More on TechnologyTell: Gadget News | Apple News
Tablet PC vs. PDA vs. mobile phone–as an e-book reader
October 31, 2005 | 8:39 pm
|
By David Rothman
A Finnish study, sponsored by a paper company and mentioned here earlier, compared the “Standard Usability Scale” scores of print, an iPAQ Pocket PC, a Tablet PC and a Nokia 7710 for e-book reading. Here are the results as summed up in eFinland:
Printed material performed best in the reading platform comparison, receiving an overall average SU score of 86.4 out of 100 with the highest individual score at 100 and the lowest at 67.5. Of the actual eBook reading devices, the highest overall score of 80.0 was obtained by the Rocket eBook. The lowest individual score of all was 45, given to the Tablet, followed closely by the regular computer at 47.5. Incidentally, with the exception of paper, the regular computer also scored highest at 97.5, probably because of its familiarity to users.
Tablet, although a standard computer and therefore probably initially more familiar to users than the iPAQ, received a significantly lower overall score. All in all, Tablet users were not as satisfied with their device as were the iPAQ users.
The Nokia 7710 scored quite well, but since only one user was able to use the smart phone, the result isn’t definitive. It is interesting to see that users were very happy with the Rocket eBook device, since there isn’t much variance in the ratings.
I’m not surprised that the Rocket eBook did well. It’s big enough to read comfortably on–but isn’t as bulky as a Tablet PC. Of course, the form-factor debate is a classic one within e-bookdom. My own approach at the personal level is to use a Cybook tablet at home and a Sony Clie PDA when I’m on the go.
I need to stop now for work-related deadline reasons, but may have more thoughts on this later on. Meanwhile, what are yours?
|
Previous
SUBSCRIBE TO RSS
Comments:
I use both a PDA (VGA) and a Tablet PC for reading ebooks. The PDA is handier but the Tablet more closely duplicates the book experience.
Yep, Jim, that’s about all I feel as well. I suspect there are lots of readers out there with the same approach. PDAs don’t cost that much compared to the price of the tablet PC, so there’s no reason for TPC-lovers to limit themselves to just one device. The fact that you write a tablet PC blog but confessed to using a PDA on the go — well, that just shows your open-mindedness. Cheers. David
different people will prefer different form-factors.
even the same person might choose a different
form-factor under a different set of circumstances.
this means the only prudent way to proceed is to
offer a range of form-factors, from 3*5 (index-card)
through 4*6 and 5*7 or 5*8 (common photo sizes)
through 6*9 and 7*10 and 8*11 and 9*12 (tablet).
i see all of these form-factors costing _the_same_,
since miniaturization costs will go up in the small ones,
and bigger screens will drive up the cost of large ones.
the only machine that will sell to the masses will be
one that has phone and wireless web capabilities, so
there aren’t gonna be any inexpensive versions of it.
so since the cost will be the same, no matter the size,
people will make the decision based on their preference.
the form-factor people choose will likely be dictated
by the type of reading that they do. novel-readers
will be able to get by with the index-card-sized ones,
and s.t.m. users will need the 9*12 size to get by…
(notice that paper-books come in a variety of sizes;
the size usually stems from the nature of the book.)
one size does _not_ fit all. so this constant talk about
“which size is best?” and “which size do _you_ prefer?”
is just like asking people what _shoe-size_ is “the best”.
it’s obvious, isn’t it? the size that best fits their feet…
there are far more productive things to be discussing…
-bowerbird
I like tablets; the real problems are weight and battery life. I suspect these are likely issues that contributed to the tablet’s poor score.
I do like my eb-1150 (a follow-on to the Rocket), but I also wish it had some basic pda functions – a contact list, calendar, and simply database display. Since there are all text-heavy, graphics-light applications it should not be too onerous.
I agree in essence with Bowerbird – it really comes down to preferences for the most part.
That said, I love my 1150 and 1200s.
Battery life, markups, dictionary, readability and a great form factor.
Works for me!
I’ll be in the market for a next gen tablet soonish, but I don’t see that becoming my primary eBook reader by any stretch. Reading is important enough to require it’s own task for me, so I can deal with the downside of yet another dedictated device (and yet another wall wart).
its very fine to use tablets not as pdas