Two steaming cups of chocolate goodness. Courtesy of whomever I swiped it from out of the cupboard.

Ben ,'The Killer In Me'


Buffistechnology 3: "Press Some Buttons, See What Happens."

Got a question about technology? Ask it here. Discussion of hardware, software, TiVos, multi-region DVDs, Windows, Macs, LINUX, hand-helds, iPods, anything tech related. Better than any helpdesk!


NoiseDesign - Mar 21, 2012 5:36:35 pm PDT #19721 of 25501
Our wings are not tired

If you have a Best Buy anywhere around I'd say go and take a look at both side by side. I've got the retina display on my iPhone 4S and I find it very easy to read. I also have an original iPad without the retina and I enjoy reading on it as long as I've got the backlight and color of the text adjusted. I looked at the new iPad when it came out and the display is amazing, at reading distance you can't discern any pixels.


Gris - Mar 22, 2012 4:11:14 pm PDT #19722 of 25501
Hey. New board.

though e-ink almost always has it [backlights]

It does? I've only seen e-ink on Nooks, Kindles, etc, which don't have backlights, unless I'm missing something obvious.

To me, the backlight is the biggest differentiator. It makes it hurt less. I've never tried a retina display iPad - or any iPad for that matter - for extended periods, but could never get the backlight on the iPhone 3gs to a level that didn't give me a splitting headache after 2 hours of reading. But it seems to be a very personal thing, and I think it's greatly improved.

If I had an iPad, I would try reading on it, and I think it would probably be fine.


Steph L. - Mar 22, 2012 4:12:27 pm PDT #19723 of 25501
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine

My Kindle (the entry-level model) doesn't have a backlight, which I really hate. I vastly prefer the Kindle app on my iPod Touch, despite the screen being so much smaller than on the Kindle.


NoiseDesign - Mar 22, 2012 4:13:59 pm PDT #19724 of 25501
Our wings are not tired

Yeah, I hadn't caught that before, I don't think I've ever seen e-ink with a backlight. I know my Kindle 2 didn't have it, and K's current Kindle Touch does not.


Ginger - Mar 22, 2012 4:24:37 pm PDT #19725 of 25501
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda

I don't know how e-ink could have a backlight.


§ ita § - Mar 22, 2012 4:31:09 pm PDT #19726 of 25501
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Same here on the backlightless e-ink. That's why I have it, because it has no backlight.


javachik - Mar 22, 2012 4:34:26 pm PDT #19727 of 25501
Our wings are not tired.

Yup. I stare at computer screens all damned day for work. It's e-ink for me all the way: no damned backlight!


Ginger - Mar 22, 2012 4:35:54 pm PDT #19728 of 25501
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda

I'm on a computer all day. I'd rather have have the rest offered by something that reads like paper.


meara - Mar 22, 2012 4:38:22 pm PDT #19729 of 25501

Yeah, that's why I'm comfy reading my kindle long hours, even if lately I've been playing around with my new ipad a lot.


Pix - Mar 22, 2012 6:41:56 pm PDT #19730 of 25501
The status is NOT quo.

Yup. I stare at computer screens all damned day for work. It's e-ink for me all the way: no damned backlight!

Yes, this.