Asking you about the ideal ebook reader app

[codeflakes]

Hi everyone,

I'm a iPhone developer and a long time ebook reader user.

I developed a page flip component for the iphone PaperTouch API video here that I would like to use in a ebook reader app.

Well my question is simple. Do you think it's a god idea? Does it adds value compared to a more classical flat view representation and what feature would you like to see the most in a app like this?

Thanks for your help

[kjk]

Its a gorgeous animated effect. I guess the question for me is:
1) does it affect battery life? I turn a lot of pages
2) does the speed (or lack thereof) just end up making me turn it off after a while.

For the record, I do use Stanza's page turn animation now, but set at a pretty quick speed, because I read pretty fast. I used to use just the slide page turn, which is faster, but I do like a bit of eye-candy with my reading experience, it just makes the whole experience more enjoyable to me. But I know a lot of people just want to read without the distractions

Looking forward to your eBook reader app-can always have one more

What I want in an iPhone reader:
1) Full ePub support

2) Multiple page turn options-for example, I have Stanza set to turn pages forward on BOTH edges of the screen, because I rarely go backwards, and I can switch hands while reading while still operating it with one hand. I don't mind using the slower "swipe" if I have to go backwards (and as a usability issue-we did research that showed that most people barely used the page back button when they read-I don't remember the percentage, but it was pretty significant)

3) Well, actually, if you nail those two features down, I'm pretty content

[Leep]

I think it's really fun, but it looks like the spine takes up area on the left of the screen that would make the text area even smaller. That would be a real disadvantage since it's already such a small viewing area.

I too, prefer Stanza for reading ebooks on my iTouch.

cheers

[codeflakes]

Thanks for you inputs, sorry I've been really busy and did not have time to answer earlier
but your comments are very valuable to me. Just a few comments:

- Flip speed could be increased, I agree that a VERY important factor.
- Battery life, honestly I never tested it but there is no refesh when page isn't moving so I guess effects will be minimum.
- Spine area can be of course hidden, we show it in the video as a demo

[Yoshi 1080]

I think the normal animated page turns in other reader softwares are sufficient and frankly I don't see any advantage in more realistic animations. On the contrary, I could even imagine this to be annoying, when you have to specifically drag one corner to another to turn pages. In Stanza or Kindle, I just have to gently swipe to the left and it changes the page, no matter if this movement would have sufficed on a real book.

[codeflakes]

The irony is that I agree with you Yoshi 1080. But I've been wrong before about the importance of eye candies in application.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by codeflakes

The irony is that I agree with you Yoshi 1080. But I've been wrong before about the importance of eye candies in application.

I think the misconception about "eye-candy" is that it is always useless unless it has a specific quantifiable function. The problem with eye-candy is when it hinders a functionality, or tries to mask an inadequacy with fireworks. But looking good, and being innovative, and having fun, are all good things, in my opinion, as long as it doesn't get in the way of what I want to do.

But, I use a Mac, so, I'm biased in that direction