Paper Books or Ebooks

[Sandman87]

Something to add to my big list (above) of reasons why I like paper:

 

• I can read a physical book at bedtime without having to worry as much that it will keep me awake.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Sandman87

[Darian]

 

Something to add to my big list (above) of reasons why I like paper:

 

• I can read a physical book at bedtime without having to worry as much that it will keep me awake.

 

That's only for backlit readers.  

[Splash]

I will never stop buying physical books, but I've found that I used my Paperwhite much more now.  I do probably 80% of my reading before bed and it was becoming more and more difficult for me to read in bed.  I could never get comfortable and was having to close my book in order to switch positions every 10 pages or so, which is very annoying and disrupts the flow of a book.

 

That said, I have hundreds of books and one of my goals this year it to read more of them, so I might look around for a comfortable reading chair instead of trying to read on the couch.

[callie lee 29]

Both! I find that books I know I'm not going to reread or books I have a passing interest in I do the ereader, but books I know I'll reread (short stories) or reference I buy in hardback. Ereaders are great when you're traveling or on vacation.

[funkopop]

I definitely prefer physical books.  I have a nook but with the amount of time I spend on computers and my phone I really relish the time where I can shut off the electronics and read a book.

[Miss Dee]

I prefer a paper book in almost all situations. That said, there's a big exception made for travelling - I like to have some favorites on the iPad so I'll always have something to read. I want to own those favorites in paper as well, though, for when I'm home.

I find books (paper or electronic) expensive, so I rarely buy something that's untested. Most of the ebooks I own are the free classics. So for new material either I leave a list for my husband to get out of the library (he's involved with the local board and delights in finding me things), or it goes on the Christmas list. Therefore most of my library reading is paper books.

There's something to be said for the environmental aspect of switching to ebooks, though. Think of all the books that must get tossed as junk every year.

[Archery]

I love my Kindle for many reasons.  I love the privacy of it: I could be reading LITERATURE! or re-reading an old Star Trek novel.  Nobody knows. 

 

But, if I'm going to read a thick book -- like I'm reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin -- I want the paper book. It should be the other way around, 'cuz that book is heavy, but for some reason, I need to feel the heft of it, and gauge how much further I have to go (the percentage counter in the bottom corner doesn't do it fo me).

[AuntiePam]

I've discovered another benefit of e-books over paper -- for certain books anyway.

 

I've tried several times to read Steven Erikson's Malazan Empire series.  The books are huge and Erikson's writing is dense. There are no wasted words, and you can't skim -- everything is important.

 

So when I was reading the hardcovers, I'd be looking at two pages of print, and I'd be conscious of how many pages were left.  It was very intimidating.  I tried to force myself to slow down, but there was too much pressure -- all those words and all those pages.

 

But on the Kindle, the pages are small.  I don't have to force myself to slow down.  I can read without pressure.  Lucky for me, the Kindle versions are available on Kindle Matchbook for $2.99. 

[Petunia13]

I thought for sure there'd be a poll at the top. Put the poll : (

Anyways PAPER baby!

[Bastet]

I already spend far too much of my life staring at a screen, and I read better on paper (I cringe at the waste, but I have to print out my "final" draft of any document before submitting it, because I inevitably find at least one error on that first read-through of the paper version that I didn't catch in any of my reviews of the electronic version), so I don't have an e-reader.  Plus, books were such a huge part of my childhood that there's something comforting in the familiarity.

 

But I think it might be nice to have an e-reader for when I'm traveling for an extended time.  For a quick trip, it's no problem to toss a book or two into my bag, and even on journeys of several weeks it's not much of a bother not to have one since I just pick up and leave behind (I'll drop off at a library, used bookstore, hospital, etc.) books as I go since it would take up too much space and add too much weight to pack a bunch of books at the outset.  

 

But an e-reader might be a nice alternative under those circumstances.  Which one is easiest on the eyes, in terms of glare?  I already have a special pair of glasses for when I'm using the computer -- my usual prescription plus some sort of anti-glare technology, coating, whatever they do -- and I'd use those to read on this kind of electronic device as well, but I'd also like to cut down the problem at its source. 

