Paperwhite 3 First Impressions

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm a little puzzled by this. A few days ago you said that you'd returned your Voyage and got a Kobo H2O instead, because you weren't happy with the Voyage's fonts .

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=875

Hehe, can't get a minute past you guys can I!
I ended up exchanging the h2o three times, and all devices had an icky discolouration, and none of their displays came close to the beauty of the voyages. So I got a refund and bought a Voyage...
Woe is me.
Fyi: I'm sideloading fonts these days
Fyi2: THAT voyage had pinholes in it, so I exchanged it for a third Voyage. These days when retailers see me, they close their doors. Understandable

Its a shame because I also wrote an opem love letter (lol) to the very first h2o I bought (imported from Chapters, canada) and it appeared that was a total fluke as that devices display was absolutely perfect-the best display on any ereader I've ever had. The first voyage I got to replace it (and my current one) all have discolouration on the screen, but I said too myself, if I have to live with discoloured screens, I'm sticking with the voyage. Hence my current set-up.
...If reading about it gives you a headache, imagine living it! Can't wait to relive the experience again next year with the Kindle Voyage: Waterproof Boating Edition and the Kobo Aura H2O2: Hydrogen Peroxide

[SWCaffeinated]

Wow wow wow! With the light at the lowest setting the screen contrast is terrible! It's even worse than my $59 Kindle 7!

It stops being an issue though once the light is increased. Plus, the additional resolution makes it much easier on the eyes for me.

[SCION]

I just put my Voyage on Craigslist for $150. Hoping I get a taker quickly. The Voyage stays in a drawer, as I prefer reading on the H20 (been buying from the Kobo store). Gonna get the PW3 with 3G as originally planned (once the Voyage is sold) to make further use of my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I think I'll be content if I simply focus on not focusing on device comparisons, and just read!

[GERGE]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I wonder what that's supposed to mean? Sounds like fightin' talk

RMSDK was always the best until this update, but Kindle also has hyphenation, kerning and ligatures now. The difference is, they have better drop caps now. Drop caps aren't really important enough to create a substantial difference, but they could say that it is indeed better =)

As far as hyphenation goes, there is not much difference (I haven't noticed any) between Kobo 3.16 algorithm and new Kindle algorithm. Ligatures and kerning are type depended so we can't really make comparisons there.

PS. I don't own a Kindle, but I have tested in iOS app which I use extensively.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by GERGE

RMSDK was always the best until this update, but Kindle also has hyphenation, kerning and ligatures now. The difference is, they have better drop caps now. Drop caps aren't really important enough to create a substantial difference, but they could say that it is indeed better =)

As far as hyphenation goes, there is not much difference (I haven't noticed any) between Kobo 3.16 algorithm and new Kindle algorithm. Ligatures and kerning are type depended so we can't really make comparisons there.

PS. I don't own a Kindle, but I have tested in iOS app which I use extensively.

Amazon can say that their typography is better when they allow side-loaded fonts, font weight/sharpness tweaking and more granular control over font sizes, page margins and line spacing. Until that happens they will always be a distant second as far as typography goes in the eyes of the discerning reader.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

Amazon can say that their typography is better when they allow side-loaded fonts, font weight/sharpness tweaking and more granular control over font sizes, page margins and line spacing. Until that happens they will always be a distant second as far as typography goes in the eyes of the discerning reader.

So anyone who disagrees with your personal opinions is not a "discerning reader"?

Don't you think that you might perhaps be projecting your personal preferences as universal truths? I would certainly consider myself to be a discerning reader, and I'm happy with the current Kindle rendering mechanism.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by GERGE

RMSDK was always the best until this update, but Kindle also has hyphenation, kerning and ligatures now. The difference is, they have better drop caps now. Drop caps aren't really important enough to create a substantial difference, but they could say that it is indeed better =)

As far as hyphenation goes, there is not much difference (I haven't noticed any) between Kobo 3.16 algorithm and new Kindle algorithm. Ligatures and kerning are type depended so we can't really make comparisons there.

