09-12-2016, 01:16 AM | #1 |
Fanatic
Posts: 578
Karma: 2095994
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: AUS
Device: Kindles & Samsung Tablet
|
What sort of ebook reader do we really want?
Personally, I want the following in an ereader.
1. E-ink .... color one day. 2. Screensaver, that is the current or last book read, cover. 3. Decent impact proof cover, with transparent front. 4. Built-in evenly dispersed light. 5. Waterproof, sand proof, etc. 6. Glare proof. 7. Long battery life. 8. Decent storage, supplemented by USB thumbstick. 9. Folders of course, with a use author name option and collections. 10. Folders should be re-nameable and ebook shortcut can appear in any folder. As for ebooks themselves, they should all come with a summary/blurb. So that they can be read anytime. 11. Summary popup dialog while reading ... you don't leave current page. 12. Shown as screensaver instantly by a button click ... device remains off. 13. Ability to Wifi etc to same brand ereader, if just to update last page read. And no doubt some more things. P.S. Font types & sizes etc and background colors/shading/brightness goes without saying. As does bookmarks, notes, highlights, etc. |
09-12-2016, 04:37 AM | #2 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
I see absolutely no need for a screensaver on a reader, personally. I always use a sleep cover on my reader, so it switches on when I open the cover, and off (or, more accurately, goes to sleep) when I close the cover. A blank screen (to indicate that the device is asleep) is absolutely fine with me.
Equally, I'm a little puzzled by the desire to see a summary of the book you're currently reading. If you're reading it, you don't need a summary, surely? |
09-12-2016, 05:37 AM | #3 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,594
Karma: 21245891
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader
|
I agree with Harry about the sleep cover. I have one on my kindle. Even before that I never cared what showed up on my screen when I wasn't using it (It's usually in my knapsack/purse) because I'd not be looking at it.
That said, I had a Sony PRS T2 a few years back that allowed me to have the cover of the book I am currently reading as the sleep screen. I gave that one to my daughter and she loves it. |
09-12-2016, 05:56 AM | #4 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
It's useful to have some visual indication that the device is off/asleep, of course, given that an eInk screen retains its image when power is removed, but personally I'm not bothered what that indication is.
|
09-12-2016, 06:30 AM | #5 |
Zealot
Posts: 111
Karma: 18638
Join Date: Dec 2009
Device: Sony DPT-S1, Kindle DX, iPad, Kobo Mini,H20,iRiver StoryHD
|
Summary is kind of a cool idea for those bookworms like me who read too many books at once.
Sometimes you return to a book a few months later. As long as we are brainstorming I was thinking of AI generated custom summary of what you have read. Sort of combine the percentage read indicator of Kobo with Machine Learning summary robots which have gotten scarily good these days. These kind of summaries would work better on business type of books than on fiction, but even fiction can be summarized. |
09-12-2016, 06:39 AM | #6 | |
Fanatic
Posts: 578
Karma: 2095994
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: AUS
Device: Kindles & Samsung Tablet
|
Quote:
I have on many occasions, wanted to check on something mentioned in the blurb, even if just to tell someone a quick rundown of what I am reading, but also because I have a fleeting memory of something I thought was mentioned ... perhaps a name, etc, etc. There can be many reasons to want to recheck the summary, especially early on, as you don't really know a book until it is mostly finished. Then you have the scenario, where you may have to put the book aside for a while, for whatever reason, perhaps another ebook, maybe on another device, or just something happening in your life ... so you need a refresher when you get back to it ... especially early in the story. To truly replace a physical book, an ebook needs, in my opinion, to be able to emulate the physical book as much as possible. Looking at a book's cover has often given great pleasure. Propping an ereader on a bookshelf where you can see the book cover due to transparency, would be a really nice feature. Last edited by Timboli; 09-12-2016 at 06:52 AM. |
|
09-12-2016, 06:40 AM | #7 | |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
When the OP said "summary" I kind of assumed that he meant the information you find on the book jacket, and possibly a blurb, rather than a detailed description of the plot which would spoil the book for the reader. |
|
09-12-2016, 07:12 AM | #8 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,608
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Kobo Readers can have a book summary. Not while reading the book though. But you can get it in the library screen.
|
09-12-2016, 07:21 AM | #9 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,279
Karma: 11768331
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Madrid, Spain
Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2
|
|
09-12-2016, 07:21 AM | #10 |
Fanatic
Posts: 578
Karma: 2095994
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: AUS
Device: Kindles & Samsung Tablet
|
Another simple way to look at a couple of things, is that with a physical book, the cover, the blurb, can be instantly looked at anytime, without moving from your place in the book.
If an ebook reader could emulate that as simply as possible, then it is only going to make it better and also encourage more people to see it as a worthy replacement for a physical book. More people buying ebooks, should in theory, make them cheaper and more bountiful ... and save a few trees, plus mean more encouragement to create better ereaders. |
09-12-2016, 07:24 AM | #11 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,608
Karma: 130140792
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
|
09-12-2016, 07:52 AM | #12 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,279
Karma: 11768331
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Madrid, Spain
Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2
|
|
09-12-2016, 07:56 AM | #13 |
Addict
Posts: 383
Karma: 3461302
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo Aura One, Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura HD (RIP)
|
My Options:
|
09-12-2016, 07:58 AM | #14 |
Fanatic
Posts: 578
Karma: 2095994
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: AUS
Device: Kindles & Samsung Tablet
|
|
09-12-2016, 08:28 AM | #15 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,459
Karma: 68781975
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Arkansas
Device: Paperwhite 4
|
I think the focus of the design of an ereader should mostly be about reading. The only design element I care about when I'm not reading is that it stays safe. That's why I like my reader to have 3G, so when I'm reading and I encounter something in the book I want to know more about I can quickly pull it up on Wikipedia. I almost never used 3G to download books or shop for books but it's an important reading feature.
Barry |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
FB Reader and sort by series | hard_boiled | Android Devices | 4 | 08-30-2013 07:20 PM |
Wrong sort order when slash (/) in ebook name | rfog | Calibre | 4 | 07-31-2012 09:55 AM |
New ebook store in Australia - sort of | Bookbee | News | 4 | 04-03-2010 05:51 PM |
Hehe AAXA Ebook micro projector!! (Ok no really but sort of :) ) | brokene60 | Alternative Devices | 3 | 09-25-2009 06:08 PM |
New EZ-Reader Firmware Review Sort Of | derrell | Astak EZReader | 14 | 08-26-2009 01:11 PM |