Edited May 16, 2015 by Bastet

[Darian]

 But an e-reader might be a nice alternative under those circumstances.  Which one is easiest on the eyes, in terms of glare?  I already have a special pair of glasses for when I'm using the computer -- my usual prescription plus some sort of anti-glare technology, coating, whatever they do -- and I'd use those to read on this kind of electronic device as well, but I'd also like to cut down the problem at its source. 

I have a Nook Glowlight and for ease of reading, it beats my desktop, laptop, tablet, phone and paper books. It's e-ink technology so there is no glare. I can read it the brightest sunlight and because I can light the screen when I need to I can read in the dark. I'm not recommending one e-reader over another (I may get an Amazon ereader someday though I look my Nook), but I am recommending a dedicated e-reader. I went to the store to physically play with various ereaders and tablets to see what would work for me (I have some weird problems, like one eye tracks side-to-side slower than the other so the shorter width of text really helps as does the ability to choose fonts and sizes), but overall it's just so much easier to read on an ereader. No more headaches. At stores, I even held readers up to the bright natural light at the window to see if it would be a problem. Some people pan "ereaders"  as hard to read on but they are usually talking about tablets or something else with a shiny screen. I'd go play with one and compare it to a tablet or phone.  

 

I take out a lot of library books, but also have a few hundred that I've bought, all on my reader at one time. Plus, because of other medical issues, it's easier for me to lightly touch the screen to change pages, but I have a lap cat, so occasionally the twitch of his tail with turn the page (but then I don't mess up my nails when my nail polish is still tacky with an ereader).   One thing I really love is that I don't worry bringing along too many duds on vacation or into the hospital--I can have dozens of books with me and if I don't want to read one, or can't get into one but want to come back to it, I just switch over to something new. I like being able to sort books into shelves (I'v got classics, library books, to-read, etc).Battery life is fantastic, too. I tend to forget to charge my reader, but when I plug into my PC to borrow library books (that's not wireless or I've not found how to do it, though buying is) I remember to check and let it charge then.        

[threebluestars]

I prefer real books and I still buy them for the authors I love, but I love being able to take almost my entire library with me on my Kobo Glo. I am considering upgrading to a Kobo Aura H2O because I love to read in the bathtub and it's waterproof.

 

I'm currently trying to replicate my entire library in epub format. It's pretty easy to find epubs for fiction, it's all my non-fiction that's really hard (and sometimes not worth it).

[GHScorpiosRule]

Up until 4 years ago, I looked my nose down on e-books; I love my hard covers and paper backs. BUT...I finally caved and got the Amazon Kindle, which has issues of its own, or rather the publishers, where when the books are reformated to e-book, there are so many typos, misspellings, & showing up in place of words, as well as numbers.  The worst transgression is the wrong word.

at

Example in the book, the line is "stop tarting yourself up" by a character's housekeeper to someone she'd raised, to help her with the cooking, since company was coming over; in the Kindle version, it shows up as "tarring yourself up." Not quite the same thing.

 

Now I get the Kindle version, warts and all, because I have Keratconus and can't see jack shit unless the hard, gas permeable lenses are in my eyes. I'd have to practically kiss my real books to read them, since the font is so small.

 

But I buy the hard cover books by only one author--my favorite. It's just a waste of money to buy the paper backs, considering my eyes.  And until I can afford to get a cornea transplant, that's the way to go for me.

[OakGoblinFly]

I already spend far too much of my life staring at a screen, and I read better on paper (I cringe at the waste, but I have to print out my "final" draft of any document before submitting it, because I inevitably find at least one error on that first read-through of the paper version that I didn't catch in any of my reviews of the electronic version), so I don't have an e-reader.  Plus, books were such a huge part of my childhood that there's something comforting in the familiarity.

 

But I think it might be nice to have an e-reader for when I'm traveling for an extended time.  For a quick trip, it's no problem to toss a book or two into my bag, and even on journeys of several weeks it's not much of a bother not to have one since I just pick up and leave behind (I'll drop off at a library, used bookstore, hospital, etc.) books as I go since it would take up too much space and add too much weight to pack a bunch of books at the outset.  

 

But an e-reader might be a nice alternative under those circumstances.  Which one is easiest on the eyes, in terms of glare?  I already have a special pair of glasses for when I'm using the computer -- my usual prescription plus some sort of anti-glare technology, coating, whatever they do -- and I'd use those to read on this kind of electronic device as well, but I'd also like to cut down the problem at its source. 