PS. I don't own a Kindle, but I have tested in iOS app which I use extensively.

Sorry, but no. RMDSK is still better as it seems you need a magic code to turn on the typesetting otherwise there would be no reason for Amazon to tell us which eBooks are typesetting comparable. With RMDSK unless there is CSS code to not have hyphenation and you have full justification, you have hyphenation. With RMDSK, if the font has ligatures you get ligatures and if the font has kerning, you get kerning.

Of course, I am hoping that once the PW3's typesetting enabled firmware is released, that I am wrong about how the typesetting works and that it just works.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

So anyone who disagrees with your personal opinions is not a "discerning reader"?

Don't you think that you might perhaps be projecting your personal preferences as universal truths? I would certainly consider myself to be a discerning reader, and I'm happy with the current Kindle rendering mechanism.

How is it a personal preference? It is a fact that the Kindle does not offer the sort of customization options that other e-readers do. It is undeniable that the kindle cannot claim to have the best typography for this reason. You might be happy with the limited options you have been presented with. Good for you. Maybe stop projecting your preference as a universal truth?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

How is it a personal preference? It is a fact that the Kindle does not offer the sort of customization options that other e-readers do. It is undeniable that the kindle cannot claim to have the best typography for this reason.

The personal preference aspect of it was the subsequent statement:

Until that happens they will always be a distant second as far as typography goes in the eyes of the discerning reader.

It is entirely possible to be a discerning reader and not give a damn about these features. One might even say that Kindle readers self-select into this latter group, since anyone to whom they were important would be unlikely to have bought a Kindle.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The personal preference aspect of it was the subsequent statement:



It is entirely possible to be a discerning reader and not give a damn about these features. One might even say that Kindle readers self-select into this latter group, since anyone to whom they were important would be unlikely to have bought a Kindle.

Okay, let's stipulate that the personal aspect needs to be kept out of it.

What we're left with is that the objective fact that the kindle does not offer any of the typography features that their competitors do, and therefore cannot claim to have the best typography. This stands true regardless of the inherent quality of the new kindle typography for the simple reason that the wealth of settings on the kobo* permit it to approximate/replicate the so called 'best in class' kindle typography, but the reverse is not necessarily true.


* I specify only the kobo because I am not familiar enough with the other brands.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

Amazon can say that their typography is better when they allow side-loaded fonts, font weight/sharpness tweaking and more granular control over font sizes, page margins and line spacing. Until that happens they will always be a distant second as far as typography goes in the eyes of the discerning reader.

I'm obviously not a discerning reader even though I read every day as I have no issues with the current Amazon typography.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I'm obviously not a discerning reader even though I read every day as I have no issues with the current Amazon typography.

Likewise, but I'm happy to accept that it's an important issue for some people. Luckily, there are other devices for such people to choose, such as the Kobo.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by SWCaffeinated

Wow wow wow! With the light at the lowest setting the screen contrast is terrible! It's even worse than my $59 Kindle 7!

It stops being an issue though once the light is increased. Plus, the additional resolution makes it much easier on the eyes for me.

I think a side-effect of the front-light tech causing lower contrast. The pre-front light screens have better contrast. Which is a shame because you can't get them anymore.

[cerem0ny]

I went into Dick Smith to look at the reader today. Pretty underwhelming. Couldn't even notice that much of a difference, really!

Bring on the Voyage 2!!!

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I'm obviously not a discerning reader even though I read every day as I have no issues with the current Amazon typography.

Okay, you're happy. It was not right of me to cast aspersions on those who are satisfied with the kindle's typography. I stand corrected.

That does not alter the fact that it is objectively incorrect for Amazon to claim 'best in class typography' when there exist competitors that can present the same typography and much more. That is as egregious as if Kobo were to claim that they sell more e-readers than any other company.