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I agree with you to a degree. I would like the Apple Tablet to have those features except I want the Apple tablet to have the same screen that it does now. I kn

I agree with you to a degree. I would like the Apple Tablet to have those features except I want the Apple tablet to have the same screen that it does now. I know that a good portion of HN readers appreciate the difference between a TN Screen and the IPS screen that Apple is putting in the iPad. The epaper screen in this tablet is just not the way that apple wants to go with a tablet. It's also a direction that I don't think that apple should go because battery life and readability in direct sunlight are the only real draws to the epaper screen. The real thing that makes an ebook readable on a computer screen is dpi and the dpi on the iPhone is good and they continued this with the iPad. This is not to say that the kindle et al are not readable but they give up a lot just to be good book readers. The iPad is not aiming to be just a ebook reader. It's aiming to be a portable media device.

deleted 17y ago
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glymor 17y ago
This has a Pixel Qi screen not a e-ink screen. (The OLPC screen has the same technology.) It has the same reaction speed as a LCD. I'm not sure how good the colour mode is (probably TN level). The monochrome mode has 3 times the DPI (because of each RGB sub-pixel). About e-ink readers: it's not the DPI. They generally have 160dpi which is lower than many mobile LCDs. For example the N770 I used to read on had a 225 dpi screen but I'm still faster on e-ink. I'm not sure what it is, it might just be the lack of backlight.
- weaksauce 17y ago
  Thanks for the clarification on the Qi screen. There are a few factors that make ebook screens usable in my opinion. I would say that you need a certain level of dpi to handle small font rendering well. After a certain threshold I don't know if it benefits you as much. The second factor is screen size the n770 had a 4.1" screen which leads to a lot of context switches. The kindle has 167ppi on a 6" screen. The kindle screen allows for much less context switches which are jarring to the mind. (context switch in this example would be turning the page) With the iPad's 10" screen the context switches will be much less even still. (Though the iPad has the least ppi of all the devices I mentioned I think it should be over the minimum threshold for readability)
  - elblanco 17y ago
    I hold a 24" monitor in my lap and read e-books in a 6 pt font. I context switch far less than I would with an iPad ergo my lap monitor > your iPad. I do not understand what your point is beyond fanboyism.

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glymor 17y ago

This has a Pixel Qi screen not a e-ink screen. (The OLPC screen has the same technology.) It has the same reaction speed as a LCD. I'm not sure how good the colour mode is (probably TN level). The monochrome mode has 3 times the DPI (because of each RGB sub-pixel). About e-ink readers: it's not the DPI. They generally have 160dpi which is lower than many mobile LCDs. For example the N770 I used to read on had a 225 dpi screen but I'm still faster on e-ink. I'm not sure what it is, it might just be the lack of backlight.

weaksauce 17y ago
Thanks for the clarification on the Qi screen. There are a few factors that make ebook screens usable in my opinion. I would say that you need a certain level of dpi to handle small font rendering well. After a certain threshold I don't know if it benefits you as much. The second factor is screen size the n770 had a 4.1" screen which leads to a lot of context switches. The kindle has 167ppi on a 6" screen. The kindle screen allows for much less context switches which are jarring to the mind. (context switch in this example would be turning the page) With the iPad's 10" screen the context switches will be much less even still. (Though the iPad has the least ppi of all the devices I mentioned I think it should be over the minimum threshold for readability)
- elblanco 17y ago
  I hold a 24" monitor in my lap and read e-books in a 6 pt font. I context switch far less than I would with an iPad ergo my lap monitor > your iPad. I do not understand what your point is beyond fanboyism.