Oh no! The phone's winning...

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

Unless one has some sort of serious eye complaint it is having the screen too bright that causes problems.

Not necessarily. I always have the brightness turned way down on all my devices (except my e-ink Kindles - they have their frontlights at middle levels) and I have generally no problems doing various things on LCD screens for hours - except reading a book. That requires more focusing than my other activities and my eyes tire in a little while. It doesn't happen with e-ink screens.

Certainly there are many people who have no problems whatsoever reading books on LCD screens. But there are also many people who do have problems. And it's not always (or I believe even in the majority of cases) the brightness.

[Blossom]

It's winning here too.

I got a free phone a few months back. It's a Alcatel PixiGlory I never expected it to replace my Kobo eReader or beloved Firephone but it has. Like you I read with Moon+ Pro. It has 5.5 inch screen. It's the perfect size. High PPI and easy to hold in one hand. No distractions because that's all I use it for is to read. I disabled everything else.

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[patrickt]

I always ha9 such as waiting in line at the post office, I'll read on my phone.
99.9% of my reading is on a Kindle. I can't remember the last time I read a paper book that wasn't a photography book.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

Unless one has some sort of serious eye complaint it is having the screen too bright that causes problems.

The better reading apps for phones/tablets/PCs include both good and easy control of brightness and of color (which does not mean one has to have dramatic colors just that one can introduce, for example, a light tint to the background so that it is more paper like). The eye will accommodate to quite low levels as people who travel regularly from low latitudes to high latitude winters know (to say much beyond 50 degrees N or S); the eyes accommodate but then one goes to take a photo and wonders why the exposure is so long.

Reflective displays such as E Ink are just not capable of high brightnesses even if artificially front lit, as they are very inefficient reflectors (compare with the reflection of light from a mirror or polished chromium plated surface, for example).

Even IT pros can get caught out with brightness on displays. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a case where one complained of developing headaches and it had got to the stage where he was quite worried and tried various things (eliminating various foods, been to an optician, for example) and was about to go to the doctor expecting a brain tumor. I suggested to him to check his monitor as the headaches started occurring after he had started working in a new client's office on one of their workstations, but he was insistent it would not be that as it did not look bright. However, in the end he turned the brightness down, his eyes accommodated the lower level so he did not notice the difference, and his headaches disappeared immediately.

When I tried using my phone as an ereader I was careful to adjust the brightness as low as was usable but still ended up with eyestrain. I know that many people have no problem reading on LCD but I'm not the only Mobilereader who couldn't make it work. I can use my phone for brief reading but will continue to rely on e-ink for longer sessions.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by rcentros

It's probably partly (at least) the high contrast that makes LCD screens uncomfortable for extended reading sessions. I don't know why, I just know what is — I can read for hours with eInk devices without eye fatigue and I can't do that with LCD devices.

No problem here. The only two places where an e-reader is still better, are:

- ultra-bright direct sunlight (my current phone can cope with 95% of outdoor situates or so, but sometimes I have to find a somewhat shaded place)

- battery life (this is becoming less of an issue, as my current phone can go for about two days, and I basically charge it overnight. And in situations where I know I'll be navigating a lot using Google Maps, I bring a power bank anyway.)

So as I said, I'm looking into using my phone when on the go, and a 10.x inch tablet with side-by-side pages when at home, just to have more text on screen. (Even the 400-500 grams of weight of a current-day tablet is a lot less than one of my hard covers, and it's still smaller and thinner too). If I go that route, I'll be using Moon+Pro's sync through DropBox/G-Drive functionality.

For the next few weeks/months I'll stick to the phone, however, as my GF and I will still be using Whatsapp in the evening to talk about our day and/or plan our dates, and as a Whatsapp account can only used with one device, it'd still be switching from my tablet to phone and back again.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

Blue light is bad for your eyes. So if you get early MD you will only be listening to audio books....we constantly stare at blue light all day...(tv, interior lights and just about any light) do you really want to stare at your phone 24/7??

None of my monitors or screens emit a lot of blue light.

I was in photography from 2003 to 2014, and therefore I got to appreciate 6500K screens as the top of the color temperature range. All of my screens are set, or even calibrated, to 6500K for day use. When using screens in the evening, they're warmer, dropping down to 5000K or sometimes less.

I've been using warm-white and/or yellowish screen settings YEARS before Sunset Mode / Night Mode / Save your eyes was made a hype by f.lux in 2009-10, and before OS-es included them by default.

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's winning here too.

I got a free phone a few months back. It's a Alcatel PixiGlory I never expected it to replace my Kobo eReader or beloved Firephone but it has. Like you I read with Moon+ Pro. It has 5.5 inch screen. It's the perfect size. High PPI and easy to hold in one hand. No distractions because that's all I use it for is to read. I disabled everything else.

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

It's the first thing I do. I disable everything on every phone/tablet I've owned, as soon as it came out of the box. I removed all software I don't use. Therefore I actually prefer phones running stock Android, and have good update policies; that's the reason why I use and recommend Nokia nowadays.

Spoiler:

HMD created a master strategy here: a company created by old Nokia phone division employees, right NEXT to Nokia itself, in Finland (So they can say "Designed in Finland, assembled in China" instead of "Made in China"), then it bought all the Nokia rights from Microsoft/Nokia. Now they build phones like a tank, running stock Android, and as soon as an update is released, each and every phone will get it witin a month or so. Also, the phones perform well, and don't cost €1000; something like a Nokia 6 2018 (or Nokia 6.1) starts at around €239, and you'll get a very good phone for that money.