 

 

Nook and Kindle make really nice eReaders - just make sure you get one that uses e-ink technology; the LCD (Nook Color and Kindle Fire) versions are tablets, while nice for comics and magazines, are not the best for extended reading (at least for me).  Select the platform that works best for you.

 

I bought the first generation Kindle eons ago because I liked access to the Amazon store - I stayed with Kindle.

 

Regardless of which ereader you purchases, you can borrow books from your local library system and download lots of free books.  There are also websites dedicated to finding ebook deals based on your device and reading preferences (Book Bub being one).

 

I have paper books, a Kindle, and a tablet and I find I use all three for reading (though the majority is on the Kindle - since I use public transportation to commute to/from I like the portability of the Kindle)

[LJonEarth]

eBooks for me for everyday reading. If I really love a book, I'll go back and buy the physical copy.

 

I read on my phone, so there's never a time I don't have a book with me. I can read more comfortably in bed with my phone. I also don't have to worry about late fees, time, and gasoline driving to get a book.. I check mine out through my library.

[Babalu]

E-books most of the time for me, too. I was resistant to e-readers for quite a while, and still don't have a dedicated device, but I use iBooks on my iPad. As JinNashville said, I don't have to worry about how long it takes me to read them/getting them back to the library. I live on an island with very few bookstores and horrible traffic, so it's really convenient to browse an almost limitless selection on-line and have a new book within seconds. I bought several books at a second-hand store last month, but the last new hard-copy book I bought was last year (a biography of the Mitford sisters because I'd heard the e-version didn't have photos).

There are also a lot of free, classic books via iBooks and (through the Gutenberg project, etc.) the Kindle for iPad app.

Love the search feature (for example, when a character is mentioned and I can't remember who it is, I can easily find previous references) and being able easily to access the Internet to look up a word or a historical reference.

I still read the paper version of The New Yorker, though, even though it includes an e-subscription with additional content. Maybe that's why I do paper, in fact - I have a hard enough time keeping up as it is!

[wallflower75]

Packing for vacation used to involve a suitcase for clothes and a large bag full of books--which my dad used to grumble about.  Then in 2005, I first heard about ebook readers.  My first one was the eBookwise-1100, and I've never looked back.  I love ebook readers because they're handy, they're lightweight--I don't want to imagine having to lug around all of George R.R. Martin's works on vacation--and I can read them when I'm in the car on the way to our vacation destination whether it's night or day.

 

Now vacations involve a suitcase for clothes and a Kindle in my purse.  Dad still grumbles, though--he thinks all you need to take with you on vacation is a pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, and a few changes of underwear.

[cherrypj]

When I read a paper book, I miss the ability to define a word (who wants to bring a dictionary too?) or search (I often search for the first mention of a minor character's name: "Whozat?").

 

That said, reading on the phone isn't as good as a dedicated reader. The backlight is just too bright when you're in a dark room. Too bad I dropped my Kindle. 

[Kromm]

I already spend far too much of my life staring at a screen, and I read better on paper (I cringe at the waste, but I have to print out my "final" draft of any document before submitting it, because I inevitably find at least one error on that first read-through of the paper version that I didn't catch in any of my reviews of the electronic version), so I don't have an e-reader.  Plus, books were such a huge part of my childhood that there's something comforting in the familiarity.

 

But I think it might be nice to have an e-reader for when I'm traveling for an extended time.  For a quick trip, it's no problem to toss a book or two into my bag, and even on journeys of several weeks it's not much of a bother not to have one since I just pick up and leave behind (I'll drop off at a library, used bookstore, hospital, etc.) books as I go since it would take up too much space and add too much weight to pack a bunch of books at the outset.  

 

But an e-reader might be a nice alternative under those circumstances.  Which one is easiest on the eyes, in terms of glare?  I already have a special pair of glasses for when I'm using the computer -- my usual prescription plus some sort of anti-glare technology, coating, whatever they do -- and I'd use those to read on this kind of electronic device as well, but I'd also like to cut down the problem at its source. 

The "staring at the screen too much" concern is one I think given by people who confuse reading ebooks on a tablet, computer or phone with reading them on an optimized dedicated eBook reader.  Which have NO glare.  Zero.  My supposition is that most people who do confuse the two experiences, if they've seen or used eBooks at all, have only done so on platforms that are far from ideal for them.

