Touch screen vs keyboard e-ink only

Zarich · 03-02-2011, 11:33 AM

This isn't as much about the Nook vs kindle even though these are the methods. Sony also has one of these so it is included, but I don't want to get into a which device is better. Instead a which control scheme is better. E-ink devices only.

Personally having played with all 3 I find the keyboard to be superior. It is insanely fast with little to no lag. Where the keyboard fails is web surfing. However since all e-ink devices suck at web surfing I consider it a non issue.
The tiny color lcd control idea works okay, but it is clunky and slow in comparison. The full screen touch is nice, but I have found it more frustrating as at times it is unresponsive or misreads your intent and I find myself back spacing to get the correct area I originally wanted.

The keyboard is the least appealing aesthetically, but for me makes the most sense for fast accurate control on these types of devices.

Your opinions?

maianhvk · 03-02-2011, 11:39 AM

afv011 · 03-02-2011, 11:40 AM

I personally would prefer touchscreen (like Sony), and I could not care less for a physical keyboard. I barely use the keyboard on the nook (most of the time I use it is to look for a book in my library, or look up a word in the dictionary), which are very short operations and do not warrant a physical keyboard. On a touchscreen it would not be needed for (2), like on the nookcolor, tap on a word and bring up the definition - nice and simple. I still prefer physical buttons to turn pages though, no need to smudge the screen with your fingerprints to turn pages. Also, the touchscreen on the Sony is done via infrared beams, which means you can use a stylus or actually anything to trigger a touch event, that's a step up from the previous generation where the touch sensitive was an additional layer on the eInk, creating a loss of contrast and sharpness.

Asawi · 03-02-2011, 11:46 AM

Since I use my device more or less exclusively for reading, and while doing so in English also looking up words inthe dictionary. I have very little use for a keyboard and don't want one constantly visible, like on the Kindle. (On the Sony I just click on the word I want to look up)
The keyboard actually is one of my two main reasons for not getting the Kindle (the other being lack of ePub support), even though I see many reasons that would make it a good buy. I just hate the way it looks! Irrational, I know...

rhadin · 03-02-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asawi

Since I use my device more or less exclusively for reading, and while doing so in English also looking up words inthe dictionary. I have very little use for a keyboard and don't want one constantly visible, like on the Kindle. (On the Sony I just click on the word I want to look up)
The keyboard actually is one of my two main reasons for not getting the Kindle (the other being lack of ePub support), even though I see many reasons that would make it a good buy. I just hate the way it looks! Irrational, I know...

except I think the reasons are rational!

boswd · 03-02-2011, 12:00 PM

Touchsreen all the way, a rotary phone offers more stability for dialing to my Droid X or any other Smart phone but..........

Zarich · 03-02-2011, 12:45 PM

a push button phone like I have is far more accurate and much faster for entering text than your droid. Hence the reason blackberries have not dropped the keyboard yet.

FF2 · 03-02-2011, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boswd

Touchsreen all the way, a rotary phone offers more stability for dialing to my Droid X or any other Smart phone but..........

While _I_ understand the reference to ROTARY DIAL there may be a lot of folks who don't.

My grandparents even had a party line (and no it was not the Communist Party line)

stickybuns · 03-02-2011, 01:56 PM

One of my main requirements for an e-reader was the ease of making annotations as I am almost constantly writing notes. Although the physical keyboard on the Kindle may look clunky to some, the fact that it is always *there* is a favorable feature IMHO. I like not needing to go through a menu in order for the touch screen keyboard to appear.

ProfCrash · 03-02-2011, 02:12 PM

I like the keyboard on my Kindle. It comes in handy for taking notes and using the store. I am not a huge fan of touchscreens.

I don't think it is rational or irrational, I think it is personal preference.

boswd and I have had this conversation privatly more then once. Just because you prefer one technology to another does not mean that you are behind the times or challenged. It means you prefer one technology over the other. I don't like touchscreens, I like keyboards. There is nothing wrong with that and I am more then a bit tired of the stupid rotary phone comparison.

hughes · 03-02-2011, 03:15 PM

If all other factors were equal, for any device more portable than a laptop, I'd take increased screen space and a touch screen over a separate physical keyboard of miniature size. My thinking is that for anything more than incidental typing, I'm heading to my laptop or desktop anyway, but reading and browsing are greatly enhanced by a larger screen.

mcrmama · 03-02-2011, 03:31 PM

I much prefer touch screen. I do all my page turns with the touch screen on my Sony and am enjoying reading now. It is such a nice reading experience and feels more like reading a book. I find if I use buttons, I don't enjoy it as much and notice the flash a lot more so I don't get into the book as much noticing the device a lot more.

boswd · 03-02-2011, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I like the keyboard on my Kindle. It comes in handy for taking notes and using the store. I am not a huge fan of touchscreens.

I don't think it is rational or irrational, I think it is personal preference.

boswd and I have had this conversation privatly more then once. Just because you prefer one technology to another does not mean that you are behind the times or challenged. It means you prefer one technology over the other. I don't like touchscreens, I like keyboards. There is nothing wrong with that and I am more then a bit tired of the stupid rotary phone comparison.

