Dedicated reading device

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

Not true. Aside from verbose classics like Robinson Crusoe, I usually get several paragraphs worth of text on my 3.7" screen. That's what smartphones afford you: a lot of screen space rather than a tiny screen and lots of tiny buttons. Hang on to that hate!

I have a smartphone. I have 3 dedicated readers. I much prefer reading on (1) eInk and (2) the bigger screen.

Nice that there are choices for folks who have differing opinions, isn't it?

[Richey79]

I eventually found that I don't have any real preference for eink (well... perhaps very marginal).

I would happily read on my mobile phone, especially since the screen is organic LED, but it's hard to get a proper sense of paragraph construction with the screen size. The touch-screen's good enough that constant page turns don't really bother me. I like how, with Aldiko Pro, you can control the screen-brightness instantly with a swipe at the bottom of the screen.

As long as I correctly adjust the brightness and use inverted colours, I prefer the iPad for all my reading. Hours at a time with no eye-strain. I think my preference is something to do with finding the larger, heavier device more comfortable. I don't consider it conveniently portable for every day use, though.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by Namekuseijin

but its worthless if you happen to have bad eyes in need for larger fonts and in the end is presented with less text on screen...

I'm on page 74 in Robinson Crusoe. today was not a good reading day because I sat on the rear of the bus and it shook too much...

I will admit that the 3.7" screen on my Droid is crisper than the larger screens on my Sony and NC - and so I can read smaller text on it than I can on either of the other devices.

However, it's not enough smaller to make up for the fact that it's got about 1/3 the viewing area of my Sony, and just over 1/4 the viewing area of my Nook Color. It's not simply a matter of how much text can be crammed on the screen, but how much can be displayed at a comfortable viewing distance, which depends on your arms as well as your eyes.

Bigger screens are simply easier for me to read on. The larger devices aren't always easy or practical to carry, so I do read on the Droid sometimes, but if I'm at home sitting down to read something I'll use one of the others.

[hal2814]

I personally don't carry much with me. I carry my keys, wallet, and cell phone everywhere. Everything else is only carried on occasion. If I thought I might do some reading where I'm going, I used to carry my book, too. Replacing that book with a Kindle is not a big lifestyle change for me. In comparison, upgrading to a larger phone (which would be necessary were I to get a smart phone) is far less appealing to me.

[tgnd]

I don't own a smartphone - as much as I love my gadgets, I don't love the ones that require a hefty charge every month to use all the features on it. But even if I did have an iphone I'd still carry my kindle around. Many many years ago I downloaded some fanfic onto my handspring visor PDA because I hated reading it on my computer screen. Even with my good eyesight and small font size I found it too distracting because I just couldn't fit enough text on the screen and was constantly turning the page. On my kindle I have the text set at one size up from the smallest and most of the time my thumb is close to the next page button since I am a pretty fast reader. The frequency of page turns on a smartphone sized screen would simply be must too frustrating for me to read for any period of time.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Using larger fonts on a 6" reader still gives you more text on the screen than the same size fonts with a 3.7" reader.

I find it much easier holding a phone sized reader near my eyes than a 6inch eInk readers. So you can use a smaller font on the phone reader and get the same amount of text or more.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I'm also a smartphone reader, having graduated from PDAs which I read on for years. One of the best things about the smartphone/PDA route was the ability to load multiple reading apps onto it, allowing you to read from multiple libraries. And of course, portability can't be beat. I never had problems reading on the hand-sized screens (Windows-based devices featured ClearType for improved text clarity, and I use it religiously).

I now have a Nook Color, which I got for magazine content. I've also used it for ebooks, but I don't prefer it over my smartphone for ebook reading. The smartphone is still easier for me to use.

[jbcohen]

I hear you loud and clear Steven. I have Mobipocket, Amazon, Borders and Nook readers on my blackberry meaning that I can read from all three services. All of you with dedicated readers just you try to read books from Amazon and Borders both, you can't they are encrypted so you can't acomplish that feet. Not a big deal on my blackberry. I have just downloaded and installed the nook for blackberry reader now I can read nook books and amazon books, not something you all with dedicated readers can acomplish on one device.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

All of you with dedicated readers just you try to read books from Amazon and Borders both, you can't they are encrypted so you can't acomplish that feet.

