New Kobo Aura HD eInk eReader 1440x1080

[PeterT]

In my case my parents finally broke down and bought a TV to stop me reading... Did it work? Not at all!

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Feher

Calculating by just the screen size, aura HD offers 28.4% more screen space.
6.8" and 6" are diagonal lengths. So to make comparison between these screen sizes, we apply this approximate method = (6.8 x 6.8)/ (6 x 6) = 1.28444

Also higher resolution means that smaller font will be more crisp & clear.
So we will be able to read comfortably about 30-40% more amount of text than a 6 inch ereader

What's the point of a larger display when such a large amount of blank space is left at the bottom?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Skydog

What's the point of a larger display when such a large amount of blank space is left at the bottom?

That's kind of what I've been asking myself right now. The top of the page is so close to the top that you get a shadow over the first line of text from the bezel, but on the book I'm testing things with right now there's a variable 1/2" to 1" from the last line of text to the bottom of the screen that's just blank except for the page counter (which only takes one line).

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

That's kind of what I've been asking myself right now. The top of the page is so close to the top that you get a shadow over the first line of text from the bezel, but on the book I'm testing things with right now there's a variable 1/2" to 1" from the last line of text to the bottom of the screen that's just blank except for the page counter (which only takes one line).

There will always be some fixed space at the bottom where the page number is, but the space at the top can be adjusted by setting the page margins, and the variable space at the bottom removed by setting orphans/widows to zero, in the book's .css stylesheet.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

There will always be some fixed space at the bottom where the page number is, but the space at the top can be adjusted by setting the page margins, and the variable space at the bottom removed by setting orphans/widows to zero, in the book's .css stylesheet.

That'll probably be fine for me personally in the long run, but right now I'm working on a review and a lot of the readers aren't the type who are going to want to have to tweak things (of course they also might not care about the space anyway). I'm actually probably fine with the top margin I'm getting it's just that things look extra out of whack because of the large bottom space and from what I'm reading from others even if the variable space bottom deal isn't an issue there's still a huge amount of space at the bottom (the pages counter only takes up one line).

[AnemicOak]

OK, I did widows and orphans set to zero and it's definitely better (got two more lines of text) than the variable space. Attached are before and afters of the same page (sorry for the cruddy pics). I assume the still pretty large space in the after pic is what I have to learn to live with?

[Feher]

Originally Posted by Skydog

What's the point of a larger display when such a large amount of blank space is left at the bottom?

Good sales of this product will cause competition to launch a product with same screen size and resolution. Then we both shall buy the product which doesn't leave blank space at the bottom.So i support this product with my soul

If everyone complains about this issue to Kobo then they might rectify it in their firmware update

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I did widows and orphans set to zero and it's definitely better (got two more lines of text) than the variable space. Attached are before and afters of the same page (sorry for the cruddy pics). I assume the still pretty large space in the after pic is what I have to learn to live with?

The space in the second picture still looks bigger than it does on my Glo, but I use a larger font where there would not be enough room to fit another line of text without touching the page number, so it might just be a matter of proportion.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I did widows and orphans set to zero and it's definitely better (got two more lines of text) than the variable space. Attached are before and afters of the same page (sorry for the cruddy pics). I assume the still pretty large space in the after pic is what I have to learn to live with?

It is still too large and odd looking with the disproportionate margins. It's o.k. on the Mini but that would drive me nuts on any of their larger ereaders. With a custom compact font installed on my PW I bet I have the same number of words per page displayed and it looks far better. And why should one have to manually edit every epub to improve formatting? (and it still doesn't look good)

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I did widows and orphans set to zero and it's definitely better (got two more lines of text) than the variable space. Attached are before and afters of the same page (sorry for the cruddy pics). I assume the still pretty large space in the after pic is what I have to learn to live with?

I don't know whether you will have to get used to it, as I have seen some files with text farther down proportionately on my Mini.

Being curious I selected two paper books at random and found one to be very uniform and the other to have very uneven bottom margins. gaaps of as much as 2 inches mid paragraph no less.

I doubt I would have noticed if I was not looking for a particular reason.

Anyway post us a link to your review when it is finished.

Helen

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Feher

Good sales of this product will cause competition to launch a product with same screen size and resolution. Then we both shall buy the product which doesn't leave blank space at the bottom.So i support this product with my soul

I hope you are right!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

OK, I did widows and orphans set to zero and it's definitely better (got two more lines of text) than the variable space. Attached are before and afters of the same page (sorry for the cruddy pics). I assume the still pretty large space in the after pic is what I have to learn to live with?

Others have commented, but tap the middle of the screen and bring the bottom menu up. The line across is the bottom of the text area. The gap there is the one you can affect with changes to fonts and spacing.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Others have commented, but tap the middle of the screen and bring the bottom menu up. The line across is the bottom of the text area. The gap there is the one you can affect with changes to fonts and spacing.

I guess I still don't understand. I can't think of any other reader or app that does things this way and they all work perfectly fine. I know some of it is just getting used to a new setup (took me awhile to get used to my first Kindle when coming from a Sony 505), I'm just struggling with it right now and trying to make sense of things.


I've tried all of the different fonts. I've increased the size up and down. Nothing is changing the size of that space. I like the page just the way it is for the most part, it's just that the big 'white space' is distracting me.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I've tried all of the different fonts. I've increased the size up and down. Nothing is changing the size of that space. I like the page just the way it is for the most part, it's just that the big 'white space' is distracting me.

It is actually a rather minor thing. I would suggest setting that issue aside and trying to actually enjoy the device. (Well, the widow/orphan bit isn't so minor. But the extra space that's left open for the toolbar is.)

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I guess I still don't understand. I can't think of any other reader or app that does things this way and they all work perfectly fine. I know some of it is just getting used to a new setup (took me awhile to get used to my first Kindle when coming from a Sony 505), I'm just struggling with it right now and trying to make sense of things.

Lots of applications have a status bar across the bottom of the screen/window. That is what this is. But, because Kobo they doesn't draw a line across the top of this area, it is hard to see where the text area finishes and where the status area starts. They also use it for the bottom menu, which does have a line across it. That is why suggested opening the menu. The line will show the bottom of the text area. I use that as guide to work out there is any vertical space I can reclaim.

Apart from permanent page display, which I want, I think Kobo reserve this area because of the highlighting function. When this is active, a menu is displayed and doesn't cover any of the text. That means that while using this function, all the text on the page is visible and can be selected.

But, I do think Kobo could reduce the size of this area. My largish fingers need a bit of room for the icons, but reducing it by about a third should work.

I've tried all of the different fonts. I've increased the size up and down. Nothing is changing the size of that space. I like the page just the way it is for the most part, it's just that the big 'white space' is distracting me.

I don't have an AuraHD to test with. On the Glo, I can get the gap between the last line of text and the line mentioned above to be less then a line of text. This is by setting the top and bottom margins for the paragraphs and page to zero. On some pages it is a little bigger or smaller, but that is because something on the page was a bit bigger. Usually this is the heading, or a break in the text.