Oh come on Prof, its all in good fun. My friend here at work wouldn't give up his blackberry even if you held a gun to his head. You're right it's all down to your likes and wants.

sorry to upset you, it really was just some having some fun with it, but I'll stop.

dordale · 03-02-2011, 04:36 PM

I'm in the touchscreen camp--I love the interface of my 650! In truth, I'm not that thrilled with the separate LCD touchscreen on my nook-classic. It seems clunky and unintuitive--even after having owned and used the nook for eight months now. I've never used a Kindle, but I'm pretty sure I'd much prefer the keyboard on that to the nook's separate touchscreen.

dordale

Dulin's Books · 03-02-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boswd

Touchsreen all the way, a rotary phone offers more stability for dialing to my Droid X or any other Smart phone but..........

get yourself one of these

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8929

03-02-2011, 11:33 AM	#1
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	Touch screen vs keyboard e-ink only This isn't as much about the Nook vs kindle even though these are the methods. Sony also has one of these so it is included, but I don't want to get into a which device is better. Instead a which control scheme is better. E-ink devices only. Personally having played with all 3 I find the keyboard to be superior. It is insanely fast with little to no lag. Where the keyboard fails is web surfing. However since all e-ink devices suck at web surfing I consider it a non issue. The tiny color lcd control idea works okay, but it is clunky and slow in comparison. The full screen touch is nice, but I have found it more frustrating as at times it is unresponsive or misreads your intent and I find myself back spacing to get the correct area I originally wanted. The keyboard is the least appealing aesthetically, but for me makes the most sense for fast accurate control on these types of devices. Your opinions?

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03-02-2011, 11:39 AM	#2
maianhvk whimsical Posts: 2,779 Karma: 88193939 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: in darkness Device: current: PPW 4. brick: K3 & Voyage.

03-02-2011, 11:40 AM	#3
afv011 Captain Penguin Posts: 2,947 Karma: 2077653593 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kobo Libra 2, Nook Glowlight	I personally would prefer touchscreen (like Sony), and I could not care less for a physical keyboard. I barely use the keyboard on the nook (most of the time I use it is to look for a book in my library, or look up a word in the dictionary), which are very short operations and do not warrant a physical keyboard. On a touchscreen it would not be needed for (2), like on the nookcolor, tap on a word and bring up the definition - nice and simple. I still prefer physical buttons to turn pages though, no need to smudge the screen with your fingerprints to turn pages. Also, the touchscreen on the Sony is done via infrared beams, which means you can use a stylus or actually anything to trigger a touch event, that's a step up from the previous generation where the touch sensitive was an additional layer on the eInk, creating a loss of contrast and sharpness.

03-02-2011, 11:46 AM	#4
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	Since I use my device more or less exclusively for reading, and while doing so in English also looking up words inthe dictionary. I have very little use for a keyboard and don't want one constantly visible, like on the Kindle. (On the Sony I just click on the word I want to look up) The keyboard actually is one of my two main reasons for not getting the Kindle (the other being lack of ePub support), even though I see many reasons that would make it a good buy. I just hate the way it looks! Irrational, I know...

03-02-2011, 12:00 PM	#6
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	Touchsreen all the way, a rotary phone offers more stability for dialing to my Droid X or any other Smart phone but..........

03-02-2011, 12:45 PM	#7
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	a push button phone like I have is far more accurate and much faster for entering text than your droid. Hence the reason blackberries have not dropped the keyboard yet.

03-02-2011, 01:56 PM	#9
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	One of my main requirements for an e-reader was the ease of making annotations as I am almost constantly writing notes. Although the physical keyboard on the Kindle may look clunky to some, the fact that it is always there is a favorable feature IMHO. I like not needing to go through a menu in order for the touch screen keyboard to appear.

03-02-2011, 02:12 PM	#10
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I like the keyboard on my Kindle. It comes in handy for taking notes and using the store. I am not a huge fan of touchscreens. I don't think it is rational or irrational, I think it is personal preference. boswd and I have had this conversation privatly more then once. Just because you prefer one technology to another does not mean that you are behind the times or challenged. It means you prefer one technology over the other. I don't like touchscreens, I like keyboards. There is nothing wrong with that and I am more then a bit tired of the stupid rotary phone comparison.

03-02-2011, 03:15 PM	#11
hughes Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 1006020 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Akron, OH USA Device: Kindle PW, Galaxy Nexus, iPad 1	If all other factors were equal, for any device more portable than a laptop, I'd take increased screen space and a touch screen over a separate physical keyboard of miniature size. My thinking is that for anything more than incidental typing, I'm heading to my laptop or desktop anyway, but reading and browsing are greatly enhanced by a larger screen.

03-02-2011, 03:31 PM	#12
mcrmama Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 16806 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo Aura One	I much prefer touch screen. I do all my page turns with the touch screen on my Sony and am enjoying reading now. It is such a nice reading experience and feels more like reading a book. I find if I use buttons, I don't enjoy it as much and notice the flash a lot more so I don't get into the book as much noticing the device a lot more.

03-02-2011, 04:36 PM	#14
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	I'm in the touchscreen camp--I love the interface of my 650! In truth, I'm not that thrilled with the separate LCD touchscreen on my nook-classic. It seems clunky and unintuitive--even after having owned and used the nook for eight months now. I've never used a Kindle, but I'm pretty sure I'd much prefer the keyboard on that to the nook's separate touchscreen. dordale

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