id get the 8" Kindle in an instant...

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Id get the 8" Kindle in an instant...

Having used the Irex 800 I would agree that 8" is the perfect size around the house. Still small and light but plenty of words on the page. The 6" are too small for me and the Kindle DX is too big and heavy. Though I am enjoying the Aura, too.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tovare

IMHO the kindle form factor is perfect, however it would be nice if they could fit a larger screen in it

Thin bezels are in for TVs and phones so it's not out of the question.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

I read on my Galaxy Note - 5.3" diagonal screen. Light and easy to handle and easy to read.

I think this is why I still read on my iphone much of the time. I have two e-ink readers, but rarely use them, because mostly I read in bed, and the cat copes with the phone but not the Glo... he fidgets way too much when I try to use that, and... it *is* heavier and more awkward when you lay down. Lightweight and easy to use onehanded. A Note (sizewise) would be perfect for me, but I dont want to go Android (though I could, I bought Moon+ Reader Pro ages ago).

I've tried reading on my iPad, and iPad mini. Just doesnt work for me :-/ Too big.

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

People read via their iPhones, the portability of their device clearly must be worthwhile.

I think the "all in one" aspect plays a role here, too. I read a couple years exclusively on my iPad, in spite of the LCD display, and my main reason was that I only wanted one device for all my IT and entertainment needs that weren't covered by the laptop (17" gaming one, so a little heavier).

I much prefer reading on an e-ink reader, but when (if: it's not coming out here before end of the month and I'm still undecided) I pick up a Nexus 7, I'll be tempted by the "fewer devices, less clutter" appeal again -- and maybe more so, since 7" is closer to the 6" I'm now used to (which makes the 9.7" of the iPad feel oversized and too big).

I think what I really want is a front-lit tablet with color e-ink and 7-8" size. Not in sight yet, though.

[Katsunami]

I've been experimenting with a Kindle PW in landscape mode. While I like the extra width, I find that the reader is not high enough. A 7 inch tablet is too high, and not wide enough; 16:9 is the wrong aspect ratio. 9.7 inch in 3:4 is a nice aspect ratio for reading, but too big to use comfortably. I've always said that my ideal eBook reader would be 8 inch.

And what do I find?

The Kindle has a 3:4 aspect ratio (width:height) and is 6 inch in diagonal.
Pythagoras says that the sides therefore must be 3.6 x 4.8 inch.

I like the extra width, when using the Kindle in Landscape mode. I'd like a Kindle that has a screen which is 4.8 inch wide, without losing the 3:4 aspect ratio. Thus, a new Kindle would become 4.8 x 6.4 inch.

Pythagoras says that such a Kindle has a diagonal of 8 inch. Exactly what I'd consider to be a "perfect" size (for me).

Let's say, Amazon created this reader, and thus one-up the Aura in screen size. They'd also want to do that in resolution (Aura: 265 ppi). Maybe they'd go for 300 ppi at least. That'd mean the screen would be 1440 pixels wide, and 1920 pixels high.

There you have it. Create a Kindle Paperwhite with an 8 inch 3:4 screen, and a resolution of 1440 x 1920. Make sure it's €20 cheaper than the Aura: so, €159 in The Netherlands.

I'd be all over it.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Lbooker

Incredible that a company like Amazon does not sell a reader with a screen designed to read PDFs !

They have the 9.7" Kindle DX and I'd say that's fairly comfortable for PDF.

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by Mivo

I think the "all in one" aspect plays a role here, too. I read a couple years exclusively on my iPad, in spite of the LCD display, and my main reason was that I only wanted one device for all my IT and entertainment needs that weren't covered by the laptop (17" gaming one, so a little heavier).

I was in the all-in-one mindset. But truth be told, eink is much better for reading than LCD and 6" is perfectly fine screen estate for comfortable reading.

what really worries me is not so much size, but that the glass substrate in eink screens is kinda frail and that is only worse the larger the screen. So, flexible plastic eink is a truly wonderful idea...

[Ripplinger]

My preference is actually a 5" screen, although the size of the 6" Kobo Glo isn't that much bigger than my 5" Sonys, so it's been working out ok for me. Anything bigger though kills the portability factor for me, and I take my reader with every time I set foot out the door. You just can't stuff the larger readers like the Aura in a pocket or a small purse, it just doesn't fit.

So I'd be really upset to see small e-ink screens fazed out and replaced by the larger screens. It's nice to have the various sized options for everyone's preference.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

It's nice to have the various sized options for everyone's preference.

The point is that at the moment you don't have a choice. There are no mainstream large screen e-ink devices (unless you count that old dog, the DX). 5" devices are also few and far between. The Aura's 6.8" are better than 6" but not much of a difference.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I definitely want a smaller ereader. Something the size of either a Pyrus mini or a Galaxy Player 5.

Yes, the same here. I really liked my Pyrus Mini (until I broke it...)

A pyrus mini, with a pearl screen.... Yummie!