Finding Your Book Interrupted ... By the Tablet You Read It On

[heySkippy]

Weird, I have no problems at all reading books on my iPad. In fact, I love it.

[LuvReadin]

I think it's likely those people are just more prone to distractions. Anyone who wants to read, and do little else but read will buy an ereader because it doesn't need a backlight. Anyone who buys a tablet almost certainly won't be buying it primarily for reading, and therefore will be more likely to respond to the distractions.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by vxf

I just don't get it. If you can't focus, the problem is not your tablet.

Bingo! Don't blame your short attention span on the tablet, that's all on you.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by sabredog

Yep, half a dozen pop ups that all need to be closed informing you about incoming new emails, an SMS, a face book notification, the latest cricket score and putting the rubbish out, can really make you focus.....not

Sorry, when I read an ebook I use a device that lets me read without pop ups. I do not see a dead tree book popping up an alert that the book spine is coming apart or not to dog ear the page. USE a bookmark!...

I've got a tablet. And I don't get popups for new emails, sms, facebook, twitter, etc. Those can be turned off...

But lately I'm more distracted by the inside of my eyelids than the inside of my tablet...

[JDK1962]

Originally Posted by LuvReadin

I think it's likely those people are just more prone to distractions. Anyone who wants to read, and do little else but read will buy an ereader because it doesn't need a backlight. Anyone who buys a tablet almost certainly won't be buying it primarily for reading, and therefore will be more likely to respond to the distractions.

I bought my Samsung Galaxy Pad 10.1 explicitly to read PDFs, after a year of trying and failing to get a worthwhile PDF reading experience on my Kindle 3. So far--about a month in--I've not set up an email account on it. I've settled on Aldiko for reading PDFs and am loving it.

The most distracting thing on the tablet is Google Sky Map ("Look! I can see the galaxy...on my Galaxy!" )

I agree with the previous poster...if you're distracted while reading, it's you and the environment you've created. To get all literary: Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand.

[tdonline]

This is why I haven't rooted my Nook Touch.

I do not have a tablet and do not need one. But now that I no longer have a smartphone I wouldn't mind having a device where I can check my email, google maps and subway info while I'm out and about/traveling. And I would be able to do those things with a rooted Nook. But I'm wary with messing with my perfect and pure reading device...

[Nexutix]

Originally Posted by JDK1962

If you're distracted while reading, it's you and the environment you've created.

100% True. Mark these golden words.

[ucfgrad93]

One of the reasons I really love my Kindle is that it does one thing only. I've tried the browser and it is so bad that I am pretty much never tempted to use it.

[azazel1024]

Yeah, reading on my ipad2 is more distracting than my nook touch. One of the reasons why I am reading a bit more now and much happier reading since I got my NT. The iPad2 was/is okay, but the backlight/LCD tends to give me eye strain after about an hour or so of reading, especially in dim light, which I don't get from the nook touch and especially if I have an internet connection up where I am reading, it is too tempting to check my email or the news or whatnot every once in awhile.

[azazel1024]

Originally Posted by ucfgrad93

One of the reasons I really love my Kindle is that it does one thing only. I've tried the browser and it is so bad that I am pretty much never tempted to use it.

I do wish that the nook touch had an email client you could use over wifi. I don't need, need, need to check email on it in general, but it would be nice for those times I am going away somewhere for a few days or a week and don't want to bother bring my ipad2, to still be able to access and send emails in some limited capacity.

[MrsJoseph]

I disagree somewhat about it being the reader's fault they are distracted.

I'm a very focused reader - to the point where I tune everything out. I can do this with a DTB and with my Kobo.

But when I'm out waiting in line or something and I pull up a book on my iPhone...I am constantly barraged by notifications. And even if I (try to) ignore them - they are still a distraction. Here's a text message, an email, etc. Shoot! My Kobo app even pops up notifications! (You're reading a new book! Touch here to view Kobo Pulse!)

I ended up turning off the Pulse (which Kobo turns right back on every time I have to update the app), removing the email notifications and disabling all the push notifications from my other apps, etc. (I still get the texts) But it is still rather distracting. I can only imagine it gets worse with a tablet.

[calibrated]

The thing I most love about my Kindle Fire is that it's a multifunction device, and therefore I have fewer things to schlep around with me all day. But when I want to read, I read. If I was too distracted by other stuff, I'd shut off the wifi, but that hasn't been an issue.

Don't blame your device for your own short attention span.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I ended up turning off the Pulse (which Kobo turns right back on every time I have to update the app), removing the email notifications and disabling all the push notifications from my other apps, etc. (I still get the texts) But it is still rather distracting. I can only imagine it gets worse with a tablet.

It is better with a tablet because you don't get phone calls and texts, so once you've disabled notifications there is nothing left to pop up.

[Penforhire]

Ease of dictionary look-up is an advantage. I use Sony's double-tap method regularly and its break in my reading is far less than using a printed dictionary.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Ease of dictionary look-up is an advantage. I use Sony's double-tap method regularly and its break in my reading is far less than using a printed dictionary.

Likewise - I can't read without having the dictionary look-up. I don't see this as an interruption to my reading, but an enhancement.

Plus I read a lot of historical "classic" literature so that my reading on a dedicated ereader is often interrupted by my having to stop & look up something on Wikipedia or Google - Victorian British slang, a painting mentioned in conversation, older geographical names, etc. The Kindle Fire is small enough that I keep it with me even if I am reading on my Kindle3 - so I can rapidly look up references - in color! Without having to leave the page I'm reading!