Registered: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 120

Best screen for book reading?

Looking for comments and recommendations on the best screen for book reading. That's all I use a handheld for - don't care about graphics, don't care about expansion modules, etc. Poor eyesight needs a good, readable screen.

Appreciate your recommendations.

Registered: Aug 2002
Location: Collierville(Memphis) TN
Posts: 33

From my own experience, the visor prism screen is great. I have vision problems. I would assume most color pda's are the same with a paper white background and black type. It seems extravagant to buy a color pda just for reading, however the gray on gray of the monochrome screen will give you trouble if you have vision problems.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

I must agree. I have had both a monochrome (a visor deluxe) and currently a Prism. I find it much easier to read with the Prism. I haven't compared the Prism with any other color units.
With it being discontinued, you might be able to score a Prism for a good price.
Michael

__________________
"I am a debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish."

Registered: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 120

Well Noted

Thanks. Your feedback is really appreciated.

I have a Neo and now an older Platinum.
Even though the specs. read that these two
monochromes are the same, I find that the Neo
has better screen quality. Maybe it's because the
Neo is new and the Platinum used. Not sure. (And
both of these are clearer than the Deluxe I used
for over a year, though it did the job).

However, monochrome does seem to have visibility
limitations. So, I'm open to more comments - even,
though I don't like to think of switching brands, I keep
hearing that Sony has good screens.

I once wrote to Handspring re: a screen magnifier
module and they were fairly indifferent. Also
investigated the Handera but discovered it has
some problems with certain software (esp. my
favorite, CSpotRun)

Look forward to move feedback.

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 227

Neo or Edge

The Neo does have a more enhanced screen than the Plat--It is basically the same as the Edge--Albeit a bit larger than the Edge--

I think this is an exceptionally personal preference--
I have fairly poor vision -- Correctable -- but still prone to eyestrain-
I find the mono screens better than any color-- Even my pc--

For my eyes at least--

The Edge and Neo are the best mono screens I have found for reading e-books and I find them significantly clearer than color screens---At least compared to Prism, Palm M series and others I have seen--

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

Screen magnification: I no longer have the site bookmarked, but there IS a screen magnifier device available for Palm devices. Having used a screen magnifier for GameBoy, I would not put much hope in it, though. They tend to use Fresnel lenses and are very sensitive to angles, etc.

Screen clarity: I think the hi-res Sony's are much clearer than the Prism, but the Prism is a lot easier to see than the monochromes (except in bright sunlight). With Prisms available for under $150 at www.consumerdepot.com and elsewhere, it is a great value!

As a book reader, you will also appreciate a memory card or memory expansion unit to allow you to load and read either a lot of books, or bigger books and reference materials (BDicty, for example).

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

Registered: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 120

Good info.

Thanks for the good information.

Of the Deluxe, Platinum, and Neo, I have to say my current experience with the Neo is really good. Screen quality is definitely the best of the three monochromes. I'm also really surprised/pleased with the battery life.

I'm still open to trying color but still uncertain about which one. Do you get much glare from the white background?

Anyone have any info. on the new Sony SJ30?
One thing I've noticed is, though it comes with twice the room of most Visors, they sure load it up with a lot of software and trialware. It does, supposedly, come with an AC adapter which would be nice to have, especially with those infernal rechargeable batteries.

Pleased with my Neo, open to options.

Registered: Aug 2002
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 108

What about the Pro?

I just bought a Pro on clearance from OfficeMax. It was a display model, but I saw no blemishes or screen scratches. I think they never recharged the battery and that discouraged playing with it.

It's clearance price was $139.00, but with 10% more off all clearance items and another 10% since the display was the last one in stock, I got a pretty good deal on a "new" unit, not refurbished, so I can still get warranty service from Handspring.

I got a refurbished Neo from CompUSA.com and the two screens seem to be comparable. Why would they be any different from the Platinum screen?

BTW, the backlight s*cks on all of them! Why did HS choose to light up the text instead of the background, like most very readable LCD backlit watches (Indiglo, etc.)?

This backlight can only be useful in absolute darkness! In twilight or dim room light it stinks. Can the screen be reversed by any software hacks, or is this a hardware design flaw?

__________________
The Prismer

"I am not a number, I am a person!"

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

For ebooks I really want a handera 330. That thing looks so sweet. I have not been impressed by color. My eyes start to hurt if I try to read an ebook on a desktop screen, so I imagine that a color unit would do the same. But reading on my visor deluxe life is great. The backlight sucks but the handera 330 has a very nice backlight.

I read that you just have to blink more when you read on a desktop screen because naturally people slow down their blinking on a desktop screen. That causes eye irritation and describes my problem.