 

Really it's not "ebooks vs. paper".  That's a misleading contest.  It's ebooks on a proper dedicated reader vs. ebooks on an inappropriate reader vs. paper.

 

Not that many people aren't perfectly happy reading on a tablet or even [shudder] on a phone, but they don't realize what they're doing to their eyes (which like all eyestrain is probably cumulative anyway).  Whereas even the older eInk dedicated readers don't have any glare issues.

 

It's about using the right tools for the right job.  Sure you can put words onto a shiny glowing screen and read them.  But for hours on end?  You really shouldn't be.  Whereas on a non-shiny non-glowing screen, it's essentially the same or better than paper, because other than some electricity being involved, it's the same thing--black words on a neutral off-white background, with no light being emitted.  You light it the same as a paper book (or if the unit has a light built into it, it shines on it from the sides, I think, rather than the way computer screens, TVs etc are all lit, pixel by pixel).

[Sharpie66]

That's why I'm thinking about getting the new Kindle whose price just dropped to $119 ($139 without ads)--from the reviews I've been reading, the quality of the letters is as close to reading an actual book as is currently available. I've got a tablet for my internet and videos (an old Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1), but for book reading, it really gives me a headache if I'm reading for more than an hour or so. Co-workers who have their own Kindles really like them a lot.

[Bastet]

The "staring at the screen too much" concern is one I think given by people who confuse reading ebooks on a tablet, computer or phone with reading them on an optimized dedicated eBook reader.  Which have NO glare.  Zero.

 

Cool.  I only have TVs and computer monitors - no tablets, smartphones, etc. - but those hurt my eyes after a period of time, so I figured any electronic screen would.  I think a friend of mine has a Kindle for when she travels; I’ll have to take a look at it next time I’m at her place.

[Sharpie66]

Here's a review of the new Kindle from Ars Technica.

[Kromm]

Cool.  I only have TVs and computer monitors - no tablets, smartphones, etc. - but those hurt my eyes after a period of time, so I figured any electronic screen would.  I think a friend of mine has a Kindle for when she travels; I’ll have to take a look at it next time I’m at her place.

If it's a Kindle Fire, then remember it's actually a Tablet, not a true eBook reader.  Make sure it's an actual Kindle eBook reader using eInk. Which I used to be able to explain by telling people "it's the black and white screens", but now there are apparently color eInk products coming in the future as well, so I guess I can't use that explanation anymore.

 

Basically the difference is this.  A traditional "electronic screen", as you've called them, is a glowing pixel of light, surrounded by millions of other glowing pixels of light, of varying colors and intensities. An eInk pixel is basically totally neutral (off) until you want an image there, then it uses a bit of electricity to move a little particle of dark material there if the pixel is needed (I suppose in the coming color ones they'll move multiple colors and combine them like paint on paper--but lets forget about the color ones for now since they aren't even being sold yet).  Then that's it.  No more electricity, no light being emitted. It's just either light or dark on that spot, on that pixel.  Obviously you can't really portray moving images this way, but that's why this is for static images--words, ideally.

Think of this: one of those old digital watches you may have seen as a kid. But instead of those huge segments making up each number on the watch, each "bit" of it is as tiny as the ones on a TV or computer monitor. And you can turn them all on ("black") or off ("white"--but really whatever the background material of the screen is). Or maybe you may have had something like an old Palm Pilot back in the day and remember the screens on those. Now improve those in your mind to the point where they have as many pixels as computer screens, and the contrast (and color differential) between the substrate (the background) and the "inked" portions is about the same as physical ink on physical paper. That's eInk.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Kromm

[cherrypj]

Kromm nails it.

 

You basically want to avoid light shining into your eyes. You want light shining on the words.

[Kromm]

Probably the biggest issue with the Kindles now (besides the difference between the tablet ones, the Fires) and the eInk ones is if you get a model with physical page turn buttons or touch screen page turning.  The default now seems to be the touch screen, but some people seem to really dislike that and miss the physical buttons. And even the physical buttons have had different positions on different models over the years.

 

The screens and contrast of them has gotten steadily better each year though. So if someone somehow endeavored to get an older model (maybe on eBay) with page turn buttons, they'd get a slightly inferior screen (although frankly even the older ones have no eyestrain--its just that the newer ones look even MORE like ink on paper).

