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I like e-readers now

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Re: I like e-readers now

#221

Post by tomc1985 »

kroltan wrote: post #151
kbenson wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm confused. The switch has a screen and accelerometers. How does that that result in a situation you can just let your arms drop that you can't when playing the PS4?

The answer is twofold: - The PS4 controller's range is VERY limited, even playing crouched on the sofa with your legs interrupting LOS between the console and the controller can cause connection issues. - The Switch's tiny split controllers (the JoyCons, though there is also a traditionally-shaped Pro Controller) have very good reception, and being small and split means your arms can be in different positions. I some…

Funny, I've never had issues with PS4 controller range but my joycons have trouble with dropped inputs if I use them more than a few feet away from the switch

Not to say the PS4 controllers are good... they just love to drain their batteries when I'm not using them, and they only seem willing to charge on the PS4 and only when its in sleep mode. TBH this hassle makes me use the PS4 pretty much never, which makes the problem worse

Re: I like e-readers now

#222

Post by MikusR »

_moof wrote: post #192

I long preferred "real" books, despite having an e-reader for over ten years, but the e-reader has a killer feature: the backlight. Having a backlight means I can turn the light off on my nightstand, and read at night without keeping people up. (Yes, I know they make reading lights. No, I haven't tried one. They look like they're a pain.) I also realized after looking over my (physical) bookshelves that I don't actua…

Frontlight!

Re: I like e-readers now

#223

Post by Sohakes »

asdff wrote: post #199
AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My counter would be that it was traditionally never the paperback book's job to help you navigate the bookstore. But yes, I'll grant that the Kobo's experimental browser (which I think is the component that powers all the pieces I mentioned above that are slow/cumbersome) is noticeably less responsive than the Kindle's. They could probably do some additional tweaking under-the-hood to make it more responsive. Beyond…

We are over ten years out from the ipad 1. it shouldn't be very costly to put in some hardware powerful enough that it at least makes it so typing text doesn't have input lag. That wouldn't even take much more beef than a $40 raspberry pi. This is like a TV manufacturer evil business genius tier move. Why spend $4 on a decent wholesale board when you can spend $0.04 instead on a terrible board and the consumers will…

The input lag is most probably due to page refresh on e-ink, and not hardware power.

Re: I like e-readers now

#224

Post by valarauko »

sandyarmstrong wrote: post #180
UncleOxidant wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If the selection was good I would be happy to pay monthly for what is effectively a library card Libraries offer this service for free. Our local library has a huge and increasing number of ebooks available.

They do, yes. However, libraries typically have a very small number of "copies" of ebooks available to loan, which means there can be quite a queue. Add to this that there is literally no incentive for the person who checked it out to "return" it when finished, which means ebooks are always kept out for their maximum borrowing time. As a result, it can be months before a popular book is available to borrow. It's a ve…

> However, libraries typically have a very small number of "copies" of ebooks available to loan, which means there can be quite a queue. Add to this that there is literally no incentive for the person who checked it out to "return" it when finished, which means ebooks are always kept out for their maximum borrowing time. As a result, it can be months before a popular book is available to borrow.

My public library network has reduced the number of holds & checkouts of ebooks since the onset of the pandemic - 3, down from 10. I personally return audiobooks & ebooks immediately once I'm done since it frees up my slots. My holds get delivered semi-chaotically, so I checkout requested books as soon as I can. So holding on to digital books I don't need anymore comes with a tangible downside for me. If I had 10 digital slots I might never deliberately return books either.

Re: I like e-readers now

#225

Post by _moof »

orionstein wrote: post #220
_moof wrote: post #192

I long preferred "real" books, despite having an e-reader for over ten years, but the e-reader has a killer feature: the backlight. Having a backlight means I can turn the light off on my nightstand, and read at night without keeping people up. (Yes, I know they make reading lights. No, I haven't tried one. They look like they're a pain.) I also realized after looking over my (physical) bookshelves that I don't actua…

All e-readers can read DRM-less books. It's trivial to convert from a DRM free epub on calibre to a mobi or azw3 to use on a kindle, even. I've never felt too restricted unless I buy books directly from Amazon, because their DRM is far more strict.