On a new computer, the first thing I do is blast Windows to smithereens (after making a full disk image first just to be sure) and install it from scratch using an ISO downloaded from Microsoft.

[patrickt]

Whatever works for you is fine. For me, the phone will never overtake the Kindle for reading. For starters, I don't consider checking the news as "reading" any more than I consider looking at the road signs as I drive to be "reading." I have some "news" apps on my phone but I rarely look at them.

For reading a book, it's always my Kindle. If it's not in my pocket it's in my daypack--in an outside pocket--and I take it out and read. I read while I eat lunch and I read on the Kindle while I wait for an appointment with people who really don't understand the concept of appointment.

My phone is very useful and even being deaf and not listening on the phone I'm glad I have it. But, for "reading"? No. Won't happen.

[Katsunami]

To some extent, I like the KA1/e-reader better, when outside. The phone can cope, but the e-reader is better. Still, I notice myself grabbing my phone more often because it's in my pocket instead of my bag, and because it's smaller. For very short reading times (under 15 minutes), I often didn't bother taking out the KA1, but I've noticed I will grab my phone and then read a book instead of reading websites.

[kyrilson]

I also find that I'm using my phone more and more for reading. I've never had any issues with eye strain or anything like that with LCD/OLED screens. I have a Samsung S8 with a 5.8 inch screen and mainly use Moon+ Reader Pro on it. Black with white text is also how I usually read on it. The phone itself has a blue light filter built in, which is always on as I prefer the warmer colors that result from keeping it on.

I do also use a Kindle Oasis and Kindle Voyage at times, depending on the situation.. But I think the majority of the reading ends up being done on the phone due to convenience and the fact that I always have it on me.

So I agree Katsunami! The phone is a fantastic reader.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by kyrilson

So I agree Katsunami! The phone is a fantastic reader.

It is becoming such, since the screens are capable of dealing with bright conditions (at least in 95% of the situations), and the battery actually lasts two days. (Though I have to say I'm not a heavy user. I don't have any software running in the background apart from push e-mail and Whatsapp. No twitter, instagram, facebook....)

[Sweetpea]

I even have a Yotaphone 2, but I never read books on my phones. And almost never on my tablets.

It's not that the screen isn't good enough (both e-ink and amoled are perfect for reading), it's that the screen of a phone is simply too small. And if I can read on my tablet, why not read on my One instead?

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Still, I notice myself grabbing my phone more often because it's in my pocket instead of my bag, and because it's smaller.

Both are generally in my bag, and my One is easier to grab than my phone because the phone is smaller Besides, on my One, I only need to turn it on and I can start reading. My phone, I need to turn on, find the icon for the app, and then wait till it's started before I can read.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I even have a Yotaphone 2, but I never read books on my phones. And almost never on my tablets.

It's not that the screen isn't good enough (both e-ink and amoled are perfect for reading), it's that the screen of a phone is simply too small. And if I can read on my tablet, why not read on my One instead?

A 10.5 inch tablet gives you two 7.2 inch pages in landscape mode.

Even larger than the ONE

Both are generally in my bag, and my One is easier to grab than my phone because the phone is smaller Besides, on my One, I only need to turn it on and I can start reading. My phone, I need to turn on, find the icon for the app, and then wait till it's started before I can read.

With (at least) my phone and Moon+Pro, I can just unlock the phone with the fingerprint reader, and I'm right back in the book again, assuming I locked the phone with Moon+Pro on the display.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

A 10.5 inch tablet gives you two 7.2 inch pages in landscape mode.

Even larger than the ONE

But the only 10" tablet I have is waaaaaay too heavy for comfortable reading (Surface Pro 2). Beside that one, I have an 8" (16:10) Dell tablet and an 8.4" (4:3) Asus tablet. While reading on the Asus tablet works very nicely, I still prefer my One (besides, my One is always with me, the Asus is generally at home, and the Dell, while always with me, simply turns off too slowly).

The Surface Go is a nice device if you prefer a larger screen though... Me, I'll wait for the Lenovo Book C930

[Katsunami]

The tablet I'm considering for reading at home is the Samsung Tab A 10.5 inch, 2018 version. (Even though I dislike Samsung as a brand... it's the only tablet that has been recently released, and has Android 8.1.)

It comes in at 529 grams, 26cm wide, 16.1cm high, and 0.8cm thick.

Let's say that this is A LOT smaller and lighter than something like my illustrated LotR:

IIRC, it weighs in at 1600 grams, and according to Amazon sizes it should be 34cm wide, 26cm high, and 3.4cm thick when opened in the middle.

Compare:
Tablet: 529 grams. 26 x 16 x 0.8
Book: 1600 grams. 34 x 26 x 3.4

Y U complain about tablet size?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The tablet I'm considering for reading at home is the Samsung Tab A 10.5 inch, 2018 version. (Even though I dislike Samsung as a brand... it's the only tablet that has been recently released, and has Android 8.1.)

It comes in at 529 grams, 26cm wide, 16.1cm high, and 0.8cm thick.

Let's say that this is A LOT smaller and lighter than something like my illustrated LotR:

IIRC, it weighs in at 1600 grams, and according to Amazon sizes it should be 34cm wide, 26cm high, and 3.4cm thick when opened in the middle.

Compare:
Tablet: 529 grams. 26 x 16 x 0.8
Book: 1600 grams. 34 x 26 x 3.4

Y U complain about tablet size?

Well, I've never been a fan of hardcovers and almost never bought them, except non-fiction books with large color photos. Hardcovers are hellishly uncomfortable to read, imho.

So yep, a tablet weighing 500 grams or even 300 grams is way too heavy.