 

There's also the issue of whether it comes with lighting options or not.  None of them are the "glowing pixels" we've talked about upthread that equate glare and eyestrain, but many of the newer models have a kind of LED side-lighting that's the equivalent to using a clip on book light (the same kind you might use on a physical book, but which people have also used with ereaders for years).

 

Best advice, at least for the newest models, is to go to a store that has them physically.  Staples used to.  I imagine they still probably do.  Usually on a display stand where you can power one up and actually try it out.

[OakGoblinFly]

Best advice, at least for the newest models, is to go to a store that has them physically.  Staples used to.  I imagine they still probably do.  Usually on a display stand where you can power one up and actually try it out.

 

 

Best Buy carries many of the Amazon eReaders and Fire Tablets ..... no price break there, but it is nice to "play" with the device before purchasing.  Also, B&N stores do have the Nooks (both readers and tablets) available to play with before purchase.

 

I'm a Kindle girl myself (mainly because I started out with the very first generation Kindle and have stuck with the brand) - I own both a Fire (great for magazines, comic books, and watching movies while on travel) and an eReader (perfect for longer reading sessions).  There is a place for both as well as physical books in my reading habits. 

Edited June 22, 2015 by OakGoblinFly

[SmithW6079]

For me, it's not an either/or situation. I like paper books, I like e-books. (And although it took me a long time, I like audio books too.)

 

I have a Kindle Paperwhite for e-books. I prefer having a dedicated book reader, because, as Kromm notes above, the e-ink technology means I can read it outside in bright light. I love discovering self-published authors (Andy Weir and Hugh Howey spring to mind), so that means the books are usually available as digital copies only. And there are some small digital publishers who only produce e-books. 

 

I also read paper books. I prefer paper when I'm reading a book that has maps or family trees or a list of characters, because I like to refer to them constantly. On an e-reader, the page you're reading is the only one you see at any one time, so maneuvering back and forth is annoying.

 

For traveling, nothing beats an e-reader. I can carry several books at once (although there are probably hundreds in my Kindle), so if I finish one, I can start another without carrying a new book, or if I get bored, I can read something else. 

 

I have also read books on my phone. It's not ideal, but it's not horrific either. A couple of years ago, I was in the hospital for about a week. My Kindle died the day after my surgery (at least I didn't!), but with the Kindle app on my phone and a supply of free e-books, I was content during my recovery.

 

I tend not to buy books (e- or otherwise), so I love free book listservs like Book Bub, and, of course, my local library. Nothing beats wandering the stacks, seeing what's there, and discovering something new (or old).

[crowswork]

I gave up and published my mystery/romance on Amazon-Kindle. If you aren't a known product print houses don't want to know you.

 

I prefer paper but what can you do? (Click my crow if you want to know the name.)

Edited September 18, 2015 by crowswork

[Crim]

There's also the issue of whether it comes with lighting options or not.  None of them are the "glowing pixels" we've talked about upthread that equate glare and eyestrain, but many of the newer models have a kind of LED side-lighting that's the equivalent to using a clip on book light (the same kind you might use on a physical book, but which people have also used with ereaders for years).

I read in bed, don't have a book light, and never used one, so I would buy one of these. Can you tell me some models please? Or what the side-lightning feature is called, to know what to look for?

[Kromm]

I read in bed, don't have a book light, and never used one, so I would buy one of these. Can you tell me some models please? Or what the side-lightning feature is called, to know what to look for?

On ebay you can just buy a generic clip on booklight for like $3, shipped for free from Taiwan. Get the ones that use normal batteries, not the stupid little coin batteries, unless you are really weight conscious.

 

If you insist on name brands, and US retail purchase, the best comparable are Might Bright, which is also sold off eBay, or off Amazon, but also in brick and mortars like Barnes & Noble.

 

If you look at the list of Kindles, you should see that the $79.99 one has ads, but no built in light. The $119.99 one has a light built in and a sharper screen. You'll notice currently there's a $49.99 offer for a Kindle Fire, with Color, which sounds great, but if eyestrain really IS the primary concern, this won't be the best answer (because it's not an e-Ink Display, and e-Ink is what's so low eyestrain). Finally, there's also a $64.99 special for the previous generation Kindle (5th Generation) with no touch screen (some people REALLY prefer it with no touch screen--many say they find the page scrolling very annoying with it) but also no built in LED lighting. 

