A decent iBooks overview/review

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Tamara

My gripe with e-ink is I need a lot of light to read it and I don't really enjoy having a 60 watt light over my shoulder to read comfortably.

Do you find the same thing when reading paper books too?

[charleski]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Shame about the resolution, but it's not unexpected. I wonder how Apple is using subpixel rendering on the iPad. If it's anything like what they have in OS X (Quartz), I think it'll be less than ideal (a bit on the fuzzy side). Better for designing/printing, but not as good for on-screen reading with limited resolution.

Several examinations of the display have shown the iPhone doesn't use sub-pixel rendering. This might be related to the need to render text in both portrait and landscape modes. Since the iPhone has a resolution roughly similar to 6" eInk devices this is generally tolerable, but will look a bit nasty on a 132dpi device.

Quartz greyscale rendering is OK once you get used to it. Just as with ClearType, getting the best result requires using the right sort of font. The same is true in printing: fonts designed for letterpress don't work correctly on offset litho.

The larger screen size will help a bit. The get an acceptable measure on my 505 I need to use type that's 2.1mm high - that produces a line length of around 56 characters, which is a bit less than the ideal of 66, but is usable. Obviously on a larger screen the same measure can be achieved with larger characters. Those who think the larger screen will mean they can cram more type on the page will end up with nasty-looking characters though.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by Crowl

Do you find the same thing when reading paper books too?

Not to the extreme that I had to go to to read comfortably with the Sony. With a paper book, I can read comfortably with the 13 watt CFL light on my nightstand. With the Sony, I had to clip my bright craft light to the headboard to illuminate the screen (did not go over well with hubby).

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by Tamara

We don't know yet about an app for the iPhone/Touch. If you look at the iBooks app in the iTunes store, there is a reference there that iPhone needs OS 3.2 to download.

Hope springs infernal.

Edit: Just over at Paidcontent.org, where there's an article http://paidcontent.org/article/419-a...its-ipad-only/ saying that Apple is not going to have a crossplatform iBooks app, not even one for the iPhone/Touch.

My mind is boggling. Trying to figure out why this would be so, & the only thing I'm thinking is that Apple somehow believes that having an iBooks reader app on the Touch would cannibalize iPad sales. Which would accord much more importance, in Apple's eyes, to the iBook app than seems possible - particularly given that iBooks is not even a permanent app delivered with the iPad itself.

This practically assures that for the foreseeable future, the Kindle App will rule on iPad. Which also makes no sense.

Certainly, anyone with a T/iP will always first look to Amazon for a book, before turning to iBooks.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by Harmon

Hope springs infernal.

This practically assures that for the foreseeable future, the Kindle App will rule on iPad. Which also makes no sense.

I find the Kindle app sorely lacking for the iPhone. Stanza is a much nicer app for reading.

[tyche]

Just watched another review of iBooks which really shows all the ins and outs of that app. I have to say, it's pretty amazing. All comes down to good software which for whatever reason, Apple keeps showing up competitors.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by Tamara

I find the Kindle app sorely lacking for the iPhone. Stanza is a much nicer app for reading.

I totally agree. But the kindle app combo for the iPad and iPhone beats the heck out of the apple situation where iBooks has no iPhone reader.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

I don't subscribe to the pinkie school of etiquette.

But you do subscribe to the "I hate everything" school of thought.