I guess my point about DRM is more that the books I want to read are generally only available in DRMed formats. But maybe that's not true? I don't use an Amazon e-reader, for what it's worth.

Re: I like e-readers now

#226

Post by _moof »

MikusR wrote: post #222
_moof wrote: post #192

I long preferred "real" books, despite having an e-reader for over ten years, but the e-reader has a killer feature: the backlight. Having a backlight means I can turn the light off on my nightstand, and read at night without keeping people up. (Yes, I know they make reading lights. No, I haven't tried one. They look like they're a pain.) I also realized after looking over my (physical) bookshelves that I don't actua…

Frontlight!

Right, of course - silly mistake!

Re: I like e-readers now

#227

Post by retrac »

Sohakes wrote: post #223
asdff wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are over ten years out from the ipad 1. it shouldn't be very costly to put in some hardware powerful enough that it at least makes it so typing text doesn't have input lag. That wouldn't even take much more beef than a $40 raspberry pi. This is like a TV manufacturer evil business genius tier move. Why spend $4 on a decent wholesale board when you can spend $0.04 instead on a terrible board and the consumers will…

The input lag is most probably due to page refresh on e-ink, and not hardware power.

Correct. Noticeable response lag is evident even on the HDMI e-ink panels driven by whatever you like. They have been getting better though.

Re: I like e-readers now

#228

Post by noneeeed »

_moof wrote: post #192

I long preferred "real" books, despite having an e-reader for over ten years, but the e-reader has a killer feature: the backlight. Having a backlight means I can turn the light off on my nightstand, and read at night without keeping people up. (Yes, I know they make reading lights. No, I haven't tried one. They look like they're a pain.) I also realized after looking over my (physical) bookshelves that I don't actua…

I'm the same, I very rarely read a book twice. I think some of the Pratchett books are the only ones. Perhaps if I had a lot more time, or was a faster reader, I might, but for me there's always a new (for me) book that I would rather read.

I can see why people keep lots of books, but for me a book on a shelf is just a wedge of paper, I'd rather give it away and let someone else read it.

Re: I like e-readers now

#229

Post by kroltan »

tailspin2019 wrote: post #160
kroltan wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The answer is twofold: - The PS4 controller's range is VERY limited, even playing crouched on the sofa with your legs interrupting LOS between the console and the controller can cause connection issues. - The Switch's tiny split controllers (the JoyCons, though there is also a traditionally-shaped Pro Controller) have very good reception, and being small and split means your arms can be in different positions. I some…

> The PS4 controller's range is VERY limited, even playing crouched on the sofa with your legs interrupting LOS between the console and the controller can cause connection issues. Odd, I’ve never once experienced any sort of issue like this with my PS4 controllers. Makes me wonder if there could be something else environmental going on, or if I’m just lucky… EDIT: Just double checked and they use Bluetooth with no ob…

It's probably interference then, when I had access to a PS4 I lived in a big apartment block with tons of WiFi and probably Bluetooth devices around.

In any case, the Switch's controllers fared much better, even though both consoles were on basically the same place. YMMV, I suppose?

Re: I like e-readers now

#230

Post by criddell »

kenmacd wrote: post #176
admax88qqq wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Super cool. I feel like the bigger struggle will be getting actual books. Unless you pirate them, most books are encumbered with DRM.

It's very easy to remove that DRM. Personally I don't log in to my kobo so library books get stripped before being copied over (the kobo acts as a usb storage device).

The most recent version of DRM used by Amazon hasn't been cracked yet (AFAIK) and the workarounds get you a version of the file missing a lot of recent typographic improvements.
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