 

That $49 Color Kindle Fire DOES sound great, and may be wonderful as a supplementary web-browsing and video watching device, however. Just not for reading books.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Kromm

[OakGoblinFly]

I read in bed, don't have a book light, and never used one, so I would buy one of these. Can you tell me some models please? Or what the side-lightning feature is called, to know what to look for?

 

 

On ebay you can just buy a generic clip on booklight for like $3, shipped for free from Taiwan. Get the ones that use normal batteries, not the stupid little coin batteries, unless you are really weight conscious.

 

If you insist on name brands, and US retail purchase, the best comparable are Might Bright, which is also sold off eBay, or off Amazon, but also in brick and mortars like Barnes & Noble.

 

If you look at the list of Kindles, you should see that the $79.99 one has ads, but no built in light. The $119.99 one has a light built in and a sharper screen. You'll notice currently there's a $49.99 offer for a Kindle Fire, with Color, which sounds great, but if eyestrain really IS the primary concern, this won't be the best answer (because it's not an e-Ink Display, and e-Ink is what's so low eyestrain). Finally, there's also a $64.99 special for the previous generation Kindle (5th Generation) with no touch screen (some people REALLY prefer it with no touch screen--many say they find the page scrolling very annoying with it) but also no built in LED lighting. 

 

That $49 Color Kindle Fire DOES sound great, and may be wonderful as a supplementary web-browsing and video watching device, however. Just not for reading books.

 

 

You can also see the various Kindles at Staples and Best Buy; this will allow you to see the screen resolution and determine which device best suits your needs.  I love the look of both the Paperwhite and Voyage and would love to purchase one; the resolution is so much sharper than my Kindle Touch.  I am tempted to purchase one of the newer versions, however since my Kindle Touch is not even four years old and works perfectly, I cannot justify the cost at this time (though I may upgrade my Fire Tablet (used for magazines, comic books, and Netflix/Amazon Prime videos) to one of the newer models (dependent on reviews) since they have upgradeable memory).

 

As others have pointed out - if you want a dedicated reader, you are better off with eInk technolgoy (Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Nobel Nook).  

[NewDigs]

Thanks Kromm and OakGoblinFly!

I have always preferred a real deal book but accepted Ebooks for their ease of travel and ease of availability. And also for the dictionary and character search functions.

I've gone from a Kobo to a Kindle to an iPad mini and have recently found my eyes resisting reading ebooks and it might be time to check out the eInk models. I did not know!

[Kromm]

Kobo is eInk, I believe.  Kindles, if you are talking about any model other than the Fire, is also eInk.  They've improved eInk to make it even clearer and better, but the basic "no eyestrain" aspect and the effects of non-glowing pixels has always been part of it.

 

The iPad mini is probably okay for short term reading, but those glowing pixels may catch up to you long term (if you are staring at them for hours on end).

[NewDigs]

Huh. I was wondering what to do with that old Kobo. I think that only their tablets use something other than eink. And I remember that they had real page numbers. They displayed them In the margin of the text and coordinated it, I guess, with sentence and punctuation stops?

I couldn't deal with the ads on the one Kindle and upgraded to the Fire. Now working an iPad mini. And I have been known to read for extended periods of time but haven't read on the mini for quite awhile.

Ironically, one of the reasons I did the upgrades was for the built in nightlight. Who knew?

Thanks.

[BookWoman56]

I use the Kindle app on my laptop almost exclusively now, for a variety of reasons. A few years ago I moved, and rediscovered what a hassle it was to pack up all my books. During that move, the rental moving truck was stolen and the contents were never recovered. I replaced some of my books, but could not find replacements for many of them. There was then another move to where I live now.  About that time, I bought a Kindle but my daughter uses it more than I do, so I began using the Kindle app for my laptop instead and set about rebuilding my library electronically this time.

 

I also stare at a computer screen all day for work, but for at least a couple of years now, I've just been reading on my laptop. I'm anticipating a relocation to a different city within the next year and do not want to have to box up more books. So, for the past few years I've been reluctant to purchase many new physical books. I am extremely nearsighted, and so while I wear glasses while reading from a screen, to read a physical book I have to remove my glasses (bifocals did not help this issue). In addition, over the past year my vision has deteriorated because of cataracts, for which I will have to have surgery next year. So at this point, reading on my laptop using the Kindle app (with a large external monitor) enables me to see the text well enough to actually read it.

