An eBook reader is a device such as the Amazon Kindle or Apple iPad. Giorgio Sironi addresses certain issues that I would expect to encounter while reading text on an electronic device instead of an physical book. Yet Giorgio's review is the only one that describes these difficulties, despite the many eBook reviews I've read.
"The only problem with reading eBooks is the device you use to read them. My Asus PC is good for writing articles, and skimming blog posts, or for a bit of PHP programming... But for reading extensively, LCD screens will kill us. You know when, as a child, you were told not to stare at the Sun? Here is the same mechanism, on a lesser scale... The LCD screen has a very different light intensity from the surrounding environment, which causes eyestrain due to continuously adapting between the screen and the rest of the world."The brighter the environment, the less you see on the screen.
"With an e-ink screen like Kindle's, you must have ... external light to read. This is an advantage for e-ink devices."The actual post goes into more detail. But the conclusion is that an LCD-based device is unsuitable for regular use as an eBook reader. Not if you want something that isn't a headache to use!
"Forget about iPads- They make wonderful trays for Martini glasses but not as an e-Reader."
Physical books v.s. eBooks
I guess that's why I like paperback books so much. They are small, very durable, replaceable, inexpensive and very green, because they continue to provide value to owner after owner. That makes me seem like a Luddite. Or jealous, because I don't have an iPhone of my own!The biggest problem for me is eyestrain. I find it so much easier to use any of the following:
- a portable electronic device that is NOT light-emitting and allows large font sizes,
- a book, or
- a full-size desk top monitor with all the usability features activated.
Really? I can be on an LCD screen for hours on end, no problem. Requiring ambient light as digital ink does can be a pro or a con. To me, the much larger issue is simple real estate. The Kindle's screen is barely large enough, yet at the same time it's is too large for a man who doesn't carry a man-bag. Don't know about the ipad, but I'd guess the larger real estate wins for reading at home, and it's equally awkward on the road. Reading on a laptop is fine, great, if I happen to have one on me ... the same man-bag problem. Come to think of it, the same with a book. Summary: at home, a book or laptop or (I would think) ipad would be fine. On the road, the iphone wins hands down, because even though the screen is tiny, at least I have it on me!
ReplyDeleteMichael