Yes, we can, and you stated how in your post:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

And read that book I stupidly bought a few months back and have never found the time to strip the DRM from as yet.

The following is regarding more posts than just yours: I thought this thread was about why people preferred dedicated or multi-use devices for their own use, not a venue to try and trump each other's preferences. My preference (dedicated) is a win for me, yours is a win for you.

I'm just happy people are reading, I don't give a rat's behind how or on what device they are doing so.

Edited to add: You edited your post, don't want anyone to think I'm misquoting. My statement still stands.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

I have just downloaded and installed the nook for blackberry reader now I can read nook books and amazon books, not something you all with dedicated readers can acomplish on one device.

I thought this thread was about what posters personal preferences are, not stating how uber fantastic your device is.

just to refute you somewhat, I can convert any book to a format my dedicated ereader can read.

Also, it is funny how both Stanza and ibooks could make heads or tails out of an ePUB book but my Kobo and Sony both had no issues displaying it. It took some more conversion work to fix the issue.

In the end it boils down to personal preference and because of that, there are no losers, real or implied.

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

I hear you loud and clear Steven. I have Mobipocket, Amazon, Borders and Nook readers on my blackberry meaning that I can read from all three services. All of you with dedicated readers just you try to read books from Amazon and Borders both, you can't they are encrypted so you can't acomplish that feet. Not a big deal on my blackberry. I have just downloaded and installed the nook for blackberry reader now I can read nook books and amazon books, not something you all with dedicated readers can acomplish on one device.

Oooooh. You win.
Except...I have an iPhone and I have Kindle, nook, Kobo, Borders, Stanza, Bluefire Reader...does that mean I win?? Still, though - I just PREFER reading on my Kindle. Or even nook (although that's my second choice as a device). And of course lots of folks can, in fact, put nook books on a Kindle and vice versa so can, in fact, accomplish that particular "feet" (sic).

[djgreedo]

There's not a 'best' way of reading electronically. What works best for you depends on your needs and tastes.

I have a Kindle, and I have a smartphone (and an MP3 player). I read almost exclusively on the Kindle, but occasionally I will read on my phone (I use only the Kindle app, though others are available).

I don't like reading on a backlit phone screen, nor do I like the small (4-inch in my case) screen size or how it feels in my hand. But it is great for convenience.

My phone is a great MP3 player, and if the phone I have came with a lot more capacity and at least triple the battery life I would ditch my separate MP3 player in an instant.

Tablets and phones do have an advantage when it comes to multiple book sellers, but I really don't care too much since Amazon (at least in my country) has easily the biggest range of books, and I doubt I could even buy an ebook (without faking my location in some way) that isn't available on Kindle.

[djgreedo]

There's not a 'best' way of reading electronically. What works best for you depends on your needs and tastes.

I have a Kindle, and I have a smartphone (and an MP3 player). I read almost exclusively on the Kindle, but occasionally I will read on my phone (I use only the Kindle app, though others are available).

I don't like reading on a backlit phone screen, nor do I like the small (4-inch in my case) screen size or how it feels in my hand. But it is great for convenience.

My phone is a great MP3 player, and if the phone I have came with a lot more capacity and at least triple the battery life I would ditch my separate MP3 player in an instant.

Tablets and phones do have an advantage when it comes to multiple book sellers, but I really don't care too much since Amazon (at least in my country) has easily the biggest range of books, and I doubt I could even buy an ebook (without faking my location in some way) that isn't available on Kindle.

[shanghaichica]

I've read ebooks on smart screen phones in the past (iPhone). And although I enjoyed the books, it wasn't ideal and I didn't read that many ebooks. Later on I got a dedicated reader and never looked back. It's much easier/ comfortable to read on. In a shorter period of time. I've read almost 10 times the amount of books on the dedicated reader than I did on the smart phone screen. So now that I've got my dedicated reader, I can see no reason why I'd want to go back to reading on a mobile phone instead of a dedicated reader.

[KingAl]

Because I like a screen larger than that of my phone, though I will read on it if I don't have my reader on me.