 

I still enjoy going to bookstores and will occasionally pick up a book there, but to me one major advantage of e-books is that if I find an author I like, it's very easy to locate his or her other books in the Kindle store, whereas my local B&N might have one or two books by the same author but not all of them. Ultimately, although I will buy a physical book sometimes just because the cover intrigues me or I really like the binding, about 95% of my reading is done on the laptop. I have a company-issued laptop for work, and I log off that one and switch to my personal laptop for everything else, so in my mind there's a definite break between staring at a screen for work and looking at a screen to read for pleasure. In addition, even though something might happen to my laptop, I can always download my kindle books again onto another device, whereas when I lost books to theft, I had to repurchase the ones I could to replace what I had lost.

[Kromm]

Oh man. Maybe it's just me, but I get a headache even THINKING of reading a book on a laptop.  Even the best one.

 

If you read upthread you'll know that's not an anti ebook stance, of course. Just an anti-books-via-glowing-pixels stance.

 

I will say bad vision does change variables a little. I suppose you need a lot more light. If it WAS on an eInk device you'd still need a lot of light--just an external non-backing light, that's really bright.  You also might have to break down an spend the money on a larger screen eInk device, and they tend to be rare and expensive (Kindle used to have a really large screen model, rhe Kindle DX, for example. but I don't even think they make one bigger than 6" anymore). So maybe given all that you DO have to use a large computer monitor--just so you can have really large characters.  The idea scares me though.

 

With the Kindle DX gone, you're left with smaller competitors like the Onyx M96:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M1RKK1Y?ref_=cm_cr_pr_sims_i

 

Which isn't even in stock on Amazon anymore, but might be findable on eBay. 

 

Or the Icarus E1051BK:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Icarus-E1051BK-reader-touchscreen-handwriting/dp/B00LO1XQ9G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_147_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1TDDEGRJDGDJQ76W2JEG&dpID=51-CNG6%2BmCL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR141%2C160_

 

Sony had a 13" reader (the Sony DPT-S1) but it's ludicrously expensive. Like One Percenter Only expensive.

 

Hanvon has two 10 inch readers (well 9.7 really) but I don't know much about them or how to get them:

 

http://www.hanvon.com/en/products/ebook/products.html

[Crim]

Why would a bigger screen matter? Isn't the font adjustable on a Kindle? Scrolling more often is not that much of an inconvenience imo. I'm very near sighted too, but I can read even on my phone by changing font size (Here is your headache, Kromm. :P)

[Kromm]

Scrolling DOES get tiring, especially if there's some latency between page turns.

 

I haven't played with all of the Kindles, but I know on the older ones you could only make the font a certain amount bigger. I think that was tweaked on the DX specifically because of the larger screen.

 

It's academic to me, because with a fairly standard amount of nearsightedness, I do fine with the regular default font on a 6" Kindle. Certainly far better than I would with the same size text on a phone or tablet or PC screen. But I know there are people out there where the only way to read is huge-ass letters. I'd hate to do that on a 6" screen and have to page flip literally every line of reading. 

[halgia]

Here's the largest font size on my this-year's Paperwhite, next to a regular paperback for reference:

 

 

The letters get pretty big, but you'd need a lot of page flips.

[Athena]

There is a subset of the publishing industry dedicated to Large Print. Ebook readers are great for this market, but they can't be too small. A lot of Large Print books are in hardcovers for a reason.

 

I love my Kindle, but I do like hardcovers and the heft of a book for a reason. If I read LP, the size of certain ebook readers could be too dainty.

[Kromm]

Here's the largest font size on my this-year's Paperwhite, next to a regular paperback for reference:

 

 

The letters get pretty big, but you'd need a lot of page flips.

See, it's also very inefficiently laid out there.

 

First, there's the kerning. Aka "the spacing between letters".  It's even, but wider than it has to be.

 

Here's a good example of how kerning can differ (and take up different amounts of space that add up eventually):

 

 

Second, there's the Word spacing.  Which is VERY inefficient there.

 

Thirdly, there's the leading.  Leading is the space between lines of text. It could definitely be FAR smaller there.

 

 

Finally, while we are seeing a justified page (which means the line spacing is somewhat adjusted line per line to not have empty white space on the right margin), that's not always the most efficient way to get maximum info on a page. Sometimes allowing hyphenated words does. But even better, the ability to flip the page orientation and show it landscape mode rather than portrait. In landscape mode you have to tinker with word spacing and/or using hyphens a lot less

 

Even with a font that large, I'm just saying, with better kerning, leading, word spacing, justification and orientation, there could be a heck of a lot more info between page flips.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Kromm

[NewDigs]

Thanks Kromm.

I've noticed the differnce in LP books but didn't know why.

So, which device/os has the best kern?

[BookWoman56]

I could adjust the font size on a Kindle or whatever, but I don't want to have to flip pages every other sentence. I have a 22" external monitor and so I get the full page view, which is large enough I can see it without any problems.

 

It doesn't bother me to read on a laptop screen at all. I'm a tech writer and on an ongoing basis I'm reviewing/editing 200+-page documents in Word, so reading with the Kindle app is not a problem, at least for me.

[bubbls]

You know one thing I don't like about my Kindle? When there are no page numbers or any way of tracking where you're at in the book. I realize that's not really a Kindle thing but the, er, editing, I guess. Anyway, I'm reading a book now, and I have no idea how much further I have to go. I'm surprised by how much this is bothering me. Am I halfway? 3/4? Or do I have 500 more pages to get this story wrapped up?? I don't knowwww!

 

 

 

See, it's also very inefficiently laid out there.

 

First, there's the kerning. Aka "the spacing between letters".  It's even, but wider than it has to be.

 

Snipped for brevity. That was fascinating! Thanks for taking the time to post. I knew none of this.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bubbls

[halgia]

Kronm, yeah, the lack of typographic niceties really hits you when it's so big. You can adjust the line spacing to get another line on there, but it's really not an acceptable size to read at. Apparently there's now hyphenation in some books, and not all books are forced to be fully justified either, but the book I was reading didn't have those niceties.

You know one thing I don't like about my Kindle? When there are no page numbers or any way of tracking where you're at in the book.

I've had two Kindles; the old one had an always-on progress bar at the bottom, and the new one (pictured above) has an optional page number / time left in chapter / time left in book and percentage at the bottom, which you can cycle through by tapping on the bottom.

[OakGoblinFly]

You know one thing I don't like about my Kindle? When there are no page numbers or any way of tracking where you're at in the book. I realize that's not really a Kindle thing but the, er, editing, I guess. Anyway, I'm reading a book now, and I have no idea how much further I have to go. I'm surprised by how much this is bothering me. Am I halfway? 3/4? Or do I have 500 more pages to get this story wrapped up?? I don't knowwww!

 

 

Really?  Nearly every eBook I purchase/borrow from Amazon has page numbers - granted some of the older titles don't, but most do.

[Kromm]

You know one thing I don't like about my Kindle? When there are no page numbers or any way of tracking where you're at in the book. I realize that's not really a Kindle thing but the, er, editing, I guess. Anyway, I'm reading a book now, and I have no idea how much further I have to go. I'm surprised by how much this is bothering me. Am I halfway? 3/4? Or do I have 500 more pages to get this story wrapped up?? I don't knowwww!

It must vary by version of the Kindle OS, because even though mine (an ancient Kindle Keyboard 3 I'm using into the ground before upgrading) has no formal page numbers matching the publication, it DOES have a percentage counter at the bottom, a bar graph that gets filled matching the percentage, and if you press the menu button a "location" number (that's not a page number but is also a proportional number of how much you've read).

 

EDIT - Okay, everyone else beat me to similar answers I see.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Kromm

[bubbls]

I didn't think of that. I'll check to see if I've hit some button and turned it off. I've been known to do that kind of thing, haha.

[halgia]

I didn't think of that. I'll check to see if I've hit some button and turned it off. I've been known to do that kind of thing, haha.

On my Paperwhite, you can make it show up either by tapping on the bottom of the screen (easy to do by accident and turn off...) or in the menu under "Reading Progress."

[bubbls]

On my Paperwhite, you can make it show up either by tapping on the bottom of the screen (easy to do by accident and turn off...) or in the menu under "Reading Progress."

 

Thanks, I'll try this. I hope that's the problem rather than the original book formatting.